Daniel & The Lion’s Den

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people on the central dais, sprawled across cushions. King bel Shazar held court like a man determined to defecate on his father's legacy. 00:00:16 Speaker 2: Whine, if the Persians are counted our gates, let them hear our laughter over their worn drums. 00:00:25 Speaker 1: Then all went dark. Bel Shazar pushed himself up, his eyes narrowing toward the wall. Something was emerging out of the dark cold war a hand, the first fingertip touched the plaster. Black lines bloomed under it, each stroke burning like hot iron into the wall. Mena mena tekel Ufarsin. Daniel pressed his palm against the wall and traced his fingers against the carvings. He expected them to be hot to the touch, but instead they were ice cold. 00:01:06 Speaker 3: Many God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tackle you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting Paris. Your kingdom is divided, given to the Meads and Persians. 00:01:26 Speaker 1: Somewhere far off, a faint tremor passed through the floor. It could have been the tread of soldiers, or the shifting of wars, or the first distant rumble of an Empire's. 00:01:41 Speaker 4: Four shallo my friends from here in the holy Land of Israel. I'm ya l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through Israel story, we will find this truth that we are all chosen for something great. So take a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if you left us a review. I read every single one of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you can visit IFCJ dot org. Let's begin. 00:02:37 Speaker 1: The gardens of Darius's palace were alive with the colors of early spring. Almond trees bloomed in pale pink, their petals drifting down like warm snow over the tiled paths. Pools of clear water reflected the morning sun, sending ripples of light dancing across the mars walls. At the center of it all sat a table of veined white stone, low enough for conversation broad enough for maps, scrolls, and cups of steaming spiced wine. King Darius reclined on one side, his robe of indigo silk spilling over the cushions, the gold circlet on his brow catching the sun. On the other side sat Daniel. He was older now, his hair streaked with silver, but his posture was still upright, and his eyes were as sharp as the first day he had walked into a king's court decades ago. Between them lay an unrolled map of the empire. 00:03:47 Speaker 2: This is what we've taken in five years, sarrus et Patana Susa. From the mountains to the sea, my armies have marched. 00:03:55 Speaker 1: Daniel traced the roots with his eyes, studying the drawn river, the symbols for cities. 00:04:02 Speaker 3: You've done what even the kings before you could not. The empire stretches from the Tigris to the Aegean. 00:04:10 Speaker 2: And yet if I am to hold it all, Babylon must be an anchor, and for that I need someone who will not bleed it dry while I am gone on my next campaign. 00:04:21 Speaker 1: The king paused watching Daniel, searching for any glint in his eye, a spark of ambition or greed. There were none to be found, Darius smirked. 00:04:34 Speaker 2: Daniel, you have served three kings, two empires, and somehow, somehow you're still breathing. 00:04:42 Speaker 3: How perhaps that is because I've served one king far longer than that. 00:04:49 Speaker 2: Yes, the God of Israel, your homeland, you still prayed to hear, even though that temple was destroyed. 00:04:56 Speaker 3: Oh, my God is not confined to a temple of man made structure. He follows me, He follows his chosen people. I serve him wherever I go, perspective of which kingdom occupies which, then tell me this, Why serve men at all? 00:05:15 Speaker 2: Why not retreat to the hills as a hermit and make sacrifices on stone altars. Why deal with the politics, the madness of the court, and endless game of thrones. 00:05:29 Speaker 1: Daniel took a slow sip of his wine before answering. 00:05:33 Speaker 3: There was a refrain from the exiles. As we were being led like cattle to Babylon. A charge from God most High, the prophet Jeremiah said, build houses and settle down, Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wis for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and increase in number there. 00:06:02 Speaker 5: And do not decrease. 00:06:04 Speaker 3: Also seek the peace and prosperity of the city that captures you. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. 