He Delivers and Rescues

Pastor Colin will be continuing his study in the book of Daniel tonight.! I will go before you and level the exalted places.

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. I will give you treasures of darkness and the hordes in secret places that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel, my chosen, I call you by your name. I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord and there is no other.

Beside me there is no God. I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none besides me.

I am the Lord and there is no other. I form light and create darkness. I make well-being and create calamity. I am the Lord who does all these things.

We come again to Daniel tonight. Daniel chapter 6, if you'd like to now turn over there with indeed the background to this passage having been given to us in Isaiah 45.

For many, Daniel 6 is the most well-known and beloved chapter of the book of Daniel. Someone may know very little about the book of Daniel, but if there is one thing they do know about it, it is this episode here in chapter 6 of Daniel and the lion's den.

Even as children, that is often the first episode we learn of in the book of Daniel. And for as wonderful as it is on its own, I hope that we have seen even moving through the book of Daniel, just how much more powerful and impactful it is to see it as the capstone to this narrative portion of the book.

I am kind of sad that we are finishing up the narrative section of Daniel tonight. This is the last chapter before we move into more of the prophetic chapters beginning in chapter 7.

Daniel then serves as the last of several different narrative episodes, all pointing us to the same truths. Truths that we even considered in part this morning.

That God humbles the proud and brings them low. That God exalts the humble and raises them up. That God rules over kings and kingdoms.

That His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. That the threats of men cannot thwart the plans and purposes of God. Many truths seen throughout Daniel show up yet again in Daniel chapter 6.

Now I want to remind you, Daniel 6 very much runs parallel to Daniel chapter 3. I pointed this out when we were in Daniel 3.

They are very similar narratives with very similar themes and very similar purposes for being written for us. Yet there are, of course, certain differences that perhaps jump off the page to us in some respects, like the people involved in each narrative.

Daniel 3 involves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defying the decree of Nebuchadnezzar. Now in Daniel 6, we have Daniel himself defying the decree of Darius.

So as we come to this chapter this evening, it seems fitting that we should focus in on the person of Daniel in particular. And his example to us.

There's much that we can learn from his example. And so we're going to especially consider three facets, three different facets of his example.

First, let's see the commendable character of Daniel. We see his commendable character in the first nine verses. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps to be throughout the whole kingdom, and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.

Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom. But they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

Then these men said, We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God. Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, O king Darius, live forever!

All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction that whoever makes the petition to any god or man for thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.

Therefore, King Darius signed the document and injunction. Now, chapter 5 ended with this new king in Babylon.

Belshazzar was killed, and Darius the Mede received the kingdom. Now, there's debate about who exactly this man is.

This isn't the first time that we've run into this in the book of Daniel. There's no historical record outside of the historical record of the Bible, mind you, that gives us any additional information about him.

And if you were to read all of the historical records detailing the fall of the kingdom of Babylon and the rise of the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, you wouldn't read about a man named Darius conquering Babylon.

You would read about the man that we just heard of in Isaiah 45, Cyrus the Great. There's ample evidence that says his army was the one that was outside the city walls, even as Belshazzar feasted that final night of his life.

So much like the man Belshazzar, skeptics of the Bible will point to the man Darius and say, see, Daniel is just a work of fiction. It talks about people who don't even live.

But like Belshazzar, there are reasonable answers to the question, who is Darius, that don't involve accusing Daniel of being untrustworthy as real history. First, it's very likely that Darius is a second name for a high-ranking official in the kingdom of the Medes and Persians.

That was very common in ancient times. It's still common today. Someone ascends to the throne and they take on another name. It's even called a throne name. That's probably something like that happening with Darius.

Now, who is this person whose name we know from history? Who is it? That's the question. Well, it's entirely possible that Darius is a high-ranking officer in Cyrus' kingdom.

There's evidence that suggests one of Cyrus' governors ruled over the city of Babylon on behalf of Cyrus for a time while Cyrus was occupied with other matters in his kingdom.

So Darius was this governor who was the acting king, you might say. There's also a very interesting possibility that this is actually Cyrus himself, simply going by a second name.

