Daniel
LESSON #1 FAITHFUL IN BABYLON (Daniel 1, 6)
TRUTH:
If I faithfully refuse what is wrong and continue doing what is right, even under pressure, then God will strengthen and bless me.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
It’s easy to get a fire in the bones for teaching Daniel because one of the great principles of his life is universal in its relevance and application. Daniel shows us two different kinds of courage required to remain faithful. Sometimes faithfulness means refusing something we know we shouldn’t do and sometimes it means continuing to do something that we know we should. And both can become difficult when the people around us have different expectations. Our students face those choices in their friendships, their workplaces, their families, and their private lives. Hopefully, this lesson will help them recognize a specific choice they can make and feel that the Lord can help them to make it.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
For this lesson, we’re going to bring together two moments from Daniel’s life. We won’t be trying to teach both stories in their entirety, especially since most of your students will probably already be somewhat familiar with the content of these stories. So instead, with our limited time, we’ll focus on the choices he makes and what those choices can teach us.
The setting of these stories is what’s really key in this lesson. Both take place after the Babylonian conquest of Judah and Jerusalem. Daniel has been taken “captive” into the capital city of Babylon and the king’s palace. But he’s treated fairly well there, not really like a prisoner. And what’s happening to him is a great example of an Old-World technique that empires used to rule their conquered territories. It was a means of securing allegiances and unifying a diverse kingdom together. It goes something like this. You conquer a nation, and then you select a number of gifted, noble, young people from the population, and you bring them into your own country and culture. There, you treat them well, educate them, feed them, and immerse them in your society and language. Then, when they’re older, and the former generation of their people begin to die out, you place these more loyal, integrated subjects into positions of authority over the conquered territory. Then you have allies within that nation, and you can more easily control and assimilate that nation to your liking. So keep that in mind with these two stories, the kings in them are basically trying to turn Daniel into a Babylonian by buying his loyalty, in a sense. They encourage him to live like a Babylonian, to think like a Babylonian, and worship like a Babylonian. Daniel is a believer trying to live his faith while surrounded by the influence of a very different world. So Daniel is going to teach us how to live in the world, but not of it. A very relevant principle.
So in chapter 1, Daniel (and also Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but we’ll focus more on them in the third lesson) are receiving training for service in the king’s court and there is substantial pressure to adapt. The main temptation presented here is Daniel is being offered to eat of the king’s meat and “meat” in this passage refers to the king’s food or provisions. Now we know that Jewish people live under a very strict dietary law. There were certain animals that they were not to eat. Pork for example. And, the meat that they were permitted to eat was to be killed and prepared in a very specific way. Practicing Jews continue to live those laws today. Their food must be kosher before they eat it. So the pressure here is to eat the king’s meat and wine. Or, more generally speaking—to partake of something forbidden by God.
The key expression, for me, in this first account is that Daniel “purposed in his heart.” In other words, Daniel had already made up his mind as to what he would do if put into that situation. Purposed means “decided to” or “resolved” that this is what he was going to do. The decision was made BEFORE the temptation had ever taken place.
Then notice what he does with that resolve. He makes a request and proposes an alternative. There’s conviction here, but there’s also courtesy. We don’t need to make Daniel confrontational to make him courageous. But there is a real threat to consider here. There are possible dire consequences to showing this resolve. In 1:10 we found that their heads would be endangered if they show up before the king looking malnourished or weak because they aren’t eating the king’s food. But Daniel and the others convince the servant in charge of them to trust them and to feed them “pulse” or vegetables for 10 days instead, and to just wait and see what the results are. And what happens as a result of their experiment? In verse 15, they were fairer and fatter in flesh. Verse 17, They had great knowledge, skill in learning, wisdom, understanding. Verse 19 tells us that there was none like them and verse 20 that they were ten times better than all the rest.
Then chapter 6 takes us to a much later period. Daniel is now a senior official under Darius, and his opponents sneakily arrange a decree restricting petitions or prayers offered to anyone other than the king for thirty days under penalty of death. Continuing his prayers now carries a serious consequence. And what does Daniel do? He continues praying, with the windows open. And the phrase I’d especially want our students to notice is “as he did aforetime.” I don’t think Daniel deliberately went home and opened his windows and prayed so that everyone would see him. I believe that he probably just went ahead and did what he usually did. He wasn’t going to do anything different or out of the ordinary. And his enemies just knew where he often prayed and lay in wait to get him. Daniel refused to compromise his values. And that gives us a strong teaching point: faithfulness includes the good things we continue doing even when they become uncomfortable or costly.
