Stories from the Old Testament
The Lion’s Den
Daniel
Illustrations by Katy Dockrill
His Story
The Presidents and Princes
Darius, the king, chose presidents and princes to help rule his kingdom—and Daniel was made the first president. The other presidents and princes were envious of Daniel.
The Decree
The presidents and princes knew that Daniel was faithful to God and decided to use this against him. They had Darius sign a decree that no one could “ask a petition of any God or man” except the king for 30 days—so praying was not allowed.
The Prayers
Despite the decree, Daniel kneeled down and prayed to God three times a day. When Daniel was accused of breaking the law, Darius was upset with himself for signing the decree.
The Fast
Daniel was “cast … into the den of lions” for breaking the decree. But Darius said to him, “Thy God … will deliver thee.” Darius spent the night fasting. In the morning, Daniel had not been harmed.
Your Story
Like Daniel, you may have times in your life when standing for right is not the easy thing to do. You probably won’t be thrown in a lion’s den for your beliefs, but you might be made fun of, left out, or treated poorly. As you choose to keep the commandments (even if keeping them isn’t “cool”), God will help you and strengthen you.