Old Testament Heroes: Daniel, Week 1

This year in FamilyQuest we’ll be looking at some Old Testament heroes of the faith. We’ll see how God took flawed human beings and accomplished great things while showing many, including us, just who He is. These famous heroes faced many hard choices and had to trust God to do miraculous things. We pray that as you study these real, live heroes your families will be encouraged that you, too, can trust God to do the big things that seem impossible to us.

In this unit we'll be learning more about Daniel. Daniel did and saw many amazing things in his life, but he never forgot about the One, True God who had loved and saved His people time and time again. Though he risked death, over and over we see Daniel standing up for God in a world that didn't believe in God. Daniel showed respect for authority while also refusing to turn his back on God. His life seems so appropriate for the age in which we live, doesn't it?

This week we have a devotion for you from our Minister to Students, Weston Noyes:

Daniel

Who was he?

Daniel is one of the most popular characters in the Bible. With his famous encounter with King Nebuchadnezzar to being put in the Lion’s Den, Daniel teaches us about the faithfulness that we should all have in God. If God was faithful to Daniel then, He will be faithful to us now.

What happened to him?

Daniel was thrown through various trials throughout his lifetime. There are a couple of specific events to look at to see what Daniel was going through.

1. The Fiery Furnace
1. Read Daniel 3:19-28
1. In this passage we see that three men had trusted that God was the only thing worth worshiping. Due to their lack of worship of Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol they then faced the fiery furnace. Once in the furnace they did not burn as expected. Instead there appeared to be another individual inside the furnace with them. In this moment God showed that He was with His people even when facing persecution. The application is that God is with us now. There may be times that it feels as if He is not there but the truth of the matter is that He is here now. As believers we have to trust that God is near us both in the good times and in the bad.
2. The Lion’s Den
1. Read Daniel 6:1-23
1. In this passage we see Daniel trusting God even when men were attempting to kill him. We learn two distinct truths from this passage. The first is the faith of Daniel. Even when in times of trouble he trusted that God was going to be with him. The second is that God is more powerful than anyone who stands against. These men are obviously trying to have the king get rid of Daniel but that was not what God’s plan was. God was working a good plan even when man was working an evil one. The lesson that is learned is that God’s plan always prevails. No matter what man plans God’s plan will always be accomplished.

Where do you fit into God’s plan? How have you seen God working in messy situations? How can we better trust that God is working a good plan even when times are hard?