00:06:17 Speaker 2: Pray for the enemy who subjugates you. It seems weak, does it not. 00:06:24 Speaker 3: Loving one's enemies is the highest form of strength, my king, war is never won unless hatred can be overcome. 00:06:32 Speaker 1: For a long moment, Daria studied Daniel in silence. There was something in Daniel's tone, No flattery, no scheming, just a simple conviction that could not be bored. The King of Persia was surrounded by those who spoke only to gain favor. Yet Daniel spoke as a man without ambition. 00:06:55 Speaker 2: Ah, that is what I like about you, Daniel. The other traps and governor smile in my presence and then snatch what they can behind my back. But you, you're different, strange, and the most comforting way possible. 00:07:12 Speaker 1: He tapped the center of the map, the stylized star marking Babylon. 00:07:17 Speaker 2: Which is why when I march west again in the spring, I want you over all of Babylon, every sat Rap, every commander, every merchant caravan will answer to you. 00:07:33 Speaker 1: Daniel's eyes flickered, not with ambition, but with the weight of what the king was asking. 00:07:40 Speaker 3: That is no small mantle, my King. 00:07:43 Speaker 2: I wouldn't give it to you if you couldn't bear it. 00:07:47 Speaker 5: You have my trust, friend. 00:07:49 Speaker 1: The two sat in companionable quiet for a time, the breeze stirring the almond blossoms overhead. But not all in the gardens shared that peace. Beyond the carved balustrade, in the cool shade of a colonnade, two figures stood just out of sight, listening the colonnade along the garden's edge was a whorld apart from the sunlight and warmth of the king's table. Two men leaned in the darkness, voices kept low but edged with venom. The first Artemass was lean and angular, his face sharp and plain. His narrow eyes twitched constantly. His robe was fine but rumpled, and his fingers tapped against his thigh in a restless rhythm. The second, Cassander, was the opposite, tall, broad, His beard oiled and trimmed, his robe a perfect drape of deep violet. He spoke with the lazy poise of someone who believed every word he said deserved an audience. Artemas's eyes darted to the King and Daniel in the garden. 00:09:09 Speaker 6: Do you hear him? Daniel is being appointed overall that them while we left the count's caravans and set the border. 00:09:19 Speaker 5: This spells hero. 00:09:23 Speaker 1: Cassander didn't look at him, he was watching the king. 00:09:27 Speaker 7: Darius trusts him. That's the problem. Trust is harder to break the reputation or creep. 00:09:36 Speaker 6: We don't break the ts we use. 00:09:39 Speaker 1: See Cassander's brow rose slightly. 00:09:46 Speaker 6: Explain Daniel is too clean too. 00:09:57 Speaker 7: You and I both know this. 00:09:59 Speaker 6: No bride scandal, no my smar week newsance. But he's bringing. 00:10:10 Speaker 1: Cassander smiled faintly, a slow curl at the edges of his mouth. 00:10:16 Speaker 7: You mean he's gone. 00:10:20 Speaker 6: Precisely, that's where he's loyalty life, not with hers, not with the compirable. 00:10:29 Speaker 7: Abriel. 00:10:31 Speaker 6: So we turned that no. 00:10:36 Speaker 5: Into giason. 00:10:38 Speaker 1: Cassander stroked his beard thoughtfully. 00:10:41 Speaker 5: And how do we get the king to play along? 00:10:47 Speaker 6: Led by bread? Even in line? Do we give the king to see it? Decreed? It makes every time in Babylon speak his name, as speak, he will be. 00:11:00 Speaker 1: On Cassander's eyes narrowed. 00:11:03 Speaker 5: And Daniel will refuse. 00:11:07 Speaker 6: You reference you do it Hoppen, because he could help itself, and then he will have no choice. He display. 00:11:18 Speaker 1: Cassander let out a soft chuckle, the sound like wine poured into a shallow cup. 00:11:28 Speaker 7: You shawher martyrs and yours spoiden of the present with unraising space. 00:11:40 Speaker 1: That afternoon, in the Hall of Lions, where gold threaded banners hung between carved beasts, the two conspirators stood before Darius. The King had just returned from reviewing his cavalry, and his tunic still smelled faintly of leather and. 00:11:59 Speaker 7: Horse O King, eternal in majesty, I trust as ever at your cavalry the thunder of Persia incarnate stands, sharpened and burnest for your next triumph. 