The Book of Daniel

Challenge Questions

1. Why did Daniel and His friends not want the King's food?

2. Why do you think Daniel had this resolve? (Ask Holy Spirit!)

3. What is one value that the world tries to impose on your life that you refuse to bow to?

Interacting with the Word

At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice of food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

• Daniel 1:15-16

Is there any place in your life where you doubted God's faithfulness so you just begin to conform to the world's way of doing things? Let's pray and ask God for forgiveness! Don't worry, His grace is sufficient to cover you! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any place you have been living in compromise and not trusting God for your strength. The Holy Spirit is your comforter, he may show you an area and you simply need to repent and then ask the Holy Spirit for His grace to help you live differently. Ask the Holy Spirit to nourish that area as you surrender to God's will.

• Now, Ask the Holy Spirit for an area of victory in your life and to help you celebrate God's grace in your character!

Challenge Questions

1. Why did King Nebuchadnezzar desire to be told his dream?

2. What did Daniel and his friends do when they heard the King's decree?

3. What happened when Daniel told the King about His dream?

Interacting with the Word

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honour and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” Daniel 2: 46-47

We often forget that the point of the gift God has given us is to inspire the nations to worship him.
Think of a recent victory you have experienced and begin to worship God and give Him Glory for that victory!

Activation from God's Word

Re-read Chapter 2:46-47

• Ask God to make you trustworthy with His Mysteries that unlock the heart of Kings.

Challenge Questions

1. What was Nebuchadnezzar's weakness?

2. What happened to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they were thrown in the fire by the King?

Interacting with the Word

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego were not sure that God would deliver them but they resolved to serve God anyway even until death.

• Do you serve God simply for the benefits?

• Ask God to give you courage and break any places of fear in your life to obey God's commandments.

Activation from God's Word

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses are turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way. Daniel 3:28-29

• Ask God for signs, wonders, and miracles to follow your life in order that it may transform the way people worship and change the culture.

Challenge Questions

1. Remember our discussion about the weakness of King Nebuchadnezzar? How does Chapter 4 demonstrate them?

2. Why do you think that God simply humbled the King and didn't destroy him like the King's of Israel (His own chosen people.)

Activation from God's Word

Re-read Daniel 4:19-27

Even though God was judging the King, Daniel didn't condemn him for being unrighteous. The heart of Daniel is reflected in chapter 27 when he asks the King to repent but not from a place of superiority but from a heart of love for the king. Daniel demonstrated that you can love the unrighteous without participating or loving unrighteousness.

• Do you have a heart that loves sinners or are you quick to judge people who sin or at least sin differently than you?

• Ask the Holy Spirit to give you eyes of love for people who are trapped in sin around us.

• Ask God to give you a gift of compassion for people in high places trapped in their sin and begin to pray for those in authority.

Challenge Questions

1. What was the interpretation of the writing on the wall?

2. Why do you think God humbled King Nubuchandnezzer but allowed King Belshazzar to be killed?

Interacting with the Word

Re-read Daniel 5:18-24

• For the man who has everything, what is key is humility? As daughter's and sons of God, we have been given every good thing by our Father. Humility is best reflected in the person of Jesus Christ.

• Ask God what Humility in His Kingdom looks like?

Activation from God's Word

God gave Daniel the ability to interpret the writing on the wall. There are some who try to make everything an unusual sign or wonder. In Daniel's case, it's clear that God was showing off to get the King's attention. God will often use signs to release strange occurrences. For this activation, ask the Lord to give you the wisdom to interpret unusual signs and wonders.

Pray that God reveals to you when He is speaking through strange occurrences and give you the wisdom to interpret those moments accurately.

What did you learn from today's reading?

Challenge Questions

Interacting with the Word

Challenge Questions

1. What was Daniel's Dream?

2. What does the interpretation of the dream reveal about Jesus?

Interacting with the Word

Daniel 7 begins to reveal God's plan beyond Daniel's time. As you look at this dream and its interpretation, it's clear that God is speaking about sending His son Jesus to the earth to overcome sin and death. Even in the Old Testament, the Prophets were pointing to the arrival of Jesus on the Earth.

What did you learn from today's reading?

Challenge Questions

1. What was the next vision that God gave to Daniel?

2. Who was the angel who brought the interpretation of the message?

Activation from God's Word

The book of Daniel is one of the few times in scripture we see Angels interacting with Prophets.
God uses Angels to deliver messages and they also have been given authority by God to influence, transform, and go to war on God's behalf.
Let's pray that God increases our ability to perceive what He is doing in His kingdom by asking Him to make us sensitive to Angelic activity. Now, we don't worship angels but we also don't ignore them as God has sent them as His powerful messengers.

• Let's ask God to increase our sensitivity to the Angelic realm!

What did you learn from today's reading?

Challenge Questions

1. What prayer did Daniel pray? Why?

2. What was God's response to Daniel's prayer?

Interacting with the Word

Daniel examined God's word and found that Israel had sinned against God.
He allowed the scripture to be a sword and a guide to bring order into chaos.
Reading the scriptures led to repentance and repentance leads to revelation as the veil of sin is removed and God's plan becomes clear to Daniel. Then Daniel begins to pray.
Repentance is not just being sorry or feeling guilty, repentance is about changing your mind.
The children of Israel would remain in captivity for 70 years as a result of their sin.

Activation from God's Word

• Ask God to give you visions and dreams about the things He wants to do in your life, the life of your friends and families, as well as your region and nation.

What did you learn from today's reading?

Challenge Questions

1. What is the evidence that Daniel had favour with God?

2. How did Daniel respond to the visions he received?

Interacting with the Word

Daniel needed strength to understand God's will. God sent angelic support, he sent Michael. This scripture is a perfect example of God sending strength to us.

• Ask God to strengthen you in this season.

What did you learn from today's reading?

Challenge Questions

1. Who do you think the King of the South and the North are?

2. What will happen to the King who exalts himself?

Activation from God's Word

When God releases a vision we also need to ask God for the understanding of what he is releasing.
Let pray and ask God for an understanding of the visions He releases.

• Ask God to increase your understanding of what he speaks to you.

What did you learn from today's reading?

Challenge Questions

1. How was Daniel known in Heaven?

2. What is the Destiny of Israel according to Daniel?

3. What was Daniel's reward?

Interacting with the Word

Re-read Daniel 5:18-24

For the man who has everything, what is key is humility? As daughter's and sons of God, we have been given every good thing by our Father. Humility is best reflected in the person of Jesus Christ.

• Ask God what Humility in His Kingdom looks like?

Activation from God's Word

Trustworthiness, Humility, and faithfulness are continual themes throughout this book.
Think about some of the major stories and visions that Daniel had and what God was speaking to you.

• How do you live an uncompromising life? Ask God to show you the character you need to live a faithful life!

Challenge Questions

Now it's time to do a final recap of Daniel! Answer these questions to review the book of Daniel.

1. What does the book of Daniel demonstrate about God’s relationship to Israel during captivity?

2. How do Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego demonstrate God’s faithfulness?

3. What was the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of a Large Statue?

4. What is Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of an Enormous Tree?

5. What does the book of Daniel say about God’s ability to humble us?

6. Do you believe Daniels’ vision relates to end times?

7. What does it take to live uncompromisingly for God in a Godless environment?

Interacting with the Word

Now that you have finished the book, highlight the scriptures that impacted you the most.

Challenge Question

• Who did God reveal himself to be in Daniel?

It's time to pray and ask God what He wants to show you from the Book of Daniel.
Re-read the scriptures that impacted you in reading Daniel.
Then ask God to give you a fresh revelation of these scriptures.