Shalom dear brothers and sisters. Will you please open your Bibles to the book of Daniel and we will continue in this ministry meeting with Daniel chapter 6 verses 18 to 28. We have already covered the first 17 verses of Daniel chapter 6 and please follow me as I'm reading from verse 18 to the end of the chapter And in this portion of the Word of God, we have Daniel's deliverance from the lions. And so we read in verse 18, Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. Neither were instruments of music brought before him, and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste unto the den of lions and when he came to the den he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel and the king spake and said to Daniel O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continuously, able to deliver thee from the lions?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lion's mouth, that they have not hurt me for as much as before him innocency was found in me and also before thee o king have i done no hurt then was the king exceeding led for him and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den so Daniel was taken up out of the den and no matter of hurt was found upon him because he believed in his God and the king commanded and they brought those men which had accused Daniel and they cast them into the den of lions them their children and their wives and the lions had the mastery of them and break all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

Then King Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God. And steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth. Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions? So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

And I will stop here, beloved brothers and sisters, with verse 28 of Daniel chapter 6. Interesting that in this sixth chapter, we all remember we have moved from the Babylonian kingdom, which came to an end at 539 B.C., when Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, had made his feast, and then the judgment of God came upon him when he pronounced the judgment, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Ufar, Sin, and the judgment of God came upon him when the Medo-Persians came in and entered into the city of Babylon and took over the whole city and ultimately the whole Babylonian Empire came to an end and at the end of chapter 5 we learn of the death of King Belshazzar.

He died, he was slain, but Darius, the Midian, received the kingdom being 62 years old. So we have Darius, the king who received the kingdom, the province of Babylon. He reigned over the province of Babylon. He received the ruling over the province of Babylon within the empire of the Medo-Persian. When the Babylonian Empire came into an end and now the middle Persian in chapter 6 began their empire status and it was of course Cyrus the king of Persia who ruled and under him we have here darius in Hebrew dariavesh who was really the king over the province of Babylon which was under the whole empire of the middle Persian Empire by the end of Daniel chapter 6 we read so this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian in other words Darius reigned over the province of Babylon which was part now of the empire the middle Persian Empire which King Cyrus was the one that was prominent beginning with 539 BC when Babylon was completely taken over by the Medo-Persian and you can see how interesting because now we have a new empire the empire of the Medo-Persian and you can see how God's plan during the times of the Gentile come to fruition in the history of humanity as God have mentioned this to Daniel.

In chapter 2 instructing Nebuchadnezzar of the image that he has seen the image of the head of gold and the breast of any and arms of silver the belly and the thigh of brass the legs of iron and the feet partly iron and partly clay and then the stone which is the Messiah at the end of the age will destroy completely the kingdom the revived Roman Empire and ultimately he the Mashiach Yeshua the Lord Jesus the Messiah will rule and reign over this world and Israel as a nation will be restored to the Lord as the times of the Gentile will come to its fulfillment. So we have already began in the first part, in the first 17 verses of Daniel chapter 6, and we have learned what Darius have done, being lied to by his wise men in his kingdom, These princes and presidents and those that came to accuse Daniel, the presidents, the governors, the princes, the counselors and the captains, they consulted together and they wanted to find fault in Daniel and they were successful because they beguiled the riots by telling him to make a petition that whoever will not come to him with a request to pray to his or her own God must be first of all go through Darius and if he or she will not go through Darius for 30 days they will be cast into the lion's den and sure enough they were successful they influenced Darius the king of the province of Babylon under the Medo-Persian kingdom to make this decree.

And then when Daniel, the godly man, the man of God, the man that came. From Judea, and now he is much older. Time has passed by from 6 or 5 BC when he was a teenager. And now 539, 538 BC. Years have passed by. He must be much older than when he first came. Many years have passed by at least 45 years or so passed by and if he was about 15 he is now about 60 or so years of age and he was praying three times a day directing his prayer to the city of Jerusalem towards the temple that once stood in the city of Jerusalem and here we find Daniel was accused and these presidents and governors and princes and counselors and captains were successful in beguiling darius and when they seen Daniel praying to his own God they mentioned it to darius and he who made a decree which cannot be changed cast Daniel to the lion's den.