Cyrus was actually both of Median descent and Persian descent. He actually united those two kingdoms. And so when he ascended to the throne, it may well be that he took a second Median name.

Cyrus being his Persian and far more well-known name. But now here we have Darius being his Median name. Now, you see the age of Darius.

It's given to us at the end of chapter 5. That's good evidence that this very well could be Cyrus. Because when Cyrus conquered Babylon, he would have been in his early 60s.

And additionally, given the power that this Darius had to organize his government and to give very high positions to individuals in it, again, it makes sense that this could well be Cyrus himself.

Now, if that is the case, we do need to make sense of the last verse of chapter 6. Because that verse, as it's translated in the ESV, reads, So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Now, that could also be translated to say that Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, even the reign of Cyrus the Persian. It's a reasonable translation. We're not twisting the text to make it say that.

So either way, whoever this Darius may be, and those aren't even the only two options, we can certainly be confident this is a real historical figure, a real historical event unfolding in the text before us.

So here in the opening verses of Daniel 6, we find Darius is cleaning house. He's restructuring the government there in Babylon. But Daniel doesn't get fired.

In fact, Daniel basically retains the same position that he had just received from Belshazzar. On the night that Belshazzar died, Daniel became third in the kingdom. Well, now he's one of three high officials in the whole kingdom, and he's soon to get a promotion to be set over the whole kingdom.

Daniel is certainly in the good graces of Darius. And we see why here in chapter 6. It's really a two-fold reason. Because of his competence and because of his integrity.

Daniel had proven himself very capable in both the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Very capable to know and interpret dreams. Capable to solve puzzles like the writing on the wall.

And all of this, of course, is because the Holy Spirit was working through him. Even these pagan kings understood something of that reality. And they would often say that he had the spirit of the holy gods in him.

Or as we see here in chapter 6, he had an excellent spirit. So Daniel found favor with Darius in part because God was uniquely working through Daniel.

But we see a second reason that Darius esteemed Daniel. And that is because of his integrity. He had a commendable character.

And that character comes to light as these jealous officials try to find fault with Daniel. Now, they're jealous, of course, because they're getting passed over for the promotion that's going to Daniel.

Apparently, the cat was out of the bag. They knew Daniel is going to get this high promotion. And they wanted to find some way to stop that from happening. But they quickly realized this won't be easy.

Because Daniel is not like most other high officials. There's no skeletons in his closet to drag out and parade in front of Darius.

He was what? Faithful. They could find no error or fault in him. We see that his life was defined by integrity.

He's honorable. That's the pattern of his life before the great test of his fate even came along. And again, remember, Daniel is not a young man here.

He's in his 80s at this point. For decades, he's been faithfully walking with the Lord. He has honored God with his life.

We've seen very specific examples given to us even in the book. From an early age, when he was just a youth, a teen, he was faithful to God by not defiling himself with the food or drink from the king.

But the examples that are contained here in God's word, they're just a small sliver of Daniel's life. The reality is for him to be called faithful in such a blanket statement kind of way, that means for all those years, Daniel was faithful to God.

Daily walking with God. Behind the scenes. When no one was looking. When the spotlight wasn't on him. When he was by himself. No one around to impress or to look good for.

He was faithful. And notice here. These high officials. What did they do? They sought to find a ground for complaint.

Verse 4 is telling us. They dug. They were looking for dirt to find on him. And they couldn't. That's because, not that they didn't try hard enough.

But because Daniel was a faithful man. It was a pattern of his life. Whether in the public eye or not. There is such a temptation.

Especially in the social media age of our day. To put your best self on display for others to see. Just give a snippet of your life on Instagram or Snapchat or Facebook or wherever.

Forever. And of course there is nothing inherently wrong with posting about something in your life. That people could learn from or appreciate or relate to. Or whatever it may be. But a truly faithful life is not found by simply looking at reels or YouTube shorts.

There are endless content creators these days. But are we honoring God with our lives when there is no post to be made? And perhaps that's mostly directed at those of us who are younger.

But I'm sure we could find ample examples where we want to put our best foot forward in many other areas of life. Be faithful when no one is looking. Be faithful when no one else is around.

