Peter Witnesses to the Soldiers

Jesus had spoken of a testimony to the Gentiles! Peter looked around him. Here were four Gentile Roman soldiers, within close hearing distance, and twelve more would take turns guarding him. They couldn’t get away any more than he could. What a perfect setup for witnessing to the truth to a captive audience of sixteen Gentiles. I am sure Peter took advantage of this situation, aren’t you? Now, what do you suppose he said to them? We are not informed directly, but we have a very good way of scripturally reconstructing what Peter may have said to those Roman soldiers based on the tenth chapter of Acts. So he must have started something like this:

“Gentlemen, you probably have orders not to speak to me, nor fraternize with me. But I am not under any such limitation. So, in order to while away the time, I am going to tell you a true story of what happened just a few weeks ago, involving one of your own people. Maybe you know the man. Perhaps you have even served under his command. His name is Cornelius, a captain in the Roman regiment known as the Italian Regiment, stationed in Caesarea, about 70 miles from here, where you have a garrison.”

By this time Peter must have gained the full attention of the soldiers although they gave no sign of it. Then Peter went on to tell them how an angel had appeared in a vision to Cornelius, instructing him to send for Peter from Joppa. He then related his own vision of the sheet-like container of all manner of animals, and of his being told, “What God has cleansed, you must not regard as common or unclean.” Then the lesson he had learned from this, that God had now turned his favor to the Gentiles. He told the soldiers the exciting story of the conversion of their own Captain Cornelius and his household, how the Holy Spirit came upon them, and how they were immersed into Christ. Then he told those Gentile Roman guards that they could, if they would, follow their captain and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord because the way was now open to the Gentiles.

Don’t you think Peter told the soldiers those things? I don’t see how he could have refrained from it considering that only a very short time before his arrest he was the one the Lord used to receive the Roman centurion Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, into the Church of Christ. That was a spectacular event. He would still be full of the message; it would be spilling over. He would be like Jeremiah who said: “His word was in my heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:9

I am sure that the story of the conversion of Cornelius and his household wasn’t all that Peter told the soldiers. Without a doubt he also told his small captive audience about the glorious Gospel of the Kingdom which Jesus preached, about the ransom, the resurrection, and the restitution of all things spoken by all the holy prophets since the world began. All this time the soldiers listened in silence. As each watch of four soldiers was relieved by another four, Peter undoubtedly repeated his message until all sixteen had heard it perhaps several times over. How much of it they understood and received in their hearts, we do not know. But unlikely things do happen. The thief on the cross is one example. Perhaps at least one of those soldiers believed. But this we know: in the Millennium sixteen soldiers will come forth and seeing the wonders of the Kingdom, will say, “Saint Peter himself told us about these things!”

Peter’s Last Night in Prison

The holy week drew to a close. The Church had spent the whole week in prayer on Peter’s behalf and yet the Lord had not delivered him. Each day seemed to add to the urgency and earnestness of the prayers and to the necessity for deliverance. They needed Peter so much. Yet, since the Lord had seen best to permit the death of James, they could not be at all certain that Peter would be spared. So it was an agonizing week; and yet a blessed one. It had drawn them near to the Lord and made them realize their complete dependence on him.

Peter was keeping track of the days too. He knew that on the next day he would be taken out and publicly executed. So what did he do? He did exactly the same as he did on any other night. After a brief prayer committing himself to the care of God, he folded his cloak into a pillow, removed his sandals, loosened his belt, lay down on the floor between two sitting soldiers, and went peacefully to sleep. He slept soundly, so soundly that he did not awaken when a brilliant light flooded the room and an angel of the Lord stood over him. The angel nudged Peter on the side to rouse him and said, “Get up quickly!” As Peter stood up, the chains fell away from his wrists. The soldiers didn’t feel a thing. They just sat there staring into space as though made of wood. Then the angel said, “Quick! Tighten your belt, and put on your sandals.” When Peter had done this, the angel said, “Now throw your cloak around you, and follow me.” Peter obeyed. All this had happened so fast that Peter was in a daze, not sure it was really happening or just a dream. As Peter and the angel approached the barred and bolted iron gate to the room, it swung open of its own accord and they passed through. The two soldiers guarding the doorway, one on the inside and one on the outside of the room, stood motionless and unseeing, as though they were statues. Hurrying down the corridor, Peter and the angel reached the main doorway of the castle leading to the city. The massive iron gate also opened of itself to let them out.