But remember, beloved brothers and sisters, we have already read in these earlier verses in Daniel chapter 6, Darius was sorely displeased within himself because he loved Daniel apparently. Daniel was a godly man, a faithful man, but he couldn't change. Darius couldn't change the decree and so he sought to deliver Daniel but he couldn't and by the time that the day was over the law of the meds and Persian made it necessary for him to fulfill that which he signed with his signet and then he had to cast Daniel into the lion's den and you remember beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends we read in verses 16 and 17 of this chapter 6 then the king commended and they brought Daniel and they cast him into the den of lion now the king spake and he said unto Daniel imagine as they cast Daniel into the lion's den the king came to Daniel and he said to him thy God whom thou servest continually he will deliver thee this is verse 16 of our chapter and then they placed a stone and it was laid upon in the mouth of the den and the king sealed it with his own signet as well as with the signet of his lords those lords are those presidents and governors and princes those counselors and captains.

Who wanted Daniel to be put away being jealous of him and accused him falsely and now they were pleased because finally he is in the lion's den and so beloved brothers and sisters now we come to the second half of Daniel chapter 6 verses 18 to 28 and so we read beloved brothers and sisters in verses 18 to 24 the concern of king darius for Daniel amazing to see how this man of God Daniel was able to build a relationship with king darius as he built a relationship with the king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar these Kings somehow found favor in this man by the name of Daniel as well in the other Jewish boys Hananiah Azara and Mishael and therefore the presidents and governors and princes and counselors were jealous over them and they sought to find something to cause them to stumble and to be put away from this high position that they receive from king darius in the case of Daniel here in chapter 6 and so we read now in.

These verses 18 to 24 the concern of king darius for Daniel you notice after he placed the stone on the mouth of the den after he had gone back to his home notice what we read here in verse 18 that the king went to his palace and passed the night fasting notice that neither were instruments of music brought before him and his sleep went from him you notice three things we find here in verse 18. Number one, he passed the night by fasting. He lost, King Darius lost his appetite. He knew that he was a fool by allowing these presidents and governors and princes to beguile him, to trick him.

He knew very well that Daniel was not guilty because Daniel served him faithfully he knew that because he also cared for Daniel he wanted to promote Daniel and to set him over everyone we read already in the third verse of this chapter 6 then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Well, the envy and the jealousy over these men was evident in what these godless princes and presidents and governors have done. They have gone to the extent to even lie and trick their own king in order to find fault in Daniel and set him aside.

It's amazing that how sad it is when wicked men are accusing those that seek to live for God you remember what Yeshua the Messiah said in John chapter 16 in this world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer i have overcome the world in Israel's history the constant persecution of the Jewish people is evident and we can see it here as we are now presented the period of time that began with Nebuchadnezzar the times of the Gentiles when the people of Israel the Jewish people were in captivity though the godly from among Israel are used by God to be a blessing to the Kings but yet constant animosity constant envy as it was in the day of haman the agagite who wanted to do away with all the Jews because he was envious over mordechai and others who would not bow their knees to them how amazing it is that the Scripture teaches us the sinfulness of sin and the evil that is existing in the heart of one of men and so we read.

Beloved brothers and sisters these three things number one he lost his appetite that night he was fasting number two he didn't want any musical instrument to be brought before him because he didn't want anything to make him cheerful why because he was solely displeased as we have it in verse 14 then the king when he heard these words he was so displeased with himself and he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him and he labored even until going down of the sun but he couldn't deliver him he made this decree he must follow through with it and the third thing we find in verse 18 that the king lost not only his appetite not only his joy or his happiness but he lost his sleep he couldn't sleep you see he couldn't sleep because he knew very well that something wrong was done here to the one that served him faithfully and because of this he lost his appetite he lost his happiness and he's lost his sleep that's what will happen to.

Anyone that will be deceived and not act in a proper in a true way well notice that we read in Psalm 77 and verse 4 that God of course was the one that was causing him to lose his appetite to lose his happiness and to lose his sleep in Psalm 77 verse 4 we read thou holdest mine eyes waking i am so troubled that i cannot speak in other words this is what the psalmist asaf said when God was dealing with him and you can see with any man that will violate God's word his conscience will be troubling him and that would happen to king Darius so we read in verse 19 that now king Darius rose very early to go to see what happened to Dali in other words he didn't eat the whole night he was joyless unhappy and sorrowful all night he couldn't sleep though he laid in his own bed the whole night but now he was getting up from bed according to verse.