When no one else may find out. Be faithful when it's just you and God. Because God is the only one that you and I should ultimately be concerned about.

Now don't hear me wrong. It's a good thing that Daniel had a clearly favorable reputation in public. Darius loved him. And that is certainly due in part to his commendable character.

Proverbs 22.1 A good name is better than riches. Daniel had a good name. But you see that public perception of him was rooted in the integrity of his heart.

He really truly did have a commendable character. There was no fake facade. There was no difference between public Daniel and private Daniel. And I'll say it again.

These high officials would have figured it out. These men were out to get him. They would have dug deep to find fault with him. We got to find some dirt on this guy somehow.

Even going so far as spying on his private life. As we'll soon see. And the man in private that they saw. Was the same man that they had seen in public.

Daniel was an honorable man. Now that's an example to us. In a world of self-promotion. Where everybody wants more views. More followers.

More influence. More attention on themselves. Our aim should be humble faithfulness. Not just an appearance of it for others to see. But a life that's defined by it.

As we see in Daniel. Well it was because Daniel lived such an honorable, godly life. That the high officials had to change up their strategy.

Instead of finding fault with Daniel. They would need to fabricate fault. You might say. So they convinced Darius to pass this law. That they would then know would be in direct opposition to the law of God.

You see that was their strategy. It was based on this remarkable assumption. Daniel will obey the law of God. No matter what. That is what they were assuming to be the case.

That's what they built their strategy on. They knew that. But how did they know it? Again by Daniel. Living very publicly. Living out his faith. Not in a showy way.

But in an honest, genuine way. He wasn't hiding his trust in God. He wasn't hiding his obedience to God. He clearly followed God's laws.

These high officials didn't just think. You know this Daniel. He's a good guy. No they knew. He was a true worshiper of the God of Israel. His character was directly tied to his God.

So they were sure that Daniel would continue in his humble obedience to God. They were sure that Daniel would obey God and not men. Brothers and sisters, that ought to be us as well.

Of such godly character. That if someone was wanting to set a trap for you. To do you harm. That their entire strategy would hinge on the assumption that you will obey God.

That's how commendable Daniel's character was. That's how honorable of a reputation he had. The high officials thought, We have to manipulate the situation so that when he obeys God.

Then we can pounce. You see they weren't trapping him or catching him in sin. They were catching him in righteousness. You might say. With their sinful laws.

I pray that no one is ever out to get you like this. But if it were to happen to you. How would someone best go after you? By catching you in sin?

Or by catching you in righteousness? Finding you obeying God? Or finding you giving in to the sinful laws that a man may pass?

Well the plan of these high officials worked. They got Darius to sign into law something that ran completely counter to God and his word and his law. And this law said that if anyone made a petition.

Or you could say a prayer. To any God or man other than Darius. For those next 30 days. Well they would be cast into the lion's den. Now we could talk a lot about Darius here.

And how obvious it was that these high officials were manipulating. Him. How obvious it was. Like don't you know they have a clear ulterior motive for what they're doing.

But the simplest answer is that pride blinds us. Darius probably liked what he was hearing. A decree that will exalt me for 30 days? Where do I sign? And as the text says many times in this chapter.

It was an irrevocable law. Meaning even the king of the land. Who signed the law. Even he didn't have the authority to revoke it. The king himself was then in that sense under the law.

This is something unique to the laws of the Medes and Persians compared to say the Babylonians before. The irrevocable nature of laws in the Medo-Persian kingdom. That may have originated from this belief that the king was making laws by divine inspiration.

And so whatever law the king put into effect it couldn't be wrong. Even if he later regretted that law. It was out of his hands. They would say well he was carried along by the gods when he wrote it.

So we see the stage was set for a showdown. Would Daniel capitulate and stop praying? Or would Daniel prove faithful and keep praying?

Well the high officials were banking on the latter to be the case. And of course as we see in the next verses they were right. So we come to the second facet of Daniel's example to us.

His clear conviction. His clear conviction. And I'll read verses 10 to 18. When Daniel knew that the document had been signed.

