Bible Study Daniel 6 - Daniel in the Den of Lions

There are many things to learn from this exciting real-life story. A high flying person must be careful to be faultless; because that are many eyeing and scheming to trap him. Watch out that our ego and pride are easily used by others to fool and trap us. Know what true friendship is like. Know how to be successful and influential like Daniel. The great God that delivers the righteous and innocence and punishes the evil ones.

This is one of the most famous stories of the Bible - Daniel in the Den of Lions.

It has all ingredients for a blockbuster:

• The good guys - Prophet Daniel, King Darius, 
• The bad guys - the accusers who were jealous of Daniel and his coming promotion over them. 
• The evil Trap - inescapable trap.
• The Danger - the Lions' Den 
• The Love - the close friendship between King Darius and Daniel 
• The Excitement - setting up the trap, catching Daniel, Darius' sudden discovery that he was tricked to kill his good friend and mentor Daniel. The anguish of having to send Daniel into the den. The sleepless night. 
• The Happy Ending - the great deliverance by God sending His angels, an unharmed Daniel and the death of the accusers. The proclamation of the true, living and good God.

If you want to be successful, then learn from Daniel.

1. Daniel had a long and excellent public career serving the kings of Babylonians and the Medes & Persians. The favor that the Persian Kings gave the Jews must be the result of Daniel faithfulness, wisdom and influence. Ezra and Nehemiah were allowed by the Persian Kings to return to Jerusalem to rebuilt the temple and the walls respectively. 
2. A key success factor for Daniel was his close relationship with God. He prayed three times a day. Praying is not just about asking. It is about studying His words, reflecting on them, and contemplating on them to gain a close understanding of God and His will. 
3. Daniel don't just talk about God but put his learning to work. Daniel was promoted to the lead president of 3 presidents because of his excellent spirit. 
4. His enemies, those with the sharpest eyes and looking through magnifying glasses could not find any fault with him. The best testimony of you is from your enemy - no fault! 
5. He was prepared to die for his love and worship of his God. He trusted his God no matter what - to deliver him or be martyred to with Him. He echoed Paul's words "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain!" 

May you discover more of Daniel, his God, his friend, his enemies, the tricks etc in the following mind-map:

The Story:

The Q&A:

For your reflection with some suggested answers.

Lim Liat (C) 29 July 2012

Bible Study Daniel Chapter 5 Hand Writing on the Wall

God does execute judgment and this time quite quickly. Under this great period of grace, we should not take his kindness for granted and must show our honor and respect to Him. God may have already forgiven us but we may have to go through the discipline and the consequences that our sins had brought us like David and others.

Belshazzar did not learn from his maternal grand-father Nebuchadnezzar's acknowledge of the true God. Instead, he held wild party, abusing the cups of the Temple of God to worship their own idols that could not save them from the attack of the Medes & Persian. God judged him, with a dramatic display of finger writing the wall. Daniel was remembered and called for. Daniel gave the interpretation and pronounced his sins and judgement. He was killed the very night.

The mind map below gives us the details:

Daniel 5 The Hand Writing on the Wall

The Questions for your reflection with some answers:

Like me quote Phil 2:12-13 to be the lesson and application that we learned from this study:

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Let us live this life wisely, knowing and honoring our God with our testimonies in word and deeds.

Lim Liat (C) 14 July 2012