Did you think that the automatically opening doors we have today are something new? This happened 2000 years ago. How true the wise man’s words in Ecclesiastes 1:9,10, “There is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.”

The angel accompanied Peter a distance of one block into the city and then suddenly disappeared without another word. Peter was now fully awake; he had come to his senses. Then we read in Acts 12:11, “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and . . . of the Jews.”

We can just imagine Peter’s elation at this demonstration of God’s special protecting care over him, and his earnest prayer of thanks to the Lord. It was a lesson of divine providential care he would never forget.

It seems that the angel had started Peter in the direction of the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, which was not far away. Peter decided to go there, to tell them of his miraculous deliverance, not knowing that many brethren were gathered there in an all-night prayer meeting on his behalf. It was now a little after three in the morning. The outer gate of Mary’s house was locked. Expecting that the household would be asleep, Peter knocked loudly on this gate. The young maid, named Rhoda, heard the knock and without opening the door, asked who was there. Peter responded and Rhoda recognized his voice because he had been a frequent visitor at that home. She became so excited that, for very joy, she did not wait to unbolt the door, but ran in, and announced to the meeting that Peter himself was actually there, standing at the gate. “You must be crazy!” they said. But the girl insisted that it was so. “Then it must be his guardian angel,” they said.

Peter kept on knocking. When they at last opened the door and saw that it was really Peter, they were astonished beyond measure. They would have cried out with joy, but Peter quickly signaled for them to be quiet. He would not come in, but described the miracle of his deliverance from the prison and asked them to tell the others of the Church. He thanked them for their prayers and concern for him. Then, in order not to further risk the wrath of Herod, he left Jerusalem that very night, and went to another place where he could not be found by Herod.

The Next Morning

At daybreak there was a great commotion at the Castle Antonia. The two guards, who had been chained to Peter, regained consciousness and saw the empty but still locked handcuffs lying on the floor at the end of the chains. They gave the alarm and the commandant of the prison rushed in to investigate the escape of his most important prisoner. The guards at the door had seen nothing. The iron gate to the room and the great iron entrance gate of the castle were still securely locked and bolted. The outside sentry had seen nothing. It seemed that Peter had simply vanished into air without a trace. Our Common Version Bible says in Acts 12:18, “There was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.” Rotherham gives an additional interesting thought saying, “There was no small commotion among the soldiers, as to what, then, Peter had become.” Under the circumstances, the only conclusion those superstitious Roman soldiers could reach was that Peter had become a spirit and passed through the walls.

In the meantime, Herod had made elaborate preparations for Peter’s public execution that very morning. The leaders of the Jews had been invited to witness the spectacle. So he sent a summons to the commandant for Peter to be brought to him immediately. We can imagine the fury when informed that Peter had, somehow, escaped. Herod sent his own officers to search the castle and the surrounding area, but without result. He didn’t for a moment believe what the guards had said, that they had seen and heard nothing, and that Peter had simply disappeared. Herod was sure that the guards had conspired in a plot to let Peter go. He personally cross-examined them, but they stuck to their ridiculous story. So he ordered them to be executed. Perhaps some of those soldiers faced death with more courage because of having heard of the resurrection of the dead from Peter’s lips. I like to think so.

Only a short time later, Herod himself was dead. We are told in Acts 12:23 that, “The angel of the Lord smote him . . . and he was eaten of worms, and he expired.”

