Trust in the wisdom of God
key words
biblical reference
Daniel 2
lesson objective
To help the preadolescents learn to trust God’s wisdom
memory verse
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
As a normal part of their development, your students oscillate between the safety of childhood and the emotions of preadolescence and therefore, feel insecure. They seek to identify with their friends and have a place in the group. Since it is difficult for them to think about the consequences of their decisions, it seems easier to be guided by the group and behave like others in order to gain popularity.
As they grow in their knowledge of God, they will understand that he loves them and that divine wisdom can help them when faced with difficult situations. Divine wisdom is available to those who seek it.
In today’s story, they will learn that although Daniel’s life was in danger, he trusted in the wisdom of God.
In these times, preadolescents also face physical threats (for example, in gangs or when there is violence in the home). Others go through situations that threaten their psychological health. For this reason, it is important that through these biblical stories they learn to trust in divine wisdom to face adverse situations.
biblical commentary
Read Daniel chapter 2. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of an important empire. One night, when he went to sleep, God spoke to him through a dream that left him worried and uneasy.
The king asked his whole court for help to know the meaning of that disturbing dream. However, he did not want to describe it. Perhaps he had forgotten the details when he woke up (v. 5), but it is also possible that he did not trust the wisdom of his servants (v. 9).
The wise men of the kingdom recognized that the task was impossible and that only a god could perform such a feat. This set the stage for God to manifest Himself through Daniel.
Faced with the inefficiency of those men, the king reacted with irrationality and ordered the death of all the wise men of the kingdom. In the middle of the crisis, Daniel requested more time to decipher the meaning of the dream. Daniel and his friends trusted that God, in his infinite wisdom, could help them, and so it was.
The dream was a description of world history that would develop from that moment forward. God used the image of an idol to reveal the future to them. And, as Nebuchadnezzar worshiped idols, he could understand the symbolism. That figure represented the deterioration of the kingdoms. Many biblical scholars identify them as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The quality and position of the metals were inferior in each kingdom. Finally, a stone not cut by man’s hand, but by God, would destroy the other kingdoms. Christians affirm that this stone is Christ, and the mountain is the eternal kingdom of God.
Nebuchadnezzar, after understanding and recognizing the greatness of God, gave Daniel and his friends important positions within the kingdom.
introduce the lesson
Who do you trust in?
Discuss with the group the meaning of the word “trust”. Then, ask them if there is a person to whom they would tell a very special secret.
Then ask your students to look at the following situations experienced by preadolescents in general. Students should provide the name of a person they trust when they need help in each situation.
When doing homework
When choosing your clothes for a special occasion.
When deciding what to do when someone hurts your feelings.
To learn something you really want to do.
When deciding if an action is Christian or not.
To know what to do if you fail as a Christian.
When the activity is over, tell the group that in today’s story they will learn what Daniel did when his life was in danger.
teach the lesson
Tell the Bible story in your own words, or with the participation of your students. Ask three volunteers to help you to read Daniel 2:1-26. You will be the narrator, one volunteer will read the part corresponding to Nebuchadnezzar, another will read what the Chaldean astrologers said and the last one will represent Daniel.
When you finish reading these verses, continue with the biblical account. If possible, get five objects or figures to illustrate the king’s dream. As you mention the meaning of the dream, show the class the object that represents the part of the body that is mentioned.
Daniel told the king that in his dream he had seen the image of a man. The head was gold (show the gold object); the chest and arms, silver (show the silver object); the belly and the thighs, of bronze (show the bronze object); the legs were made of iron (show the iron object); and the feet, part iron and part clay (show the clay object).
connect the lesson
Where can you find wisdom?
For this activity, preadolescents need to use the concordance found on Student Activity Sheet #359. If you wish, continue working in pairs to help each other. The purpose is to use the concordance to decide which is the correct reference. They should write the reference inside the parentheses; then look in their Bible for the biblical verses to be sure they correspond to the reference.
practice the memory verse
Have the children form a circle and you stand in the center with a soft item such as a plastic ball. When you throw the item/ ball to one of them, they must say the memory verse (Hebrews 12:1). Help those who have problems memorizing it. Repeat the game until everyone has participated.
wrap-up
Pray
Pray giving thanks to God for the blessing of having his help and wisdom in the moments when we need them.
Encourage
Encourage the students to continue to reflect on having God’s help and wisdom in the moments when we need them. Then, conclude the lesson asking: Do you ask God to give you wisdom before deciding something very important?
Invite
Encourage the students to attend the next session by telling them something of interest about it. Remind them to welcome visitors. Say goodbye by repeating the memory verse.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™