This blog consists of bible studies written or done by tertiary students. The studies in yellow are works in progress. Please feel free to use the studies and blog your experience.
Showing posts with label Daniel: Tertiary Student. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel: Tertiary Student. Show all posts
Daniel on campus
These Daniel studies have been in the TSCF resource pile for years and generations of tertiary students have been challenged to see their years on campus as a Godly call. Daniel, together with three of his Jewish friends were in exiled, taught language, literature and learning for the purpose of serving the king in the Babylonian court. Like many students on NZ campuses today, Daniel was selected on the basis of his NCEA or GCE A' Level equivalent, i.e. "aptitude for every kind of learning, well-informed and quick to understand".
That means, I guess we are people who are here to learn...what better book to learn than God's word?
The Challenge:
To lead a bible study group on your own.
Lead or take turns to lead this 4 part study of Daniel of the Bible and you will be exposed to how to study/interpretate/ read/contemplate/wrestle the bible in order to live it out. Yay. Imagine little groups of students on campuses learning from each other and from the bible and the Holy Spirit --- in the process falling in love with the living God again and again...Yay
Chris Webb says it better than I do...
Yay....Join us for the hamilton version of Daniel on campus....
Watch this clip of a bunch of students sharing talking about what it means to them to have an undivided life for Christ and to be a true witness.
Can you think of something the students said that you agreed with and one thing you were not sure about. For example, do you think it is possible to live an undivided life for Jesus on campus, at home and wherever you are? Daniel and his friends were taken from their land and brought to Babylon
as young men. They were probably only about twelve to fourteen years old. In
Babylon they were put in a 3-year training programme (almost like university)
to prepare them to oversee Jewish affairs in the Babylonian Empire. From the situation, it seems like it would be hard to remain a true witness in a foreign land.
Read
Daniel 1: 1-21
1.Where were Daniel and his friends
from?
Where
were they taken? Why do you think they were taken?
If applicable: Where are
you from? Why did
you come to Hamilton? Is campus life challenging you out of your comfort zone? Why or why not? As a Tertiary Student, do you see yourself like the "treasure" of a kingdom? Why or why not?
2.Why do you think the king of Babylon picked Daniel. What were some of Daniel’s
attributes? (vv. 3-5) What attributes do you think helped you get into university? Name three or four.
3.Daniel and his friends were given
new names (vv.6-7). Why do you think they consented to the name change?
i. The name Daniel (meaning God is my judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel’s prince).
ii. The name Hannaniah (meaning Beloved by the LORD) was changed to Shadrach (meaning Illumined by Sun-god).
iii. The name Mishael (meaning Who is as God) was changed to Meshach (meaning Who is like Venus).
iv. The name Azariah (meaning The LORD is my help) was changed to Abed-Nego (meaning Servant of Nego).
What are
some of the differences you have noticed between studying at home or in high school and in university? Why do you think Daniel and his friends did not object to studying Babylonian literature or having their names change?
4.Why did Daniel choose not to eat
the royal food and wine? (vv. 8-9)
(Do you
think he is setting a precedent to be vegetarian and to not drink wine?)
What was
the outcome of this decision? (vv. 11-21)
* Daniel and his comrades seems to say that being a counterculture consisted of surprisingly small decisions—small acts of reorientation to remind them daily that in spite of their privileged status in the capital city of the world's most powerful empire, they belonged to another King and another kingdom.
5.Daniel
went through this Babylonian journey with his friends. They were to become a
support to each other through challenging times (2: 16-17).
You might
have come to Hamilton alone. But there will be challenging times ahead, and you’ll
need your own support group. How will you go about forming your own support
network (if you haven’t done so already)? You might be from Hamilton, how could you continue to journey with Christian friends while you are on campus?
Closing:
Daniel 1
Daniel’s Training in Babylon
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a] and put in the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.[b]5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
ØTo give members
an opportunity to introduce themselves and their background.
ØTo challenge them
to think more meaningfully about their experience and actions in this new land/ university/ polytechnic.
ØTo encourage them
about the importance of fellowship and accountability.
Ice-breaker: Introduce each other game. (10 mins)
Starters:
Share your thoughts about the views of the students in the video.
Brief background to the book of Daniel:
In
605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar became king of Babylonia. In September of that year, he
invaded and captured Jerusalem, where the temple of God was. To show his
dominance, Nebuchadnezzar took many of Jerusalem’s wisest men and most
beautiful women to Babylon as captives. This act fostered great loyalty from
conquered lands and ensured a steady supply of wise and talented people for
civil service. Daniel was among this group.
