SUNDAY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA
ADULT TEACHER SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA 2022 August 14 2022
UNIT 2: The Prophecies of Daniel
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ADULT TEACHER JULY –DECEMBER, 2022.
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LESSON 7
August 14, 2022
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NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM: THE GREAT STATUE
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Memory Verse: Daniel 2:44
In the day of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed:.. .it shall stand for ever (KJV).
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Central Truth
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God directs the course of history to establish His kingdom.
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The Lesson Outline
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1. Nebuchadnezzar’s Mysterious, Distressing Dream
Daniel 2:1-13
A. A Cal for Interpretation
B. A Lack of Interpretation
2. God Reveals the Dream
Daniel 2:14-30
A. Daniel Seeks God
B. Daniel Approaches Nebuchadnezzar
3. Coming Kingdoms Foretold
Daniel 2:31-45
A. Babylon: The First of Four
B. Only Christ’s Kingdom Endures
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Teaching Goals
1. Impart and Reinforce Knowledge: Investigate Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s dream and its relevance to God’s people today.
2. Influence Attitudes: Encourage students to maintain hope in God amid a chaotic world.
3. Influence, Behaviour: Exhort students to trust God as sovereign over all earthly powers.
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Introducing the Lesson
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Begin by discussing these questions: “Does it ever seem like the world is spinning out of control, with news of wars, scandals, and injustice all around? How do you respond In those moments?” Through the Book of Danlel, the prophet offered hope to exiled Judah that God is in control over the events of this world. Such a message ls just as powerful today. Many in our world feel helpless amid all that is going on around them. In Daniel we find hope that God is in control and will someday vanquish all other kings to establish His kingdom.
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The Holy Scriptures
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Dan 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the Sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy
servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if
ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we
will shew the interpretation of it.
8. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time because ye see the thing Is gone from me.
9. But if ye willi not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt Words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
13. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
15. He answered and said to Arioch the King’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
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Commentary and Application
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1. Nebuchadnezzar’s Mysterious, Distressing Dream
A. A Call for Interpretation
Daniel 2:1-6
The Book of Daniel begins with a historical recounting of the Babylonian Exile of Judah
(chapter 1). Through the course of events, Daniel (along with his three associates; see chapter 3) came to hold exalted positions in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Chapter 1 is a powerful example of faithfulness to God in dificult circumstances. Chapter 2 continues to illustrate Daniel’s great faith.
The chapter opens with King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:1). He was so disturbed by his dream that he felt he had to know its meaning. Like most ancient heathen kings, he had at his disposal a group of advisors skilled inh the occult (verses 2-3). The reference to magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers” (verse 2, NIV) describes men who engaged in magical acts, incantations, witchcraft, and the reading of astrological signs. Nebuchadnezzar called upon these dark powers in hopes of having his dream interpreted.
Nebuchadnezzar’s advisors were eager to provide the king with the interpretation (verse 4). They only requested that he tell them about the dream first. The king offered a chilling response. If his advisors could interpret the dream without hearing its content, they would receive great honour and riches. But if not, their bodies would be dismembered, and their houses demolished and turned into a rubbish dump (verses 5-6). Surely this was sufficient motivation for them to give him what he wanted.
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Questions for Application
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What are some examples of astrology and occult practices people seek out today?
How would you respond to someone who asked if it was approprate for a Christian to use such practices, an how might Daniel 2 help you answer?
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B. A Lack of lnterpretation
Daniel 2:1-13
The “back-and-forth” in Daniel 2:7-13 illustrates the futility of the situation from the perspective of the king and his advisors. The king recognised that they were just buying time and determined that if he divulged the dream, they wouId invent a human explanation. He knew that he needed some kind of supernatural disclosure.
Yet the astrologers couldn’t answer him, and no threat would change that (verses 7-9). So they informed the king that no one had ever made such a demand of astrologers. This was a profound confession; they did not possess the divine wisdom they claimed to have (verses 10- 11).
The New Testament records that predictions can be made in the demonic realm (see Acts 16:16). What a powerful reminder that a supernatural message from God cannot be properly interpreted by demons.
