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the first light of dawn

Daniel 6:19-24 (JDV)

Daniel 6:19 At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den.
Daniel 6:20 When he stepped up to the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said, “has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
Daniel 6:21 Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live permanently.
Daniel 6:22 My God sent his agent and shut the lions’ mouths; they haven’t harmed me, because I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.”
Daniel 6:23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. When Daniel was brought up from the den, he was found to be unharmed, for he trusted in his God.
Daniel 6:24 The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den – themselves, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

the first light of dawn

Daniel’s recovery from the lion’s den was a day of great rejoicing for the king and Daniel, but it was also a day of great sorrow and condemnation for his enemies. As such, it gives us a glimpse of the great coming day of reversal for all those committed to Christ. The first light of dawn of the coming new age will find all true believers in Christ rejoicing over our rescue. It will also find all the enemies of Christ weeping in sorrow and gnashing their teeth in anger as they await their own judgment and destruction.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.