Parent Pages Week 18
PARENTS’ PAGE LESSON 18: God Watches Over Daniel / Daniel in Exile Timeless Truth: The Lord’s plans don’t harm, but bring hope and success.
Bible Basis: Key Verse: Daniel 6:1-23; Jeremiah 30:1-3, 8, 10-11, 31:23-25, 29:10-14
“[Daniel] went to his room three times a day to pray. He got down on his knees and gave thanks to his God,” (Daniel 6:10).
Get the Point:
Preschool: Daniel is loyal to God and God protects him. I can be loyal to God.
Elementary: Daniel is loyal to God and God protects him. I can be loyal to God.
Middle School/High School: God’s loving protection and godly relationships carry me through trying times. High School: God’s loving protection and godly relationships carry me through trying times.
Table Talk
Preschool/Elementary
• Daniel followed God’s rules, instead of the king’s, and got in trouble. Have you ever got in
trouble for doing the right thing? If so, what happened?
• Daniel prayed even though he knew it could cost him his life. What are some things you pray
about?
• Daniel’s punishment for praying to God was to be thrown into the lions’ den. Everybody take
turns doing their best lion’s roar (even parents). Who protected Daniel from the lions?
• King Darius knew Daniel served God. The king even said, “You always serve your God
faithfully. So may he save you” (Daniel 6:16). Daniel showed King Darius true faith in God with his actions (by praying and trusting him for protection) without saying a word. What are some actions you can take to show others you serve the one true God?
• Note: Young readers will enjoy hearing Daniel’s story in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 152.
Middle/High School
• Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (or Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
were taken from Judah and brought to Babylon. But they refused to give up God’s rules and follow new customs. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to abandon God’s standards to fit in?
• Daniel and his friends ate vegetables and drank water, instead of eating the king’s food. What happened?
• How else did Daniel and his friends stand out?
• Do you think Daniel was a goody-two-shoes?
• Is always doing things God’s way a bad thing? If not, why is it so hard to make the decision to
always follow God?
• How was Daniel able to make the decision to always follow God?
Living Faith
Daniel was forced to have a sleepover with some hairy, scary friends. Follow his example—sort of—by planning a family sleepover. You can do it in your bedroom, or in a living or family room. Pick either a Friday or Saturday night and plan ahead to make it fun. At the beginning you can pray, “God you protected Daniel during his sleepover with the lions, and we know you’ll be with us tonight, too. Amen.” Try these ideas or make up some of your own to create some family memories.
• Play “Simon Says.”
• Play one of your kids’ favorite board games.
• Put together a puzzle.
• Rent a kids’ video and make popcorn.
• Have everybody write down a tongue twister (or make one up). Fold up each paper and put it
in a hat. Take turns drawing one and trying to say the tongue twister five times fast.
• Play charades. Have family members act out the title to a favorite song, movie or TV show.
• Hide the thimble. Take turns hiding a thimble (or other small object) in the room with nobody
looking. As everybody searches, the “hider” gives clues by saying, “You’re getting warmer” (if a person is close to finding it) or “You’re getting colder” (if a person is going the wrong direction).
• Share characteristics of each person that you appreciate.
• Make a yummy dessert or snack as a family.
Go to bed a little later than normal (for younger kids); then wake up in the morning, cook breakfast and clean up as a family.
Extra Mile
God’s protecting angels show up a couple of times during this chapter of The Story. First, when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are thrown into the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar sees four people in the flames—instead of three. He exclaims, “The fourth man looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). Then when Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den, he tells King Darius, “My God sent his angel. And his angel shut the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:21).
• Do you think God sends his protecting angels today?
Watch the 1:30 video, “Who are our guardian angels?” on YouTube.com
Angels are specially created beings by God. They serve the wishes of their heavenly father. Look at these other verses about angels: Exodus 14:19-20 (with Moses and Israelites fleeing Egypt); Judges 6:12-22 (with Gideon); Matthew 2:13-20 (with Joseph, to help protect the baby Jesus). God’s angels are mentioned throughout the Bible!
