Daniel is portrayed as a loyal servant of King Darius, while a group of wicked princes plot against him. They create a trap intended to punish him for praying to God. Although Darius recognizes Daniel’s innocence and righteousness, he is pressured into condemning him to the lions’ den. In this moment, Daniel becomes a type of Christ, an early foreshadowing of the one who would bear our sins.
In Daniel 6, the prophet is a type for Christ because he gets punished for someone else's sin. King Darius is a type for us, because his sin leads to Daniel being sentenced to death. Darius hopes the God of Daniel will deliver him from the lion's den. He wants Daniel to live because he knows he is a loyal servant, and doesn't deserve punishment.
In Daniel 6, the prophet is sealed in the lion's den, even as Jesus was sealed in the tomb. God delivers Daniel from the power of death, by closing the lions' mouths. Daniel finally comes out of the lion's den alive. He becomes a type for Christ resurrecting out of the tomb.
When Daniel returns, Darius receives him with joy, much like the apostles rejoicing at Christ’s resurrection. Through this miracle, Darius’s faith deepens. He comes to recognize that the God of Israel is the true and living God.I
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