19 then the king arose very early in the morning he waited for the night to pass and now that he fulfilled his requirement concerning the punishment for the one that have asked other gods instead of through him in prayer and so now that he cast Daniel into the lion's den now he did so so he assumed that if he of casting to the lions then that maybe there will be an end but he hoped and he actually mentioned this to Daniel thy God whom thou service continually he will deliver thee in other words he had this belief in the God of Daniel and so he's rising up early in the morning from bed and he went in haste to the den of lion he was very quick long before others have risen he's up and he's running to the mouth of the den to see what happened to Daniel hoping as he had already had this assurance with the limit amount of knowledge of the true and living.

God of Israel the true and living God of Daniel that he had but yet the hope was that this God delivered Daniel from the lions and so he's going to the lions then in haste and notice what we read in verse 20 beloved brothers and sisters when he arrived to the den he cried with lamentable voice unto Daniel notice this expression lamentable voice unto Daniel he was really hoping in the depth of his heart that everything is well with Daniel that Daniel is still alive that he is not harmed and that lamentable voice shows the love and care and hope that he had in his heart that Daniel survived the night and that God delivered him from the lions and so you notice this he is now crying to Daniel in verse 20 we read he's lamenting and he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel and the king speckled he said notice to Daniel oh Daniel servant of the living God Is thy God whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the lion?

Is thy God able, was he able to deliver thee from the lion? He cried there to Daniel. Wonderful to see that, beloved brothers and sisters. What a question. What a question. And you notice what he calls Daniel. Very beautiful. He called Daniel a servant of the living God Elohim Chaim the living God amazing to see this expression that he called to Daniel in the Aramaic it is Elohim Chaim in Hebrew and he's calling Daniel notice the servant the servant the Aramaic is Aved or Eved it's the slave of the living God remind us of what we read of Moses the servant of the Lord evad Adonai in Hebrew evad Yehovah this is the slave of the Lord we read of of a Joshua the servant of the Lord at the end of Joshua chapter 24 when he died we think even about the apostle Shaul Paul who call himself the servant of the Lord Jesus the Messiah the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach these are people who committed themselves to God and even a king darius could sense this because of the way in which Daniel lived that he was indeed the servant but not only the servant of God but the servant of the living God beloved brothers and sisters wonderful to see.

There is a contrast between the living God and the dead idols the idols that the pagan world worship they are not a living they are dead they are merely idols we read in Psalm 115 their idols verse 4 are silver and gold the works of men's hands they have mouths but they speak not eyes have they but they see not they have ears but they hear not noses have they but they smell not they have hands but they handle not feet have they but they walk not neither speak they through their throat they that make them are like unto them so is everyone that trusteth in them and so the psalmist continue and he speaks to Israel and he said to Israel o Israel trust thou in the Lord he is their help and their shield wonderful to see there is a contrast of course beloved brothers and sisters between the living God that Daniel served as a servant and the dead idols that are found here in a world of those who believe in false God the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

In 1st Corinthians chapter 10 and he said to the Corinthians in verse 21 ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of demons in other words you see he is mentioning there the false idols the false demons These are that which is contrary to the will of God. Later on, the apostle Yohanan John also challenged the believers to whom he wrote in 1 John 5, verse 21, Little children, keep yourselves from idols. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, idols are nothing. Idolatry is that which is dead is not alive but the God of Daniel who is a living God and that even darius the mead could sense that and see it in the life of Daniel and therefore he asked him oh Daniel servant of the living God is thy God whom thou service continually able to deliver thee from the lions was he able to deliver you from the lions and so beloved brothers and sisters in verses 21 and 22 of this sixth chapter of Daniel with the topic of Daniel's deliverance from the lions here we see the response of Daniel to the king Daniel was respectful Daniel was preserved by God.

Daniel was amazingly, in a supernatural, miraculous way, he was indeed sustained by God during a time such as this. And so we read in verse 21, Daniel said unto the king, O king, live forever. Notice that Daniel is still respecting the king. A way whereby anyone who would approach those Kings in those days would have to approach him with this expression or king live forever we see it in Daniel chapter 2 and in verse 4 in connection with Nebuchadnezzar there we read then spake the caladins to the king in syric and said oh king live forever in other words they came before the king and they were expected to pronounce this statement oh king live forever also in chapter 3 as well in verse 9 we do read they spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar oh king live forever you can see that there is that custom or way in which one will present himself before these monarchs and saw Daniel out of respect wishing him to live wishing him to have long life wishing him to turn to the God of heaven to the God of Daniel the God of Israel and he's coming before him and he said oh king live forever and notice the answer that Daniel gives king darius from the den of lions and so.

