Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults

Listen to this week’s leader training podcast with Y Bonesteele, team leader for The Gospel Project for Adults, for a summary and guidance in leading your group.

This week’s additional resources for study and preparation:

• Article: “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” by Cameron Thomas
• Sermon Transcript: “Daniel’s Undaunted Courage” by Charles Spurgeon
• Sermon: “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” by John MacArthur

Transcript of Leader Training Podcast:

Hi, this is Y Bonesteele, team leader of the Gospel Project for Adults. Welcome to another Leader Training Podcast. Today we are in Unit 16, Session 3, Faithfulness, with the core passage of Daniel 6:13-24 and the key concept of: We honor God when we live in faith and trust God in all situations.

We have been learning about how the idolatry and unfaithfulness of the Israelites led them to exile and captivity. However, Scripture gives us hope in those who remained faithful and Daniel was one of those people. He remained faithful under Nebuchadnezzar, Belshezzar, and Darius as we shall see in today’s session. On a side note, King Cyrus mentioned in Daniel 1:21 can be seen as the same as King Darius seen in these chapters. The Gospel Project Commentary on page 36 gives some evidence why: “This view seems more likely for a number of reasons, including the dual nature of the empire as Medo-Persia, warranting dual titles for the king, and Cyrus’s historical age conforms to the biblical data of Darius’s receiving the kingdom at the age of 62 in Daniel 5:31.” So we will treat the names Darius and Cyrus as the same person.

Now Daniel 6 starts with Darius appointing 120 satraps (governors) over the kingdom and 3 administrators over them. Daniel was one of those administrators who excelled above all the other administrators and satraps so they tried to get him out of office but couldn’t find anything corrupt coming from him. They knew that only if it was based off of his faithfulness to God would they be able to trap him into disobedience to the king.

So they went to the king, playing to his pride, having him create an unbreakable edict that for 30 days, only the king could be petitioned and no other person or god, or else they’d be thrown into the lions’ den. But even knowing of this edict, Daniel was not deterred. He remained faithful because he was consistent in faithfulness. He prayed with the windows open even and 3 times even, “just as he had done before” in verse 10. And of course, those against Daniel were there to witness it and they went to tell the king.

How are you challenged by Daniel’s example of faithful prayer in this passage? Even under the threat of penalty, Daniel continued to pray, because he was always consistent in prayer. Daniel’s example challenges us to reevaluate what we value: the sweet life in this world, or the greatness of a close relationship with God Almighty, no matter the cost.

Verse 13, they told the king, “Daniel, one of the Judean exiles, has ignored you, the king, and the edict you signed, for he prays three times a day.” Now, the king didn’t know this had all been a trap for Daniel by his enemies, so he was “displeased” and “he set his mind on rescuing Daniel and made every effort until sundown to deliver him,” in verse 14. Darius was not a God-believer, but he knew that Daniel was a good servant and didn’t want to lose him. He searched all day to find a way around this edict. But the administrators and satraps against Daniel reinforced and reminded him that there was no way to change this edict. So the king had to throw Daniel in the lions’ den.

How do you think about the suffering you experience in life? How should you? Many of us are afraid of suffering and trials. We don’t want it because we partly don’t expect it. Why would a loving God want us to suffer? But trials are a part of this life. It builds perseverance and character and reminds us we are not made for this world. There is something bigger and better waiting for us with our God. It reminds us that we are not in control, but God is and we can trust in His plan.

Back to the passage, after throwing Daniel into the lions’ den, Darius knowing of Daniel’s God, he prayed a prayer of sorts, saying, “May your God, whom you continually serve, rescue you!” in verse 16. Even the king knew of and commended Daniel for his steadfast faithfulness to the Lord. So the den was sealed with a stone and the king’s signet ring and the nobles’ rings. And the king was so worried about Daniel that he spent the whole night fasting.

From this section of Scripture, we can see how Daniel was a type of Jesus. He was thrown into a den, a tomb of sorts, where a stone was rolled and sealed as proof. Jesus in Matthew 27:59, 60, and 67 was sealed in a tomb, with a stone rolled to the entrance and sealed.

For Daniel, then, “at first light of dawn” Darius was ready to find out what happened. He hurried to the lions’ den and cried out, “Daniel, servant of the living God. . . has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel had surely been an example of God’s servant for Darius, possibly telling him much about the God he served. Darius calling God “the living God” shows how he respected Daniel’s God and knew about Him. And to Darius’s amazement and relief, Daniel responded! “May the king live forever. My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.” Daniel let Darius know that he was, and always has been, loyal to his king. He also explained that it was God who saved him, sending an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, similar to the angel sent to save Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in last week’s session. And the reason why God did so? Because Daniel was found innocent, before God and before the king. And the king was “overjoyed,” and he took him out of the den and “he was found to be unharmed, for he trusted in his God” in verse 23. We can assume that Daniel’s trial resulted in some learning and trusting in Yahweh. And continuing the similarities with Jesus, though he faced imminent death like Daniel, He overcame it, survived through a resurrection that many would come to believe.

In what circumstances can trusting God’s power bring you comfort? In so many instances, like with Daniel and with Jesus, we can trust in God’s plan even if the circumstances seem dire, even if things aren’t turning out the way we think they should. But as we trust in God, we are comforted knowing He is good, and nothing can thwart His will and purposes. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good so will accomplish His good plans.