He went into his house where he had his windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed. And gave thanks before his God as he had done previously.

Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king concerning the injunction. O king did you not sign an injunction?

That anyone who makes petition to any God or man within 30 days except to you O king. Shall be cast into the lion's den? The king answered and said.

The thing stands fast according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked. Then they answered and said before the king. Daniel who is one of the exiles from Judah pays no attention to you O king.

Or the injunction you have signed. But makes his petition three times a day. Then the king when he heard these words was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel.

And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king. Know O king that it is a law of the Medes and Persians.

That no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed. Then the king commanded and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions.

The king declared to Daniel may your God whom you serve continually deliver you. And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den. And the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No diversions were brought to him and sleep fled from him. Now a lot is happening in these verses.

But I want to begin by drawing your attention to a little phrase at the very outset of the verses. It's there in verse 10. As Daniel responds to the king's decree.

And as his response is described. He goes to his home to pray. And then we read that little phrase. As he had done previously. Daniel just kept doing what he had already been doing.

God's people are commanded to pray. So he was going to pray no matter what man said. Even if that man was the king of the land. He just kept pressing on. Living a humble God honoring life.

New decree. So be it. He was going to pray. Just as he had done previously. He didn't start praying to God. Once he was told he couldn't.

He just kept doing the right thing that he had always been doing. Now of course there was certainly more risk involved now. He was openly defying the king's decree.

No question about it. This wasn't some kind of gray area of legal code. No, even the best of defense attorneys would have been unable to get Daniel out of the guilty verdict.

If he was caught. And to steal the phrase of chapter 5. The writing would be on the wall for Daniel. If he was caught praying. But he was going to be faithful.

No matter the risk to his life. He was going to speak to his king. The king of heaven. No matter what any earthly king said. So he maintained his humble routine.

His habit of praying three times a day. Making it very easy for these high officials to catch him. They didn't have to work hard.

They didn't have to tail him after they left the office. Maintaining three camel lengths behind him until they saw him. They didn't have to sift through crumpled prayer scrolls in his trash to find the evidence.

They didn't have to plant the evidence even. They just had to go to his house in the morning. Or in the afternoon. Or in the evening. Daniel made himself very accessible to them.

Because he was unashamed of his God. And he was going to speak to his God. Even with the windows open. Facing Jerusalem. Do you share the same boldness as Daniel?

Daniel. We live in a far less hostile society. Are you as unashamed as Daniel? To show forth your faith even through prayer?

Are you unashamed to pray in public? To pray at school before lunch? To pray with a colleague at your workplace on break when you learn that he's in the midst of a trial?

To pray even in the park with your child when she skins up her knee? Are you unashamed? Daniel was bold. He was unashamed. And therefore he was so very easy to catch.

The high officials just had to stop by his house. And they would see. There's Daniel. He's breaking the law. And that's exactly what happened. So they reported it to King Darius. And King Darius had a very interesting reaction.

Very different that we might expect based off of earlier episodes in this book. He was beside himself when he found out. There's such a contrast here between Belshazzar and Darius.

And when the queen came to Belshazzar and she told him about this Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, Belshazzar basically said, Who? I don't know who that guy is.

Couldn't care less about him at that point. But we see a very different relationship to Daniel here with Darius. The moment that he hears about Daniel, this exile from Judah, being caught disobeying his law, he's devastated because he clearly cares deeply about Daniel.

But the law is the law. So Daniel was brought. He was cast into the den of lions as Darius declared to him. And he certainly didn't say this sarcastically. He said this with great sincerity.

May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you. Isn't that how you want to be known? Isn't that how you want even an unbeliever to speak of you as serving your God continually?

He may not believe in your God. He may not even respect you for your devotion to your God. But he can say, and he can't deny it, you serve your God continually. Again, even Darius knows about Daniel and Daniel's relationship to his God.

Daniel clearly spoke about God, even to the king, as he carried out his duties in the kingdom. So Darius says in this tension-filled moment, I know you serve your God continually.

What a marvelous reputation Daniel had. From the high officials to King Darius. Everyone knew Daniel had clear convictions.