The king was so enraged that he ordered the execution of all his wise men—including Daniel and his three friends, even though he had not asked them to interpret (Daniel 2:12-13). Nebuchadnezzar’s decree set the stage for true divine intervention.
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Questions for Application
Why do you think the astrologers could not come up with any kind of explanation for the dream?
Have you ever been troubled by a dream? How did you respond?
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Response to the Word
Do you think God can speak to a Christian in the form of a dream? Joel 2:28 indicates that He does. However, we must be prepared to properly understand what He is saying to us. This is true in every circumstance where He communicates with His people. Take a moment to read Philippians 4:8. How can this passage help you recognise a true message from God?
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2. God Reveals the Dream
A. Daniel Seeks God
Daniel 2:14-23
Daniel did not panic, despite the king’s death penalty decree (Daniel 2:14-16). When the commander of the guards came to put him to death, he spoke with Wisdom and tact—a reflection of faith and confidence in the Lord.
First, Daniel asked for an explanation for this harsh decree. Then, he asked for an audience with the murderous king. In the king’s presence, Daniel bravely declared that he would provide the interpretation. He only asked for some time.
Daniel did not know the interpretation at that point. But he trusted God, and called together his three friends. [Note that these three friends are better known by the names Nebuchadnezzar had given them: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (1:7)
Daniel and his friends began to pray fervently that God, in His mercy, would provide the secret that only God knew. Daniel needed the interpretation to save their lives (2:17-18).
They spent the. night in earnest, heartfelt prayer, and God revealed the secret of the dream and its interpretation in the form of a “night vision” (verse 19, KJV). This terminology speaks to a supernatural revelation. God had answered their desperate prayers.
Note that they responded with a humble expression of praise in poetic form (verses 20-23). In ancient times, poetry often represented intense thoughts and feelings. These men faced an impossible situation and God had answered the cry for mercy. In response, they recognised His sovereign greatness: He holds supreme power and rules the times and seasons, yet He also grants wisdom and reveals deep mysteries for His people. Truly, He is worthy of praise.
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Questions for Application
What are some ways in which Daniel and his friends demonstrated trust and confidence in God when faced with certain death?
_What does Daniel 2:20-23 tell you about God, and how can it help guide you in times of prayer?
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B. Daniel Approaches Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel 2:24-30
After the time of prayer and praise, Daniel went to Arioch, the chief executioner, to request an audience with the king. There, Daniel would deliver the interpretation (Daniel 2:24-25). But first he asked that the wise men not be executed. Even in a moment of personal crisis Daniel sought to preserve the lives of heathen men.
Arioch complied with Daniel’s request and took him to the king Note that Daniel kept his focus on the one true God wnen answering the king: “No Wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (verses 27-28, NIV). God had given the king this dream, and now the king would learn its meaning.
Furthermore, Daniel even spoke to what the king was thinking when the dream came: His mind was on the future, and the dream would reveal what the future would bring (verse 29).
Through all of this, Daniel kept the focus on the one true God (verse 30). Daniel had no wisdom on this matter except what God provided, and God wanted the king to understand the great mystery behind his troubling dream., As Scripture unfolds, we will find that the dream revealed mysteries that involve all of eternity.
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Questions for Application
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_Why do you think Daniel was careful to ask that the other wise men not be
killed?_
Why is it important to keep your focus on God in tense situations?
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Response to the Word
Daniel 2:1-30 is a testimony of faith and trust in God. Read the passage again, noting how Daniel demonstrated faith. Think about how recognising God’s sovereign authority over all things will help you maintain your faith. Then review how you have responded in the past during desperate times. How can Daniel’s example help you know how to best respond in future times of testing?
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3. Coming Kingdoms Foretold
A. Babylon: The Flrst of Four
Daniel 2:31-38
Having declared that God was guiding his words, Daniel explained the king’s dream. Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of an enormous, dazzling statue. Its head was solid gold; the chest and arms were silver; brass made up the belly and thighs; the legs and feet were made of iron (Daniel 2:31-33). However, the iron of the feet was mingled with clay, making the feet very unstable.
