Daniel Lesson 4

 Do you have a testimony of God’s grace at work in your life?  Have you ever considered what God did in order to bring you to himself?  Maybe you are not a Christian.  What would it take for you to acknowledge your need of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?   These are very important questions for everyone to consider.  The Bible tells us that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” In this lesson we see how God brought one man to the place of repentance and salvation.   God took drastic measures to get his attention. 

As you study Daniel 4 consider where you stand in relationship to the Lord God.  Do you have a story to tell about God’s work in your life?      

Read Daniel 4.

I.            A Testimony   – Dan. 4:1-3

1.      How does Nebuchadnezzar’s proclamation in 4:1 -3 differ from what he said about God in 3:28 – 29?

2.      What is the king’s desire for all people? (4:1)

3.      What did the king think to be good? (4:2) Where is his focus in verse 3?

II.            A Tree Dream  – Dan. 4:4 – 18  

4.      Where is Nebuchadnezzar’s focus when he starts telling his story? (4:4 – 5)

5.      Why did the king request a visit from the wise men? (4:5 – 6)

6.      Why did Daniel come before the king? (4:7 – 9)

7.      As you read Nebuchadnezzar’s description of the dream (vv 9 – 18), what aspects of it might have caused the king to be “troubled”(v.5)? 

8.      What purpose was stated for the giving of this dream? (4:17)

III.            A True Interpretation   – Dan. 4:19 – 27

9.      How did Daniel respond to the king’s dream? (4:19)

10.   What was the meaning of the tree in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream? (4:20 – 26)

11.  What would happen to the king?  Why? (4:25)

12.  What is the significance of the stump? (4:26)

13.  What counsel did Daniel give to the king? ( 4:27)

IV.            A Tragic Fulfillment  – Dan. 4:28 – 33

14.   How much time passed between the dream and the fulfillment of this dream? (4:28 – 29)

15.  What seemed to trigger God’s action at this time?  What steps did God take to humble the king? (4:30 – 33) 

16.   What purpose statement is stated for the third time? (4:32) Why do you think God was so intent on impressing Nebuchadnezzar with his absolute authority instead of his grace and love?

V.            A Transformational Moment – Dan. 4:34 – 37

17.  When the seven years were over, what took place in Nebuchadnezzar’s life?  What steps does he take toward God? (4:34)

What word of warning does Nebuchadnezzar give in the last statement of his testimony? (4:37)                                              Conclusion:  How is God at work in your life?  Is there a “stump” in your life – the reminder of a “tree” of your own efforts that was cut down?  What is God trying to teach you through that painful experience?  Are you learning the lesson or resisting God?               

Daniel Lesson 3

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

“Habila Adama and his family were awakened by the sound of pounding on the front door of their simple home in northern Nigeria. It was 11 p.m., well past the hour for a neighborly visit, so the only reason for someone to be at the door was an emergency or, worse, an attack on their village.” 

Habila was met by intruders wearing robes and masks.  One was armed with an AK-47.  Habila said a short prayer to the Lord. The men announced that they were there to do the work of Allah.  Then they began to ask Habila questions.  They wanted to know if he was a Christian or Muslim.  Habila replied “I am a Christian.”   

The intruders told Habila that they were giving him the opportunity to live – and live a better life – if he would only become a Muslim and say the shahada [Islamic profession of faith that includes, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger”].  They even asked him to join them as a member of Boko Haram.   Once again Habila told them “I am a Christian and will always remain a Christian, even to death.”  He was shot in the face and left to die in front of his wife and children.  The good news is that God spared his life.

That attack in November 2012 by Boko Haram included more than 30 members of Habila’s church.  All of them refused to convert to Islam, choosing to die rather than turn their backs on Christ.  Habila and his family were the only survivors.  (Story from Voice of the Martyrs 10/14)

How would you respond to such a challenge?  Are you willing to face death for the cause of Christ?  Three men in Daniel 3 were faced with a choice.  They chose to honor God!  This familiar Bible story seems to have new meaning for our faith as we think about the current events and persecution that Christians are experiencing around the world. 

Read Daniel 3.

I.            True Faith confronts the challenge – Dan. 3:1-12

1.      What did King Nebuchadnezzar make?  Why do you think it was made entirely of gold?  (3:1)

2.      Who was invited to the dedication ceremony? (3:2-3)

3.      What were the people commanded to do? (3:4-5)

4.      What about the king’s command created a problem for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? What was to be the consequence of disobedience to the command? (3:6 – 12)

II.            True Faith confesses the Lord – Dan. 3:13 – 18  

5.      How does the king respond to the complaint that certain Jews did not worship the golden image?  (3:13 – 15)

6.      What temptation did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego face when they were brought before the king? (3:13 – 15) 

7.      What were these men certain of in their response to Nebuchadnezzar’s challenge, and what were thy uncertain of? (3:16 -18) 

8.      How might their example encourage you if you are faced with the possibility of losing your job or being rejected by friends because of your refusal to compromise God’s Word? 

9.      Read Hebrews 11:33 – 39.  Does faith mean that God will always deliver us from our trouble? 

III.            True Faith confounds the enemy  – Dan. 3:19 – 25

10.  The king was full of anger.  What steps did he take to make sure that these three men would die?  (3:19 – 21)

11.   How do we know that only through divine intervention would these 3 servants of the Lord live? (3:22)

12.  What details are recorded about this event that astonished the king? (3:24 – 25)

IV.            True Faith confirms the promise  – Dan. 3:26 – 30

13.   What did the crowd observe when the men came out of the furnace?  (3:26 – 27) 

14.   The prophet Isaiah had warned Judah about coming Babylonian captivity.  How might Isaiah 43:2 have been a promise that these Jewish youth could have claimed?

15.  How did the king respond to God’s deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? What stood out to the king about these men? (3:28 – 30)

16.  What lessons about the risks and rewards of obedience to God are most significant to you?

Daniel Lesson 2

“Have you ever had a dream that was so real it almost seemed to be true?  How did you feel when you woke up?  Scientists tell us that we dream every night – and most of the time we enjoy it.  But some dreams terrorize us.  They are dreams C. S. Lewis called ‘dreams that make you afraid to sleep again.’   

Powerful kings in ancient Babylon had dreams too!  Mighty King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he couldn’t forget.  He knew it came from someone far greater than himself.  The dream and the meaning of it are recorded in Daniel chapter 2. 

Daniel 2 is one of the most amazing predictive chapters in the Bible. It was written in the 6^th century B.C., yet it accurately described the future rise and fall of four great empires!  Some of Daniel 2 may seem like so much ancient history to us, but it was all future to Daniel.  He peered through future centuries with God’s eyes.  Daniel declares ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever: for wisdom and might are His.’ “ **

As you study this lesson think about what God’s prophetic plan means to your life.  How did Daniel respond to the crisis that could have caused his death? 

Read Daniel 2.

I.            God distresses a king – Dan. 2:1

1.      How did Nebuchadnezzar respond to this dream that God had given to him? 

II.            God disgraces the “wise men” – Dan. 2:2 – 13

2.      What did Nebuchadnezzar do about his troubling dream? (v. 2- 6)

3.      Why do you think Nebuchadnezzar demanded to know the content of his dream from his wise men as well as the dreams interpretation?  (v. 7 – 9)

4.      Why was the task assigned by the king too difficult for the astrologers to accomplish? (v. 10 – 11)

5.      What is the king’s response? (v. 12, 13)

III.            God discloses the secret – Dan. 2:14 – 23

6.       What was Daniel’s course of action in the face of the king’s order? (v. 14 – 16) 

7.       What did Daniel and his friends ask of God in the midst of a desperate situation? ( v. 17 -18)

8.      From Daniel’s example what can we learn about how we should react to a personal crisis? (v. 14 -18)

9.      How did Daniel respond to answered prayer? (v. 19 -23)

IV.            God displays His wisdom and power – Dan. 2:24 – 45

10.  What transpired between Daniel and Arioch?  Why do you think Daniel sought to spare the lives of the wise men?  (v. 24 – 25)

11.  What did Daniel want King Nebuchadnezzar to know about the true God? (v. 27 – 30) 

Application Question:  Three aspects of Daniel’s spiritual maturity stand out in this chapter: his wisdom in response to a crisis, his prayer in response to a problem and his praise in response to God’s work in his life.  Which of those marks of maturity is most well-developed in your life?   Which of them is weakest? **

12.  Nebuchadnezzar had demanded that any interpreter of his dream had to first tell him what happened in the dream.  What about Daniel’s description of the dream (vv. 31 – 35), would have caused Nebuchadnezzar to be troubled (v. 1)? 

13.  The image represents four Gentile kingdoms:  What metal is associated with each one?

·         Babylonian Kingdom  -  __________________________

·         Medo-Persian Kingdom - _________________________

·         Grecian Kingdom - ______________________________

·         The Roman Empire - ____________________________

14.  What can we learn from the interpretation of the dream?

·         Who is in control of history?  _____________

·         What happens to human kingdoms as time passes? _________________________________________

·         What does the iron and clay mixture tell you about strength and unity of this later empire?  _______________________

·         What does “the stone that smote the image become a great mountain”(v.35) represent (v. 44)?  ____________________

V.            God distinguishes His servants – Dan. 2:46 – 49  *

15.  What did the king do in response to Daniel’s interpretation? (v.46 – 49) 

Concluding Thought:  “Our response ought to be one of joyful confidence, knowing that the Lord has everything under control and will one day reign on this earth.  While God’s people should do everything they can to alleviate suffering and make this a safer and happier world, our hope is not in laws, political alliances, or moral crusades.  Our hope is in the Lord.  People’s hearts need to be changed by the grace of God, and that means God’s people must be witnesses to the ends of the earth.  The only kingdom that will stand forever is Christ’s kingdom (Dan. 2:44), and the only people who will be citizens of that kingdom are those who have trusted Him and been born again by the Spirit of God [(John 3:1 – 18) W. Wiersbe].”  That being the case, what should you be doing in this present day, to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ?

__________________________

* Main points of outline from Warren Wiersbe commentary on Daniel.  Victor Books. 

** Quoted from Daniel Spiritual Living in a Secular World Life Guide Bible Study, Douglas Connelly, IVP Press. Downers Grove, Ill.