Why the Den?
Notes
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Topic: Deliverance
One Point: The Den is not the end, it is the place where I will see the power of my God!
Explanation: God allows us to go into the “den” to test our obedience, grow our faith and to demonstrate his power and his glory to the world around us.
Review:
Review:
You cannot separate your Obedience from your Faith
You cannot separate your Obedience from your Faith
You cannot separate what you do, your obedience, from what you believe, your faith.
You cannot separate what you do, your obedience, from what you believe, your faith.
“When Daniel knew the document had been signed”
Scripture:
Scripture:
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.
20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Me:
Me:
Mom and Dad are moving to Arizona in a couple of weeks so they are visiting with us this morning and I am reminded of my favorite word when I was a kid, “why”
If Daniel showed himself to be obedient so many times and to have such strong faith, why didn’t God keep Daniel out of the lions den?
We:
We:
Maybe you have wondered the same thing?
Not just about Daniel but about yourself.
When the phone call comes, or you open the letter, or the doctor give you diagnosis or your boss calls you into the meeting …you may find yourself asking God, “Why, God, why the den? In all your power why couldn’t you keep me out of the den?”
The den is not the end, it is the place where you will see the power of your God!
The den is not the end, it is the place where you will see the power of your God!
Through Daniel God’s word shows us the power of following God straight into the den
God:
God:
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
There was no way out, all hope seemed lost and no rest would come
Does that sound familiar to you?
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.
Circle that word “Then”
all seems lost…then (etc.)
20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
If we are willing to follow God into the den he will deliver us!
The den is not the end, it is the place where you will see the power of your God!
The den is not the end, it is the place where you will see the power of your God!
24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
This seems cruel. Why is this verse in here…because it illustrates the miraculous power of God.
These were not uninterested lions that God protected Daniel from
Your enemies are real and the darkness is real and your loneliness is real but your God is bigger
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
The den is not the end, it is the place where you will see the power of your God!
The den is not the end, it is the place where you will see the power of your God!
You:
You:
What den are you in this morning?
Maybe you are standing at the opening unwilling to go in?
This week when you realize you are in the den, remember this one word, “then”
You may be in the den with no apparent hope, THEN
Daniel’s story is a picture of what was to come in the life of another man.
66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Jesus willingly went to the cross and there was and never has been one more faithful and true
They sealed him in the Tomb for 3 days
Why would God allow this to happen?
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
Jesus was killed and sealed in a tomb so that God could raise him from the dead and defeat the greatest enemy of your life, death.
He once an for all displayed his power as the true living God
Maybe the den you are in this morning is that you have never accepted Jesus as your savior and you are lost
I believe God would say to you this morning, if I can rescue a man from lions and raise a man from the dead then I can save you.
Conclusion: You may be in a den with lions where all hope is lost, but remember, Then...
We:
We:
The den is not the end, it is the place where I will see the power of my God!
The den is not the end, it is the place where I will see the power of my God!
Think for just a moment the great hope we have to share as believers:
What freedom and peace there is in knowing, if I obey God, regardless of where he leads, he will deliver me.