Why a Modern Day Prophet Died in a Lions’ Den

He hadn’t solved the story’s hidden secret

In Nigeria, there was a man named Daniel Abodunrin who believed that he was a prophet. He studied the Bible and read the story of Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den, who was then found the next morning unharmed.

Daniel Abodunrin realized that if he could go into a den of lions and remain uninjured, it would demonstrate the power of God and confirm that he was God’s appointed prophet, the Prophet Daniel Abodunrin.

This is why, in 1991, during the Easter season, Prophet Daniel approached the lion enclosure at the Ibadan University Zoo while wearing a red robe and holding his Bible aloft.

He demanded to be let into the lion’s enclosure. Accounts differ as to whether he found a way in himself or one of the zoo employees let him in. Either way, he got in. At first, the animals were intimidated by this loud man who was chanting verses from the Bible and speaking in tongues at them. They retreated before the prophet, and he advanced, powerful in the protection of the Lord.

And then the lions pounced and tore the Prophet Daniel Abodunrin to pieces.

Where did Prophet Daniel go wrong?

Let’s look at the miracle he was hoping to recreate. The story can be found in its complete form in Daniel chapter 6.

First, a quick synopsis: Daniel is made the head administrator over all the administrators of King Darius. These other administrators conspire to have Daniel removed, but they cannot find fault with anything he does.

So they create a law that states that every prayer must be addressed to King Darius and no other. Violators are to be thrown to the lions. Daniel naturally still prays daily to the God of his people. This forces Darius to have Daniel thrown to the lions even though Darius does not want to lose his most trusted advisor and administrator.

14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, “Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.” (Dan 6:14–22 NIV)

This was likely the story that inspired Daniel Abodunrin to enact his recreation of the miracle. Perhaps he expected God to send him an angel that would close the lions’ mouths.

There is, however, another version of this story. This other version is found within the deuterocanonical additions to Daniel. These books are considered canonical by the Catholic Church but have been declared apocryphal by the Protestant denominations.

Bel and the Dragon

The synopsis is: Daniel angers the Babylonian priests by demonstrating that the idol of their god, a dragon called Bel, does not come to life at night and consume the offerings that had been made to it. Rather the food is consumed by the priests and their families. Once Daniel reveals this to the king, the king has the priests and their families killed.

In retaliation, the Babylonians attack their king:

28 When they of Babylon heard that, they took great indignation, and conspired against the king, saying, The king is become a Jew, and he hath destroyed Bel, he hath slain the dragon, and put the priests to death. 29 So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house. 30 Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them: 31 Who cast him into the lions’ den: where he was six days. 32 And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given them every day two carcases, and two sheep: which then were not given to them, to the intent they might devour Daniel. (Bel 1:28–32 KJA)

So that’s the setup. But here’s where things get weird.

33 Now there was in Jewry a prophet, called Habbacuc, who had made pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl, and was going into the field, for to bring it to the reapers. 34 But the angel of the Lord said unto Habbacuc, Go, carry the dinner that thou hast into Babylon unto Daniel, who is in the lions’ den. 35 And Habbacuc said, Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is. 36 Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of his spirit set him in Babylon over the den. 37 And Habbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which God hath sent thee. 38 And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither hast thou forsaken them that seek thee and love thee. 39 So Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the Lord set Habbacuc in his own place again immediately. (Bel 1:33–39 KJA)

An angel grabs Habbacuc by his hair because Habbacuc’s hands are busy holding the stew that he has just broken some bread into. And then the angel flies him to the lions’ den. Habbacuc delivers the stew to Daniel, and the angel takes him back to where he belongs.

40 Upon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel: and when he came to the den, he looked in, and behold, Daniel was sitting. 41 Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great art Lord God of Daniel, and there is none other beside thee. 42 And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his face. (Bel 1:40–42 KJA)

The reason Daniel was alive is because of the bread in the stew. This is what the Prophet Daniel Abodunrin failed to appreciate, assuming he even knew of this version from the Catholic Bible.

Jesus and the loaves

Of course, the bread broken into the stew wasn’t just ordinary bread. Consider the following event from the Gospel of Mark:

47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mar 6:47–52 NIV)

Before this, Jesus had fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread. Now, here is Jesus walking on water. The disciples are panicking, but he tells them not to be afraid. They are amazed because they haven’t understood about the loaves. This implies that if they had understood the significance of the loaves, then they wouldn’t have been surprised to see Jesus walking on water.

Later, after another miraculous mass feeding, Jesus gives a warning to his disciples:

15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” 16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. 20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mar 8:14–21 NIV)

Jesus is trying to tell the disciples something about the bread he had used in those mass feedings, but they still don’t understand. This is also what the Prophet Daniel Abodunrin didn’t understand, costing him his life. The words in bold in the verses above identify this mystery as one of the primary secrets hidden within the synoptic Gospels.

If you’d like to learn the secret, I lay it out in my article The Secret to Feeding Five Thousand With Only Five Loaves.