God’s Wonderful Providences

An important lesson we learn from this account of Peter’s deliverance, is a realization of the wonderful providences of the Lord; and how futile are the plans of man when the Lord wants to do something. We learn that it is positively and literally true that “the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that reverence him, and delivereth them.” In the case of Peter, the angel was always there with him. He camped there. He wasn’t suddenly sent from heaven only when the time came for Peter to be delivered. No! Peter was under his constant watchful eye. He was there when Peter was arrested. He saw them rivet the chains to Peter’s wrists. He went with Peter into the castle and stayed with him. He heard and must have enjoyed Peter’s witness to the guards. It was at precisely the right moment that he revealed himself in a burst of brilliant light, removed all obstacles, and then led Peter out of his prison. Although he disappeared from Peter’s sight, he was still there, watching over him. He went with Peter to the door of Mary’s house. Those inside were right when they said, “It is his angel!” He was there as well, standing unseen beside Peter.

What a blessing some of us miss by not fully realizing that we have this self-same protecting care. If we believe this, we will have the calmness and serenity of mind which is so necessary in these distressing times, when violence is rampant in the earth, and men’s hearts are failing them for fear.

Why Was Peter Saved?

One naturally wonders why it was that the apostle James was allowed to be killed while the apostle Peter was delivered from death. Didn’t James have a guardian angel, too? Of course he did. But when the wisdom of God decided that James had finished his course, his angel acted in a different manner than that of Peter’s. In Peter’s case, Psalm 34:7 was fulfilled: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” But in the case of James, his angel acted in accordance with Hebrews 1:14, “as a ministering spirit sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation.” He ministered to James by giving him the reassurance he needed to face his ordeal. He gave him sustaining strength to endure the trial from which he was not to be delivered. As a result, I am sure, James faced his executioner serenely, and without fear. It is recorded in history that many early Christian martyrs were similarly upheld amid torture and flames causing their –persecutors to be astonished. One martyr, when tied to the stake and the fire ignited, calmly said, “You are lighting a torch which will never be put out again.” Then, as the flames covered him, he sang joyful praises to the Lord.

Actually, the fate of James was better than that of Peter. Think of this. One brief moment of violence, and he slept; the very next conscious thought was in the year 1878. Then, with great joy, he was gloriously raised to the divine nature and was lovingly embraced by his Lord and Master whom he had missed so much. Peter, on the other hand, delivered from death, was required to spend many long and weary years in the flesh before his course was finished. This leads to the conclusion that the Lord does not necessarily take each one of us home as soon as we have made our calling and election sure. Some he does, as in the cases of Stephen and James, but others, such as Peter, Paul, and more recently, Brother Russell, are left on earth for many years after they are ready in order to lead, instruct and bless the Church. How God determines who shall be taken and who is left we do not know. But this we may know: What God does is right and our responsibility is to obey. The text of Ephesians 6:13, seems to cover this point. It reads, “Having done all, to stand.” The Weymouth translation states it like this: “Having fought to the end, to remain victors on the field.” How beautiful and encouraging are these words.

We find in the record that Herod postponed the execution of Peter out of respect for the Passover week. Here we notice a strange contradiction: a mixing of religious formalism with the spirit of murder. Murder was in the hearts of Herod and the Jews, yet they restrained themselves so they could piously celebrate the Passover, a ceremony symbolizing a cleansing of the heart and life, a purification toward God. They are best described in Matthew 15:8, which reads, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

Keeping the Heart

The lesson for us is to be on guard lest the outward and formal observances be in utter contradiction to the real condition of the heart. Outward obedience is required, but more important is the injunction of Proverbs 4:23, which reads, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” Let us remember 1 Samuel 16:7,

“The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

The persistency of the prayers of the Church on Peter’s behalf is worthy of our emulation. If there is a matter dear to our hearts and we know it is right, we are justified in obeying the text of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which states, “Pray without ceasing.” But as in our lesson, the Lord did not immediately answer their prayers for Peter’s deliverance. The Lord sometimes keeps us waiting too. This is often a severe test of faith. But although seemingly delayed, Peter’s deliverance came exactly at the right time according to the wisdom of God. Of course sometimes the answer to a request may be “No.” We can accept such an answer by the Lord if we have properly prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done,” and really meant it.

