IN our picture this week we have an artist’s idea of how Daniel and the lions appeared in the den. But we do not know whether it looked like that or not, but it matters very little; let us see what lesson we may gather from this wonderful account.
Daniel was one who was very faithful. He truly believed in God and he feared Him, so that he wanted to obey Him as well as put his trust in Him.
There are three words in connection with Daniel that I would like to bring before you.
The third is, “Prospered.” (Dan. 6:2828So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (Daniel 6:28).) Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food. That was a decided and settled intention with him. All who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour should follow Daniel in this, and not defile ourselves with the things of this world. Have that settled in our hearts.
The next was that Daniel prayed. That was the mark of dependence. He suffered for it, and was thrown into the den of lions, but God took care of the dependent man, and closed the lions’ mouths so that they did not harm him.
The last word is “Prospered.” God caused Daniel to prosper, because first, he feared God, and decided in his heart to stand fast for God, and then, he was dependent on God, and so God prospered him. Don’t forget these three words and their order, — “Purposed,” “Prayed” and “Prospered.”
ML 01/27/1918