How did you feel when you first moved away
from home? Daniel and his friends were taken from their land and brought to
Babylon as young men. They were probably only about twelve to fourteen years
old. In Babylon they were put in a 3-year training programme (almost like
university) to prepare them to oversee Jewish affairs in the Babylonian Empire.
Read Daniel 1: 1-21 Tip 1: Doing a biblical exegesis Examine biblical passages for its original meaning and context
The original meaning is very important because that is thetrue and onlymeaning of the verse. Although from that one meaning, we can have a lot of applications for different situation in our daily lives. Applications or "lessons" that we can derive from the verse must not conflict the original meaning intended by the original author for the original hearer(s). To do an exegesis requires expertise in a lot of areas, but because of the availability of expert tools such as commentaries, dictionaries, handbooks, etc. Everybody who has access and knows how to use such tools can exegete. But the truth is, even with just minimal access to these tools, anyone can do good exegesis of the Bible. Taken from http://www.bible-interpretation.com/index.html
1.Where were Daniel and his
friends from?
Where were they
taken? Was it their choice to go to a new land?
If applicable: *Where are you
from? Why did you come
to Hamilton?
*Is campus life challenging you out of your comfort zone? Why or why not?
(5 mins)
2.What were some of Daniel’s
attributes? (vv. 3-5) Application: What are 4 attributes that helped you get into university?
(5 mins)
3.Daniel and his friends were
given new names (vv.6-7). [Leader explains the significance of these names.][2]
Why do you think they consented to the name change?
i. The name Daniel (meaning God is my judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel’s prince).
ii. The name Hannaniah (meaning Beloved by the LORD) was changed to Shadrach (meaning Illumined by Sun-god).
iii. The name Mishael (meaning Who is as God) was changed to Meshach (meaning Who is like Venus).
iv. The name Azariah (meaning The LORD is my help) was changed to Abed-Nego (meaning Servant of Nego)
What are some of the differences you have noticed between studying at home or in high school and in university? Why do you think Daniel and his friends did not object to studying Babylonian literature and their name change?
(10 mins – you can miss this question if you are
running short of time)
4.Why did Daniel choose not to
eat the royal food and wine? (vv. 8-9)
(Do you think he
is setting a precedent to be vegetarian and to not drink wine?) You could explore the broader implications of food and culture: Does it show food is an important consideration in a new place? What is the place of eating in where you live? You could explore how what and where you eat could become a place of meeting, interacting and connection.
What was the
outcome of this decision? (vv. 11-21)
* Daniel and his comrades seems to say that being a counterculture consisted of surprisingly small decisions—small acts of reorientation to remind them daily that in spite of their privileged status in the capital city of the world's most powerful empire, they belonged to another King and another kingdom. This article may help unpack this http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2006/12/the_importance_of_knowing_what.html
(10 mins)
5.Daniel went through this
Babylonian journey with his friends. They were to become a support to each
other through challenging times (2: 16-17).
You might have
come to Hamilton alone. But there will be challenging times ahead, and you’ll need
your own support group. How will you go about forming your own support network
(if you haven’t done so already)? You might be from Hamilton, how could you continue to journey with Christian friends while you are on campus? (Leader can emphasise that this is exactly
what small groups are for)
(10 mins)
Closing:
Pray for everyone. (Float the idea of forming prayer-triplets.)
(10
mins)
[1] Adapted from the additional notes for Daniel 1:1-2 in The Life
Application Bible (NASB version), 1991.
[2] Nebuchadnezzar changed the names of Daniel and his friends because
he wanted to make them Babylonian- in their own eyes and in the eyes of the
Babylonian people. New names would help them assimilate into the culture. Their
original names held great significance and were associated with the God of the
Jews (and the Bible). Conversely, their new Babylonian names were associated
with Babylonian gods. This showed that the king wanted to change the religious
loyalty of these men from the God of all gods to the Babylonian gods. [Taken
and adapted from Life Application, notes for 1:7.]
Daniel means “God is my judge”, Hananiah means “The Lord shows grace”, Mishael means “Who is what God is?”, Azariah means “the Lord helps”.
