The First Real Daniel Fast

When Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, he knew he was dinner.  He was no match for one lion, let alone multiple ones. 

But what do you think the lions thought?

Fresh food, probably. The thrill of the kill radiated through their bodies.  They twitched with excitement.  This was going to be fun.  After all, they had Daniel cornered.  The score was already Lions:  7 and Daniel: 0.

That’s when God intervened.  Before they made their first lunge, did they try to roar? Did nothing but a throaty growl came out?  They couldn’t open their mouths.  It was a serious case of lockjaw without a venomous bite.

That day, God initiated a Daniel fast.  These well-fed lions would be fasting this night.  No matter how they tried, they could not open their mouths.  Not to growl.  Not to sport their sharp incisors.  Not to make a kill.  For one night in this den, they were struck dumb.

But we know the part of the story that the lions couldn’t, the story that even Daniel didn’t realize at first.  God had closed the lions' mouths, rendering them harmless for the night. 

Daniel faced his lions and prepared to die.  But God had another plan to save Daniel and deliver a life-changing message to King Darius.

That night, Daniel slept better in the lions’ den than King Darius did in his royal bedroom.  Darious liked Daniel.  However, he had signed Daniel’s death sentence in ignorance when his administrators suggested a decree that would seal Daniel’s fate.  

At first light, Darius hurried to the pit where the lions were kept and called Daniel’s name.   Much to his surprise and relief, Daniel answered. True to Daniel’s character, he responded with his faith, not just his relief.

“My God sent his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions.” (Daniel 6:22)

King Darius didn’t skip a beat. He ordered Daniel to be lifted from the den, threw the men who ordered Daniel’s demise into the den, where the angel did not wait for them. Then, he wrote a decree ordering his people to “fear ad reverence” the God of Daniel.

Deliverance came for Daniel, and Darius and his people. 

That’s the lesson we are to learn.  Pray for deliverance, yes.  But understand that God is looking for people willing to deliver others through your deliverance.  We can’t script that deliverance.  Only God can. 

So when we feel the harsh reality of a lion’s den, we should pray for deliverance. Then, let God choose the how, the when, and the why. That’s the faith God is looking for.