And as Daniel was saved, the king had the accusers thrown in the lions’ den with their children and wives and their bones were crushed. This seems cruel to punish the whole family as well but was part of Persian culture and law at the time.

What does this passage teach us about God’s justice? In this instance, justice prevailed but in life, it doesn’t always seem to. The bad sometimes get more wealthy and more power, while the good live in humble means. But God is still working out His plan for good, if not in this life, then in the life to come. God knows all and will bring justice in His time. But undoubtedly, He is a good and just God.

Thus we remember, following God and being a believer in Jesus Christ can come with persecution in our world. Yet we continue to live in faith because He is with us and has saved us. We don’t fear death because He has resurrection power, whereas those without Christ will suffer an eternal death.

Onto the Group Experience then, start with the icebreaker and transition with the definition of integrity found on page 46 of your Leader Guide. Summarize the Context, displaying Pack Item 9: Persia and the Return Map, showing the conquests of Darius, also known as Cyrus, and the expansion of the Persian empire, focusing on the top map alone. Continue with details of the plot against Daniel that leads to our core passage. Recap, asking what stood out to the group about the motivations and actions of King Darius toward Daniel? Initally, he was caught up in the flattery of the other administrators in enacting the edict to petition him alone as king. But when the realized that Daniel would be affected, because of his concern and care for him, he sought to find a way to rescue him. And of Daniel toward the Lord and the king? Daniel stayed loyal and faithful to both God and king because he didn’t do anything to cause the king harm; he was always giving him good advice and was a loyal servant. But yes, God still holds supreme for Daniel. Praying to God was a part of his rhythm and his faith and he was not going to deter from that.

Onto the Group Activity, engaging with the chart, first have someone read Daniel 6:13-18. You can divide your group into two, having one group fill in the first column and the other filling in the second. Daniel, as the faithful servant related to the Lord in faithfulness. He  prayed 3 times a day (verse 13), even with the threat of death. It’s interesting that Daniel’s actions other than that are not noted. He doesn’t fight or resist. He patiently waits for God to act. That is faithful inaction. And he doesn’t resort to violence against the king or his accusers either. He acts in peace and love to both the Lord and the king.

The faithless accusers, however, related to the Lord in disdain and distrust, mostly by trying to trap Daniel, God’s servant. Their mentioning of Daniel as a “Judean exile” shows some contempt against God’s people who are foreigners. They also manipulate the king through playing to his pride and flattery. They are persistent accusers, doing all they can to get rid of Daniel, reminding the king in verse 15 that he can’t change the edict he made.

Then pass out Pack Item 6: Daniel’s Life to review Daniel’s life as a whole and how he was a faithful servant of God, a mouthpiece and interpreter for Him even, throughout his life. Remind your group that the king was pleased with Daniel and prepared to put him in charge of the entire kingdom. Yet other administrators hated Daniel. Why do you think they hated him and sought to have him killed? They were definitely jealous of his skill and knowledge, probably also of the king’s affection toward him. And even more probably, because he was a foreigner of all people, not even a Babylonian, one of their own. He had a different culture and had different religious beliefs with a different God. They wanted him gone for all those reasons.

Moving on, have someone read Daniel 6:19-24. Add onto the chart your continued findings about Daniel’s faithfulness to God and to the king. Mention verse 21 as evidence of Daniel’s faithfulness to the king and greeting him properly and with respect and honor. Verse 22 shows Daniel’s acknowledgement of God rescuing him, knowing he was innocent. His rescue also shows his innocence before the king, not wanting him harm. Verse 23 mentions that Daniel “trusted in his God.”

In contrast the accusers faithlessness resulted in their doom. They “maliciously accused Daniel” so was thrown into the den with their family. In God’s sovereign will, justice was served. Ask, “With these thoughts about Daniel’s actions, what can we infer about his accusers, seeing that the lions devoured them immediately?” It was the accusers who were guilty and faithless to God and to the king. They were culpable and thus got their punishment.

Debrief with, “How did Daniel’s life of integrity impact the people around him, both positively and negatively?” Daniel lived consistently in love and peace, impacting the king who admired his skill and knowledge and integrity. But sometimes when you live with integrity, those who don’t are not going to like it because it reveals their own weaknesses and evil as well as makes them look bad. “What are some ways we can show faithfulness to God in our spheres of influence?” Living with integrity and love, being like Jesus, loving our enemies and pointing people to the gospel are ways we can show faithfulness.

Summarize and head into the Head, Heart, Hands section, focusing on the Heart question if time is limited. “What fears keep you from bold, faithful obedience to God in the world?” Sometimes it’s persecution, perhaps from other Christians. Sometimes it’s the fear of being misunderstood, being called a zealot, or even being unsure of what you should believe in. There are some belief trails that might sound Christian but may not be. Draw near to God, ask for Holy Spirit wisdom, search the whole of Scripture, live like Jesus, and live in faithful obedience. God will show you the way.

Cover some Next Steps items if time permits, cover prayer requests and praises and end with Psalm 91, even if it’s just verses 1 and 4: “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. . . . 4 He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.”

Hey, thanks again for joining me on another Leader Training Podcast. Write me at [email protected] and have a great group time!