“My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.” (Daniel 6:22 NIV)
Daniel was promoted, but with that promotion came opposition. When his opponents couldn’t find anything wrong with him, they created it. They asked the king to create a law where everyone was supposed to pray to the king and anyone who didn’t was to be thrown into the den of lions. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Daniel sure thought so because he refused to pray to anyone but God, the true King. However, that seemed to warrant Daniel being thrown in the lion’s den. What I’ve come to realize is that the lions in the den with Daniel are also symbolic of his real opponents in the story. Is it any wonder that at the end of the story they’re the ones who are thrown in the den? “At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones” (Daniel 6:22).
I’m not sure what lions you find yourself surrounded by today, but all I know is that God still shuts the mouths of lions. One of my favourite Scriptures says, “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD (Isaiah 54:17). So don’t worry about what the lions around you are saying or accusing you of because it’s God’s job to shut their mouths. When He does – because He still does – make sure to give Him the glory, just like Daniel – and the king – did (see Daniel 6:22, 25-27).
Rising with the Son 