People of God, we turn in the Bible this evening to the Old Testament, the book of Daniel, the 6th chapter, Daniel chapter 6. We'll begin reading at verse 1 of Daniel chapter 6. Now what you're about to hear is the very word of God, Daniel chapter 6, beginning at verse 1. It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs. but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally, these men said, We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God. So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said, O King Darius, live forever. The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisors and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next 30 days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lion's den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed. So King Darius put the decree in writing. Now, when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day, he got down on his knees. And he prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree. Did you not publish a decree that during the next 30 days, anyone who prays to any God or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lion's den? The king answered, the decree stands in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed. Then they said to the king, Daniel, who was one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day. And when the king heard this, he was greatly distressed. He was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians, no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed. So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lion's den. The king said to Daniel, May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you. A 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 Daniel's situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him, And he could not sleep. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lion's den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve, continually been able to rescue you from the lions? Daniel answered, O king, live forever. 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. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king. The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lion's 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. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language throughout the land, May you prosper greatly. I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, And he endures forever. His kingdom will not be destroyed. His dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves. He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. So far the reading in God's word. May the Holy Spirit help us to understand and to know God's will for our lives and be not only hearers, but also doers of the Word of God. People of God, our text tonight in Daniel chapter 6 is perhaps the most famous account in the life and times of Daniel. We learn from Hebrews chapter 11, verse 33. You remember the 11th chapter of Hebrews is that chapter that speaks about many of God's people who lived by faith, who were commended for their faith. And in verse 33 of Hebrews chapter 11, we learn that there were God's people who, through faith, conquered kingdoms and ministered justice and gained what was promised, and who shut the mouths of lions. Now, surely this could be applied to Daniel, who administered justice, who did so with marvelous integrity, and as we've read here in Daniel chapter 6, also who by faith trusted his God to deliver him from the lion's den. And so chapter 6 of Daniel gives us many important, valuable lessons of living by faith in the true and sovereign God, the only living God who endures forever and who rescues and who saves his people. And we could take as our first lesson from Daniel chapter 6 then, when we think about living by faith, we note here in chapter 6 that Daniel had a lifetime of faith. I don't know if you knew this, but when you come to Daniel chapter 6, Daniel is quite elderly at this time in his life. You remember that he was very young when he was taken into captivity to Babylon. And Daniel also learned from the prophet Jeremiah that the time of this captivity would be 70 years. So when we think about Daniel as a young man at the beginning of the book of Daniel, to Daniel chapter 6, as we see here that Darius the Mede is now the one king who reigns. After the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, then later on we read of Belshazzar. Here we have Darius the Mede. And we learn also of Cyrus the Persian. Daniel is quite elderly here, probably in his 80s, maybe 90s. And this reminds us of the valuable, important lesson of living not only by faith, but a lifetime of faith. And I'm very thankful when my family and I have the opportunity to come here to Escondido United Reformed Church. Last Sunday we heard two great sermons on the blessedness of those who meditate on God's law, who live and choose the righteous way of life. This is not just for young people or middle-aged people, but this is for all God's people who are called to be his covenant people. And when we come together, we see people of all ages. This morning, we prayed for college students who are going to be leaving here and going off to a university or work or college. And I want to remind the young people that it is an incredible gift and a privilege to belong to a covenant community of people, not just Generation Xers or some kind of church that specifically targets one age group, but that God chooses in his wisdom to put us together in a covenant community with people who have learned to trust the Lord Jesus Christ and live by faith and live a lifetime of faith. Because we need the wisdom and the experience of people like Daniel's who early on in their life chose not to defile themselves with