Faithful, Therefore Prepared

Posted On December 01, 2017

Reformation Bible College had the pleasure of having Dr. Larry Mininger speak during a recent chapel service. Dr. Mininger has been a pastor at Lake Sherwood Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) for over 40 years. During that time, he also served in a professorial role at Reformed Theological Seminary and in various church government roles in the OPC. Earlier this semester, Dr. Mininger also started serving as the Student Care Administrator for RBC, and he is often seen around campus meeting and talking with students. In this chapel service, Dr. Mininger presented his message from Daniel 6, entitled “Preparation for the Lion’s Den,” which highlighted the how God works among His faithful people.

Dr. Mininger focused on the work of God among His faithful through the story of Daniel during his time in exile. To begin, he first noted the general paradigm that Daniel was faithful and, therefore, promoted. Daniel’s faithfulness is displayed clearly throughout the book, as seen in his refusal of the king’s best food and wine in favor of foods meeting the requirements prescribed in the law of God. That is, his conscience was bound to the Word of God. And, as Dr. Mininger noted, “Because he was faithful to God, God promoted him.”

The story progresses, however, to the next point of King Darius’ signing into effect a law which prohibited worship of any other than himself for 30 days. This idea was pushed upon him by his subservient government officials with the express purpose of trapping Daniel in breaking the civil code. Here, Dr. Mininger posited the next point: that Daniel was faithful and, therefore, persecuted. Because he was intent on faithful following and worshipping of God, Daniel flew in the face of this anti-God legislation, even going so far as to continue his same routine of open and blatant prayer to God. Behind this persecution, Dr. Mininger argues, is Satan who attempted to secure Daniel’s condemnation on account of his being a faithful follower of God and fore-picture of the Christ to come.

Finally, Dr. Mininger argued his final and main point: that Daniel was faithful and, therefore, prepared. By being grounded in both prayer and Scripture, Daniel was prepared to face the fate of the lion’s den. Dr. Mininger stated, “All that God had done for Daniel and through Daniel—all the grace God has shed abroad in his life to enable him to be faithful in service and persecution, promotions, all these things—led him to be prepared for the lion’s den.” Thus, Daniel’s knowledge of God, his being grounded in God’s self-revelation and prayer, and his remembrance of God’s own faithfulness to him gave Daniel occasion to be peacefully ready—prepared—for what would come.

In conclusion, Dr. Mininger showed that the faithfulness of Daniel rendered him, throughout his life, as promoted to positions of authority and prestige, persecuted by evil, and prepared for what would come; and further, that Daniel, as a Christ figure and a divinely-given example, shows us how we ought to conduct ourselves in an ever-increasingly hostile world.


Nate King is a sophomore student at Reformation Bible College.