00:12:13 Speaker 2: They will be in time. 00:12:15 Speaker 7: Why are you two here, I guess yes, as your humble instruments, myself and the ever dutiful Artemis. You graciously charged us not long ago to survey the noble courts of your dominion, to weigh their temper, to sift their loyalties, and to bring before your throne the essence of our findings, polish'd and refined like gold tested in fire. 00:12:42 Speaker 2: Hum, I don't remember doing so. 00:12:44 Speaker 7: But go on, mighty King. The governors of Babylon, Medea, and Persia each strut within their little cages of custom and tradition, pecking and clawing over trifles unworthy even of a scribes ink. They dispute which table should be set first, whose procession should be longer, whose God should receive precedents in festival. Ough, Yet he quarrels that gnaw at the sinners of unity. 00:13:20 Speaker 2: I plan to unify the courts and councils and appoint a new governor for the region in due time. 00:13:26 Speaker 7: Oh assuredly, O King, and doubtless whomver you elevate shall prove a mirror of your own incomparable wisdom. Yet, in the meantime, while discord breeds, may I be so bold as to suggest a decree, a single command to draw the scattered eyes toward one singular, unblinking vision. 00:13:51 Speaker 6: The iss you, sire, is religious in nature. Each governor serves his own god Babylonian medium Parisian. 00:14:01 Speaker 3: Their rivalries fist into bitter arguments. 00:14:05 Speaker 7: However, what if every satrap, every governor, every counselor and prefect bowed not to a hundred squabbling deities, But to one, what if instead of splinter devotion, their prayers rose in unison like incense, all directed to me, Yes, yes, incomparable sovereign to you, our north star. We have spoken to courtiers, counselors, and governors themselves, and they all echo the same thunderous acclaim. You are not merely ruler, You are divine. 00:14:51 Speaker 6: You are our God. 00:14:55 Speaker 1: Darius, a humble man by nature, couldn't help but perk up the thought to be worshiped, beloved, the living symbol of empire itself. It was tempting. Pride swelled in him like a rising tide. 00:15:12 Speaker 2: How shall it be done? 00:15:15 Speaker 6: Make a decree, my King, that for thirty days, no pitisin needs to be made to any God or man except you. 00:15:26 Speaker 8: Not mere prayer, Sire, but supplications. Let them consult you in all things. Speak your name in place of the old gods. Trace your seal in the dust where once. 00:15:40 Speaker 7: They bent to others. Let them taste in every breath that you alone. 00:15:47 Speaker 5: Are the fountain of power in this empire. 00:15:53 Speaker 6: Every voice and Babylon calling on you alone. Your name eque seal risk on everybody. 00:16:04 Speaker 5: Thirty days, no god but. 00:16:06 Speaker 6: Me, And whoever dares defy such a unified a creed proves himself irrebel at heart. 00:16:15 Speaker 5: He must be punished. 00:16:17 Speaker 7: And what punishment would be more exquisite than the lion's den? O King, Yeah, the den where tooth and claw execute the justice of empire itself. For if a man cannot endure thirty days in honoring his sovereign, how can he then be trusted to endure life within the walls. 00:16:40 Speaker 5: Of your tom the lions den. 00:16:43 Speaker 7: But, of course, Majesty, the lions embodiments of your wrath. The very roar of Persia made flesh matter, that such insolent weeds be cast among the beasts than allowed to choke the god of your em. 00:17:03 Speaker 1: Darius tapped a finger on his chin, weighing the flattery against the unease it stirred. Then he waved a hand drafted out side it. Cassander bowed low, hiding the triumph in his eyes. As they left the hall, Artemass whispered just low enough for Cassander to hear. Daniel's eyes were fixed on the scroll in his hand, the royal decree. He'd seen enough laws in life to know this one wasn't meant to keep peace. It reeked of a trap. Daniel closed the scroll slowly and set it down on the table. For a moment, he just stood there, staring at the stairs leading to the upper room. He took in a slow breath, let it out. His feet began to climb the stairs. The upper room was bathed in late afternoon light, its lattice windows thrown open toward the west. Daniel crossed the room. His knees found the familiar spot on the worn rug where he had prayed a thousand times before. His hands rested on the sill for a moment, fingers brushing the carved wood. He looked out across the rooftops toward the distant hills. Then, with a slow exhale, he lowered himself fully in prayer. 