Only the Lord’s people can understand how Peter was able to sleep soundly under the circumstances. The fact that he was to be executed the next day did not seem to bother him in the least. Even his guards must have been surprised at this. But we know the reason. He had “the peace of God which passeth all [human] understanding.” (Philippians 4:7) He had been with Jesus, and learned of Him. He had obtained the promise of Jesus written in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

He knew the scriptures. He knew what David had written in Psalm 3, verses 4 and 5: “I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of His holy hill. I laid me down, and slept.” In Psalm 4:8 we read, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” In Psalm 127:2 we read, “He giveth his beloved sleep.” Then Peter might have remembered what the wise man had written, “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid. Yea, thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet.” Proverbs 3:24

All these wonderful promises belong to us too. What a blessing to entrust to the Lord all of life’s affairs. There is no better remedy for nervous insomnia than a full and complete consecration to the Lord. Nothing is more favorable than this, to peace of mind and of heart. Peter himself gave us this lesson which he himself had learned so well, when he wrote, “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Peter Knew He Would Not Die Then

Those who were praying for Peter were far more concerned for him than Peter was for himself. One reason for this was that Peter knew something they didn’t know. He positively knew that he was not going to be beheaded by Herod. How did he know this? Jesus himself had told him so. When Jesus met with his disciples for the third time after his resurrection, he asked Peter three times, “Lovest thou me?” Peter assured him that he did and Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Then in John 21:18,19, we read that Jesus told Peter he would live to be an old man and then would die by crucifixion, not by beheading. Let us read this account from the Revised Version:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you, and carry you where you do not wish to go. This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.”

Peter knew exactly what Jesus meant by this. A footnote in the Diaglott tells us, “It was the custom in Rome to put the necks of those who were to be crucified into a yoke, and to stretch out their hands, and fasten them to the end of it: and having thus led them through the city, they were carried out to be crucified.”

Regarding this statement, Weymouth comments on the phrase “someone else will gird you”: “This meant the rope which would be put around his waist, to bind him to the cross.” Peter in prison remembered this last conversation with the Lord. Thus, Peter positively knew he would somehow be delivered from the hands of Herod.

Many years later, when Peter was old, he knew his time was near. Then he recalled what Jesus had told him and wrote, “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me.” (2 Peter 1:14) Weymouth states it this way:

“For I know that the time for me to lay aside my body is now rapidly drawing near, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has revealed to me.”

Tradition tells us that when Peter was arrested by Nero and knew that he was to be crucified, he rejoiced. Considering himself unworthy to die in exactly the same manner as his Lord, he asked to be crucified head downward. His request was granted.

There is a popular notion that the voice of an angel is always soft and sweet. Thus there is a hymn which starts with the words, “Soft as the voice of an angel.” It is often true, of course, that angels’ voices are musical, joyful and exulting. For example, we are told in Job 38:7 that at creation, “The morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” We read in Luke 2:13,14, that on the occasion of Jesus’ birth there was, “a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” I am sure that the angels who ministered unto Jesus, of which we are told in Matthew 4:11, spoke in soothing tones of comfort and reassurance.

But angels are often brisk and commanding, speaking sharply and urgently. To Lot they said: “Arise! Escape for your life! Haste thee; escape!” (Genesis 19:15,17) To Hagar: “Arise!” (Genesis 21:18) To Balaam: “Go.” (Numbers 22:35) To Gideon: “Go, in this thy might!” (Judges 6:14) To Elijah: “Arise, Go.” (1 Kings 19:11,15, 20; 2 Kings 1:3,15) To Joseph and Mary: “Arise, flee into Egypt.” (Matthew 2:13) To the apostles: “Go!” (Acts 5:20) To Philip: “Arise, and go.” (Acts 8:26) In our lesson today the angel nudged Peter on the side and said, “Get up quickly.” It wasn’t too gentle a nudge, either. He gave him a good poke. The King James version says that “he smote Peter on the side.” The Revised Version says he “struck” him. Then the angel briskly said, “Quick! Get up, tighten your belt, and put on your sandals.” The angel continued, “Throw your cloak around you, and follow me.” Thus, the angel jolted Peter out of his sleep, and imbued him with a sense of urgency, of the necessity for quick action.

