Did Daniel in the lion's den foretell Jesus' death and resurrection?

The similarities of these two events are very interesting. There are some church leaders who say, because of the many situational matters that are alike, that Daniel's story of the lion's den directly foretells Christ's death and resurrection. Some argue that there are over 300 prophecies detailing certain patterns and categories in the old testament foreshadowing Jesus Christ. These patterns and similarities shows up in the book of Daniel concerning the crucifixion and those things leading up too it. Evil men plotted to entrap Daniel into breaking the law, much like the evil Pharisees did with Jesus. King Darius was very reluctant in punishing Daniel; And as we know, the roman emperor Pilate was just as reluctant with Jesus. We can examine these two events further to see if God has indeed revealed to us the death and crucifixion of Jesus, through Daniel in the lion's den story.

Daniel 6:4 "the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could not find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." Daniel is faithful and innocent. No one could find any reason to accuse him. This parallels with what the Pharisees were trying to do to Jesus and could find no fault in Him as well.

Daniel 6:7 "establish a royal statute" These "overseers" established a decree to bow to the authority of king Darius. Jesus was accused of not bowing to Caesar.

Daniel 6:14 "the king....was sor displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel..." In this passage, king Darius was much like the emperor Pilate was with Jesus, in that he did not want to harm Daniel.

Daniel 6: 16-17 A stone was placed over the entrance of the den and the king sealed it. When Jesus was placed in the tomb, a stone was placed in front of it and was sealed by the temple guards.

Daniel 6:24 The men who had conspired against Daniel are destroyed. The people who conspired against Jesus are destroyed(the fall of Jerusalem).

Similarities:
Jesus...…..blameless. Daniel...….blameless.
Jesus...….men conspired against Him. Daniel...….men conspired against him.
Jesus...….prayed 3 times the night of His capture. Daniel...….prayed 3 times a day.
Jesus...….enemies catch Him praying. Daniel...….enemies catch him praying.
Jesus...….Pilate reluctant to punish Him. Daniel...….Darius reluctant to punish him.
Jesus...….Pilate's wife unable to sleep. Daniel...….Darius unable to sleep.
Jesus...….placed in a tomb. Daniel...….placed in a den.
Jesus...….giant stone placed in front of tomb. Daniel...….giant stone placed in front of den.
Jesus...….Heavenly being at the tomb. Daniel...….Heavenly being the den.
Jesus...….early morning visits. Daniel...….early morning visits.

Luke 24:27 "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
Brothers and sisters, if we search diligently enough, the old testament can reveal the identity and significance of Jesus Christ.
God bless everyone.

Daniel was second in command in the kingdom.

The presidents and princes wanted to set Daniel up.

Which they told the king to make a decree than no person could ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except for the king, and if they did they would be cast in to the lion's den.

Which Darius signed it.

When Daniel knew he signed it he went to his house and prayed to the God of Israel.

They knew about it and told the king that Daniel prayed to his God.

Which the king was disappointed that he signed the decree, and set his heart to deliver Daniel, and labored to the going down of the sun to deliver Daniel.

But the men assembled and told the king that no decree nor statute which the king established may be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which does not altar, which means there was nothing the king could do.

Which they cast Daniel in to the lion's den, and the king said unto Daniel that his God will be able to deliver Daniel, which the king was acknowledging that the God of Daniel is true.

Which the charge against Daniel was not against him that his God is not true, but that nobody could make a petition of any God or man, but the king, which this decree came because the presidents, and princes. and counsellors, and governors, and captains, talked the king in to signing that petition because they wanted to set Daniel up, so the king gave heed to them, but was not originally initiated by the king.

The king could not sleep, and in the morning got up in a haste and went to the den and checked on Daniel to see if he was alright, for he wanted Daniel to be without hurt, for he favored him.

Then the king said Daniel, servant of the living God, did God deliver you, which Daniel said my God delivered me, and then the king was glad.

And then the king had the men brought to him that accused Daniel along with their wives, and children, and threw them all in the lion's den and the lion's tore them apart.