Bible Basis: Key Verse: Daniel 6:1-23; Jeremiah 30:1-3, 8, 10-11, 31:23-25, 29:10-14
“[Daniel] went to his room three times a day to pray. He got down on his knees and gave thanks to his God,” (Daniel 6:10).
Get the Point:
Preschool: Daniel is loyal to God and God protects him. I can be loyal to God.
Elementary: Daniel is loyal to God and God protects him. I can be loyal to God.
Middle School/High School: God’s loving protection and godly relationships carry me through trying times. High School: God’s loving protection and godly relationships carry me through trying times.
Table Talk
Preschool/Elementary
• Daniel followed God’s rules, instead of the king’s, and got in trouble. Have you ever got in
trouble for doing the right thing? If so, what happened?
• Daniel prayed even though he knew it could cost him his life. What are some things you pray
about?
• Daniel’s punishment for praying to God was to be thrown into the lions’ den. Everybody take
turns doing their best lion’s roar (even parents). Who protected Daniel from the lions?
• King Darius knew Daniel served God. The king even said, “You always serve your God
faithfully. So may he save you” (Daniel 6:16). Daniel showed King Darius true faith in God with his actions (by praying and trusting him for protection) without saying a word. What are some actions you can take to show others you serve the one true God?
• Note: Young readers will enjoy hearing Daniel’s story in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 152.
Middle/High School
• Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (or Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
were taken from Judah and brought to Babylon. But they refused to give up God’s rules and follow new customs. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to abandon God’s standards to fit in?
• Daniel and his friends ate vegetables and drank water, instead of eating the king’s food. What happened?
• How else did Daniel and his friends stand out?
• Do you think Daniel was a goody-two-shoes?
• Is always doing things God’s way a bad thing? If not, why is it so hard to make the decision to
always follow God?
• How was Daniel able to make the decision to always follow God?
Living Faith
Daniel was forced to have a sleepover with some hairy, scary friends. Follow his example—sort of—by planning a family sleepover. You can do it in your bedroom, or in a living or family room. Pick either a Friday or Saturday night and plan ahead to make it fun. At the beginning you can pray, “God you protected Daniel during his sleepover with the lions, and we know you’ll be with us tonight, too. Amen.” Try these ideas or make up some of your own to create some family memories.
• Play “Simon Says.”
• Play one of your kids’ favorite board games.
• Put together a puzzle.
• Rent a kids’ video and make popcorn.
• Have everybody write down a tongue twister (or make one up). Fold up each paper and put it
in a hat. Take turns drawing one and trying to say the tongue twister five times fast.
• Play charades. Have family members act out the title to a favorite song, movie or TV show.
• Hide the thimble. Take turns hiding a thimble (or other small object) in the room with nobody
looking. As everybody searches, the “hider” gives clues by saying, “You’re getting warmer” (if a person is close to finding it) or “You’re getting colder” (if a person is going the wrong direction).
• Share characteristics of each person that you appreciate.
• Make a yummy dessert or snack as a family.
Go to bed a little later than normal (for younger kids); then wake up in the morning, cook breakfast and clean up as a family.
Extra Mile
God’s protecting angels show up a couple of times during this chapter of The Story. First, when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are thrown into the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar sees four people in the flames—instead of three. He exclaims, “The fourth man looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). Then when Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den, he tells King Darius, “My God sent his angel. And his angel shut the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:21).
• Do you think God sends his protecting angels today?
Watch the 1:30 video, “Who are our guardian angels?” on YouTube.com
Angels are specially created beings by God. They serve the wishes of their heavenly father. Look at these other verses about angels: Exodus 14:19-20 (with Moses and Israelites fleeing Egypt); Judges 6:12-22 (with Gideon); Matthew 2:13-20 (with Joseph, to help protect the baby Jesus). God’s angels are mentioned throughout the Bible!