this world, but they resolved and they purposed in their heart to be faithful to God by the grace of God. And through one wave upon wave of trial and temptation have come to know and experience the faithfulness of a sovereign God and strengthening and preserving his people. And it's very comforting, encouraging, important to belong to a people of God who know what it is to live by faith and to live a lifetime of faith. So to some of you college students particularly who may be leaving, I want to encourage you, even if you go to a Christian college, that on the Lord's Day you find a faithful church where God's word is preached and that you find a church that has God's covenant people of all ages, particularly those who have lived for quite some time, a lifetime of faith. You will be greatly blessed by their prayers, by their godly Christ-like example. You will need them and they will need you. And it will help you and encourage you to live by faith, a lifetime of faith, like we have here in Daniel. There's also another encouraging reminder here about this lifetime of faith that actually encourages us of the faithfulness of God. See, the beginning of our chapter, actually the end of chapter 5, speaks about Darius the Mede who now takes over the kingdom at the age of 62. Daniel is elderly, and Daniel has seen King Nebuchadnezzar come and go. And Daniel has also seen another king, King Belshazzar, the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar, come and go. And now it's Darius the mean. And then it will be Cyrus the Persian. And all along, who do we have? Daniel, still serving faithfully the true and living God. Daniel, you see, is a type of the kingdom of Christ that endures forever. which earlier on, Daniel, by God's incredible grace and wisdom, gave Daniel the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. And you remember there was this rock that was cut out of a mountain, not with human hands, and this rock came tumbling down, and the kingdoms that Daniel interpreted by God's help, these kingdoms, the Babylonians, the Medes and the Persians, the Greeks, including Alexander the Great in time and the Roman Empire, they all came tumbling down as that little rock cut out of the mountain, struck the feet of that statue, and that kingdom grew to be a huge mountain that would endure forever. This, of course, is a reference to Jesus Christ and his virgin birth during the time of the Roman Empire and his kingdom that will endure forever and ever. And you remember Nebuchadnezzar, that powerful king of that time? Went prostrate before Daniel when he heard that. That is a foreshadowing of every knee that shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. We come to Daniel chapter 6, and again this same theme, the same type. Daniel faithfully serving Jesus Christ. One human king after another, rise and fall. But there's Daniel, faithful, even in his elderly age. a faithful representative of the kingdom of Christ that will endure forever. When we consider living by faith, we think of a lifetime of faith. In Psalm 92, the Bible speaks of the righteous people and compares them like a palm tree. And even in elderly age, old age, they are still bearing fruit. I want to give a challenge to some of the elderly here in this congregation. I remember praying with you this morning and hearing a prayer request for Sunday school teachers that are still needed. And I want to challenge you to think about Daniel, who lived a lifetime of faith, who did not retire from the service of God regardless of his age. And I understand that there are times that we retire from some kind of earthly callings God gives us, but we never retire from serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Things may change. But I want to plead with you and challenge you, especially if you're elderly here, and by the kindness and the goodness of God, God has granted you a faith for a lifetime. And that you would consider God's call in your life to come alongside some of the covenant youth in a Sunday school class and teach God's word. And by your own example, impress upon them the faithfulness of God, even as Daniel did, to encourage the captives in Babylon. of the faithfulness of God who knows how to deliver his people and rescue them for his own glory. One last thing to think about as we consider a lifetime of faith. When we come to Daniel chapter 6 in Daniel and Lion's Den, this is one of the greatest trials and tests of Daniel. And we're reminded that in the Christian life, Live by faith. This side of heaven, we go through one trial after another. Daniel was tested early on when he came to Babylon. Remember? In the whole ordeal of the king's food. When Babylon was trying to do everything it could to get Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and all the other Jewish captives, Babylon was doing everything it could to get them to forget about their God, even change their names after the gods of Babylon, and getting them to forget about their covenant way of life. And in that test and trial, Daniel purposed in his heart early on to be faithful to God. And Daniel was blessed by God and was promoted by God. Another trial came later in Daniel's life when he had to give the interpretation of the king's dream and he had to tell the whole truth, even when that meant that this proud king and his kingdom would not endure forever, that after him would come another kingdom. And it would not be Nebuchadnezzar's will that would be done, it would be God's will that would be done. And this, even at the risk of Daniel's life, he faithfully told the word of God to the king. And so it was with Belshazzar. When he was frightened when he saw the handwriting on the wall. And Daniel once again was summoned. And Daniel was faithful in speaking the truth of