The Angel In The Lion's Den
By Senior Pastor Dr. Bill Rains | April 14, 2024
In Daniel 6:16-28, we read: “Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions… My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me…” On April 14, 2024, Pastor Bill Rains preached “The Angel In The Lion’s Den,” the 11th in a series on angelic encounters. Three lessons shine: God’s power and presence sustain us, personal character matters, and the harvest principle governs consequences.
God’s Power and Presence
Daniel, first president under King Darius, faced a trap from jealous rivals. A decree banned prayer to any but the king, yet Daniel prayed openly, landing in the lions’ den. Darius, sleepless and grieving, hoped Daniel’s God would deliver. God didn’t remove the lions but sent an angel to shut their mouths, proving His promise from Genesis 28:15: “Behold, I am with thee… I will not leave thee.” Like Daniel’s fiery furnace friends, God’s power limits Satan’s roar (1 Peter 5:8), offering victory through faith (1 John 4:4).
Personal Character to Strive For
Daniel’s response to Darius—“Innocency was found in me… before thee, O king, have I done no hurt” (v. 22)—reflects a character of integrity before God and man. Pastor Rains ties this to the Ten Commandments: honoring God (first four) and others (last six). Today’s world often dishonors both, yet Christians must strive for this vanishing virtue. Opposition from flesh, world, and devil tests us, but faith, not carnal weapons, prevails (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Daniel’s trust, not a stick or rock, saw him through.
The Principle of Harvest
After Daniel’s deliverance, his accusers, their wives, and children faced the lions—a grim harvest. The angel left with Daniel, and Darius’ law, not God, demanded their fate. Pastor Rains stresses: “You reap what you sow.” Rejecting Christ doesn’t just harm us—it ripples to families. Children miss God’s love when parents shun Him. This sobering truth urges men, as spiritual heads, to lead toward Christ, not the lions’ den of worldly choices.
