Sunday School Lesson, Sept.

29, 2002

DANIEL (“God is my Judge”)

I. Introduction

[As usual, in this introductory section, give the kids only as much of the following as they can
understand, and in a way that they can understand it.]

In learning about Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, we have also learned that after King Solomon’s
reign the kingdom of Israel split into two—the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern
Kingdom (Judah). The people and kings of both kingdoms strayed far from God. God sent the
Assyrians to take away the people of the Northern Kingdom around 722 B.C. Then, around 586
B.C. the Southern Kingdom, too, including Jerusalem, fell captive to Babylon.

Today, as we learn about the prophet Daniel, we will learn that another great world power rose
up after Babylon—Persia. Just as Babylon overpowered all other countries, Persia grew strong
and eventually God used King Cyrus of Persia to destroy Babylon in 539 B.C. And it was this
king that the Lord would use to restore the Israelites. It was Cyrus who released the Jews back to
their homeland and even helped them rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple that
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had destroyed.

But earlier, while Babylon was still the greatest power in the world, Daniel was selected as a
young man to go to the King Nebuchadnezzar’s prestigious school, where he was trained for
three years to be an official for the king. The Bible tells us that Daniel, and his three Jewish
friends, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, who were also in the king’s school, always
remembered God and his ways. They put him first everyday. As a result, the Lord gave them an
advantage over all of the other students—he gave them knowledge and the ability to understand
all kinds of learning. In fact Nebuchadnezzar found them to be 10 times better than the others
and he gave them high positions in his kingdom. (Dan. 1:20)

But the Bible says that in particular God enabled Daniel to understand visions and dreams of all
kinds. The Lord used Daniel to interpret dreams and revelations, and to perform miracles for the
kings that he served.

The first 6 chapters give a chronological story about some events in Daniel’s life. First we see
him go through his program of study, while being faithful to the Lord. Then Daniel interprets
an incredible dream that King Nebuchadnezzar has. This dream showed the future about the
coming of future world powers and governments, and even the future kingdom that Jesus will
one day set up that never ends. Then we have the famous story about Daniel’s friends—
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—getting thrown into a fiery furnace because they refused to
worship the king’s statue. But the book tells us that the Lord miraculously prevented these three
faithful servants from being burned. And the king then believed that there was no other god like
the God of Israel. After this there is another great story about Daniel interpreting yet another
dream for Nebuchadnezzar. We’ll talk about this one today. Chapter 5 tells the story of Daniel
interpreting some mysterious writing that miraculously appeared on a wall of a room where
Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, Belshazzar, was having a wild party, mixing his party with the
things of the Lord. Daniel explained that the writing was about a judgment that would come
upon Belshazzar’s kingdom that very night. And things happened just as Daniel said—that night
Belshazzar died and a foreign king, Darius, took over the kingdom. It is with this King Darius
that we get the story about Daniel in the den of lions.

The remainder of Daniel, chapter 7-12, are known for their incredible visions that Daniel has
about the Last Days, including rapture of the church and the time after the rapture but before
Jesus sets up his reign on earth. It is during this time when the church is already gone, that we
see that God focuses his attention on the Jews. We see that some day the temple will be rebuilt
in Jerusalem—this still has not happened. And the Jews will again start sacrificing animals in
the temple as they did in the Old Testament times. But something bad will happen to the temple
again and the whole world will turn on Israel and then many Jews will realize that Jesus was the
Messiah. And even though the Church and the Holy Spirit are gone from the earth, many Jews
will receive salvation.

II. Nebuchadnezzar Becomes Humble—the Hard Way

We mentioned a few stories. Let’s focus on one in particular. [The dream and the story are
interesting from beginning to end, so it would be good to read the whole chapter if time permits.
At least, you should summarize the story leading up to the following passage.]

Daniel 4
29
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30
he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power
and for the glory of my majesty?"
31
The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for
you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be
driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle.
Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over
the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."
33
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away
from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his
hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity
was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;

his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35
All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven

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and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: "What have you done?"
36
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me
for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my
throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and
glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And
those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

This story teaches us about pride. Why did God take away Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity—his
ability to think like a person? Pride. He was proud. He gave himself credit for how great and
powerful Babylon had become. But the Bible tells us that governmental authorities are
appointed by God. The Lord is the one who is really in control. He allows certain people or
countries to come to power in the world. And when he wants to, he can give the power to
someone else.

The Lord instructs us to pray for our government officials and for our country, and to be obedient
and to live peacefully under them. But this is not because of any goodness or power that the
official has inside of himself or herself—i.e., not because they deserve it. It is because the Lord
instructs us to, and because these rulers have the ability to affect our lives and the life of the
church.

King Nebuchadnezzar looked around him, saw everything that was good and how he was on top,
but instead of praising the God who gave these things to him, instead of having an attitude of
thankfulness to God for the good things in his life, he took the credit. He gave himself the praise
and honor.

But remember what we learned in Proverbs. What comes before a fall? Pride! And the
Lord taught Nebuchadnezzar this lesson by making him fall hard. What did God do? First, he
gave Nebuchadnezzar a warning through the prophet Daniel. This happens to us. Our parents
or teachers warn us that a certain attitude is going to cause us trouble. Or, maybe the Lord
Himself speaks through a spiritual gift in the church, or to us directly in a dream. He warns us to
change, or we will lose His blessing, or we will be hurt somehow.

Second, the Lord fulfilled his Word. When the Lord speaks to us, we should pay attention, and
actually put it into practice. The alternative is painful. Nebuchadnezzar was fortunate, because
he got a second chance. He responded to the Lord’s correction. But maybe the Lord has already
given us a second chance.

The Lord fulfilled his Word by taking away the one thing that separates human beings from
animals—the ability to think. (Actually, humans have another distinguishing characteristic, too:
they have souls, whereas animals do not. But this goes without saying, right?) Nebuchadnezzar
became like an animal. Animals are left to fend for themselves in the outdoors. They don’t
have safe shelters like humans. They live in trees or holes in the ground, under rocks, or out in
the open—where other animals or the weather can harm them.

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When we make our selves more important that God, we leave the shelter and protection that He
gives us. Remember our theme verse this year? Psalm 91:1. He who dwells in the shelter of
the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. If we have pride in our hearts, then we
do not believe that we owe everything to Jesus, and we can’t dwell with Him. We become
exposed to dangers.

Instead we turn to God and ask Him to help us be humble, to love Him and His Work, more than
we love ourselves. And hopefully we turn and respond to Him at or even before the time that the
warning comes, instead of –unlike Nebuchadnezzar—when the fall comes.

The Lord is the King of heaven and everything he does is right. And those who walk in pride he
is able to humble. But there is a promise for those who humble themselves before the Lord: He
takes delight in his people and crowns the humble with salvation. (Ps. 149:4) Those who
consider themselves needy and humble before the Lord will one day rejoice in the Lord. (Is. 29)
He who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who is humble will be exalted. (Matt. 23:12)