Daniel was working as an officer in the government under King Darius. Darius saw what a good job Daniel was doing because of all his hard work. So Darius thought about letting Daniel rule over the whole kingdom.

When the other officers in the government heard about this, they were angry. They did not want Daniel to have a special job. The officers watched Daniel work, hoping he would mess up. But Daniel never made any mistakes. He was honest and good.

Then, the officers tried to make Daniel look bad. They asked King Darius to make a law that said this: "No person can pray to God for 30 days. They must ask King Darius for what they need instead of God." (The officers knew that Daniel would ignore the law and pray to God anyway.)

King Darius agreed and wrote the law. Anyone who broke the law would be punished and get thrown into a den of hungry lions.

Even though Daniel knew about the new law, he kept praying to God. He had always prayed to God three times a day, and he would not stop now.

The other government officers saw David praying to God. They told King Darius that Daniel had broken the law. So even though it made him sad to do it, King Darius had Daniel thrown into the den of lions.

That night, King Darius did not sleep at all. He was upset because he did not want Daniel–an honest man–to be eaten by the lions. The next morning, Darius went to see if Daniel was still alive. Daniel said, "My God has sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so they can’t touch me . . ."

Since he believed God, Daniel was saved from death!

King Darius was very happy, and he let Daniel out of the lions’ den. Then, King Darius threw the other officers to the lions because they tried to make Daniel look bad.

Darius wrote a new law that said this: "Everyone should fear . . . the God of Daniel. . . . For his God is the living, unchanging God whose kingdom will never be destroyed and whose power will never end."

Memory Verse:
"He (God) delivers His people, preserving them from harm . . ." (Daniel 6:27).

Remember Rhyme

Daniel loved God

He prayed three times a day

Daniel believed God

And everything He had to say.

Some men did not like Daniel

So they came up with a plan

To make Daniel seem as if

He was not a faithful man.

An exception from the law

King Darius could not give,

So Daniel was taken away

To the place where lions live.

When the morning came

Darius ran to the lions’ cave

He was very happy

To see that Daniel’s life was saved.

God is powerful

God is strong

He kept Daniel safe

All night long.

HOW TO BE GOD'S FRIEND