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devised against Daniel because he was preferred over them, the king’s distress over the punishment that could not be rescinded, and Daniel’s miraculous deliverance from the den of lions.

SUGGESTED RESPONSES TO 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
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   In his dream, the king saw a tree that was large, strong, and beautiful, and provided shade, shelter, and food. Then a “watcher” — a divine being — declared that the tree must be cut down, its branches cut off, its fruit scattered, and a band of iron and brass placed around the stump. 
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   Ask your group what the dream portended. They should understand that the tree was symbolic of Nebuchadnezzar, and the dream clearly indicated that judgment was coming upon him. In the midst of this revelation of coming judgment, however, there were indicators of God’s mercy. The fact that God gave the vision was in itself an act of mercy. And although the tree in the vision was hewn down, the stump remained, indicating there was potential for it to revive and grow again. The band of iron and brass may have symbolized the surety of God’s promise of survival and restoration. 
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   This could lead to a discussion of ways our long-suffering God still extends mercy to people in our day. Encourage your class to share examples from their own knowledge or experience of situations where God extended mercy. You may wish to share the testimony of someone who initially resisted God’s call but eventually yielded. (The Gospel Pioneer booklets on our church website offer many such accounts.)
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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
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   God’s response to Nebuchadnezzar’s boastful expression of pride was immediate. The king’s reason departed and for seven years, he lived as an animal in the fields. Some scholars suggest his affliction was lycanthropy, a type of mental disturbance in which the person thinks he/she has been transformed into an animal, with corresponding altered behavior. Ancient historians alluded to this, noting that for a period of time, Nebuchadnezzar was ill or weak and did not reign. The fact that the exact circumstances were not recorded is not unusual; defeats, wickedness, and weaknesses of monarchs often were omitted from national records.
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   Conclude your discussion of this chapter by noting that when Nebuchadnezzar recognized God, blessed “the most High,” and gave Him praise and honor, God restored his sanity. In addition, as Daniel had foretold, his kingdom was restored (see verses 34-37). Nebuchadnezzar’s praise to God indicated that he knew pride had caused his downfall. What he had gone through proved to him beyond doubt that God was well able to abase anyone who walks in pride.
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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
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   During the feast, Belshazzar ordered that the sacred vessels of the Jewish Temple (plundered by Nebuchadnezzar fifty years earlier) be brought for use at his banquet. This sacrilegious act was accompanied by drunkenness, debauchery, and idolatry, as the guests at the feast “praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone” (verse 4). 
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   This could be an opportunity to discuss with your group the importance of showing proper respect for holy things. While most people with a religious background will not be tempted to be flagrantly profane or purposefully dishonor the things of God, it is possible to drift into casual behaviors that fail to show proper reverence. Ask your students to cite specific examples of behaviors that show proper respect. These might include such actions as handling the Bible with care, maintaining a reverent attitude in the sanctuary, not using euphemisms or slang related to God’s name, refraining from discussion of business or monetary matters in the Lord’s house, honoring the Lord’s Day, and taking care to speak in a respectful manner about the ministry.
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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?
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   In response to the first question, your group may bring up some of the following indicators of a prideful spirit:

• Frequent self-promotion and bragging. 
• Lack of empathy regarding the challenges others face.
• Harboring of resentment or self-pity when not praised or appreciated.
• A focus on what others think of them.
• Insistence upon their own way or personal perspective.
• Avoidance of people who are better at something than they are.
• Frequent pointing out of flaws or missteps by others.
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  In response to the second question, suggestions regarding steps we can take to avoid pride in our lives could include the following:

• Honor and revere God properly and consistently.
• Meditate on God’s Word, and stay in close communion with Him.
• Put others first, considering others more important than yourself.
• Receive commendation gracefully, but do not focus on it. Make sure glory for achievements goes to God.
• Remember and strive to follow Christ’s example of humility.
• Avoid listening to Satan’s attempts to flatter or exalt, and to put down or discourage.
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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
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   Daniel gave a two-part explanation for each word. Mene meant “numbered” and referred to the fact that God had numbered the days of Belshazzar’s kingdom and finished it. Tekel meant “weighed” and indicated that in God’s divine balance, the kingdom was found wanting. Pharsin meant “broken fragments” (the U at the beginning of the word is a prefix meaning “and”) revealing the final doom — the kingdom would be divided into pieces and given to the Medes and Persians.
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   The judgment announced by the handwriting on the wall occurred almost immediately. That very night, the united forces of the Medes and Persians overwhelmed and conquered Babylon. Some historians state the armies diverted the waters of the river that ran through the city, and then entered by walking along the dry channel. Others suggest that insurrectionists inside the city opened the city gates to give access to the invading armies. Whatever method was used, the city fell with almost no resistance and, as Daniel had foretold, Belshazzar himself was slain.
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   As a follow-up, you may wish to ask your group what lessons we can learn from this incident. After they offer thoughts, focus their attention on the certainty of divine judgment; God does what He says He will do! This is a clear warning to those who are living in rebellion toward God. However, those who are serving God wholeheartedly will find comfort in the surety of His words.
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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?
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   Your group should conclude that Daniel’s relationship with God and his commitment to prayer were no doubt what gave him the courage to do “as he did aforetime” and pray with his window open toward Jerusalem, in spite of the peril that action placed him in. Communicating with God was far more than an incidental occurrence in Daniel’s life. His response to the decree was not a “crisis prayer” but the continuation of a lifetime practice.
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   Discuss with your students how Daniel’s prayer life can be a model for ours. Regular times of prayer and meditation on God’s Word will build a close relationship with God that will sustain us when critical tests come our way. To illustrate, ask your group to suggest activities in daily life that require advance training and practice. For example, a runner does not start eating healthy and doing a practice run the day before a marathon. A person desiring to scale a mountain does not figure out how to use crampons and an ice ax when it is time to start for the summit. Similarly, we must prepare ourselves in advance for spiritual challenges that may come in the future.
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   Depending on the age and spiritual maturity of your class, you may wish to point out that we should not focus on “what if” scenarios regarding trials we might face in the future. Rather, we must simply focus on building a relationship with God and an unwavering trust in Him. If we do, we can be sure that when a crisis does come, He will step in and supply the needed spiritual strength — though we may not be aware of that strength until the moment arrives.
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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? 
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   Your students will likely point to the following details, which indicate that Darius was distraught at the result of his decree:

• Verse 14 – The king was “sore displeased with himself.” He attempted to find a way to spare Daniel until the going down of the sun. 
• Verse 18 – He was sleepless after Daniel was cast into the den, and spent the night fasting.
• Verse 19 – As early as possible in the morning, he hurried to the den.
• Verse 20 – His anguish was evident in the fact that he cried to Daniel with a “lamentable voice.”
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  All of these details offer clear evidence of the king’s respect for Daniel and his conscientious stand. 
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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?
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   Verse 23 states that the king was “exceeding glad” for Daniel, an indicator of the esteem he had for this godly and courageous man. Darius then made a second decree, commanding reverence for Daniel’s God throughout his realm (verses 25-27). He was convinced of God’s power because of Daniel’s clearly miraculous deliverance.
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   Wrap up this lesson by pointing out that the only truly safe place is in the will of God. Daniel’s integrity during three successive empires made it clear that he would rather die than dishonor God by forsaking his deeply held convictions. And ultimately, his upright behavior won the respect and honor of three heathen kings.

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!