When King Darius signed a decree that anyone who prayed to someone other than himself would be tossed into the lions’ den (Daniel 6:7), he was commanding a sentence of trial by ordeal—an ancient Near Eastern practice designed to put someone accused of a crime into a dangerous situation. If the person survived, it was seen as proof of their innocence because it would’ve taken divine intervention to save them. When the king realized his decree would condemn Daniel, he couldn’t reverse it since Persian law was irrevocable (vv. 8, 12, 15). Daniel’s survival proved both his innocence of wrongdoing and God’s presence with him, which meant he could legally walk free (vv. 21-22). God’s presence with Daniel reminds us today that no matter our circumstances, He’ll never leave us.