“Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions? “Daniel answered, “Long lives the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.” Daniel 6:19-23
Why did God save Daniel? The miraculous act vindicated Daniel and displayed God’s power before the king. Of course, God’s power could have been evident even if Daniel had been eaten by the lions. Consider again the response of Daniel’s three friends before they were thrown into the fiery furnace: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O King that we do not serve your gods”. God would have been glorified by Daniel’s faithfulness regardless of his fate in the lions’ den, but His miraculous intervention showed beyond the shadow of a doubt that Daniel’s God was real and powerful.
The Lord is able to deliver us out of every situation in which Satan seeks to ensnare. We cannot deliver ourselves in our own power, but with God’s help we can be victorious. Paul knew the power of God in his life. “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10) Just as Daniel, Paul stopped relying on himself and let God take control. What are you relying on?