Lessons for Us

Now what is our lesson here? Peter, imprisoned by the wicked king Herod, provides a picture of the Lord’s people imprisoned in Babylon under Satan, the god of this world. As Peter was handcuffed between two guards, their hands are also tied. They are chained to sectarian systems and are fast asleep within the narrow confines of the creeds of Christendom. As Peter was under condemnation to death, these are perishing for the lack of the truth. As we read in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Such are described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:3,4, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost [perishing, according to the Diaglott]. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

They are asleep, their eyes blinded, but the Lord loves them. They are his people. So just as a bright light shone upon Peter, the Lord lets the glorious Gospel of Christ shine unto these. He sends an angel, or messenger, to them. He brings the truth to their attention. But they are still drowsy and they do not act promptly. So it is often necessary for the Lord to send some drastic experience, to jolt them out of their sleep. At this stage of Christian experience some get a good poke. Saul of Tarsus got one on the road to Damascus. That woke him up!

So we see that God speaks sharply and urgently to some. “Get up quickly,” he says. “Get going!” In the language of Revelation 18:4, he commands, “Come out of her, my people! That ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

Miracles Follow Obedience

“Lord, how can I come out? My hands are tied. I am chained, I am closely guarded on every side! Just do as I say, STAND UP!” When God’s people obey his command, a miracle happens, just as it did for Peter. Their chains fall away and they are free! When they stand up for the truth, Satan’s guards of bondage, who seemed so formidable before, are rendered utterly powerless to do them any real harm. They just sit there. Then Galatians 5:1 is fulfilled in them: “Stand fast therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Also, we read in John 8:32,36, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

After telling Peter to stand up and when his chains had fallen away, the angel then said: “Quick! Tighten your belt, and put on your sandals! Wrap your cloak around you, and follow me.” You would almost think that the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:14,15 was echoing what the angel said to Peter when he wrote, “Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.” Let us read that last verse from Moffatt: “And your feet shod with the stability of the Gospel of peace.” This holds a lesson for today. Where there is [stability] of doctrine, there is no change.

Peter putting on the cloak and Paul’s reference to having on the breastplate of righteousness seem to refer to our justification, that wonderful robe of Christ’s righteousness with which we are covered.

Then, as we follow the story of what happened to Peter as he followed the angel through the iron doors and the massive gates as they opened before him, we see this aptly pictures the Christian course. After justification and consecration to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, iron gates of restrictions are removed and doors of opportunities of service open to the Lord’s people.

Peter went to the home of Mary and they were astonished to see him. This does seem rather peculiar, doesn’t it? For days they had been earnestly praying for Peter’s deliverance from prison, yet when the Lord did deliver him, they were surprised! They should have remembered the words of Jesus, recorded in Mark 11:22-24, “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Jesus was here referring to the obstacles which appear to be as massive and immovable as literal mountains. The deliverance of Peter from sixteen guards in Herod’s fortress prison was in this seemingly impossible category. But God easily accomplished it. Do you have a similarly “impossible” request to make, in your prayers? It will be accomplished, if it is the Lord’s will. Do not be too surprised if it is.

When Peter showed himself to those assembled at Mary’s home, he motioned them to be quiet. Then, when he had told them of the miracle of his deliverance, we read that “he departed, and went into another place.” He quietly left the city that very night. There are some people who, if they had the marvelous experience Peter had, would be so elated that they would have made a great ado about it. They would have boasted far and wide, saying that prison walls, chains, Roman soldiers, and even Herod himself, could not hold them, that these were all powerless against the Lord. Perhaps such would have flaunted themselves publicly, daring the king to arrest them again. But Peter resisted any such impulse if he had any, and took the proper course. He remembered and obeyed the Master’s words in Matthew 10:23, “When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another.” The Lord’s people should remember that “the prince of this world” is still a powerful influence. We should expect miraculous deliverances to be the exception rather than the rule, and should act accordingly, prudently obeying the injunction of Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

Herod was so sure Peter could never escape from his strong prison. Similarly, when Jesus was crucified and laid in the grave, Satan was so sure he had won out against God. The “seed of the woman” who was to bruise his head was dead. He, too, arranged for a guard of Roman soldiers. But then, with a mighty display of God’s power Jesus escaped from the prison-house of death and arose, a mighty, divine being. Satan’s rage and frustration must have been very much like that of Herod, when Peter escaped from him.