And he lived them out with that commendable character. He served his God continually. Is that what others would say about us if they were asked?

Oh, they serve their God with their lives. Oh, he is clearly their first priority. Oh, they speak of him often. They speak to him often. I've seen them speaking to him.

Oh, yes, they serve their God continually. Daniel is the example to us. With his commendable character.

With his clear conviction. And now finally, with his confident confession. Which is to imply the obvious. If Daniel is going to confess something, Daniel lives.

But not before a stressful night. A stressful night for Darius, that is. The stone was rolled onto the mouth of the den. He sealed it with his signet ring.

And he returned to his palace where he didn't get a wink of sleep. And we'll now continue the reading with what happens in the morning. Beginning in verse 19. Then at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, Oh, Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?

Then Daniel said to the king, Oh, king, live forever. My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths. And they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him.

And also before you, oh king, I have done no harm. Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den.

And no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, And those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions.

They, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

So we need to talk about Darius first. Daniel really goes to great lengths to help us to see just how distressed Darius is. He spent the night fasting.

He had no entertainment brought to him. Sleep fled from him. And at the first light of dawn, he went racing to the den. And before he even gets to the opening in it, he's already calling out to Daniel.

He can't even get there before he's crying out. And he's crying out in an anguished tone. He's asking a question also. Seemingly not perhaps expecting a very promising answer, if any answer at all.

The man is about as stressed out and panicked as you can imagine. The man who had it all, humanly speaking. He lived in luxury.

He had all the pleasures of this life at his disposal. And yet he was losing his mind about Daniel's dire situation. Then there's Daniel.

A man who had every reason from a human perspective to be behaving like Darius was. But he wasn't. He went into the den without even a word said by him, recorded in the text.

No attempts are given to dissuade Darius from following through with his decree. No pleas for mercy. He just willingly went. And when Darius returned the next morning, we are told that Darius had a tone of anguish.

The text tells us that. But the text doesn't say anything about Daniel speaking in, say, a tone of relief. I'm sure that he was glad the night was over, but he clearly wasn't sweating bullets.

Thinking, oh, at any minute, the mouths of these lions might open once more. Because much like his friends, who had endured a very similar trial, Daniel trusted in his God.

He who was able to deliver him did, in fact, do just that. And that was Daniel's confident confession. He was so very quick to say, who was responsible for seeing that his life was spared?

God sent his angel. And his angel shut the mouths of these hungry cats. And we know that they were hungry. Because when the high officials, along with their families, were thrown into the den as punishment by Darius, all those lions were swift to pounce upon them.

But for Daniel, God shut the mouths of the lions. And let's not forget, who is the maker, kids, of those lions? God is.

God rules over his creation. We've seen God rules over kingdoms and the kings of those kingdoms. Oh, we can't forget God rules over his creation in every way. There was no battle to tame them when the angel arrived.

Though that would have been interesting to read. But even more powerful to read. They submitted to God's power over them. So just as the fire did no harm to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the lions did no harm to Daniel.

The man was found to be blameless. And the man who was found to be blameless was also found without a scratch on his body. And he was spared death at the hands or the paws of those lions.

He confidently confessed who was responsible for this. It was his God. And following his example, we should confidently confess who is responsible for our every blessing in our lives.

And where to begin, where better to begin. But with our own deliverance from sin and death through God's Son. We tell others, look at what God has done for me.

We tell others, look at what God has done by sending his Son to die for my sins. And he can do that for you, we tell others, if you trust in this same Savior.

What an example that we have here in Daniel. Even in these final recorded words of his in this narrative. But I don't want us to overlook the final recorded words of Darius, either.

It might actually surprise us that Daniel doesn't have the last word here in this episode. It's Darius who does. Following the pattern that we saw this morning.

But like Nebuchadnezzar before him, we find that Darius gives this wonderful word of praise to God. That's what's on the lips of this pagan king.

And so we've seen Daniel's commendable character. We've seen his clear conviction and his confident confession. Well, now we have to finish with Darius' compelling command.

Beginning in verse 25. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth. Peace be multiplied to you.

I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, enduring forever.

