St Luke's Church Eccleshill, Bradford, UK

The Den of Lions

Daniel 6

At the beginning of this drama, prime the audience that every time the lions are mentioned everyone is to growl. Alternatively, choose some children to be the lions.

Narr. This reading is taken from the book of Daniel, chapter 6. When the Persians defeated the Babylonians, the king of Babylon was killed and the Persians put Darius the Mede in charge. Darius had to decide how he was going to make the kingdom work.

Darius. I am going to appoint 120 people to run my kingdom, and I'll call them "satraps". And I'll have 3 administrators to keep an eye on the satraps. You three can be the administrators. Now go and get on with it.

Narr. So the administrators organised what Darius said, but Daniel did it more efficiently than the other two, and Darius noticed.

Darius. I've decided to promote Daniel. Instead of all three of you reporting to me, you two will have to report to Daniel, and only Daniel will report to me.

Admin 1. I don't like this. Fancy having a Jew in charge of the kingdom! We need to get rid of Daniel.

Admin 2. We'll have to find out something he's doing wrong and tell the king. Everybody does something wrong - let's keep an eye on him and find out.

Narr. The administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they couldn't, because he was trustworthy.

Admin 1. We aren't getting anywhere with this. How can we get rid of Daniel?

Admin 2. It will have to be something to do with the law of his God. I've got an idea.

Narr. The administrators and satraps went to see the king. In those days kings often used religion as a way of keeping kingdoms together, and that's what the administrators suggested.

Admin 1. O King Darius, may you live for ever. We would like to advise you of the need for national unity in these disturbed days. There is a problem of corruption in our land, because rich people are giving favours in an unfair way.

Admin 2. We think you should issue an edict that for 30 days no-one should be allowed to ask for anything from any god or any person except you, O King, and anyone who disobeys should be thrown into the royal den of lions. LIONS GROWL.

Darius. That sounds like a good idea. I hate it when rich people make trouble by being unfair in the way they hand out their favours. Give me the decree and I'll sign it.

Narr. The king signed the decree and it was published, and Daniel heard about it. Daniel used to pray three times a day in a room in his house where the windows looked towards Jerusalem, and during the 30 days Daniel carried on praying just like he always did.

Daniel. Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe. Yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. O God, I am your servant; so keep me safe in all the work I have to do, help me to do it properly, and make it turn out well, just as you always have. Amen.

Narr. The administrators found out and went to Darius.

Admin 2. O King Darius, may you live for ever. You remember the law about not asking for any favours from anyone except you for 30 days? Daniel is breaking it by praying to his God. You will have to throw him to the lions. LIONS GROWL.

Darius. But that's different. The law was about stopping rich people being unfair in giving favours. It wasn't about stopping Daniel praying to his God. He's always done that.

Admin 1. Yes, your majesty, but if you look at the law you signed you'll see it says no asking for anything from any god, as well as not asking from any person.

Darius. Go away while I think about it. I don't want him to go to the lions. LIONS GROWL.

Narr. Darius thought about it all day, and tried to invent a way of saving Daniel. In the evening the administrators came to see him again.

Darius. Listen, I have decided about Daniel. I am going to change the law. Bring me the decree and I'll cross out the bit about "any god". The rest of it can stay like it is.

Admin 2. I'm very sorry, but we can't do that, your majesty. You will remember that you are only king here because the Persians appointed you, and the law of the Medes and Persians says that any decree which the king signs can't be changed retrospectively. Even if you change the law now, Daniel would still have to be thrown to the lions. LIONS GROWL.

Darius. I see. You're a cunning lot, aren't you? I see I have no choice. Very well, fetch Daniel. Daniel, I'm very sorry about this. May your God, whom you have always served, rescue you! But I'm afraid I'm legally obliged to have you thrown to the lions. LIONS GROWL.

Narr. So they took Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. LIONS GROWL. All night long Darius stayed awake, and early in the morning he got up and went to the den of lions. LIONS GROWL.

Darius. Daniel, I suppose you're dead and eaten by now. Are you still alive? Has your God been able to rescue you from the lions? LIONS GROWL.

Daniel. Yes, your majesty. My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of these - ahh - these big cats. They haven't hurt me, because I was innocent.

Darius. It's a miracle! Quick, guards, let him out. Fetch those others, the ones who accused Daniel of this crime, and throw them to the lions. LIONS GROWL.

Narr. So the other administrators were thrown into the den of lions. LIONS GROWL. Then king Darius made an announcement.

Darius. I have decided that everyone in this land must fear and reverence the God of Daniel, because he is the living and true God.

Narr. This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

John Hartley