Restraining the Four Winds

We have left the most important lesson to the last. Right now, we are living in the time of the fulfillment of Revelation 7:1-4. At this very moment, four angels are holding back the four winds of the earth which when loosed, will rush together and produce the great whirlwind, the final, terrible, anarchistic phase of the time of trouble, hurting the earth and the sea, whipping up the frenzy of the restless masses of humanity. This whirlwind must do its work of utterly destroying Satan’s rule of earth, before the Kingdom of God takes complete control, to bless mankind.

Why the delay? Why are the winds being held back? We read in verses 3 and 4 that the four angels were told, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed an hundred and forty four thousand.”

We have now reached the point in history when only one thing remains to be done before the poor groaning creation can begin to receive the blessings of life: the church, the body of Christ, must be completed. The last few members of the 144,000 sons of God must be sealed in their foreheads, be given a mental appreciation of the truth, and conform their lives and characters thereto, be found faithful, and be glorified. This is what the whole creation is longing and waiting for. They are sick and tired of sin and death. They want relief. Without realizing exactly what it is, the thing they really want and eagerly long for is the Messianic rule of Christ, Head and Body, to be manifested. Thus we read:

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now. For the creation waits, and with eager longing, for the revealing of the Sons of God.” Romans 8:22,19

This is a very critical time in which we are living. The Lord is now speaking urgently to us, the last members of the body of Christ. He is nudging us saying, as he did to Peter, “Get up quickly! Hurry up and make your calling and election sure!” The apostle’s admonition in Romans 13:11,12 applies to this very hour:

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.”

The Moffatt translation puts it even more forcibly:

“And then, you know what this crisis means. You know it is high time to waken up; for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. It is far on in the night. The day is almost here.”

So much depends upon the success of the last members of the body of Christ. The whole creation waits upon us. What a sobering thought this is, and what a joyful thought, to realize that, as Peter was delivered from the chains of prison, we will soon be delivered from the fetters of flesh and be free. It was none other than Peter himself who wrote in 2 Peter 1:10,11,

“Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”* See Reprints, pages 2139, 3002, and 4346.

The Den of Lions

WE ARE going to consider an episode in the life of Daniel that is more exciting than any fiction story. It concerns the den of lions and is full of lessons for the Christian. At the time it occurred Daniel was an old man after having been brought captive to Babylon when he was only 14. Over the years he had successively held high and important positions in that kingdom and in succeeding governments.

In studying the book of Daniel we cannot help but admire the kings of ancient times. Whatever their other failings we see their willingness to recognize and reward character and merit wherever found. This disposition is conspicuously lacking in modern rulers. For example, judged by present day standards, we are surprised at Nebuchadnezzar’s impartial treatment of his Hebrew captives in the selection of Daniel and his companions for special education and advancement to governing positions in the kingdom. Would a modern president do this? Would he select young men from among enemy prisoners of war, train them and elevate them to important government positions? I don’t think so. They wouldn’t even be considered citizens. They would be of the wrong race, wrong nationality, wrong language, wrong religion, wrong denomination, wrong color, wrong political party, and “unsafe” background. Character, ability and merit now seem to be of secondary consideration.

So we are surprised that Nebuchadnezzar so greatly honored Daniel for his interpretation of a dream. We are surprised that he recognized and respected the integrity of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and advanced them in his empire. We are surprised that Belshazzar took no offense at Daniel’s interpretation of the writing on the wall even though it was against him. Instead he highly honored and rewarded Daniel for his faithful, plain, outspoken words. We are still more surprised that King Darius of the Medes and Persians, upon conquering Babylon, did not destroy all the rulers of Babylon including Daniel. Darius apparently spared all except King Belshazzar and gave Daniel a still higher position in the empire. His qualifications were promptly recognized and utilized. By contrast, an enlightened modern president always selects an entirely new cabinet upon taking office.

