Key Thought: Daniel’s experience with persecution shows how God’s people will be treated at the end of time. God will ultimately vindicate His people.
February 15, 2020

1. Have a volunteer read Daniel 6:1-5.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why was Daniel placed first over the presidents and princes in Medio-Persia?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever had to deal with issues of jealousy in your life? How have you dealt with it? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Most Christians are Christians of convenience. As long as they have time or inclination, they follow God and the Bible. But when it becomes unfavorable or inconvenient or costs something like too much time, money, or effort; they won’t give up their job, freedom, or lives for their faith.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Daniel 6:6-9.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the thinking and motive behind the decree?
3. Personal Application: What are some ways that people might want to be “like God” in their lives? What are some of the dangers of this self-importance? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Where do we draw the line between loyalty to the state as the Bible tells us to do, and loyalty to God? Are they mutually obeyed in all cases? Are there differences and what would they be?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Daniel 6:10-23.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. Why doesn’t Daniel simply pray quietly without anyone seeing him?
3. Personal Application: Why must we be sure that when defying human law, we are truly doing God’s will? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “I know some crazy people who claim to be doing God’s will by killing Jews, burning churches, cursing other faiths, and disrespecting and disobeying the laws of the land. How can we stand for our faith and not be classified with these crazy people?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Daniel 6:24-28.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. How did Daniel’s faithfulness to God end up influencing not only the king but the whole country of Medio-Persia?
3. Personal Application: What may be two or three reasons for the accused and their wives and children to be thrown in the lion’s den? Is this really an act of social injustice? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

Amen!(1)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SabbathSchoolNet/~3/PwvNyvj-Gjw/rP2b-BGlyqWqPA3BTXOZPHzL90_rvrN_BJ3puoSLfNghuyrbZW72lYHXM9VA__At83PYIexS7toiNEcyMwWbvJ8hz68FdkpJQjJ7tyu3cP0ejFk3ki5sNg-CAoeDpD-D

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:6, NKJV).

Read Daniel 6:10. Why doesn’t Daniel simply pray quietly without anyone seeing him?

Image © Kim Justinen at Goodsalt.com

Daniel is an experienced statesman, but, above all, he is God’s servant. As such, he is the only member of the government who can understand what lies behind the king’s decree. For Darius the decree amounts to an opportunity to strengthen the unity of the kingdom, but for the conspirators it is a strategy to get rid of Daniel.

Of course, the real causes and motives behind the plot lie in the cosmic battle between God and the forces of evil. At this time (539 B.C.) Daniel has already received the visions recorded in Daniel chapter 7 (553 B.C.) and 8 (551 B.C.). So he can understand the royal decree, not as a matter of mere human politics but as an instance of this cosmic war. The vision of the Son of Man delivering the kingdom to the people of the Most High and the comforting assistance of the angel interpreter (Daniel chapter 7) may have brought him the courage to face the crisis head on. He may also have reflected on the experience of his companions, who have been brave enough to challenge the decree of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel chapter 3).

Thus, he does not change his devotional habits but continues his customary practice of praying three times a day towards Jerusalem. In spite of the prohibition to make petition to any man or god but the king, Daniel takes no precaution to hide or disguise his prayer life during those critical thirty days also. He is an absolute minority since he is the only one, among dozens of governors and other officers, on a collision course with the royal decree. Through his open prayer life, though, he demonstrates that the allegiance he owes to God comes before his allegiance to the king and his irrevocable decree.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(0)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SabbathSchoolNet/~3/5jm286FpS-g/rP2b-BGlyqWqPA3BTXOZPFEEmq_qE-unBJ3puoSLfNghuyrbZW72lR1EB5rZ4na8FD8_BvQtk2S-Q4frMBHBDbF7cHXpbnHM