God's word. A word of judgment to a blasphemous king. Now we come to Daniel chapter 6. And it is another trial. What's going on? It's the same thing that went on in the life of Jesus. Early on in his ministry, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and he was tempted. And each time our Lord Jesus said, it is written, and he was faithful in the times of temptation. And you remember what the Bible says, that after Jesus faithfully overcame the temptations of the devil, the devil left him for a more what? A more opportune time. There would be more temptations, there would be more trials for Jesus, and especially at the end of his life, he faced the greatest temptations there in the garden of Gethsemane as he was looking into what it would take to redeem you and me and all of his people from our sins. He sweat as if drops of blood, great drops of blood, in agony. And he prayed, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass, but nevertheless not my will, but thy will be done. And then on the cross, our Lord Jesus, who was forsaken, he prayed. He prayed on the cross. He prayed for our forgiveness. And he completely trusted his heavenly Father. Wave upon wave of temptation and trials. And that will be true of your life and my life as we live by faith, as it was with Daniel. So let's not make the mistake that after we overcome one huge trial or temptation that we can rest easy. We must always be alert and watchful and in prayer as we live a life by faith and know that there is a strategy by this world and by the prince of this world, by Satan, our chief enemy, that he aims to wear you down and to wear us out, to tempt us to compromise our faith and our integrity after wave upon wave of temptation. But our faithful God aims to strengthen us one trial after another as we learn to trust in him. And as we're strengthened from one trial after another, we are able all the more to be victorious for the next one and to bring glory and honor to our faithful God who knows how to deliver his people through these trials and who never leaves them or forsakes them. When we think of Daniel living by faith, we think of a lifetime of faith. And we thank God for those who encourage us to live a lifetime of faith. We notice also in Daniel chapter 6 not only a lifetime of faith, but what I want to call a predictable faith. Daniel was very blessed by God with all kinds of knowledge and skill and ability, and King Darius took note of that. And it was his intention to promote Daniel and to give him a very important influential governing position in his kingdom. And as good and faithful and a man of integrity as Daniel was, not everybody liked Daniel. And he was met with these jealous satraps. They were jealous, no doubt, of Daniel's promotion in the kingdom. And no doubt, they were also nervous of this godly man, Daniel, from Judah. Because these corrupt officials that worked along with Daniel knew that Daniel would not tolerate backstabbing and bribes and corruption and misuse of government money. And so they tried to find dirt on Daniel and tried to find some way that they could trap Daniel, thinking somebody has some kind of dark secret in their life, some kind of skeleton in their closet. And so they tried to dig up dirt on Daniel, but as they began to do that, they could not find anything on Daniel. And the Bible says that Daniel was completely trustworthy, neither negligent nor corrupt. He had a predictable faith. Now every time I read that about Daniel, it's convicting, is it not? Can your employer say that about you as you live by faith? That when you go to work where God has called you, you're neither negligent, but with the help of God, you give it your very best ability all the time? That you're completely trustworthy? Can your teachers say that of you? Those who work with you in your spheres of influence, can they say there's no corruption in him or her? That your faith is shown by the way you go about your conduct at work or your place of influence? Can your family say that about you? Daniel lived out a predictable faith. When I hear this, too, I think of, well, the latest news we've all just heard and are saddened. And how much I'd like to have our leaders in Congress in Washington go back to Sunday school again and learn Daniel chapter 6 and take a lesson in what it means to be a governor, a ruler, whom God commends, somebody who's not negligent but completely trustworthy nor corrupt. Now, this ought to be very encouraging for God's people. Sometimes we're so discouraged in a world with so much corruption and lies and falsehood. And sometimes we have in our conversation things like this. Is it even possible for somebody to serve in government and not be corrupted or squeezed into the mold of all the politics that goes on that's not pleasing and acceptable to God? And when we read about Daniel and his predictable faith, We're encouraged here that our God is so great and so faithful and so able that if God should call you and gift you to serve in government or some area of importance in this country or this city or this state, here we have an example of one of God's people where it is very possible and brings great glory and good to a people, to a society, to a nation to live a predictable faith, a faith where we are not corrupt, but honest, and men and women filled with integrity by the grace and the Spirit of God. Daniel lived a predictable faith. May God help us to do the same. Ben were greatly encouraged in this predictable faith also about his perseverance in prayer. These jealous, corrupt officials knew that they couldn't get anything on Daniel in terms of his character and his integrity. It would only have to be with something that pertains to the law of his God. And so they go to Darius and they come up with this