"Deliverance"
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
To remain faithful to God in spite of dire consequences doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time—and prayer.
Royalty and Ruin (Prophets and Kings)
Chapter 44 - Daniel in the Lions’ Den
Have you ever made an impulse purchase? It happens all the time to most people. In fact, retailers count on us making impulse buys. Who needs a six-scoop ice cream sundae or fifteen cases of toilet paper? In our lesson today, King Darius makes an impulsive decision that could cost the life of one of his most trusted friends.
Supplies: a small coin for each student
Instructions:
Have each person identify the year on their coin. Using their phone, tablet, or computer, have them look up interesting facts about the date their coin was minted to share with the group. Items that might be interesting could include: who was the U.S. president, famous people with birthdates that year, world events, etc. In addition to noting world events, see if your students can think of a family member, teacher, or friend who was born the same year as the coin was minted.
Most U.S. coins have the picture of someone famous on them. These individuals did something that made them stand out in history. In today’s story, Daniel had been doing things that made him stand out. Daniel was a person with a high level of integrity, so much so that he was able make the transition from one conquering king’s court to that of another. His level of success made him the target of those who wanted his position. In today’s lesson, Daniel is faced with making a life altering decision. It’s a decision that you and I make every day—will we be faithful to God?
Read Daniel 6:1-3.
1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Read Daniel 6:4-9.
4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
Read Genesis 25:27-34.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
Read Proverbs 20:25.
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows.
Read Daniel 6:10-15.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 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 King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”
Read Daniel 6:16-17.
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Read Daniel 6:18-23.
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, “May the 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, Your Majesty.
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
The story of Daniel and the lion’s den is one that millions of people all over the globe have read and listened to for generations. For some it is a fairytale, for others, it is the truth that helps them survive each day in their difficult lives, and for even more, it is a story of God’s deliverance that helps them continue to believe in a God that cares deeply for them.
The Bible is full of stories that help us know how to live. Ecclesiastes 5:2 reminds us that we shouldn’t be hasty in making decisions, and that we should choose our words wisely and let them be few. Given what is happening in our country today—all the hateful, rash things that people say—this is wise counsel.
God never leaves us. I imagine Daniel wasn’t worried when he was thrown into the lion’s den because he had taken the time to become friends with God.
One of the important concepts found in this story is the relationship that Daniel had with God. Daniel was consistent in his daily prayer life, which is a lesson that all of us can learn from.
LEADER'S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
Download Handout
For the past few lessons, we have been studying the challenges Daniel and his friends faced in the new land of Babylon. No matter what the test, these four always came out on top when their God was with them. From unacceptable food, to a dangerous fire, to mysterious dreams, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel served as a good example to anyone following their story.
In the last lesson, Daniel alone faced a terrified King Belshazzar and told him the days of his rule had been numbered. That very night, Belshazzar was killed and the Medes took over. Darius was set on the throne and this is where we rejoin the story.
Darius had set satraps over the provinces but Daniel was favored. The other governors and satraps wanted to bring Daniel down but could find no fault in him. They decided to use his love for his God against him.
What is the scariest animal you have ever seen?
Read Daniel 6:1-28.
1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 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 King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, 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, “May the 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, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly!
26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Once again Daniel had to face authority. The men who hated him wanted him dead and would go to extreme measures to make it happen, but they had no idea who they were going up against. Little did they know that in the end they would be the dead ones and Daniel would stay alive. Since Daniel had complete faith in the power of his God, he lived, even in the lions’ den.
Daniel came out on top once again. He was rescued from the jaws of death, quite literally in fact! The governors had been killed for their evil scheming. King Darius himself recognized and proclaimed Daniel’s God as all powerful. Daniel continued in Babylon through the reign of Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian. He prospered and thrived.
Next week we will study another of the dreams he interpreted, except this time it would be his own!
1. YOUR LIONS’ DEN
2. ADVISORS
Sometimes certain people will give us advice that may seem helpful or correct, but really isn’t.
3. FIND YOUR PRAYERS