Now, our central truth also includes a blessing: God will strengthen and bless us. In the second story, Daniel is famously protected from the lions by angels. Well, God can send us angels too! He can deliver us from all kinds of dangers. He can deliver us from the lions of pain, the lions of trial and adversity. He can deliver us from the lions of sorrow, persecution, discouragement, hopelessness, and loneliness if we just put our trust in him. And perhaps most importantly, when we show our faith in him, Christ will always deliver us from the jaws of the adversary. Satan’s mouth will be shut up before us. We will not be consumed by the world or evil. We too can receive “no manner of hurt” upon us from that enemy of enemies. Now, we should be careful to distinguish that strengthening help from a promise that every difficult situation will end as Daniel’s did. We’re not promising our students that everyone will approve of their choices or that obedience will remove every danger. But what we are teaching them is to rely on God as they choose faithfulness and God will step forward to help and bless them.
So that’s the movement of this lesson:
Purpose in your heart. Refuse what is wrong. Continue what is right. And rely on God’s help and blessings.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 2 min
For an icebreaker, you could do this quick story unscramble. The story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den is one of the most well-known stories we find in the Old Testament, and it shouldn’t take them long to put the details of the story together. You could just do it together as a class or you could give it to them as a handout and challenge them to be the first to identify the correct sequence. The correct answer to this challenge would be F, C, B, A, D, E. What I like about this activity is that it gives your students a chance to review the story quickly and do something that’s a little more interactive to begin the lesson.
You can then transition to the scriptures by telling your students that today you’ll be looking at two key stories from the life of Daniel that illustrate, from two different angles, an important principle regarding living IN the world, without becoming OF the world. One of those stories is the one we just reviewed with the activity, and the other comes much earlier in Daniel’s life when he was a young man living in the king of Babylon’s palace.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Time: 2 min
But first Daniel 6. We won’t have time to go into all the details of the story, but we do want to examine the highlights. First of all, explain the context of Daniel’s enemies laying a trap for him by convincing the king to sign a decree outlawing anyone from praying to anybody other than the king himself. The pressure here is for Daniel to stop doing something that he knows is right: prayer. So I would ask my students this:What are some of the things the world would have us NOT do that God has commanded us TO DO?
Some possible answers: Believe in things that we can’t see or prove. Heed the words of prophets and church leaders. Keep the Sabbath Day holy. Actively do missionary work. Pray. Demonstrate our faith publicly.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:Time: 3 min
Then invite them to read verse 10 with this question in mind:
How is Daniel a good example of what we can do when placed in these circumstances?
Invite them to share their responses. I would be sure to help them understand that he does it anyway. He doesn’t bend to the will of the world. He prays with the windows open. Now I would explain that I don’t think that he deliberately opened his windows, but that he just went on doing what he always did, “as he did aforetime.” We can do the same, we can live our faith with the windows open. Not be ashamed to allow our beliefs to be seen. To not be ashamed to ask an employer for Sundays off to keep the Sabbath Day Holy. To not be ashamed to be caught studying our scriptures or praying. To not be ashamed to do missionary work. To not be ashamed to let people know what we believe and stand for.
TEACHER SUMMARY:
Time: 1 minThen, as a teacher I would summarize the rest of the story and point out the results. Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den where he is protected by an angel. And “no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.” God can do the same kinds of things for us as we stand up to do what’s right. He can provide us with strength and protection.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 5 min
Now tell your class that you’re going to look at another story about Daniel where he is going to need a different kind of courage. Give your class the brief setting for chapter 1 where Daniel is living away from his homeland and receiving training in the king’s household. But in verse 5, Daniel is offered something that conflicts with his devotion to God. He’s offered the king’s meat, which would have been against the dietary laws set forth in the Law of Moses that Daniel believes in. Ask your students:
How is this pressure different from the pressure Daniel faced in chapter 6?
And they should get it. In chapter 6, Daniel felt pressure to stop doing something that he knew was right. Here, he’s feeling pressure to start doing something that he knows is wrong. We too will likely face both kinds of pressures.
So invite your students to read Daniel 1:8–13, looking for one thing:
How is Daniel a good example of what we should do when we are offered things of the world that we know are wrong?
After reading, ask them what they noticed and allow a few short observations.
The expression I’d especially draw out is “purposed in his heart.” You could invite them to mark it. Daniel had already made up his mind as to what he would do if put into that situation. Purposed means “decided to” or “resolved” that this is what he was going to do. The decision was made BEFORE the temptation had ever taken place. Therefore, he refuses to partake of something that he knows is wrong.
