They persuade the king to issue an edict prohibiting making petitions to any god or man other than King Darius. Use a piece of tape to tape the beginning of the yarn to the body. 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The angelic messenger assures Daniel that, despite the intensification of suffering near the end of history, those whose names are found written in the book shall be delivered (12:1). Ironically, the one we use perhaps the least, Jesus used the most; it was his favorite self-designation, namely, Son of Man. The gospel delivers us not only from sin but from Satan. They did not want to be killed like the rest . 24:21). THE FOURTH IS LIKE A SON OF THE GODS. Consider what you have learned that might lead you to praise God, repent of sin, and trust in his gracious promises. Believers have similiar situations and one that comes to mind is bowing our heads before each meal and thanking God for our food. What does it say about God? 12:14), 4. Is it simply coincidental that Gods judgment on Nebuchadnezzars pride would take the form of a mental breakdown, where he loses his mind, so that hes no longer able to enjoy the company of other rational human beings but has to make his home among the beasts of the field? In verses 3643 Daniel describes the content of Nebuchadnezzars dream. For example, the Bible presents Adam as a type of Christ (Rom. 9:5). 2023 Ministry-To-Children.com | Bible Lessons for Kids, Activities for Sunday School, Free Resources for Children's Ministry Leaders. Indeed, Jesus knew this all too well, as he stood before Pontius Pilate and was then turned over to be flogged and executed as a criminal against the state (see Luke 23:125). Daniel was eventually discovered worshipping at his home, probably by those plotting his demise. And the only right response was adoration: To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise (Dan. And yet, at the same time, we are to seein the midst of the contingencies of this same tumultuous series of eventsa sovereign God who in fact causes the rising and falling of nations. 10:112:13), 1. 3:1011)! The Vision of the Ram and the Goat (8:114). Daniel and his friends promoted and preserved (Dan. 1:10). When Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions, he didn't need any special lion-taming skills to stay safe. Verse 29 tells us that a whole 12 months separated the initial warning Nebuchadnezzar received and the judgment against him to bring about his humbling. Sunday School Lessons. What evidence from the text shows this? This figure is clearly divine, since no one but God rides on the clouds of heaven; but this figure, as Daniel sees him, is also clearly human as wellhe is like a son of man (v. 13). Both Leviticus (26:1445) and Deuteronomy (28:1568) provide an extensive list of the curses that will come upon Israel if they fail to abide by the terms of the covenant. 18, 23). . Turn the paper upside down so the words you wrote are upside down and now at the top of the page write Daniels Babylonian name Belteshazzar. Books of the Bible Sample Lesson Overview: Memory Verse: "God has breathed life into all Scripture. SXC What Is the Moral of the Story of the Handwriting on the Wall? Daniel serves as an amazing example of how to live for God in the midst of a dark world and a pagan culture. Daniel, a teenage prophet kidnapped from his homeland and forced into a pagan culture, has a great deal to say for our day and age, even though he walked the earth more than 2,500 years ago. Students of the book of Daniel continue to debate the identity of the four beasts mentioned in this vision. What does this imply about their knowledge of Daniels life? IDOLATRY. REACHING TO HEAVEN. Are we not all liable to the same fate that met Belshazzar? Numerous doctrines and themes are developed, clarified, and reinforced throughout Daniel, especially the sovereignty of God, the relationship of church and state, and the eschatological kingdom of God. Nevertheless, his conscience is burdened by what he sees taking place. 20:1215). 2:1424), 3. June 30, 2020 by Kelly Henderson. In Daniel 2, God stands forth as the revealer of mysteries (v. 47). Prisoners dont tell those in charge of them what they will or will not do. We have a powerful example of their protective role in this chapter, as we learn that it was an angel who shut the lions mouths so that Daniels life would be spared (Dan. Summary of the Book of Daniel. 2:11). That means no permission is needed as long as you credit this Ministry-To-Children.com in the final work. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 16021605; available online at www.esvbible.org. SPIRITUAL WARFARE. Then review the questions below and write your notes on them concerning this introductory section to the book of Daniel. Daniel thus prays in a most God-centered way, appealing to what God prizes above everything else: Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name (v. 19). Read through the complete passage for this study, Daniel 6:128. 21:42). Make notes below on the personal implications for your walk with the Lord of the (1), THE CHAOS OF HISTORY, THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. The sovereign rule of God. 1:7). 2:1317). The book itself is well known for its extraordinary prophecies that outline the future gentile world powers, the coming Messiah and the end of this age but it also holds many lessons for living in an age and society that is hostile to belief in the God of Israel. We started our lesson talking about how disappointing it is to be punished when we havent disobeyed. Now they would have to live in a strange land with people they didnt know, and who worshipped many false gods. 1314). 