He continued and he's showing him the confidence that he had in his God and he said my God has sent his angel and has shut the lion's mouth that they have not hurt me for as much as before him innocency was found in me and also before thee O king have I done nor hurt see how Daniel is expressing to king Darius the reality he says look in a miraculous way my God notice the expression here beautiful expression my God Daniel had a relationship with the God of Israel with the God of heaven he was his God he was not only the God of Israel he was not only the God of heaven he was not only the God of the universe but as far as Daniel was concerned and as far as Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael were concerned their God God was their personal God they believe in the God of heaven the God of Israel this God is my God Daniel is saying My God, he's mine, and I'm his.

My God sent his angel. Notice the expression, he sent his angel. To remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, as we have mentioned this many times, that angels were created by God as servants. They are serving God, but they're also serving the people of God. And that is the purpose that God has created His ministering spirits, the angels. And in Scripture, they are called ministering spirits. The Hebrew writer wrote, and he said in verse 14 of chapter 1, Are they not, speaking of the angels, Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation? Speaking about the angels. So the angels are ministering spirits and they, plural, all the angels are called to be ministering spirits in order that they will be sent by God to do His bidding.

And they will minister to the servants of the Lord and to the people of the Lord. In every period of time in human history, the angels, the ministering spirits, have served their God faithfully. Of course, we know that there was a period of time in which some of the angels that were created by God had followed Lucifer, And they became what is known to us today, demons, fallen angels that God will judge eternally, eventually. And so, God sent His angel and has shut the lion's mouth. It's amazing. The angel of God came and in a miraculous way, He shut the lion's mouth. He simply did not allow the lion to harm Daniel.

And in a supernatural way, beloved brothers and sisters, the angel simply shut the lion's mouth. And the lions, plural, they did not have a desire to harm Daniel because in a supernatural way, the angel have shut the lion's mouth. How God preserved His own people. And you know, beloved brothers and sisters, it is fascinating to see. If you remember that we read how God preserved His people. Think about Jonah, Jonah the prophet. How he was cast by the mariners into the ocean, into the sea. And God prepared the fish. And the fish came and He swallowed Jonah. And Jonah was in the fish's belly for three days and three nights.

And God preserved Jonah in the fish's belly, that Jonah will not be consumed. And then after three days he came, he was pushed out by the fish, the great fish, and vomited Daniel out on the shore. And this event that happened became a picture and a type of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish's belly, so must the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. And Jonah, in a miraculous way, was preserved by God to serve to be a picture of the Messiah Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who will die, will be buried, and will rise again.

But the lesson is tremendous that God in a miraculous way preserving his servant think of Enoch who walked with God in in the book of Genesis Genesis chapter 5 how he walked with God and he pleased God so much and he fulfilled the purposes of God and we read that Enoch what we walk with God and he was not because in a miraculous way God took him and God took him to his presence. Wonderful to see that God preserving his people. He preserving his people and beloved brothers and sisters God is preserving Daniel. He preserving the remnant of Israel for the future day in which he will restore them.

And so we read if you remember in Isaiah chapter 43 But now thus says the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by my name. Thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overtake thee. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Why? For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Siba for thee. Since thou was precious in my side thou has been honorable and i have loved thee therefore will i give men for thee and people for thy life and so God had promised that he will deliver his people ultimately and just beloved brothers and sisters realize that what we see here in the experiences of Hananiah, Azara and Mishael in Daniel chapter 3 when they were cast into the fire and here in Daniel chapter 6 when Daniel was cast into the lion's den the furnace of fire and the lion's den became a spiritual lesson and you might say typical message of the fact that God will protect his people of Israel the Jewish people even during time of trouble such as this my God sent his angel and he shut the lion's mouth that they have not hurt me in other words he was preserved by the Lord in a supernatural way let me just read you a verse or two with respect to the Jewish people during the tribulation period beloved brothers and sisters remember.

