Daniel in the Lion’s Den “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”” (Mark 12:30-31)
The Second Commandment You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
Daniel and the Lions Daniel 6 Daniel was a very old man when the events of this chapter took place.
Daniel's Service: Darius established 120 satraps over this kingdom, then three governors over the satraps. Daniel was one of the three governors. Because of his distinguished service Darius contemplated putting him over the entire kingdom, 6:1-3.
Plot of the Satraps and Governors: Jealousy motivated the satraps and governors, as in chapter 3:8ff—the accusers of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The satraps and governors failed in their effort to find any malfeasance in Daniel's administration of his governmental responsibilities. He was an honest civil servant. The satraps and governors had observed one factor in Daniel's life--his daily worship of his God. Three times a day Daniel knelt in prayer, facing Jerusalem. His worship was to be his undoing! His political opponents prevailed upon the king to pass a statute forbidding anyone from petitioning God or man for thirty days, except the king. Disobedience punishable by death in the lions' den. Flattered and unthinking, Darius passed the irrevocable law, 6:4-9.
Obeying God comes before Obeying Man: The political enemies of Daniel had their flunkies in Daniel's household, who reported that Daniel continued his practice of praying in his upper room with the window open facing Jerusalem. Daniel made no effort to hide his prayer life. Without any heroics Daniel disobeyed the imperial statute because it ordered him to do what his God had forbidden him to do, 6:10.
Condemned, but delivered: Daniel's political opponents brought charges against him which Darius had to honor because Daniel had transgressed an irreovable law of the empire. Darius made every effort to secure the release of Daniel, but he was trapped by the foolish statute that he had signed into law.
Daniel was lowered into the lions' den to spend a secure night while Darius spent a sleepless night fasting.
Early the next morning Darius went to the den and called. Daniel who responded, reporting that his God had sent His angel to deliver him. Daniel was delivered, his opponents thrown to their deaths in the lions' den, 6:11-23.
Student Lesson Exploring God’s Word Daniel in the Lion’s Den Daniel 6
Daniel 3:1-30 Read from your Bible. Ask students to find it in a Bible too. Those that can read can follow along. Choose the passages you would like to read aloud. Use visuals to help tell the story. Use a picture Bible to help children see the story.
A new man became king over Daniel and his friends. His name was King Darius. The king liked Daniel and planned to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.(Daniel 6:1-3)
But some other men hated Daniel because they wanted his position and power for themselves. These men said, “We must find something wrong with Daniel, to get rid of him.” Daniel was a good man. He followed God and loved Him very much. The men tried and tried to catch Daniel doing something wrong, but they couldn’t find anything wrong in Daniel’s life. (Daniel 6:4-5) If someone was trying to find you doing something wrong, could they?
The evil men thought of a plan. They saw Daniel pray three times a day to God. They thought of a dishonest way to keep Daniel from taking command of the kingdom. They said to King Darius, “O King, you are very great. We want you to make a new law, to honor you. The law is this: Nobody may pray to any god for 30 days. People may only ask the king for things that they want. And if anyone does pray to a god, he must be thrown into the den of lions.” (Daniel 6:6-7)
King Darius listened to the men. He thought, “That will make me like agod.” This is pride. The Bible tells us that we should not be proud. The king decided to make it a law. King Darius did not realize the men had laid a trap for Daniel. (Daniel 6:8-9)
Sure enough, the next day Daniel prayed to God just like he always did. He knew that God was the only true God. Daniel took time to pray 3 times a day.
The men watched Daniel. They looked through the window and saw him kneel to pray. Quickly they hurried off to tell the king. (Daniel 6:10-11)
They reminded the king of his law. Then they told him that Daniel had broken the law and prayed to God. The king was very sad. He liked Daniel and did not want to throw him in the lion’s den. But the king had put his name on the law and he could not change it. So, he sent for Daniel. The king said, “Daniel may God, whom you serve, save you.” (Daniel 6:12-16)
Then they threw Daniel into the den of lions. They put a big stone across the door of the den. The lions were hungry. They walked around Daniel. They sniffed at him, but God protected him. God sent an angel to close the mouths of all the lions. The next morning, King Darius ran to the place where Daniel was. He shouted, “Daniel! Daniel! Did your God save you?” He listened for an answer. (Daniel 6:17-19)
Daniel replied, “Yes, an angel from God protected me.” (Daniel 6:20-21)
They happily took Daniel out of the lion’s den. The king made a new law. It said that Daniel’s God is the living and true God. Everyone must serve Him. (Daniel 6:22-28)
God saved Daniel’s life. Everyone knew for certain that God was real and true.
Review 1. What happened to Daniel? The king planned to put Daniel in charge 2. What happened next? Some evil men tried to find a way to kill Daniel. 3. What did the king do? The king signed a law that everyone must pray to him only for 30 days. 4. What happened next? Daniel prayed to God as he always did. 5. What did God do? God sent an angel to protect Daniel from the lions.
Theme Verse: Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”” (Mark 12:30-31)
Lutheran Link The Second Commandment You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
Play It! Lion’s Den
Have the children stand in a circle. Choose one child to be Daniel and stand in the center of the circle with his or her eyes closed. Have Daniel, eyes still closed, turn around several times, stop, and point to someone in the circle. Encourage that child to roar and snarl like a lion. Then give Daniel two chances to guess who is the “ferocious lion.”
For the next round, have the child who roared become the new Daniel. Play until each child has been Daniel.
The governor beats Daniel (because the governors were able to manipulate King Darius to throw Daniel in the lion’s den). Daniel beats the lion (because he trusted in God and God’s angel shut the mouths of the lions). The lion beats the governor (because after Daniel was saved, King Darius then threw the governors into the lion’s den).
Closing Gather children around you.
Close by saying: Thank you God for loving us every day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Blessing:May God, who is all around you, Beginning at the bottom of the circle, slowly pour his love upon you.make a large circle with your hands. Finish by bringing your hands down and wiggling the fingers to resemble rain.) And Jesus, his life a sacrifice,Slowly make a large sign of the cross. Then walk right there beside you.move your hands out to the sides. And may God’s Holy Spirit, Cross your hands over the heart. the one who lives inside you, keep you strong, Move to a “strong man” position. Then comfort, lead and guide you!cross your arms with the hands on corresponding upper arms to communicate comfort. Bring one hand forward with “lead” and the other with “guide” to complete the blessing.)