idea and plan to have Darius issue a decree and a law that no prayer to any God or any man except to Darius. You know, Darius, we shouldn't have people mixing prayer and faith in government or at school or at work. You know, people who like this are religious fanatics and they're an enemy to society. So, King Darius, you should issue a decree. No doubt this will help unite your kingdom politically. And so you should issue this decree. No prayer for 30 days except to you, O Darius. And when Daniel, who lived a lifetime of faith, who knew how sovereign and powerful and wise and glorious God is, when he heard of this law, what did he do? Well, the Bible tells us that he continued to live out a predictable faith. He went right back to his home and to the room where he prayed with his windows open towards Jerusalem. Daniel, since he was young, knew that Jerusalem was the reminder of God's worship and of God's covenant faithfulness and of God's promises. He also remembered King Solomon's prayer at the dedication to the temple, already foreseeing years later that if God's people should become covenantally unfaithful, if they should be delivered into the hands of their enemies, that when they humble themselves and when they repent and turn to God in prayer towards that temple, towards Jerusalem, that God would have mercy on his people. So Daniel, with a predictable faith, goes back to his room. He prays towards Jerusalem, inspiring him, reminding him of God's covenant faithfulness, of his mercy and his promises. And he prays just as he had done before, three times a day, as Psalm 55 teaches us to, evening, morning, and noon, the righteous man surrounded by evil and lies and corruption learns to put his faith and his trust in God. We love that about Daniel. Just as he had done before. I want to give you a challenge and ask you another question as we consider a predictable faith. What if it happened in California that a law was passed, no prayer, except maybe some secular, generic prayer to the government, but no prayer to any God for 30 days? Now, the challenge in the question is, what impact would that have on your life personally? And on your marriage, your family, and this church, if we were not allowed to pray for 30 days? I hope and pray that we would be able to say that would have a huge impact and difference in our life. I fear that if we're honest, many would confess that it would have really no difference because genuine prayer is indeed a discipline as well and a very neglected discipline today. So let this spur us on and encourage us as we consider not only a lifetime of faith but a predictable faith of Daniel that he would rather spend an evening with lions and miss his prayer time. When we are so challenged and tempted by the busyness of life that we so often can easily neglect and slip regular disciplined times of prayer to our faithful God who delights in his people who come to him and pray. Daniel lived a predictable life of prayer and devotion to God. I'm greatly inspired by Commander Rick Husband. Maybe you read about him. He was the commander of that space shuttle a couple of years ago that disintegrated in re-entry into the atmosphere. I don't know if you know this, but he was an outstanding Christian man. His crew knew him to be a Christian, much like Daniel. The thing that gripped my heart as a Christian man, as a father, was that as a family man, he had made videos titled Devotion with Dad for His Two Children, and he made videos for each day of the mission he would be gone. So important was it to him that his family did not miss out on devotions with Dad, that he made videos of himself reading the Bible and giving devotions to his children while he would be out in space on the shuttle. A predictable faith. And may God grant us, encourage us, to live out such kind of predictable faith. And then finally we see here in Daniel chapter 6, not only a lifetime of faith and a predictable faith, and I struggled with trying to figure out a good third point for this, so bear with me, but let's just call it true saving faith. Because one of the key themes throughout the book of Daniel is that there is only one true sovereign God. And as Darius comes to again witness the miracle of this powerful God who delivers his faithful servant who lives by faith, he's led and he's so impressed to make and issue a decree that everyone in his kingdom should fear and reverence this God, the God of Daniel, who will endure forever and who rescues and who saves. Now what's very striking about Daniel chapter 6 is you'll notice how it constantly makes reference to the law of the Medes and the Persians can't be altered. Everything is written to put it down to the point there is no help, humanly speaking, for Daniel. Even Darius is trying to do what he can to rescue Daniel, but he can't. You see, everything is going to be put into the hands of God because God and God alone can save. And nothing's too hard for God. And we read that Daniel was put into this pit of the lion and it was sealed with a stone. Would Daniel come out alive? And King Darius, with all of his possessions and all that the world has for him, can't even sleep that night. And that's a reminder that if you do not know the true and living God, no matter what you have in this world, there is no peace. unless you come to know Jesus Christ and are reconciled to God by a true, genuine, saving faith in Jesus. And even if you have nothing of this world, even if you're in the midst of death, yet you have God, you have Jesus, you'll have peace that will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus like Daniel had. There's Daniel praying with the lions in the pit, sealed, will he come out alive? And troubled Darius, no peace. And the morning when King Darius comes there, he hears