A Glimpse of the Resurrection in the Lion’s Den
A Glimpse of the Resurrection in the Lions’ Den
Sometimes the Old Testament gives us powerful glimpses of what God would later do through Jesus. I have recently been studying the book and person of Daniel - I would encourage you to read it, I have taken so much from it! Fun fact- if I was a boy I would have apparently been named Daniel!
There’s lots more to the book of Daniel than the famous ‘Sunday School’ story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6). But, as I read this section, I noticed so many ways that it points us forward to the cross and resurrection.
Daniel was innocent, but jealous officials and leaders tricked the king into making a law that would get him killed. Sound familiar? Jesus too was innocent. But religious leaders and the crowd stirred up trouble, and Pilate was pushed into giving the order for his death. Even though he couldn’t agree and could see that Jesus in no way deserved to be killed.
A huge heavy stone was rolled across the entrance of the lions’ den—just like the stone placed in front of Jesus’ tomb.
‘At first light of dawn’, the king hurried to the den, full of anxiety, but definitely a tinge of hope, that Daniel’s God may have saved him.
That same early morning urgency shows up in the resurrection story—Mary and the other women go to Jesus’ tomb at first light. They know he’s dead, but they’re still devoted and present. Still hoping and still on the journey. They don’t yet understand the resurrection to come - (I mean do any of us, ever?) but they still go, early in the morning. They show up!
In Daniel’s case, an angel shut the lions’ mouths, and he was protected from death. In Jesus’ case, angels were there too—this time to declare that death had been defeated and the tomb was empty. ‘He is not here! He has risen!’ (Luke 24.6)
Both stories end in victory. For Daniel, God is glorified and a new royal order is sent out. For Jesus, it’s even greater: death is defeated, and a new covenant begins.
God was giving us a sneak peek of Easter hope, all the way back in Babylon. Isn’t that amazing?
