Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray, be sober and self controlled. Be watchful
your adversary. The devil walks around like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour one Peter five eight. Dear
Heavenly Father, we recognize that our adversary, the devil, prows
(00:21):
around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. We
ask for your protection, Lord, against every form of temptation, deceit,
and harm that the enemy might throw our way. Grant
us the wisdom to stay vigilant and alert. Understanding that
we have an enemy seeking our downfall. God, fortify our
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faith that we may stand firm in the face of
trials and adversities. Strengthen us, Lord, so we can resist
the devil and cause him to flee from us. Let
your word be our shield and sword, equipping us to
stand strong against the forces of darkness. Please remind us,
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Father of the victory we have in Christ, Jesus, our
savior who overcame the world. Let the confidence of this
victory be our courage, and may your spirit guide us
in all righteousness, keeping us from falling prey to the
enemy's schemes. In Jesus's mighty name, we pray Amen thank
(01:30):
you for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for
another episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Daniel knew he had done nothing wrong. Driven by jealousy,
the governors of Persia tricked the king into condemning Daniel
to die. Fooled by his governors and tempted by his bride,
King Darius made a decree outlawing prayer to anyone. But
Daniel knew praying to God might mean certain death.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
But it didn't stop him.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
He prayed to the Lord daily, seeking wisdom and praising
his name. What was the punishment for such a crime
being fed to the lion's So there Daniel was standing
at the edge of a hole carved into a stone dungeon.
He could hear the rumbling of the lion's pur underneath.
Darius put a hand on Daniel's shoulder.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
His voice was.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Filled with regret. I wouldn't have made such a degree
if I'd have known, But now I must follow through.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
His voice trailed.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Off, and he turned away from his dear friend.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
May your God deliver you.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
With those words, the gods klew Daniel into the lion's
den and laid a stone over it. Daniel hit the
ground with a thud and looked up. A stone was
placed over the entrance, blocking out the sun.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
All was silent.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Until Daniel heard the low vibrations of the lion's growl.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Stories of
the Messiah podcast. I'm Rabbi Schneider from Discovering the Jewish Jesus.
I have been your guide through this journey through the
Bible's most iconic stories. If you've enjoyed our journey thus far,
consider leaving us review ensuring with a friend. We want
the story of the Bible and the hope of Jesus
to be spread worldwide. This series of stories the Messiah
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is called Jesus the Greater. We even exploring the highs
and lows of the Bible's most famous heroes, ultimately showcasing
how their stories foreshadow the greatest hero of all, Jesus.
So far we have learned how Jus is the greater. Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samson, Boaz, David, Solomon, Elijah,
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and Jonah. Their stories are testimonies to the faithfulness of God.
Their highs and lows remind us that no circumstances, sins,
are flaws, will ever keep God from accomplishing his purposes.
Today we turn our attention to a character whose unwavering
devotion got him into trouble because of his faithfulness to God.
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Daniel was condemned to spend a night in the lions dead.
The other governors of the empire were jealous of Daniel's wisdom, favor,
and influence on the King. They hated his righteousness and
sought to use it against him. Now, I don't need
to tell you that this rule can be pretty hostile
to the people of God. Persecution is rampant worldwide, and
we are forced as believers to consider the cost of
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following Jesus. If we were in Daniel's position, would we
stop praying? Would we shrink under cultural pressure and give in?
Daniel's story invites us to ponder those types of questions.
Do we have unwavering faith in the face of cultural pushback?
Daniel believed losing his relationship with God would be worse
than losing his life. He committed himself to pray, knowing
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that it might mean death. Let's enter back into this
dramatic retelling of Daniel's Daniel has been thrown into the lions.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Will this be the end of Daniel? Will God deliver him?
As King Darius hopes. Let's find out now, then unpack
what it means together.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Daniel's sight had not yet adjusted to the darkness. He
scrambled onto his hands and feet to find his place.
He found a loose stone and held it in his hand.
Daniel was prepared to fight for his life. He knew
that God could protect him from the lions, but even
if he didn't, he would not regret praying to the Lord.
He couldn't see.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Anything, but he knew they were there.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
He could feel the low base of the growls in
his chest. They were getting closer, stalking him and waiting
for the perfect moment to pounce. He prayed for deliverance,
gripped the stone, and prepared for the worst. He turned
around to see the faintest shadow of a lion crouched
behind him, prepared to pounce. Just as it was about
to attack, a radiant light cut through the darkness like
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a hot blade. The light illuminated the four lions surrounding Daniel.
They all cowered in fear and backed away from the light.
They roared, but the light sprang forth and wrapped around
their jaws. The lions submitted immediately. The light vanished from sight,
and Daniel was left alone again in darkness with the lions.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
But he knew they had been subdued.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
The God of all creation had shut the jaws of
death for Daniel. He would emerge out of that den
living and triumphant. Meanwhile, King Darius paced his room, worrying
over Daniel. He did not eat or sleep all night. Instead,
he set his mind on the welfare of his friend.
He waited for the light to break so he could
roll away the stone of the den. As soon as
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the light touched the bottom of the horizon, Darius put
on his clothes and rushed.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
To the cave.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
He and all the men raced together and pulled away
the stone.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
All was silent.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Darius approached the entrance to the den. He looked down
and listened for any sounds. He could hear nothing. He
worried and shouted, Daniel, servant of the Living God, has
your God delivered you from the lions. There was a
long pause. Darius Hodt was beating fast. Then a small
voice echoed up to the entrance, Oh King, live forever.