Belteshazzar probably means, in
Babylonian, “Bel protect his life”, Shadrach
probably means “command of Aku”, Meshach
probably means “Who is what Aku is?”, Abednego
means “servant of Nego/Nebo”. [taken from NIV
Study Bible, notes for 1:6-7] http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/2701.htm
Peter Jackson talks about recurring nightmares when he directs. He talks about his dreams for others whom he works with and the end of the world. All these are found in in Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar had a worse dream, a dream that was both troubling and true.
1.Have you ever had a dream that
was so real it almost seemed true? How did you feel when you woke up?
Read Daniel 2: 1-13
2.Why did Nebuchadnezzar demand to
know the content of his dream as well as the interpretation? (v8-9)
An
interesting insight about dreams:
In
Daniel’s time, dreams were considered to be messages from the gods, and the
wise men were expected to interpret them. Usually the wise men could give some
sort of interpretation as long as they knew what the dream was about. This
time, however, Nebuchadnezzar demanded to be told the dream also. God sent a
series of dreams to Nebuchadnezzar with prophetic messages that could be revealed
and understood only by a servant of God.
Read Daniel 2: 14-23
3.Imagine that you were in Daniel’s situation. How would you and you friends respond if you faced certain death unless you could interpret a dream you knew nothing about? How do
you think he must have felt at that time?
4.What did Daniel do when he was told about the king’s decision? What does it tell you about his relationship with his friends?(vv 14-18)
Read Daniel 2: 24-30, 45b-49
5.What strikes you about Daniel's prayer? (vv. 19-23)
6.What can we learn about Daniel’s character? (vv. 24-30)
At the end of the story, God works through Daniel to reveal mysteries and save others. But God's name is glorified.
Points to ponder:
The fact that God gave Nebuchadnezzar the
dream(s) showed that God was already at work in his life. It took a person like
Daniel to point the king to the Giver of the dreams. Likewise, God is already
at work in the lives of our friends and classmates who have yet to know Him.
What does it take for us to be like Daniel to them? As the year begins, there may be lots happening- nightmares, dreams and hopes. It maybe a good time to pause and give thanks to God for just one thing that has happened to you so far.
Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream 1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers[a] to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.[b]” 4 Then the astrologers answered the king,[c] “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” 5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.” 7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” 8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.” 10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.” 12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. 14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” Daniel Interprets the Dream 24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.” 25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.” 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?” 27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: 29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. 31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. 39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. 44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. “The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 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.” 48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.
[Note: there is quite a bit of reading this
week, you may want to think of a more creative way of reading the text]
Objectives:
ØTo challenge and
encourage members to realise that their coming to this campus is not by chance
or even their own choice, but because God has a purpose for them to be His
ambassadors on campus.
ØTo stop, pray and give
thanks to God amidst the thrill or difficulty of settling into a new trimester.
Ice breaker:Discuss movies, music, computer games or books that have made an influence on your life.
(10 mins)
Peter Jackson talks about recurring nightmares when he directs. He talks about his dreams for others whom he works with and the end of the world. All these are found in in Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar had a worse dream, a dream that was both troubling and true.
1.Have you ever had a dream that
was so real it almost seemed true? How did you feel when you woke up?
(5 mins)
Read Daniel 2: 1-13
Tip 2 Research: Dangers of using online resources There are biblical sites that chose not to reveal affiliations. Some may have material that is well-written, sounds well-researched but chooses to study mainly controversial passages of the bible. How would you determine if there is a hidden agenda in the way the information is conveyed? Goggle and scan many sites to get a general overview of all the different interpretations of a particular passage from as many different perspectives as possible to ascertain where the points of controversy are.
Why have we not dealt with the dream itself? The interpretation of the imagery of this dream is not obvious--biblical scholars are in dialogue over its references. "The dream is eschatological ie it has to do with the latter days or in other words, with the Messianic age." Taken from New Bible Commentary published by IVP. This commentary explores the various views and leaves the interpretation open. Although doing research into the meaning of the dreams is interesting perhaps it is hard to apply these passages to our lives on campus. If students in your group have strong opinions about how these passages should be interpreted, you could say what is generally agreed on, is that verse 34, "The stone cut out by no human hand represents the Messiah and the growth of the Messianic kingdom, which kingdom is described as being eternal and of divine origin (v44) and thus standing in contrast with the human and temporal empires of the colossus." Refocus the study on applicable lessons for life on campus and carry on.