Dan 6:25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

Dan 6:26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

Dan 6:27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

Dan 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

So while some people might find similarities between Daniel and Jesus the story of Daniel is different.

The king favored Daniel, and his God, before Daniel went to the lion's den, and he was second in command of his kingdom, and made a decree throughout his entire kingdom that people tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed, and His dominion has no end, and the people favored Daniel and his God, and Daniel prospered in the kingdom.

Where the people went against Jesus both Jew and Gentile, and was not favored by the majority, and they crucified Him, and the king was against Jesus, and no harm came to the Pharisees like those that accused Daniel, and they did not believe Jesus was from the God of Israel.

But it does seem to have similarities concerning Christ's death and resurrection for Daniel was in the den and then came up out of it, and Jesus was in the grave and came up out of it, and Daniel was exalted when he came up out of the den, and Jesus was exalted by coming up out of the grave, but I do not know if it is symbolic Daniel being in the lion's den and coming out.

I never connected these two events. But it is interesting to note the similarities you provided.

What I have always taken away in this portion of scripture regarding Daniel in the lions den is that God protects his faithful servants even in situations where man tries to harm them (like when his three friends survived the fiery furnace).

amen
more threads like this, please ♥
and less about arguing

everything in the OT is written to reveal Him. 'search the scriptures!' for these are they which testify of Him.

for thirty days the decree went out -- for thirty pieces of silver the Son was delivered.
3 times a day Daniel prayed -- for 3 days, the sign of Jonah, in the belly of the earth.
Darius made every effort to spare Daniel; Pilate made every effort to spare Jesus.
Darius sealed the cave with his ring; Pilate washed his hands.
the crowd said, His blood be on us, and on our children! and those who had accused Daniel, along with their wives and children, were fed to the lions.

Darius made a decree, that all in his kingdom should worship the Living God, whose kingdom endures forever
-- did Pilate believe, when he heard of the resurrection? did Constantine later fulfill the type?

I view the Bible not directly as history, but as His Story! From Beginning to End we can find similarities in Christ. From Creation to the "Tree of Life" in the Garden, to Noah's Ark, to the Ark of the Covenant, to physical manifestations with Abraham (Melchizedek)(God with 2 Angels going to destroy S&G), the Angel giving water and instructing Ishmael's mother, Jacob wrestled with, Moses and the Burning Bush and see the physical backside and literal finger writing the 10 Commandments and cloud by day/fire by night, to Joshua fleecing the Leader of God's Army, to the Prophets and we cannot forget the 4th man with Shadrach-Meshach-Abednego, and so much more (the soon coming Messiah). It's all about Eshu (Yeshua)!

“39 Search the Scriptures (proclaims an imperative command, not a mere suggestion); for in them you think you have Eternal Life (should have been translated, “You claim to believe the Scriptures, so believe what they say about Me”): and they are they which testify of Me (the entire story of the Bible is “Christ and Him Crucified”).

40 And you will not come to Me, that you might have Life (all Life is in Christ; to have that Life, one must accept what Christ has done at the Cross).

41 I receive not honour from men (He sought honor from God Alone; that must be our criteria as well!).

42 But I know you, that you have not the Love of God in you (if one is truly Saved, one will truly have the Love of God).

43 I am come in My Father’s Name, and you receive Me not (proclaims that the real reason they did not receive Him is because they did not know the Father, despite their claims): if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive (actually speaks of the coming Antichrist, as well as all other false Messiahs; shortly after the the Rapture of the Church, Israel will receive a false Messiah, claiming that he is the one for whom they have long looked; they will find, to their dismay, how wrong they are!).” John 5

JSM

I like how you linked together Daniel in the lion's den with Christ's resurrection. I don't necessarily think the lion's den foretells of the resurrection, but....

This is just a recurring theme in the Bible, all the way through the end of Revelation: there will be trials and tribulations. Satan will win some battles, but he will not win the war. There will be times when it seems Satan is winning, and when you are in the middle of it, it seems like it will last forever and only get worse. Daniel was in the lion's den, playing laser-pointer with the cat. Jesus was buried in the ground for 3 days.