(07:14):
Of course I'm safe, for I was blameless. My Lord
have held me and shut the mouth of the lions.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
The story of Daniel and the Lions den is famous
for a reason. It's a story of courageous faith and
providential protection. What I love about Daniel's character is that
he was fully prepared to die if that's what God
had for him. He didn't pray with the certainty that
God would save him from the lions. He prayed because
it's what gave his life. Meaning, let me encourage you friends,
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It's better to live a short life on fire for
the Lord than living a long life apart from him.
A relationship with God is what gives this life vibrancy
is what carries us into eternity. Daniel understood this, but
also believe that God would protect him from the lions
if that was his will. Daniel's story teaches us the
value of trust and steadfast devotion. Daniel faced various trials
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throughout his life, yet he never stopped trusting God's sovereignty,
whether interpreting dreams for a king, serving in a foreign government,
or facing lions in a den Daniel had faith in
God's control over all circumstances. He believed that God was
in control even when things seemed chaotic or dangerous. This
encourages us to trust God's plan for our lives even
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when we can't see the bigger picture. In the darkness
of the Lion's den, it was hard to see, but
God's light eventually broke through. It's the same for us
when we are facing darkness. Daniel also teaches us how
to stand firm in our convictions. Daniel's life was marked
by his unwavering faith and commitment to his beliefs, even
when those beliefs directly contradicted the governing powers. From his
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refusalty the king's food because it violated Jewish dietary laws,
to his defiance of a law that made praying to
any one but the king, Daniel should firm in his convictions.
The lesson is that personal integrity and faithfulness to our
beliefs are more important than conforming to societal pressures or expectations.
(09:13):
This is especially important in today's culture, when the pressure
to compromise our beliefs and integrity is in an all
time high. At discovering the Jewish Jesus. We understand that
stories like Daniel's hearkened to something even greater. Daniel's journey
into the lion's den and out into the light point
us towards Jesus, who had his journey into darkness. Let's
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immerse ourselves into a short retelling of Jesus's resurrection. When
Death's jaws were shut to save the Son of God.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Jesus knew that he had done nothing wrong. Driven by jealousy,
the leaders of Israel condemned him to die. He hung
on a cursed cross, but his death was not a defeat.
The grave was always his destination. Death road life like
a lion and sank its claws into the sun of God.
But death's grip could not hold him long. For three days,
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Jesus lay in a tomb in the garden. Guards were
placed at either side of the grave to keep people out.
Little did they know they would need to keep Jesus in.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Christ's followers had lost.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Hope, and the enemy thought he had achieved victory, but
death had no power over Jesus. The dark skies gave
way to the morning sun on the third day, for
the first time since his death, Light broke through the
sun crept over the horizon, its rays spilling over the
hills like liquid gold. The two guards lounged in the
coolness of the morning mist, lazily watching the sun's rays
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ripple through the misty air. The sunrise was ahead of them,
illuminating the rest of the garden. As its rays reached
the grave site, another light emerged from behind. The gods
recoiled and looked back. The earth began to tremble, knocking
the gods down on their backs. They turned and watched
the stone roll away. A glory beyond words cascaded from
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the dark tomb. The radiance swept through the air with
such might that it sent the gods flying backwards. They
reached for their spears, but not before another surge of
power broke forth from the darkness. They ran back into
the trees and remained on the ground. Death's mouth was
sealed shut, and Jesus Christ emerged from the grave victorious.
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No scheme of man or power of hell could hold
him back.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
First Peter chapter five tells us that the enemy prows
like a lion, seeking whom it may devour. The enemy
certainly tried its best to devour Jesus on the cross.
Death's cruel jaw sunk its teeth into Jesus and dragged
him to the grave. But on the third day, Jeus
emerged victorious. The lion's den and Daniel six is a
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metaphor for the grave. Jesus, like Daniel, rose from the
lion's dene and displayed the power of God. Jesus's victory
over death gives us hope that we threw Christ can
have victory over sin, death and shame. Perhaps there are
some of you today who feel like you are trapped
in a lion's den. The enemy has tried to take
your heart as well. Well, my friend, it is my
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joy to remind you that you don't have to be
a victim to your sins or to the sins of society.
Romans chapter eight tells us that we are more than conquerors.
In Christ Jesus, we follow the God who shut the
mouths of lions and rose Christ from the pit of death.
Whatever sins you struggle with or trials you have face,
can be conquered. Dare to be a Daniel and face
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the struggle head on. Dare to stand boldly in the
lion's den. Jesus has given you victory. Because Jesus rose
from the grave and shared his victory with you and me,
we are confident that Jesus is the greater Daniel. Join
us next time, where we will explore the most unlikely
hero of all you. We will learn about God's deep
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and abiding love for you and how your shortcomings allow
God to display his glory. Don't miss our final episode
to discover how Jesus is the greater Peter. If you
want more resources on Jesus in the Old Testament, visit
us at Discoveringthejewish Jesus dot com. Another resource you might
find impactful is my new book, Messianic Prophecy Revealed Seeing
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Messiah in the Pages of the Hebrew Bible, which can
be found on my website. If you enjoy today's podcast,
leave us a review and share it with a friend.
We want the story of the Bible and the hope
of Jesus to be spread worldwide. To make prayer priority
and hear more stories to inspire hope, visit pray dot com.