4:2128). All of this serves to heighten the dramatic tension, and to sweeten the irony when Daniel is both delivered from death and made to prosper during the reign of Darius and indeed even into the reign of Cyrus the Persian (v. 28). Gods unified plan for all of history, to accomplish the salvation of his people. Presumably, the kings wise men could have read these rather basic terms. One of the impressions we get from Daniels vision of the rise and fall of empires depicts the sheer chaos and unpredictability of human history. Angels play a vital role in the purposes of God. Its the kind of reaction Jesus invites from his followers, regardless of their circumstances or situation in life. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 16091618; available online at www.esvbible.org. The earliest Christians understood this well, as they lived under the power of the mighty Roman empire. A complete change of heart and mind regarding ones overall attitude toward God or ones own individual actions. But this chapter also reminds us of the goal of revelation: doxology, or the adoration and worship of God, which we see exemplified in both Daniels (vv. God still wants you to make wise choices and trust Him when others around you are not being obedient. Make notes below on the personal implications for your walk with the Lord of the (1). Daniel and his friends taken into exile (Dan. He gleaned this information from the prophet Jeremiah (v. 2), thus connecting this book and this chapter in particular with the whole sweep of redemptive history, from exile to return. Both of these episodes reveal the insidious and self-aggrandizing nature of pride; they also clearly reveal how God reacts to such displays of self-exaltation: the Lord of heaven cuts both down to size! Daniels three friends refuse to pay homage to the statue erected by Nebuchadnezzar, and are therefore to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel Preserved in the Lions Den (6:1624). Daniel and His Friends Taken into Exile (1:17). Why do you suppose that, in this case, Daniel is given a more specific historical interpretation of his dream? And yet God gives this wisdom to those who seek it with reverent trust, as Daniel and his three friends did (vv. At the end of the three years King Nebuchadnezzar called for all the young men to come before him so he could ask them questions to see if they could work in his kingdom. Lastly, take a moment to look back through this study. 22:89). This is a common pattern we find in the Old and New Testaments: that genuine repentance, including the confession of sin, is the prerequisite to God restoring and renewing his people. On the next portion write the meaning Bel will protect. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 15911592; available online at www.esvbible.org. 5:8). Gods punishment for His childrens disobedience was to allow people who were enemies of Judah to come into the land that Gods children lived in. Have volunteer read verses 19-20. And how is that supported by what we read of Daniels response to the edict (see 6:10)? In light of verses 4445, what is this stone? In this chapter we see Gods power at work, rescuing his people from a most perilous situation, which serves to confirm that there is no other God who is able to rescue in this way (3:29). Here you may want to consult the ESV Study Bible, 1607, for more information. Our website has teaching material for children of all aged starting with the church nursery (age 0-1 years old), toddlers (age 2-3 years old), preschool (age 4-5 years old), young elementary (age 6-8 years old), older elementary (age 9-10 years old), and preteen youth ministry groups (age 11-12 years old). There is a compatibility between divine sovereignty and human agency; these are not to be set in opposition but understood as different perspectives on the same unfolding events. This fallen world is truly, then, a lions den. And what does this teach us about how we ought to plead with God? 1:3). (Use the remaining three papers to do the same with Hananiah-the Lord is gracious/Shadrach-Inspired of Aku (sun), Mishael-Who is like God?/Meshach-Belonging to Aku(sun), Azariah-The Lord is my help/Abednego-Servant of Nego). 4:3437), 3. 3. What does Daniel mean by that phrase? Transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning anointed one, the equivalent of the Greek word Christ. A supernatural messenger of God, often sent to carry out his will or to assist human beings in carrying out his will. Recall the Tower of Babel many centuries earlier, the success of which would have, among other things, threatened the viability and security of Gods people (Genesis 11). While God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, his mercy does have limits. INCARNATION. If so, what is it? It is useful for correcting our mistakes. And yet Jesus is very careful how and when he uses this title. Look closely at their response to Nebuchadnezzar in verses 1618. Daniel's Training in Babylon. Within the context of Daniel, this refers to the state of sanctity and holiness that will come about after the seventy weeks decreed for Gods people, which will put an end to sin and atone for iniquity (v. 24). If this is the case, what is the significance of the different horn lengths? The angel tells Daniel that at the end of days, while the wicked will continue to act wickedly, those who are wise shall understand (v. 10). The closing three chapters of Daniel form a single vision and bring the book to a fitting climax. This chapter encourages Gods people to continue to remain faithful in the face of persecution and the rising and falling of the kingdoms of this earth. DELIVERANCE. Daniel graciously asks the king to appoint his three friends to important positions in the empire, while Daniel stays in the court of the king (v. 49). 15:5056); for those who die in unbelief, there is only judgment. It's a popular board game from the 1980s that asked the players questions regarding everyday ethical and moral dilemmas.