That the book of Daniel is specifically dealing with events that will occur during the times of the Gentiles when the Jewish people will have to lose for a season a long season the privilege of reigning and ruling and enjoying God and being a blessing to the world when they are under God in obedience to him and so because of this they turn away from the Lord because their disobedience God had taken the kingdom from Israel and had handed it over to the Gentiles and so the times of the Gentiles began during the time of Daniel 605 BC 597 BC 586 BC these dates are important because during these dates Nebuchadnezzar three times came and he took captive the Jewish people away from Jerusalem from Israel to the land of Babel and in 586 BC he burned the temple in Jerusalem and then was the kingdom handed over to the nations of the world well when the church age will come to its fruition and the church will be raptured and we who are part of the bride of the.

Messiah bride of Christ will be ushered to the present of the Lord to meet him in the air there will be the tribulation period the Jewish people the people of Israel will remain here still partially in unbelief and God is going to refine the people of Israel and they will experience a lion's den experience a furnace of fire experience during the tribulation period and even then beloved brothers and sisters the Lord in a miraculous way will preserve them listen to the word that we read in Revelation chapter 12 in the middle of the tribulation where Satan will be cast down to this earth verse 6 says and the woman fled into the wilderness and she has a place prepared of God the woman is Israel the day should feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days three and a half years verse 7 and there was war in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not neither was their place found.

Anymore in heaven and a great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceivers the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him this is the middle of the tribulation period terrible days they will be here for Israel and for all the nations of the world Satan will be cast down to earth his demons will be cast down to earth earth will be what is called hell on earth and we read in verse 10 of Revelation chapter 12 and i heard a loud voice saying in heaven now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accuses them this is namely the Jewish people the nation of Israel accusing them before our God day and night but we read they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death therefore rejoice ye heaven and ye that dwell in.

Them woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great rest why because he knows that he has but a show time and so the dragon verse 13 saw that that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted a woman just like Daniel was persecuted just like the hananai and azara and mishael were cast into the furnace of fire the devil is now persecuting Israel persecuting the woman and he knows that he have but a short time because when Israel will say blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord when Israel will say this will be the end of the devil when Israel will acknowledge that Yeshua Jesus is the Messiah the devil's end will come to fruition and beloved brothers and sisters the woman fled as we read here in verse 14 her place where there she was nourished for time and times and half a time for three and a half years and the serpent cast out of his mouth water of a flood this is military.

Invasion after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood and the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swatted up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth beloved brothers and sisters in a miraculous way God will preserve Israel during the tribulation in a miraculous way God preserved Hanani and Azara and Mishael in the a furnace of fire in a miraculous way God preserved Daniel in the lion's den this is fascinating to learn this the lesson that we learn in the history of Daniel and hanani and azara and mishael is a not only in personal experiences that they've had but they became you might say mashal a parable an example a lesson to show us how God in a miraculous way will protect the Jewish people during the tribulation day and so it's wonderful we could read continuously all the way to the end of the chapter chapter 13 as well of Revelation but let us go back to our.

Sixth chapter of Daniel my God has sent his angel and has shut the lion's mouth they have not hurt me why listen for twofold reason number one because notice for as much as before him this before God innocency was found in me secondly and also before thee O king have I done no hurt doesn't it remind us of the desire of the apostle Paul Shaul Paul who mentioned this when he was also before the governor in act chapter 24 and verse 14 there notice when he was before felix in verse 14 Paul Shaul mentioned before felix he said to him but this i confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy so worship i the God of my fathers Notice, Shaul Paul is expressing to Felix the governor that he was always worshipping the God of my fathers, the God of Israel, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.

And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust Paul continued to say to Philip I always believed in the God of Israel until I also was revealed that Yeshua that Jesus is truly the Messiah and that there is a resurrection of the dead he's saying to the governor Felix and so notice what Paul says how he exercises his conscience in verse 16 of Acts chapter 24 and herein do I exercise myself to have always conscience to be void notice conscience void of offense towards God and conscience void of offense towards men let me re-read you verse 16 And therein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man, just as Daniel sought to do so in his life.

