SOURCE FOR QUESTIONS
Daniel 4:1 through 6:28

‍KEY VERSE FOR MEMORIZATION
“Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:5)

BACKGROUND

The Book of Daniel can be divided into two nearly equal parts. The first six chapters are historical in nature and concern Daniel’s life in Babylon under several foreign kings. The remainder of the book is primarily a record of Daniel’s revelations concerning Israel and various world empires. This week’s text continues the historical narrative begun in chapters 1 through 3.

Chapter 4 covers the judgment of King Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned over the Babylonian Empire from 605-562 B.C. During that time, he led his armies in conquering numerous kingdoms and expanding and fortifying the city of Babylon. This portion of text describes the king’s troubling dream and Daniel’s interpretation, the king’s mental failure and dethronement due to pride, and his ultimate restoration. Although the precise dates of these events are unknown, scholars believe they took place near the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.

The events of chapter 5 occurred sixty-six years after Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem and the deportation of Daniel and other exiles to Babylon. During this period, Belshazzar was co-ruler of the Babylonian Empire with his father, Nabonidus. While Nabonidus was away attempting to reopen trade routes captured by Cyrus and his Persian armies, Belshazzar held a profane feast for a thousand of his lords. During the feast, a hand appeared and wrote upon the wall of the banquet chamber, and Daniel was called upon to interpret the meaning of the words. That very night, as the writing foretold, Belshazzar was slain and the Chaldean Empire fell to the combined military forces of the Medes and the Persians.

Chapter 6 records events that occurred during the reign of Darius the Mede. Daniel, by then an elderly man, was one of Darius’ three presidents set over the princes of the kingdom. This chapter describes the plot the other presidents devised against Daniel because he was preferred over them, the king’s distress over the punishment that could not be rescinded, and Daniel’s miraculous deliverance from the den of lions.

QUESTIONS

1. Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest of the Babylonian kings. He had been victorious in battle and was the successful builder of a flourishing realm. However, chapter 4 describes a troubling dream that destroyed his peace. When the pagan “wise men” of Babylon could not interpret the dream’s meaning, Daniel (referred to by his Babylonian name, Belteshazzar) was called upon to explain it. What did Nebuchadnezzar see in his dream? Daniel 4:10-16
   ‍
2. In verse 27, Daniel advised the king to humble himself, hoping that would forestall the pending judgment. However, Nebuchadnezzar did not do so. A year later, as he was walking in his palace, he boasted, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built . . .?” When and how was God’s judgment poured out? Daniel 4:30-33
   ‍
3. The events of chapter 5 took place in 539 B.C. during the reign of King Belshazzar. The territories surrounding Babylon had fallen into the hands of the Medes and Persians, and the city of Babylon itself was under siege. However, Belshazzar seemingly felt the city was sufficiently fortified and had provisions enough to withstand any assault. In spite of the military threat, he hosted a great feast for a thousand of his lords. What profane action did Belshazzar take while the feast was underway? Daniel 5:1-4
   ‍
4. Daniel reminded Belshazzar that his ancestor, King Nebuchadnezzar, had a “heart [that] was lifted up” and a “mind hardened in pride,” and God had humbled him. Although Belshazzar knew this, he ignored that warning in his family history, to his own detriment. According to Daniel 5:22-23, Belshazzar was condemned because he had not humbled his heart but had lifted up himself against the Lord of Heaven, and used sanctified vessels in a profane way. What are some indicators of a prideful spirit? What steps can we take to avoid allowing a spirit of pride to creep into our lives?
   ‍
5. During Belshazzar’s feast at the royal palace, an astonishing and disquieting event took place: a man’s hand appeared and wrote a message on the wall of the banquet chamber. The message consisted of only three words, with the first repeated for emphasis. However, the wise men of the realm were unable to explain the meaning, and ultimately, Daniel was brought before the king to interpret it. How would you summarize Daniel’s explanation of the words on the wall, and when was the prophetic message fulfilled? Daniel 5:25-30
   ‍
6. In chapter 6, Daniel’s “excellent spirit” prompted power-hungry colleagues and subordinates to set a unique trap for him. They persuaded King Darius to sign a decree that prohibited making a request of anyone other than the king for thirty days. Since Daniel prayed openly and regularly to God, he had to choose whether or not he would obey the royal decree. What do you think enabled Daniel to make the decision he did?
   ‍
7. In the Medo-Persian Empire, a formal decree by the king was so binding that even the king himself could not change it. Thus, when the jealous presidents reported to King Darius that Daniel had disobeyed his edict, the king had no choice but to follow through with the stated punishment. What details in verses 14 and 18-20 are indicators of Darius’ mental and emotional state when he became aware of the fate that awaited Daniel because of his decree? 
   ‍
8. King Darius arose very early the next morning and went to the den of lions. He cried out, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” The law had been kept; Daniel had received the prescribed punishment for disobedience to the king’s decree. However, the outcome was not what Daniel’s opponents expected. Daniel’s voice sounded forth from the den, “O King, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.” In verses 23 and 25-27, what evidences do we see of the esteem in which the king held Daniel?

CONCLUSION

When we are secure in our relationship with God and are doing our best to live in obedience to Him, God will help us face challenges with composure and grace. He will not fail His own!