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” (Daniel 6:25-27, ESV)

If you spent any time in Sunday School as a child, you are probably very familiar with the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. If you didn’t learn about it as a child in Sunday School or Vacation Bible School, then it’s likely you’ve often heard references to the story and it’s familiar theme, God’s deliverance of his faithful people, in your pastor’s sermons.

While faithfulness and deliverance is certainly the storyline of the tale, there’s so many underlying theological implications and so much literary symbolism to the story that we can’t recount all of it in this post. So, we will touch on just one of the symbolic plot lines in the story that I hope will encourage you to dig more deeply into the Old Testament biblical narratives in your own Bible reading and study.

Although the account of Daniel in the lion’s den parallels the account of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3 (e.g., both stories expose imperial power’s inability to control personal allegiance and faithfulness to God), have you ever considered the story of Daniel in the lion’s den as symbolic of the burial and resurrection of Jesus?

There are several striking parallels between the events of Daniel being cast into the den of lions in Daniel 6 and Jesus’ burial and resurrection in Matthew 27-28.

In the corresponding biblical accounts, both were innocent men in which their enemies conspired against them, the authorities condemned them, and both received the death penalty. Daniel is put in a lion’s den where everyone assumes he will die and Jesus’ body is placed in a tomb. The openings of both were covered with a stone and sealed by the governing authority. In both accounts an angelic or divine being appears–in Daniel’s case to rescue him from the lions and in Jesus’ case to announce His resurrection. Finally, in both stories the prisoners emerge alive from their interment and are accordingly vindicated.

The parallels between the stories become more apparent when Matthew specifically mentions both the stone and the official seal in his account of Jesus’ burial and resurrection (see Matthew 27:58, 66). In Daniel 6 the seal on the stone on the lions’ den meant Daniel’s fate could not be rescinded by humans. The authorities had officially closed off his place of execution and the lions’ den basically functioned as a symbolic tomb for Daniel.

We learn that even the king himself could not rescue Daniel (see Daniel 6:14-15; ironically, the king that sentenced him is unable to free him). At daybreak the king ran to the lions’ den, the stone was removed and Daniel came out alive (Didn’t something similar happen at Jesus’ tomb the morning of His resurrection? See Matthew 28:1-2) Although Daniel being taken out of the lions’ den in 6:23 wasn’t a literal resurrection, symbolically it was deliverance from death.

Drawing similarities between the stories is not to say that Matthew is explicitly referencing Daniel. Yet, the literary correlation is substantial enough that the Daniel in the lions’ den story unquestionably provides an Old Testament context for understanding that Jesus, like Daniel, was a righteous sufferer who was condemned by human kingdoms but ultimately vindicated by God.

But, let me make one last important point about the link between these stories. The theological message of Daniel 6 and Matthew 27 are the same–a faithful servant who is condemned to death and miraculously delivered from death by God. Unfortunately, that message is often presumed to mean “If you’re faithful enough, God will rescue you from your difficulties.”

But, the crux of these two stories is that God does not necessarily keep his faithful people out of the lions’ den or out of the fiery furnace (as in Daniel 3) or out of the tomb. Rather, He meets them inside it!

God Almighty is the God of last resort! He doesn’t necessarily provide us with an escape from adversity and suffering. God meets us in our affliction and distress to deliver and vindicate.

This biblical truth is reinforced by this cosmic trajectory from Daniel to Matthew and demonstrates its ultimate fulfillment in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Like Daniel, Jesus isn’t spared the lion’s den or fiery furnace, so to speak. He actually goes through death. Then God vindicates Him, and ultimately the humanity that Jesus lived and died for, through resurrection.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16, ESV).