Daniel - Lesson 9

By Stafford North

DANIEL 7

Background Information for the Teacher

Objectives:

1. The student can describe the four animals and the throne of Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 7 with some details of how each appeared.
2. The student can provide the interpretation of each of the animals and the throne.

Preparation:

1. Have a chalkboard or marker board ready if you plan to use it. There is noPowerPoint for this lesson. With the full chart for the students to write on, it would probably be overkill.
2. Have copies of the Review Quiz ready for the beginning of class.
3. Have copies of the worksheet (student chart) ready to hand out at the beginning of the class.
4. Be sure all students have Bibles and pens/pencils.
5. Have cards ready to distribute with all the passages you want someone to read aloud during the lesson.

Theme:

Daniel's prophecy in Chapter 7 tells of four animals arising from the sea and each represents a world empire. He then tells of the coming of one to receive akingdom from the one on the throne. These five kingdoms play a large role as God carries out His plan of salvation.

Lesson Plan for Conducting the Class

Introduction: (about 10 minutes)

1. Call or check the roll. Make necessary class announcements. If you like to start with songs, sing "I Love Thy Kingdom Lord," "Majesty," "O Worship the King."Have a prayer.
2. Go through the Review Quiz and let the students give the answers. All should check their papers as you go. Encourage all to be ready for the Review Quiz over today's lesson to be given next week by using the worksheet.
3. Review the objectives for today's lesson.

Learning Experiences (20 minutes)

1. In beginning Daniel 7 we come to the second part of the book which is primarily prophetic. Daniel often sees visions that include strange animals, unusual time periods, and other figurative expressions that are used in predicting future events. Q: These characteristics indicate that this portion of Daniel may be classified as what type of literature? A: Apocalyptic. Q: What other books of the Bible contain this type of literature? A: Primarily Ezekiel, Zachariah, and Revelation. In this type of literature, we need to look "through" the symbol to the reality which it represents.
2. For our study of the chapters 7 through 12 of Daniel, we will work primarily through charts that will help us get the message intended. For this lesson, our worksheet is a chart with three columns: (1) the picture Daniel sees, (2) what Daniel says it means, and (3) what further history tells us about the meaning. So we will read from Daniel to fill in the first two columns and then use our knowledge of history to fill in the third column.
3. Daniel dates the vision of Chapter 7 at the first year of Belshazzar, which was probably 553 BC. Daniel grounds his receiving of the vision in reality by giving the exact point in time when it was received-the first year of Belshazzar's reign as co-regent with his father Nabonidus.
4. Now look at the handout for this lesson. You will note that the information for the first column has been provided but has a few blanks to fill in. (Teacher—As you teach this portion, ask the students to open their Bibles to the verses given for that part. Then, as you come to each of the blanks in column 1, ask them the words to fill in for that part of the chart. Once column 1 for that portion is completed, then ask what Daniel says about it (column 2) and then what to associate with it from history (column 3). For this portion of the lesson, you should use your completed chart to help the students fill in their incomplete chart.Do this by referring to the scriptures given and by asking the students questions to bring out as much of the information as you can. In dealing with the information that the third animal "had four wings of a bird," for example, you might ask,"What would be indicated by a leopard having wings?" The students might answer "That it could move very fast." You could then ask how that relates to theGrecian Kingdom. What the students do not get be this method, you will need to provide for them from your completed chart as time allows.)
5. When you have the Chapter 7 chart completed, then ask the students to bring out their chart for all the prophecies in Daniel and complete the column for the prophecy in Daniel 7.

Application:

1. Q: How does this prophecy connect with the broad theme of the Bible?
2. Q: What do we learn about God from this lesson?
3. Q: How does this information affect your own personal behavior?

Assignment:

1. Study the handout you have completed to be able to answer questions on theReview Quiz at the next class meeting.
2. Read Daniel 8.

Student Worksheet for Lesson 9: Vision in Daniel 7

Download Worksheets

• Review over Lesson 8
• Lesson 9 Worksheet

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