2.Why did Nebuchadnezzar demand
to know the content of his dream as well as the interpretation? (v8-9)
(5 mins)
An
interesting insight about dreams:
In
Daniel’s time, dreams were considered to be messages from the gods, and the
wise men were expected to interpret them. Usually the wise men could give some
sort of interpretation as long as they knew what the dream was about. This
time, however, Nebuchadnezzar demanded to be told the dream also. God sent a
series of dreams to Nebuchadnezzar with prophetic messages that could be
revealed and understood only by a servant of God.[1]
Read Daniel 2: 14-23
3.Imagine that you were in Daniel’s situation. How would you and you friends respond if you faced certain death unless you could interpret a dream you knew nothing about? How do you think he must have felt at that time?
4.What did Daniel do when he was told about the king’s decision? What does it tell you about his relationship with his friends?(vv 14-18)
Read Daniel 2: 24-30, 45b-49
5.What strikes you about Daniel's prayer? (vv. 19-23)
6.What can we learn about Daniel’s character? (vv. 24-30)
At the end of the story, God works through Daniel to reveal mysteries and save others. But God's name is glorified.
The challenge:
The fact
that God gave Nebuchadnezzar the dream(s) showed that God was already at work
in his life. It took a person like Daniel to point the king to the Giver of the
dreams. Likewise, God is already at work in the lives of unbelievers around us.
What does it take for us to be like Daniel to them?
[Challenge to non-Christians in CG: Would
you like to find out more about this God we’ve been learning about?]
Closing
activity:
Although it is still relatively early in the year, do try and list some items
that you can thank God for together.
[You
may try this thanksgiving prayer/exercise to finish your time together]
Ask
each person to think of one thing from the week that they are thankful for.
Next choose a Bible verse from the list on the next page.
Go
around the group and share with everyone what you are thankful for and why.
Then read the verse that you have selected. Close with a short prayer of
thanksgiving.
“Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his
greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Give thanks to the LORD,
for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:8, 34
“Riches and honour come from you alone, for you
rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your
discretion that people are made great and given strength. O our God, we thank
you and praise your glorious name!”
1 Chronicles 29:12 – 13
“I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will
sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High”
Psalm 7:17
“I will thank you, LORD, with all my heart; I will
tell of all the marvellous things you have done. I will be filled with joy
because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.”
Psalm 9:1,2
“He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I
burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
Psalm 28:7
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his
courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.”
Psalm 100:4
“Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he
is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
Psalm 106:1
“You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my
God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His
faithful love endures forever.”
Psalm 118: 28, 29
“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about
everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Philippians 4:6
[1] Taken and adapted from The Life Application Bible (NASB),
1991: Additional notes to Daniel 2: 1-11.
Daniel
is now an old man – more than 80 years old. The successors to Nebuchadnezzar’s
throne have ignored him. He has now been placed in some obscure office in the
Babylonian government. But when the king finds himself in trouble, he calls for
God’s man. Daniel shows us how to keep standing for God over the long haul.
1.Daniel had a reputation for "insight and intelligence and wisdom. How do you think he acquired that? Will being in lectures help you be like Daniel?
Read
Daniel 5
2.This chapter begins with a party!
A little background: The events in this chapter take
place in 539 B.C., the year (and the very night) of the fall of Babylon to the
Medo-Persian army led by Cyrus the Great. The Babylonians considered their city
impregnable. They had twenty years of food supplies on hand and fresh-water
from the Euphrates River flowed through the heart of the city.
With that
background, what do you think motivated Belshazzar to have this feast?
3.What actions and attitudes on the
part of Belshazzar and his guests do you think would have provoked the Lord’s
anger (vv1-4)?
4.Sometimes our campus lives seem very
far away from the subject of miracles. However, God is still very much a
miracle worker today as He was in Daniel’s day. Have you witnessed or
experienced any miracles that you would life to share with the group?
5.How has this chapter demonstrated
that seventy years of life under Babylon’s influence had not broken down
Daniel’s convictions? How does this encourage you?
6.In what ways can you keep your passion for God
alive even through seemingly “mundane” everyday life? 7. The story ends abruptly with the foolish removed. What do you think of Belshazzar's response to Daniel's interpretation?
Daniel 5
The Writing on the Wall
1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.
7 The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers[b] and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9 So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled.
10 The queen,[c] hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”
13 So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. 15 The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. 16 Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.