He says, for as much as before him, before God, innocency was found in me, and also before thee, men, king, O king, have I done no hurt. That's why God delivered me. My God has sent an angel, his angel's hand has shut the lion's mouth. They could not hurt me because I am innocent. So, beloved brothers and sisters, wonderful lesson to learn here. And then verse 23, of course, Then was the king exceeding glad. Notice the difference. In verse 14, when he realized that he was beguiled by his presidents and governors and princes, setting a decree, he, notice it says in verse 14, He was so displeased within himself.

But now King Darius was exceeding glad for him. And he commanded the day should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den. And no matter of hurt was found upon him. Notice that because he believed in his God. What a testimony, beloved brothers and sisters. He believed in his God. In chapter 3 and verse 17, we read concerning the Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. We read, if it be so, our God, they said to Nebuchadnezzar, whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. And he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. That's what Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael have said.

Here we can see, beloved brothers and sisters, that because Daniel believed in his God, he was delivered out of the lion's mouth. How is it possible? It is a miracle. How is it possible that God preserved Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael in a furnace of fire that was a miracle how is it possible that Israel the nation now surviving and it's maintained the Jewish people throughout these last two thousand years even of church history it is a miracle and how will Israel ultimately as a nation will be restored to God at the end of the times of the Gentiles it is a miracle how Satan's animosity towards the Jewish people to seek to make an end of them because he doesn't want God's promises to be fulfilled how he will not succeed and how they will survive the tribulation period it is a miracle it is a miracle but this miracle is promised by God beloved brothers and sisters that we must understand it we must understand that that God in his grace in his plan in his program he will sustain the people of Israel because he has a plan for the nation of Israel for the blessing of this world Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 30.

And then verse seven alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacob's trouble tribulation but God continued to say through Jeremiah he shall be saved out of it he this is Jacob he this is Israel he this is the Jewish people will be saved out of it see Paul as well in the brit hachadasha in the new covenant when he was writing to the Romans he reminded the Romans as well and and this is so important to see the context of this book of Daniel in relationship to the plan of God for the people of Israel Paul said for i would not brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceit that blindness in part happened to Israel until Roman 11 25 until until when until what until the fullness of the gentles become in until the full Numbers of Gentiles will come in part of this assembly of the church of the present day age dispensation in.

Which we live in and when that day will come to an end Romans 11 26 and so all Israel shall be saved and they will be saved as a nation at the end of the tribulation as it is written it is written in the word of God there shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob verse 27 of Romans 11 for this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins amazing God preserved in a supernatural way Daniel in the lion's den my God have sent an angel and he preserved me here so we continue now in the next verses beloved brothers and sisters because Daniel believed God he was preserved and you and I are preserved by grace today, every day of our life God preserving his people today, you and I were part of the assembly these days, amazing the grace of God he preserved us and he will preserve the assembly the gates of hades will not prevail against the church against the assembly.

Matthew chapter 16 this is the promise of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and so we read in verse 24 and the and the king commended and they brought those men which had accused Daniel Now notice this, the men that accused Daniel were cast into the den of lions. Now what do you think will happen to them? Will they be sustained alive as Daniel was the whole night? Well listen to this, after casting them into the den of lions, It says, they cast them, they cast their children, they cast their wives, verse 24, and the lions, notice that, had the mastery of them, and break all their bones in pieces, notice, or ever, or before they came at the bottom of the den.

Beloved brothers and sisters, listen. The lions were hungry, but the angel shut the lion's mouth. The lions were hungry, but the angel of the Lord preserved Daniel from the lions. The lions were hungry, but the accusers of Daniel, their wives and children along with them were cast into the very same den. And the lions did not even allow them to reach the ground and before they even came to the bottom of the den they have already break all their bones into pieces sad sad but this is the consequence that God have allowed because of this wicked jealousy that existed in these people and so God have delivered the people of Israel in past days he delivered hananah and azara and mishael he delivered Daniel here in the sixth chapter and he will ultimately deliver the people of Israel during the tribulation period and will bring them into a restoration restoration to himself and establish the future messianic kingdom listen to what we read in Proverbs chapter 19 and verse 9 Proverbs 19 and verse 9 a false witness shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lie shall perish king Solomon said Proverbs 19 and verse 9 this is very interesting verses in other words the wicked will be punished by the Lord eventually the wicked will be punished in Proverbs chapter 11 a bit earlier in verse 9 we read and hypocrite with his.

