Please read Chapters 1-7 and 12 of Daniel carefully. Skim the rest.Daniel is a favorite "Sunday school" book, a book filled stories the lend themselves well to teaching children. But Daniel is an adult book as well. What do you think is the most important or most interesting lesson Daniel teaches to adults? How does the book add to human wisdom?
Daniel 6 is my go to Lesson from the Book of Daniel. Daniel 6 has Daniel shut the mouth of a literal lion. He does this through his faith in the Lord. I view this as a lesson in faith because without faith he would not have succeeded much less succeeded without wounds. I also view it as a lesson in trust. Very similar to faith without it he would of failed. I use this story to explain how faith works to certain people in my life.
ReplyDeleteI think the important lesson that the book of Daniel conveys is to lead by example. Many if it had not been for Daniel would have committed to great sins. Daniel teaches and encourages us as believers to listen and follow and never turn away from doing what's right. He doesnt tell us this but it is easily depicted from the stories in his life.
ReplyDeleteThe replies of Daniel and his friends to Nebuchadnezzar have always struck me as crucial, especially coming from a Christian perspective. It's so different that they tell the king that they won't bow to him and they trust that God will save them from the fire. But even if God doesn't deliver them in the way they hope for, that doesn't mean He isn't worth worshiping, and they won't betray their faith even at the threat of death. I think that is such a crucial idea.
ReplyDeleteBroc Kilber- The most important story that Daniel teaches adults is that of giving credit to where credit is due. Nebuchadnezzar thanks God for all the miracles that he had seen and praised Him. As we go about our lives we should give credit to who provides us with these gifts and be thankful for them.
ReplyDeleteI believe the most important lesson that Daniel teaches to adult is that you should standup for what you believe in, even if you near stand alone. I know that sounds kind of cheesy but it’s quite literally what Daniel and his friends did when Israel was captured by the Babylonians. This book highlights a mildly pure, childlike approach to life that says one should not worry about what others think and that one should not denounce the faith that they so greatly believe in.
ReplyDeleteDaniel 3:17-18 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thin hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Quite possibly one of the most fascinating and weird stories in the Old Testament. This story feels so out of place compared to anything else in the Old Testament. Nebuchadnezzar, one of the greatest conquerors in history, has been warned a year in advance that if he does not humble himself, God will humble him. Obviously, Nebuchadnezzar doesn't humble himself and is made like a wild beast for seven years. This is a great reminder: no matter how great you are, you can always fall from grace. It really harkens back to that theme of spiritual forces Herodotus hits on in his Histories. This is what makes for a good book in my opinion as well, it includes all of the wacky quarks. In my mind, it's very similar to that aside of Jacob wrestling with the man before he meets with Essau. You have to look at it for a while and ponder on why it's there, or why even the author bothered to include it. But I feel like without this little aside, the book of Daniel isn't nearly as interesting a book.
ReplyDeleteThe prophecy in Daniel 7 is the best and most important part in this book (my opinion).
ReplyDeleteDaniel 7
13 “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Then we see this in the gospels...
Mark 14
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?
Jesus claiming to be the Son of Man (God) that was prophesied in Daniel 7. The Jews would've known that God is the only one that rides on the clouds, therefore Jesus is claiming to be God. Amazing wisdom that is prophecy fulfilled 100s of years later.
I believe the most important lesson that Daniel teaches adults is to stay true to yourself despite overwhelming adversaries or peer pressure or bribery.
ReplyDeleteMultiple times, Daniel is told to turn away from God and to drink wine, eat the King's food, be dressed in rich cloth and the like. He is given chance after chance and is continually prompted to abandon God and his means of prayer, even being threatened with death.
Despite this, he stays true and is fine by the end of it.
We can use this as an example for everyday life, likely why Daniel is so important. Being pressured to do something you do not want because of outside pressure is a common occurrence, especially today.
It is a very relatable story, and the imagery of Daniel sitting in a den of lions is certainly a bonus.
The book of Daniel teaches several key lessons. These lessons include the importance of faith, even in challenging times, the power of prayer and the resilience of God in sovereignty, and the need for humility and courage in the face of adversity. It influences the integrity of living a life and one's beliefs, as demonstrated by Daniel's refusal to compromise his principles in the face of pressure. Daniels' unwavering faith in God, even faced with persecution and the threat of death, maintained one's beliefs no matter the cost. The point is that faith is essential. Daniels' frequent prayers, even if he was risking his own life, illustrate the power of prayer and the power of God's control. Daniel's humility and courage in the face of powerful rulers show the importance of a strong spirit. Daniels' consistent adherence to his principles highlights his strong beliefs. Daniel's prayers for forgiveness show the mercy of God. The book of Daniel reinforces the idea that God controls all things. Daniel's ability to express his power in Babylon despite his faith. Shows the value of living a life.
ReplyDelete-Brady Metzinger
Dylan Schimke
ReplyDeleteI think the most important lesson, no matter your age, is faithfulness despite persecution. Throughout the book there are instances of hopelessness where one could easily go down the path of rejection toward God. Daniel could have easily freaked out when he was thrown into the lion's den and his human nature could have set in, but instead he kept his faith in our Lord, and he was delivered from the awful death. He was also tempted to worship other gods and deny his faith, but Daniel kept on strong and refused to change to the outside factors. I think this adds to wisdom because if you don't keep faith in God, or anything in that matter, you will become a push over and you will have no meaning in your life. God gives us meaning and with that we are able to have a clear and stable mind in which we can try to make the best decisions possible.
A very common, but important, lesson in Daniel is to persevere in your faith even when you are surrounded by doubters and dangers. A good story would be Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They refused to worship the statue of Nebuchadnezzar. When they were supposed to die in the furnace, they lived and flourished instead. This is a great lesson and encouragement for adults because as you grow older, you will meet people and will be put in situations where it is easy to forget your faith and worship earthly things--like alcohol and money. Daniel is a good reminder to stay strong in your faith even in the most difficult situations.
ReplyDelete-Lauren Bland
Daniel is a book that helps teach children the power God can have in their lives when they are faced with threatening times, but I believe it also teaches adults resilience. Daniel and his friends were persecuted because of their faith throughout their whole lives, and yet they stayed faithful to their Lord. This book can be applied to resilience in faith, but also in life. Keep your thoughts steady good you believe in, even if others are telling you it is wrong. If what you believe is truly good, it with come forth eventually. In Daniel 4:37 an example of this can be found.
ReplyDelete"Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the Kings of heaven, for all his works are truth, and his ways are justice; and he is able to bring low those who walk in pride."
Be resilient in believing in something good and true, and by doing so, you can rub off on others and make them see the truth.
To be honest, the Book of Daniel seems to show the greatness of those who possess wisdom. It doesn't specifically explain how we can gain wisdom. Can we really gain wisdom just by believing in God? I don't think so. The Book of Daniel, rather than offering a lesson, shows just how valuable wisdom is. Daniel 1;20 says that wisdom is greater than magic, but the actions they show often seem magical.
ReplyDeleteSophia Lee