At the time of our lesson, the new universal empire of the Medes and Persians was in power. It was divided into 120 provinces with 120 princes or governors. Over these governors were three presidents; over the presidents was King Darius; and over him, as chief emperor, was Cyrus. Daniel was one of the three presidents, but was first in rank. He was so placed because of his recognized integrity and ability. The record reads:

“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom. And over these, three presidents, of whom Daniel was first; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 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.” Daniel 6:1-3

Human nature being what it is, we can immediately realize that this preferment of Daniel would cause difficulty. Jealousies and envyings would be aroused aggravated by the fact that Daniel was a Jewand of a despised race. But there was also another reason why the governors resented Daniel. It was his absolute honesty and integrity. From what we know of the governments of the East, past and present, they have been full of dishonesty what we today call “graft.” It was a way of life. Public officials expected to take bribes and enrich themselves by virtue of their office. But Darius had wisely arranged that the accounts of his governors must be rendered through Daniel so that the king should suffer no loss. Thus Daniel was in a position to prevent pilfering, dishonest schemes, and the disposing of valuable franchises and privileges for personal profit. He prevented their plunder of the treasury which they considered their right. This caused frustration and rage.

So the 120 governors and the other two presidents got together and decided that “this man has to go.” They must find some fault in his public service that would secure his removal from office. He must be humiliated and discredited. He must have weaknesses and faults. He must be susceptible to bribery. They felt sure of this because they judged him according to the standards of their own hearts. No doubt they first tried to corrupt him with money so that they might be able to prove dishonesty and thus humiliate him. Perhaps they even tried to corrupt him morally. But all their efforts failed. He was loyal to God and did all things as unto the Lord. They could find no fault in him. There was nothing that they could bring against him as a real charge, a crime. But they still hated him because he was honest, sincere, and true, and because the brightness of his character discredited theirs and put them to shame. They hated him without a cause.

“Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.”–Daniel 6:4

While spying on Daniel and watching his every move to catch him in some irregularity, they had seen something else. They had seen Daniel’s unusual devotion to his God. Daniel’s house with its living quarters on the ground floor, had an upper chamber with windows facing Jerusalem. Three times a day they saw Daniel ascend to this chamber, open the windows wide, kneel facing Jerusalem, and pray aloud, addressing himself to the God of the Hebrews, the God of his fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, asking for God’s blessing and guidance and thanking him for favors. This was Daniel’s unfailing custom. He never missed a day. It was a law with him. So the governors and presidents consulted together and formulated a plan of action based on this custom of Daniel’s. They could find no other way to touch him.

A Trap Is Set

“Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king and said thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Whereupon King Darius signed the writing and the decree.” Daniel 6:5-9

Notice that they started their speech to the king with a lie. They had to. They told the king that “all the presidents of the kingdom” had agreed that the decree should be made but this was not true. Daniel had not agreed to it, and he was the first of three presidents. He had not even been consulted. It is quite obvious why they had to lie. If they had not done so, Darius would certainly have called in Daniel, his chief advisor, and asked his opinion of the law before signing it. But now he assumed it had Daniel’s approval and signed the decree. Note that the conspirators had the decree written in legal form ready for the king’s signature. They needed to “rush it through.” Perhaps they had arranged for Daniel to be temporarily busy elsewhere. Any delay in getting the king’s approval might result in the exposure of their scheme.

To Darius the law did make some sense. All the great kings of ancient times posedas gods or, more properly, as the chief priests and vicegerents of their gods. This touch of divinity gave them dignity and impressed their subjects with a superstitious reverence and a fear of disobeying the king’s laws. In the case of Darius, since Babylon had only recently been conquered, it was logical that these new subjects be taught a proper veneration of their new king. So Darius regarded the law as a piece of statecraft for the good of the empire and, of course, it flattered his vanity. Not for a moment did he think of what might happen to Daniel. Never did he suspect his counselors were seeking to entrap him so they might legally accomplish the death of his most trusted officer.

Daniel probably found out about the decree in the course of his official duties. As first president and chief executive, any new law would routinely be brought to his attention. When he saw the decree, he immediately realized its object and was appalled at the hatred of his colleagues. So what was his reaction? He hastened to lay the matter before the Lord!

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being opened in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees, three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” Daniel 6:10