00:18:40 Speaker 3: Oh Lord, my God, you have been my help in exile, my guide in the foreign courts, will be with me now. 00:18:50 Speaker 1: The wind shifted somewhere below, a door creaked open, and heavy footsteps approached the base of the stairs. Daniel didn't rise, didn't turn. He simply kept praying. The throne room was already thick with voices when Daniel was brought in. The sat traps had made sure of it. They'd summoned half the court Before the king even knew what was happening. Daniel was dragged in by guards and thrown onto the stone floor with a violent thud. Artemas and Cassander stood on either side of Daniel, who strained to lift himself to his knees. Darius was surprised and outraged at Daniel's treatment. 00:19:38 Speaker 2: What is the meaning of this? 00:19:40 Speaker 1: Cassander bowed low, wearing a solemn mask. 00:19:44 Speaker 7: Great King, live forever. We have come before you to report a grave. 00:19:53 Speaker 9: In concerns. 00:19:54 Speaker 6: The degree was signed, my Lord, that no man should petition any god or manic sepper. 00:19:59 Speaker 4: You for todays. 00:20:01 Speaker 1: Darius's eyes started to Daniel, realizing in an instant what was happening. Daniel met the King's gaze with a knowing stare. They were both pawns in a greater gain. 00:20:14 Speaker 6: Daniels the divine a royal degree a praying to his God three times daily. Only moments receiving the. 00:20:23 Speaker 2: Law, Daniel tell the court it isn't true. Tell them what you are actually doing. 00:20:30 Speaker 3: Great King, I serve you faithfully. I will not cease my prayers to the God of my father's. 00:20:38 Speaker 1: Her murmur rippled through the onlookers. Darius nearly leaped from the platform and rushed to Daniel. 00:20:45 Speaker 2: Tell them it's false, Tell them they're wrong. I would leave you. 00:20:49 Speaker 3: I prayed to Yaweh, the god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 00:20:56 Speaker 5: Daniel, don't, don't be fool. 00:21:00 Speaker 1: Daniel bowed his head low, not in shame, but in resignation. That quiet refusal seemed to hit Darius harder than any open defiance. He glanced toward the Satraps, who were watching like vultures. He could see the trap now, could see it clearly. But the iron of the law had already closed around his wrists as much as Daniel's. 00:21:28 Speaker 5: Then you give me no choice. 00:21:32 Speaker 3: There was always choice Terius. 00:21:35 Speaker 2: By the law of Meddy's and Persians, the penalty is death. Gods take him, repare the lions. 00:21:43 Speaker 1: Then the order cracked through the chamber like a whip. Soldiers moved in, gripping Daniel by the arms. The crowd parted as he was led toward the great doors. Darius sank back onto his throne, his eye fixed on the marble floor. The law was unbroken, His conscience was not so fortunate. The desert night had fallen heavy over Babylon. A moonless shroud. Torches sputtered against the wind. As the procession moved through the lower courtyard, they reached the great pit. At the edge of the courtyard, iron gates covered the upper opening, their bars warped and bent by years of claws and teeth. Darius was there. He stood a little apart from the others, the torchlight catching in his eyes, his face drawn and pale. 00:22:45 Speaker 5: This isn't how it should end. It won't end here. 00:22:49 Speaker 2: This God you're willing to die for, may he deliver you. 00:22:54 Speaker 1: The captain of the guard stepped forward. A massive beam was levered away from the grate with a groaning protest. The irons swung open, revealing a black void below. The stench of the den rose up at once. Daniel peered into the darkness. He could hear the lions now with awful clarity. The soldiers pushed him forward, His sandals scraped the edge. He closed his eyes. 00:23:25 Speaker 3: My God, even if you do not, I am yours. 00:23:30 Speaker 1: The shove came suddenly, the stone rim vanishing under his feet. Daniel dropped into the darkness. The sound of his landing exploded in the den, and the lions immediately moved. The last thing Daniel saw was the faint flicker of moonlight disappear under the groaning of the shutting door. The darkness became alive. He could hear them, circling claws ticking against stone, A deep growl rumble behind him. Another to his left came the sounds. Daniel's hands clenched into fists, every muscle braced. He shifted to keep his back to the wall, heart thudding in his throat. 