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HEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (Heb 12:1-8)
Suppose you were drawn into court and sentenced to death by being eaten by wolves for your faith in Christ lest you recant. What would you do? If you were a Moslem, you could deny your faith and still be on good terms with your allah. But for the Christian, whose God is totally distinct from allah, to deny his faith is a grave sin. We observe the times are resembling more and more those spoken of in Scripture as being signs of the end. 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (Heb 12:1-8)
There are many examples in Scripture that provide beacon lights of courageous faith. One such example is that of Daniel the prophet. Daniel was carried captive as a young lad to Babylon, but quickly gained the trust and affection of the royal household. He was uncompromising in His duty to God and his example to others because an excellent spirit was in him. (Dan 6:3) Daniel’s heart was the Temple of God and could have known no other spirit. King Darius was particularly fond of David and considered making him first in his kingdom to oversee the subordinate princes of whom there were 120. This, of course, aroused the jealousy of those princes and others who coveted the trust being bestowed upon Daniel.
The jealous princes conceived of a plan to trick the King into condemning Daniel to the lion’s den. They went to the King and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 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. 8 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. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open 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. (Dan 6:6-10)
What was Daniel’s response? He immediately went to his room, opened the window for all to see, and prayed to the Lord our God. When the King heard of it, he was hurt deeply for he loved Daniel, but could not contradict his King own decree. He had Daniel cast into the lion’s den, but God closed the mouths of the lions.
When King Darius hurried to the den early next morning, he found Daniel safe and sound.
There is a notable painting of this event by Daniel Riviere that depicts Daniel in the den with many lions gathered about; but Daniel does not face the lions, but rather has his eyes cast up to the light of heaven.
Would we defy the government that denies us the right to pray to God? Would we be willing to be cast to lions instead of relenting? Would we, too, keep our focus on God and not the angry lions? We may see before many days hence.
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