Daniel in the lions’ den · faithful every day
A Bible story to tell as a family · Daniel 6:10–23 · ages 4–12 · 10 min
The story
Daniel had been taken from Jerusalem to Babylon when he was still young. Now he was an old man, working for King Darius. He was one of the three highest officials in the kingdom, and the king planned to set him over all of them, because an extraordinary spirit was in him. But some officials grew jealous and looked for some fault to accuse him of. They found nothing. The Bible says: “he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.”
So they came up with an idea. They said to one another: the only way to catch Daniel is through the law of his God. They went to the king and convinced him to sign a decree: for thirty days, no one could make requests to any god or man, only to the king. Whoever disobeyed would be thrown into the lions’ den. And under the law of the Medes and Persians, a signed decree could never be changed. Darius signed it.
Daniel found out. And what did he do? He went home, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, got down on his knees three times a day, prayed and gave thanks to his God, “just as he had done before.” He didn’t make a show of it, and he didn’t hide. He simply kept doing what he had always done. His faithfulness had been built day after day.
His enemies found him praying and ran to the king. The king was very upset, because he was fond of Daniel, and he tried to save him until sunset. But the men reminded him: the law cannot be changed. So Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. Before that, the king said to him: “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” A stone was placed over the mouth of the den and sealed with the king’s ring.
That night was long in the palace. The king did not eat, wanted no music, and sleep fled from him. Imagine the king tossing and turning in bed, while down below, in the darkness of the den, Daniel was with the lions.
Very early, the king got up and hurried to the den. He called out in a voice of anguish: “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Silence. And then, from inside, came Daniel’s voice: “O king, may you live forever!” And he told him: “My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me”.
The king was overjoyed and ordered Daniel to be lifted out of the den. No wound was found on him, and the Bible explains why: “because he had trusted in his God.” Afterward, Darius wrote to all the peoples of the kingdom saying that Daniel’s God is the living God, who rescues and delivers. The quiet faithfulness of a man of prayer made a whole empire hear about the true God.
10Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God. 12So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.” 13Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.” 14As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him. 15Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.” 16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed. 18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him. 19At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. 20When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever! 22My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.” 23The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
What the Bible says
- v. 10: Daniel prays and gives thanks three times a day “just as he had done before,” even though he knows about the decree.
- v. 16: even the king acknowledges it: “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
- v. 22–23: God sent his angel and shut the mouths of the lions, and Daniel came out without a wound “because he had trusted in his God.”
What we learn
Daniel’s courage in the crisis was born from a habit built on ordinary days: praying and giving thanks, three times a day. He was honest at work and faithful to God without arrogance, and he kept respecting the king. God delivered him from the lions, but the Bible also tells of faithful people who suffered and were not delivered in this life (Hebrews 11:35–38); God never abandons his own. Daniel, innocent and condemned, then brought out of the sealed den, points to Jesus, who came out of the sealed tomb alive.
Questions to talk about
For little ones
- What did Daniel do three times a day?
- Who shut the lions’ mouths?
For kids
- Why didn’t Daniel stop praying, even with the decree?
- The king liked Daniel and still couldn’t save him. Who could?
For teens
- Daniel didn’t hide or make a show. How can you be faithful to God without arrogance at school or on social media?
- His enemies found no fault in Daniel’s work. What difference does that make to someone’s witness?
For adults
- What daily habit of prayer can our family build before a crisis comes?
- How do we talk with children about faithful people who suffer, without promising that nothing bad will ever happen?
Activity
Choose three set times of the day, like breakfast, coming home from school and bedtime, for a one-sentence prayer. Make a poster with three windows drawn on it and mark it with a sticker or a line each time the family prays together this week.
To memorize: Daniel 6:22
Prayer
Living God, you shut the mouths of the lions and took care of Daniel. Teach us to pray every day, on good days and hard ones. Give us courage to be faithful to you, with humility and respect. Amen.