Leader Guide

Teaching Time

Daniel and his friends were taken as prisoners from their home country and forced to live in Babylon. The king of Babylon ordered Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to eat food from his table. The four men refused to eat the king’s food because it would break God’s Law. It took self-control to resist temptation and do what they knew was right.

God rewarded them for obeying His Law. Daniel and his friends were healthier, and the king found that they were ten times smarter than all of the other servants and even the king’s wise men!

The King of Babylon loved Daniel and wanted him to rule over his kingdom! This made the king’s officials jealous. What does it mean to be jealous? You are unhappy or angry with someone because you want something they have or can do.

The king’s officials did not use self-control! They were jealous and watched Daniel closely. Hold both hands to your eyes and form binoculars with your fingers. Look up, down, and side to side.

They watched, and watched, and watched some more. Each day they tried to catch him breaking a rule. But they could not find even one thing that Daniel did wrong! Daniel obeyed God, and God helped him use self-control and do right in every situation. The king’s officials became even more angry and jealous. Make an angry face.

The evil king’s officials had another idea. Point to side of your head.

They knew every day Daniel opened the windows in his room and prayed to God. Let’s count how many times Daniel prayed together. Hold up one finger and count together as you say the numbers. Not just one time, not even two times, Daniel prayed three times each day to God!

The king’s officials tricked the king to sign a law that said people could only pray to the king of Babylon. Anyone caught breaking this law would be thrown into a den of lions! Can you roar like a lion? Children roar.

Daniel heard about the new law. Do you think he stopped praying? Children answer.

No, he kept praying! Do you think he prayed in secret where no one could see him? Children answer.

Daniel trusted God to protect him, and he prayed at his open window! He resisted the temptation to be angry and say unkind things to the king’s officials or the king. Instead, he used self-control and prayed.

The king’s officials saw Daniel praying. They ran to the king and told him how Daniel broke the new law. Run in place.

The king was sorry that he had been tricked by his officials, but there was nothing he could do to save Daniel from the lions’ den.

The king’s guards pushed the large, heavy stone to open the lion’s den. With both hands, slowly push forward while making a serious, strained face.

Daniel could hear the lions. Place the lion puppet on your hand and open the mouth as you roar.

Open and close the puppet’s mouth as the children they roar with you.

Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den and the heavy stone was pushed over the lion’s den to close it again. Push away the stone again.

The next morning the king ran to the lions’ den. He hoped that Daniel was safe! Run in place.

The stone was pushed away to open the lion’s lions’ den. Push away stone again.

Hold up the lion puppet with the mouth closed as you speak. This time no lion’s roar was heard.

The king shouted, “Daniel, was God able to save you from the lions?”

Daniel shouted, “My God sent His angel to shut the lion’s mouths so that they would not hurt me!”

The king was full of joy that God was able to protect Daniel. Smile big, jump up and down.

The king made a new law that said everyone in his kingdom must honor and worship God!

Conclusion: God sent an angel to control and shut the lions’ mouths. God probably will not open or shut our mouths. We must choose to use self-control to know what to speak and when to speak. Even in a very dangerous time, Daniel used self-control to do what he knew was right. God sent an angel to save Daniel. God sent Jesus to rescue and save us from our sins. He is the only one who can do that! He was with Daniel in the lions’ den, and He is always with you too.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to save us. Please fill us with Your Holy Spirit to help us use self-control in all we say and do, so we can show Your love to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.