00:24:23 Speaker 9: For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. He will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 00:24:46 Speaker 5: And I will be found by you. 00:24:49 Speaker 1: The first lion world Daniel could hear the scrape of its claws and the rush of air burst forward. Daniel braced himself for impact, for a fight, but just as the lion's jaws were inches away from Daniel's throat, the den exploded with light. A brilliance like molten gold poured through the darkness, casting the walls in blinding fire. The lion, blinded by the light, fell right past Daniel. Daniel looked up. It was as if the darkness had been cut with a blade, and the wound bled radiant light. Out of it stepped a figure. He was tall, robed in white, eyes like burning bronze. 00:25:39 Speaker 5: Do not be afraid, Daniel. 00:25:41 Speaker 1: The lions reared back, snarling, their massive bodies recoiling as though strip One leapt forward with a roar, and the figure's outstretched hand courted mid air. With a single motion. The lion fell back, jaws snapping shut with an order crack. The others backed away, pacing restlessly, their eyes fixed on the figure in the light. The figure turned to Daniel. 00:26:10 Speaker 3: Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to hungle yourself before your guard, your words were held, and I have. 00:26:20 Speaker 1: Come in response to them. The lions settled, lying down along the edges of the chamber, their massive chests rising and falling like the waves of a distant sea. Daniel sank to his knees, his breath shaking. The heat of the moment gave way to a flood of relief. The light did not fade It stayed with him through the long hours, holding back the shadows and the teeth, until the first light of dawn reached the rim above. Darius had not slept, spent the night pacing the marble floors of his chamber. By the time the sky began to pale, he was already moving to the den. The guards at the rim straightened at his approach. No one spoke. Darius reached the edge. The stone was cold under his hands. As he leaned forward, peering into the black mouth of the pit, he could see nothing. 00:27:26 Speaker 2: Daniel, servant of the Living God, has your God been able to deliver you from the lions? 00:27:33 Speaker 1: The words hung in the air. No answer came then from the depths. 00:27:41 Speaker 3: Great King, live forever You're alive. God, shut the lion's jaws. They have not harmed me because I was found innocent before him and before you, O King, I have done no wrong. 00:27:57 Speaker 2: Get him out of there now. 00:28:00 Speaker 1: Ropes were thrown down. Moments later, Daniel emerged into the morning light. Darius stepped forward, gripping Daniel's arms with both hands, as if to convince himself he was real. 00:28:16 Speaker 3: I told you it wouldn't end here. 00:28:18 Speaker 1: The King's relief hardened into something else. He turned sharply to the captain. 00:28:25 Speaker 2: Bring me the men who conspired against. 00:28:28 Speaker 5: Him, all of them. 00:28:30 Speaker 1: From the crowd of onlookers. Two figures were dragged forward, the shifty, jagged eyed Satrap and his smooth, pompous companion, both now pale, their fine clothes twisted in the grip of the gods. 00:28:46 Speaker 2: Artemus, Cassander, you came close, but it wasn't enough. You sought to take the life of a man who serves the God of all gods. 00:28:59 Speaker 5: You fail, and now you'll pay. 00:29:04 Speaker 1: The gods didn't need further orders. The sat traps were taken to the pit, their protests rising to screams as they were cast down. The lions, now unbound, roared in unison, and the sound was swallowed by the earth. Darius turned back to. 00:29:25 Speaker 2: Daniel, shouting, the mouths of lions, what else is your god capable of? 00:29:32 Speaker 1: Daniel simply inclined his head. 00:29:35 Speaker 3: Even I have yet to behold the falscope of his power and glory, but I have a feeling I soon will. 00:29:49 Speaker 4: If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and it has affected your life, we'd love it if you left her of view, we read them, and me personally, I cheer them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six ivare Hashem vischmurecher yah Heir hashempanave ileha cha ye sa hashempanave Lechra Salon. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace. 00:30:31 Speaker 6: Amen. 00:30:33 Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the pray dot Com app today. This prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellavaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yaile Exstein, edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, Bree Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, KAYLEB. Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,