His kingdom shall never be destroyed and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.

He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Darius is right. All people, everywhere, should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. And we see all of these reasons why.

Because he is indeed the living God. He is the only living God who endures forever. And the same goes for his kingdom too. His kingdom shall never be destroyed.

His kingdom shall never be brought to an end. And as we see here with Daniel, this great God of all the kingdoms is sovereignly at work in the lives of his people.

Delivering and rescuing. Working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. And what better evidence of that than what Darius had saw with his own eyes.

Looking down into that pit and seeing Daniel alive and well. Saved from the power of the lions. And so Daniel prospered during Darius' reign and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Makes sense that he prospered. When you consider the truth of Psalm 1. The blessed man. What does he do? He delights in the law of the Lord.

And on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season. And its leaf does not wither. In all that he does.

He prospers. That's the example of Daniel to us. He's like the blessed man of Psalm 1. Put on display. And we've seen that Daniel was innocent of those charges.

Daniel was faithful. He was without fault or error in this matter. He was accused and betrayed. Daniel was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.

And he was spared by God. Rescued. Brought out from the den of lions. As Darius discovered that he was alive and well at the first light of day.

And for as good of an example as Daniel is to us, Daniel points forward to an even greater person who is more than an example to us.

Daniel points forward to Christ. Jesus Christ was innocent. Jesus Christ was faithful. Jesus Christ was perfectly without fault or error.

Jesus was accused and betrayed. Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. And yet unlike Daniel, he was not spared by his father.

Daniel was rescued and brought up from the den of lions. But our Savior was not rescued. He was not brought down from that cross of wood.

Instead he hung there. And he died that we might be saved. But death did not have the final word. And by the same power of God that shut the mouths of lions, Jesus rose from the grave as his disciples discovered that he was alive and well at the first light of day.

I'm thankful for the example of Daniel. We need the example of Daniel. We ought to live with the same commendable character and clear conviction. We ought to live with the same confident confession on our lips.

And I'm thankful that Daniel points us as well to the Son of God who died for us and rose triumphantly from the dead. That sin and death would be defeated.

Far greater foes than even those ferocious lions in that den. How great the power of God put on display in Daniel chapter 6.

So great then. How great then should our praise of him be in our lives. Even this evening. So let's sing then this closing song of praise to our God.

Let's sing this closing song of praise to our Savior. Who is risen and triumphant. Exalted now at his Father's right hand. And so we say rightly so. Crown him with many crowns.

Number 216 in your blue trinity hymnals. Number 216. Let's stand as we sing together. song of praise to our Lord.

large band is wrong. One day for us and our thanks to our Lord. How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together?

How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together?

How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? How great can we sing together? God is told, How may my soul and sing Of Him through thy glory And heaven has our answers Through all eternity I am Lord of all Behold His sins and signs This truth and blissful alone It will be glorified No angel in the sky And holy thereof signs The cover that's His word He does And His word He so bright

Now be Lord of peace Whose power of sin first days Come home to all that for Jesus As our prayer prayer and praise His grace shall know the way Then how His tears should be There was a prayer that I still see And faith and jealousy Come in Lord of years The potent gate of time Creator of the holy To deliver the peace of mind All hail, redeemed, redeemed

Lord, how has thy glory Thy grace shall never, ever, ever Throughout eternity Let's pray together Our Father in heaven You are the great God of heaven You are the Lord of heaven You are the most high God Who rules over all And we bring you our praise tonight And we thank you Father That you sent your Son That you did not spare Him And if you did not spare Him How much more than would you Graciously give us all things And so we come to you tonight Praying that you would stir us up As we go from here That we would be a people Of commendable character With clear convictions Who have a confident confession Upon our lips That Jesus Christ is Lord We pray Father That you would be our strength That you would be our joy And that we would be a people Who go from here

Declaring the marvelous works Of our God in our lives We pray all this in Jesus' name Amen 1 Timothy 6.15 He who is the blessed And only sovereign The King of kings And Lord of lords Who alone has immortality Who dwells in unapproachable light Whom no one has ever seen Or can see To Him be honor And eternal dominion Amen