18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son,[d] have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 “This is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN
26 “Here is what these words mean:
Mene[e]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel[f]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians,[h] was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.[i]
Footnotes:
Daniel 5:2 Or ancestor; or predecessor; also in verses 11, 13 and 18
Daniel 5:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 11
Daniel 5:10 Or queen mother
Daniel 5:22 Or descendant; or successor
Daniel 5:26 Mene can mean numbered or mina (a unit of money).
Daniel 5:27 Tekel can mean weighed or shekel.
Daniel 5:28 Peres (the singular of Parsin) can mean divided or Persia or a half mina or a half shekel.
Daniel 5:30 Or Chaldeans
Daniel 5:31 In Aramaic texts this verse (5:31) is numbered 6:1.
Life goes on... Objectives for leaders To examine how God speaks to us. To explore how to remain true to our convictions now and later on. To encourage deep thought.
Introduction:
Daniel is now an old man – more than 80 years old. The successors to Nebuchadnezzar’s throne have ignored him. He has now been placed in some obscure office in the Babylonian government. But when the king finds himself in trouble, he calls for God’s man. Daniel shows us how to keep standing for God over the long haul.
1.Daniel had a reputation for "insight and intelligence and wisdom. How do you think he acquired that? Will being in lectures help you be like Daniel?
Read Daniel 5 Tip 3
EXEGESIS: http://ncbible.org/resources/DanielComm05.html is an example of an exegesis of the text. HERMENEUTICS: In Daniel 2, we talked about the problems with biblical interpretations or hermeneutics, here in Daniel 5 God's words confuse Belshazzar until Daniel arrives. God's word is not always clear. If you are interested in the different methods of biblical interpretations, this is a summary http://www.theologue.org/Introhermeneutics-Kulikovsky.htm Interpretation is often best done in a community of believers of authors, church leaders and other christians through the work of the Holy Spirit. If you find this confusing pick up a copy of How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee (Author), Douglas Stuart (Author).
In TSCF studies, we focus on exegesis through inductive or manuscript bible study, in order to apply the Word of God to our lives. In this study, we focus on how we hear God and continue to walk with God like Daniel did. In other words, PRAXIS,i.e. applying all we know about God to our lives together on campus.
2.This chapter begins with a party!
A little background: The events in this chapter take place in 539 B.C., the year (and the very night) of the fall of Babylon to the Medo-Persian army led by Cyrus the Great. The Babylonians considered their city impregnable. They had twenty years of food supplies on hand and fresh-water from the Euphrates River flowed through the heart of the city.
With that background, what do you think motivated Belshazzar to have this feast?
3.What actions and attitudes on the part of Belshazzar and his guests do you think would have provoked the Lord’s anger (vv1-4)?
4.Sometimes our campus lives seem very far away from the subject of miracles. However, God is still very much a miracle worker today as He was in Daniel’s day. Have you witnessed or experienced any miracles that you would life to share with the group?
Miracles can be defined in the broadest sense of the word, not just supernatural or unexpected events or incidents that do not conform to natural laws, time or space. Some may have stories about miraculous healing, conversions and exorcisms...be careful not to brush these away if this is not part of your Christian tradition. In some cultures, the spiritual realm is very real. However, you might like to consider the natural miracles of creation ie mountains, acts of great kindness and selflessness, awe-inspiring mysteries of birth, timeless sacraments, moving biblical passages that encourage, still silence in the midst of stress, positive marked change in lives, ideas in the instant that they cohere into meaning, results of contemplating the bible, etc....challenge each other to see how God is at work in the world--Practice the Presence of God.
5.How has this chapter demonstrated that seventy years of life under Babylon’s influence had not broken down Daniel’s convictions? How does this encourage you?
6.In what ways can you keep your passion for God alive even through seemingly “mundane” everyday life?
Interesting book quote Eugene Peterson's book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction is a translation of the fifteen Psalms of the Songs of Ascents, Psalms 120-134. The Psalms has always been the ‘primary means by which Christians learned to pray everything they lived, and live everything they prayed over the long haul." The supposition is made that the Psalms of Ascents were "likely sung by Hebrew pilgrims as they went up to Jerusalem to the great worship festivals." The title implies the upward journey to Jerusalem, as well as the upward journey toward God. Click the links to see two psalms projects. One to prayerfully meditate on the psalms for 7 years and other to revive the singing of the psalms.
7. The story ends abruptly with the foolish removed. What do you think of Belshazzar's response to Daniel's interpretation? Pray for the wisdom of Daniel.