Suddenly a rock (which, notably, was not cut by human hands) smashed the feet of the statue. The figure broke to pieces and “became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer” (verse 35, NIV). Then the rock became a mountain and filled the entire earth.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was rich in symbolism, describing th empires that would dominate that part of the world until Christ’s final return. Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire represented thee statue’s golden head (verses 36-38). Gold was an appropriate representation of this kingdom. Babylon was the greatest city of its time. Its walls were roughly 344 feet high and 86 feet wide, and enclosed nearly 200 square miles of territory.
Nebuchadnezzar exercised complete control over this kingdom (verses 37-38). Yet while Daniel’s description of the king’s magnificent power may have appealed to Nebuchadnezzars pride, Daniel clearly stated that the king ruled at God’s pleasure. God is forever sovereign over all and as Daniel’s vision continued, this reality was made perfectly clear.
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Questions for Application
Why do you think Daniel was careful to note that the king was only as powerful as God allowed him to be?
How is your view of social and political power shaped by the knowledge that God is sovereign over all the powers of the earth?
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B. Only Christ’s Kingdom Endures
Daniel 2:39-45
Despite Nebuchadnezzar’s greatness, Daniel informed him that his kingdom would not (Daniel 2:39-40), a prophecy that came to pass about two decades after Nebuchadnezzar’s death. A
total of three kingdoms would follow, each inferior to the previous. The Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persian symbolised by the arms and chest of silver, an inferior metal. This empire was inferior because its monarch did not hold absolute power. We see this in Daniel 6:15, as the decree of King Darius could not cancel the law sending Daniel to the lions.
Continuing down the statue, the belly and thighs of brass represented the Greek Empire, established by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. This vast empire extended from modern-day India to Yugoslavia. Yet It’s diminished power resulted In rebelllon. In fact, when Alexander dled in 323 BC, the empire broke into four sections.
The Greek Empire was followed by the Roman Empire in the first century BC, with legs of iron foreshadowing the brutality of tne empire. Yet it, too, was inferior to Babylon, and it eventually fell. Out of its collapse grew a succession of weaker states signified by the mixture of clay and iron In the feet. These nations held varying degrees of power and were often short-lived (verses 41-43). We might see such powers embodied in historical figures llke Charlemagne, Napoleon, and Mussolini, among many others.
The Conc|usion of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream brought its climactic declaration, which is
indeed the climactic declaration of all human history (Daniel 2:44-45). A large stone, not cut by human hands, destroys the entire statue, reducing even the precious metals to worthless powder. The power, glory, and authority of government is destroyed, and with it is destroyed the wealth, strength, and sel reliance that forms the foundation of vain human ambition.
In its place will rise a Kingdom that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 and Matthew 26:64 affirm what Daniel 2 declares: This is the coming, eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. His kingdom will come in judgement through dramatic intervention—seen in the giant stone—and it will endure forever. Even when this present world passes away, His kingdom endures. This is the precious hope of all who place their trust in Christ amid the fury and uncertainty of the world today.
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Questions for Application
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What lessons can the statue teach us about political powers in force today?
_How does your life reflect the reality that Jesus Christ is greater than all
powers at work in the world today?_
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Response to the Word
Daniel 2 reminds us that the present world is in disarray and filled with uncertainty. Many around us do not know Christ, and they desperately need the hope that comes through salvation. Ask the Lord to open doors of opportunity, this week, that you might share Christ with someone in need of hope in a chaotic world.
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Call to Discipleship
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Strife and uncertainty create a great deal of stress in our world. As Christians, we have the cure for fear, however. We look forward to a Kingdom that will endure for all eternity. No matter what we might face today, we can find peace and hope in knowing that God is greater than any earthly power, and we can safely place our trust in Him.
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Ministry in Action
Close in a time of prayer for any in the class who are struggling with desperate situations, or have loved ones facing such a struggle. Pray that God will give them peace that He is in control, and is victorious over all other powers.
THIS PUBLICATION IS A PRODUCT OF GENERAL COUNCIL SUNDAY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA