LESSON OBJECTIVES
Goals
1. To further student’s understanding of the Old Testament book of Daniel
2. To help try and explain some of the more confusing passages in Daniel
3. To inspire students to stand for what is right no matter what the cost
Topics
Daniel, Demons, Encouragement, Faith, Obedience, Prayer, Prophecy, Word of God
Scripture Memorization
Daniel 9:9-10
OPENING PRAYER (5 to 10 minutes)
GROUP BUILDING (5 minutes)
Do a One-Minute Challenge, where students have 60 seconds to complete an “easy” task. Try one of these fun games:
1. Have them lean their heads back as if they are looking high into the sky. Place a cookie on their forehead. The object is to get the cookie into their mouth in one minute—but they cannot use their hands!
2. Have students attempt to keep a feather floating in the air using only wind generated by their own breath (or waving a piece of paper or their hands, etc.). They cannot touch the feather!
GETTING STARTED (10 minutes)
Today we mark the end of a long journey through the book of Daniel. It has been a wild ride. At times, it may have seemed like we wouldn’t make it through. But it’s cool to look back and see how we’ve surveyed the entire book.
Today we have a lot of ground to cover to finish up. But before we move forward, let’s look back:
General Discussion:
• What has been your favorite part of Daniel?
• What is the most confusing aspect of this book?
• Which lesson have you related to most?
• How are you hoping Daniel ends?
DIGGING IN (30 minutes)
The events in chapter 9 of Daniel occur 12 years after those in chapters 7 and 8. Daniel is an old man of more than 80 years old.
Read Daniel 9:1-3
Discussion Questions:
1. What did Daniel pray about? (The destruction of Jerusalem.)
2. How did Daniel pray? (He pleaded, begged, and fasted.)
3. What does this tell us about how Daniel felt about the situation? (He was very passionate about it.)
Read Daniel 9:4-19
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the major sins Daniel confesses in this passage? (Rebelling against God, not listening to God.)
2. Are these things Daniel had done? Whom is he confessing on behalf of? (As far as we know, he is not guilty of these sins. Rather, he is praying on behalf of his people.)
3. What does “confession” mean? (To admit that a wrong has been done.)
4. Why is confession important? Doesn’t God already know what we’ve done? (Allow for discussion.)
5. What is Daniel’s stated purpose in verses 17-19? (He is begging for mercy.)
Exploring Biblical Confession
(As an extra exercise, you may want to explore confession in the Bible further.)
Here are some great verses that talk about who to confess to:
1. To God alone: Psalm 32:4-6, I John 1:9, Prov. 28:13
2. To someone you have wronged: Luke 17:4, James 5:16
3. To a spiritual advisor: David to Nathan (2 Sam 12:13), Ephesians to Paul (Acts 19:18).
4. To the entire church: I Cor. 5:3ff, 2 Cor. 2:6ff; “secret sins are to be rebuked secretly, public sins publicly”
Read Daniel 9:20-27
Discussion Questions:
1. Whom does Daniel hear from after he prays? (Gabriel)
2. What do you think Gabriel’s response means? (It’s hard to say for sure)
3. Regardless of what it precisely means, do you think this brings Daniel hope? (Yes)
4. Do you believe God answers all our prayers? How might He do it?
In Daniel 9, Daniel prays. In Daniel 10, we read about another vision.
Assign one group to read and report on Daniel 10, assign a second group to read and report on Daniel 11. These two chapters constitute a vision and explanation.
Discussion Questions:
1. How would you sum up Daniel’s vision? (The group may have already done this.)
2. Who is it that Daniel sees? (The angel Gabriel.)
3. What do you think the vision means? (In addition to the historical wars it rightly predicts, the battle of spiritual warfare being fought all the time.)
4. What do you make of all this talk about the King of the North, King of the South business? Is it confusing?
5. We don’t really read about a response from Daniel. If the point of these visions is hard to discern, why do you think they are included in Scripture? (This is an opinion question, but it could be that Daniel was simply passing on a significant event as it had happened. We do know that many of these events have already come to pass.)
Some of what is yet to occur is explained in Daniel 12, our last chapter!
Read Daniel 12:1-13
Discussion Questions:
1. How would you summarize this vision?
2. If you are confused, you are in good company. Daniel is baffled in verse 8 too! How does the messenger reply in verse 9? (“Go your way…”)
3. Do you think the point is understanding, or trust that it is true?
4. How can you trust in that which you don’t understand? How does that change the way you live?
MAKING IT REAL (10 minutes)
Through the entire book of Daniel—whether it is through courageous stories or mind-blowing visions—one truth emerges as important. Standing for what’s right is not always easy, but it is worth it.
Here are some of the weapons we continually see Daniel fighting with in these verses we’ve read today and throughout the book. They are also weapons we must use as we fight.
Prayer – Not a passive weapon, but an active one. (Notice what the angel says to Daniel about his prayer in Daniel 10:12)
Obedience – When we obediently follow the Will of God for our lives, we gain power in the war against evil. (This is true over and over again in the book of Daniel)
Faith – with it, we can extinguish the flaming arrows of Satan (See Eph. 6:16)
The Word of God – The better we know and can utilize God’s Word, the greater our strength will be to fight Satan (See Psalm 119)
The end of the Lord’s Prayer says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” While we are aware of the earthly conflicts that take place, there are apparently spiritual battles being fought all the time as well.
What to make of this:
1. God is in control.
2. In our struggles against evil, we do not fight alone.
3. Pray, pray, pray.
General Discussion:
• When do you doubt God is in control?
• How can you remind yourself that God is always in control?
• What is a fight in your life you need to fight with Jesus right now?
• How is your prayer life going? How can we help you pray more effectively?
Quote Worth Memorizing:
“Work like everything depends on you, pray like everything depends on God!”
(Optional Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6, Matt. 12:43-45)
There is a spiritual battle being fought, and you are in it! Whether you like it or not, you are both the thing being fought for as well as a soldier in the battle. You get to decide which army you will fight with.
Ask yourself today how much of your life is lived with the knowledge of the spiritual fight that is taking place for your soul. What needs to change in your life in order to help you live more aware, fighting stronger for your side?