the good news that Daniel, in his saving faith, trusting in the true and living God, gives all the glory to God. God sent his angel. And that's a reminder for all those in Babylon in this world that angels serve God, their creator. We're not to worship angels or put our trust in anyone or anything apart from the true and saving God. And all those in Babylon are without excuse on the day of judgment, for God had made himself most clearly known in these great deliverances of his people. Daniel came out alive, not even scratched, And it wasn't because Darius somehow, before sunset, went and fed those lions so they were full, because, sadly, we read of the jealous satraps and corrupt officials and their families who received the judgment ultimately of God. Daniel means, my God is judge. And as they went into the lion's den, the lions devoured them and crushed their bones. And why is it that Daniel came out alive and these others were crushed? Daniel says this, because I was found innocent in his sight. Now, when I read this, I know that I'm not innocent. I myself in no way would want to even claim to be close to Daniel's incredible godliness and integrity. But this, along with Daniel and all God's people, I'm thankful for and glad to announce to you that even this too points to one greater than Daniel, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who you remember, it was the jealousy of the chief priests and rulers and teachers who conspired together against our Lord Jesus. Even Herod and Pontius Pilate put aside their political differences when it came to the arrest of Jesus and his trial. One who had lived a perfect, sinless life, who prayed for his people all throughout his life. And you remember who was unfairly condemned and Pilate even tried, like Darius, to deliver Jesus, but in the end handed him over to a violent death, a death on a cross. And he was placed in a tomb that was sealed. And on the third day, far greater than Daniel, Daniel didn't even die here, our Lord Jesus went into the pit of utter darkness for his people. And he experienced death in our place. And on the third day he rose again, victorious from the grave. Not only for himself, but for all who will trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Even those who have been corrupt in their life, negligent, and haven't always lived a life of integrity, but nevertheless, who under the fear of God, confess their sins, and acknowledge their need of Jesus, and who want to say, honestly, Lord Jesus, you are the true and living God, and I trust in you and your death and your resurrection, for you came out of that tomb sealed, victorious, and you grant faith to those who know they're sinners and need salvation and forgiveness. And people of God, if you are trusting the Lord Jesus Christ like this, then what Daniel said you may say, You may say that on the judgment day, even now, you are not guilty. All because of Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect, holy, sinless life, kept all of God's commandments in your place for you, and who took the wrath of God for our sins, the punishment we deserved on the cross, and he was raised for our justification, that whoever believes and trusts in Jesus, Christ's righteousness, Christ's perfection, Christ's holiness is imputed, is credited to their account. They are not guilty in God's courtroom, as if they've never sinned or been a sinner. And why will you make it then on the judgment? Because we are found innocent through Christ, in Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus by a living faith. Is that your life tonight? When you consider living by faith, as Daniel did, a lifetime of faith, a predictable faith, but also a true saving faith in the only God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died and who rose again. May God grant us the grace and the ability to stop at nothing, to make sure that we are trusting in Jesus Christ and relying upon him to rescue us from that roaring lion Satan who goes around seeking who may devour and with the Apostle Paul who also trusted in the Lord Jesus who knew that the Lord rescued him from the lion's mouth and will rescue him from every evil attack until safely he brings us to his heavenly kingdom. Amen? Let us pray. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for your word, which is the truth. We thank you also how, through the pages of the Bible, they reveal to us our great Redeemer, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank you, too, for the time in which you have determined we would be born and we would know you and serve you by faith. We thank you for the faith that you've given to us. Help us as we run the race to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith. We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you lived a holy, spotless, blameless, perfect, obedient life and that you were willing to die on the cross and be sealed in a tomb and rise victorious over the grave that we might know and have the assurance and the comfort that we too are victorious in you that we are found innocent in God's holy sight all because of you Lord Jesus and what you have done for us may that encourage your people to go forth from this place and to be devoted in thankful prayer to you relying upon you for the help and strength we need to be faithful men and women who honor you no matter what the circumstance and we thank you also for men and women who also in times past by faith faced lions and who knew the better resurrection of a martyr's death who were commended for their faith and brothers and sisters around the world even now who are suffering persecution Lord comfort them help them bring glory to your name by their faith in you and we pray dear Lord that we too may be found faithful. In Jesus' name, amen.