Mouth destroys his neighbors but through knowledge shall the just be delivered amazing amazing so the the hypocrite he with his mouth he destroy his neighbors saying speaking lies about somebody else and he destroy his neighbors but eventually he will be punished in Proverbs chapter 12 and verse 19 we read the lip of truth shall be established forever but a lying tongue is but for a moment they lied for a moment they were successful in deceiving the the king king Darius but eventually they would lose out and they were punished by King Darius notice what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8 and verse 28 for we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purpose he continued in verse 31 and he said what shall we say then to these things if God be for us who can be against us he that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all.

Things who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect it is God that justifies who is he He that condemneth, it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who is also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us for I am persuaded the apostle Shaul Paul said for I am persuaded that neither death nor life no angels no principalities no powers no things present no things to come no height no depth no any creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord the love of God which is in Christ Jesus in the Mashiach Yeshua our Lord so we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose and Daniel said my God has sent his angel and have shut the lion's mouth that they have not hurt me and so beloved brothers and sisters in the last verses of Daniel chapter 6 we read in verse 25 to verse 28 king darius declares a new decree and so we read in verse 25 then king darius wrote unto all people nations.

And languages that dwell in all the earth peace be multiplied unto you he's introducing the new decree now that he seen the miracle that happened how God the living God Daniel's God the one that have sent his angels to protect Daniel from the lions now darius has seen it you can see that the language that he speaks here is a language of one that have you might say have turned to believe in the God of Daniel in the God of Israel we do not know his heart but some of the things that I mentioned here are fascinating notice what we read in verse 26 and 27 we have this eightfold declaration about Daniel's God eightfold declaration in verses 26 and 27 that the king Darius writing and declaring this to all his people to all nations and all languages of the province of Babylon which is now under the middle Persian Empire and so Darius is now writing and He says, I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is a living God and a steadfast forever and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. Notice, beloved brothers and sisters, the eightfold declaration that the riots declare and writing this new decree to all the people and nation, the languages of the Babylonian province to Babylon the province of Babylon number one everyone is to tremble before Daniel's God number two the reason is because he's a living God he's not a dead God he's a living God not like the idols of the nation number three he's steadfast forever forever number four his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Number five, his dominion shall be even unto the end. Then he continued in verse 27. Number six, he delivers and rescueth. Number seven, he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth. Number eight, he is the one who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions imagine this declaration beloved brothers and sisters amazing declaration that Daniel is now hearing darius and all the peoples and the languages and the nations in the province of babylonia they now hear this declaration and to remind you beloved brothers and sisters, that it is an important principle to understand that God wanted everyone to understand that he is in full control.

He is the one that ruleth over the affairs of this world. This is important to understand, beloved brothers and sisters. And as we read this testimony that Darius gave to the whole province of Babylon we are reminded of what Nebuchadnezzar said and Daniel also had unfolded this before Nebuchadnezzar listen to what we read in Daniel chapter 4 And verse 17, this matter is by the decree of the watchers. And we read, and the demand by the word of the Holy One. To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of man. And giveth it to whomsoever he will. And setteth up over it the basis of man.

That's what we read by the testimony of Nebuchadnezzar and here beloved brothers and sisters in verse 26 and 27 of our sixth chapter of Daniel derives the mead declaring this to all people nations and languages and let me repeat these two verses one more time chapter 6 verse 26 and 27, I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivers and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth.

Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lion? And so indeed, Daniel was delivered from the lion's mouth, and it was all in a supernatural, miraculous way which Daniel's God preserved Daniel from the lions who were in the den and so we read in verse 28 and with this we conclude beloved brothers and sisters Daniel chapter 6 so this Daniel prospered in the reign of darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian you notice darius reigned at the same time when Cyrus the Persian reigned according to chapter 5 we have already read this in verse 31 that darius the median took or received the kingdom being about threescore and two years old 62 years old well he received the kingdom from king darius so he was reigning alongside king Cyrus and king Cyrus was ruling over the whole empire of the middle Persian while Darius is the mid ruling over the province of Babylon which was now under the kingdom of Persia and with these beloved brothers and sisters we have concluded Daniel chapter 6 may God give us the grace to follow after him and when trials coming in our.

Life to trust him to help us along the way to sustain us as he sustained Daniel in his difficult days may God bless you my dear brothers and sisters as we study together the book of Daniel until the next time we will say shalom shalom