You also might want to make the point that Daniel wasn’t obnoxious or prideful about his refusal. In fact, he’s very respectful with the servant that’s over him. He requests permission and proposes an alternative. You might say, “Sometimes we picture courage as a dramatic confrontation. But a calm, respectful refusal can take a great deal of courage too. We can be clear about what we believe without being unkind to the person we’re speaking to.”
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Time: 2 min
Then a quick discussion question to help our students make a connection to similar circumstances we might face today. So ask:
What are some examples of “the king’s meat” for us? Things that we are asked by God not to partake of?
Possible answers: Alcohol, tobacco products, illegal drugs, pornography, gambling, inappropriate media, etc.
Then make the point that we too can react in those moments like Daniel did. Purpose in our hearts that we will not defile ourselves with such things. And respectfully, reject them.
TEACHER SUMMARY:
Time: 2 minThen I suggest you summarize the remainder of the story and highlight the results of Daniel’s decision. In verse 15, after the 10-day experiment, they were fairer and fatter in flesh. Verse 17, They had great knowledge, skill in learning, wisdom, understanding. Verse 19 tells us that there was none like them and verse 20 that they were ten times better than all the rest.
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Time: 4 Min
To help your students take this lesson to heart, invite them to do the following activity.
Say: “Now think about your circumstances. Is there something you need to refuse? Or is there something good you need to continue—or begin doing again?”
Then display these two statements:
With the Lord’s help, I will refuse…
With the Lord’s help, I will continue or begin again…
Invite them to choose the statement they most need and complete it privately. They can write both, but one meaningful decision is enough.
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2 Min
Then display the takeaway slide and say something like this:
“In this first picture, Daniel’s faithfulness requires a refusal. In the second, it requires him to continue something good. And we’ll face both kinds of choices. There may be something you need to decline, a boundary you need to maintain, or a situation you need to leave. There may also be a prayer you need to offer, a commitment you need to keep, or an act of kindness you need to continue. As you think about the decision that you’ve resolved to act on today, remember that you can ask the Lord to help you carry it out. He can give you strength as you take that next faithful step. So purpose in your heart. Refuse what is wrong. Keep doing what is right. And rely on God’s help.”
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
CROSS REFERENCE:
A great cross reference you might consider sharing as a part of this lesson would be to take your students to Matthew 5:14-16 where Jesus taught:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
That matches well with Daniel’s resolve to pray with the windows open. He wasn’t ashamed to let his light shine and to let men see his good works.
QUOTE:
A quote you might share is this one from President Thomas S. Monson:“Courage comes in many forms. Wrote the Christian author Charles Swindoll: ‘Courage is not limited to the battlefield … or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are inner tests, like remaining faithful when no one’s looking, … like standing alone when you’re misunderstood’ [Hal Urban, Choices That Change Lives (2006), 122]. I would add that this inner courage also includes doing the right thing even though we may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of friends or of social status. He who stands steadfastly for that which is right must risk becoming at times disapproved and unpopular.”
(“Be Strong and of a Good Courage,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 67)
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES ACTIVITY (WHICH KIND OF COURAGE?):For a quick application activity, remind your students of Daniel 1 type courage: the courage to refuse something that is wrong. And Daniel 6 type courage: Doing or continuing something right despite pressure to stop.
So as the teacher, read the following situations and have students identify which of the two kinds of courage is needed there.
1. Some friends offer you alcohol. When you decline, they say, “Come on. One drink won’t hurt.”Daniel 1: Courage to refuse.
2. People in your group make fun of someone for believing in God. You’re deciding whether to acknowledge that you believe in Him too.Daniel 6: Courage to express your faith.
3. A coworker asks you to change a few numbers on a report, so your team’s results look better. “Everybody does it,” they explain.Daniel 1: Courage to refuse dishonesty.
4. Your friends ridicule someone who’s regularly left out. You want to invite that person to sit with you, but you know your friends may criticize you.Daniel 6: Courage to include someone.
5. Someone starts sharing inappropriate pictures in a group chat.
Daniel 1: Courage to refuse participation.
6. You’ve committed to attend church, but someone pressures you to skip it for another activity and makes you feel foolish for keeping that commitment.Daniel 6: Courage to continue worshipping.
You could conclude by asking: “Which kind of courage might you need this week?”
LESSON #2 A KINGDOM THAT WILL STAND FOREVER (Daniel 2)
TRUTH:
Because God’s kingdom will endure, I can help build it with confidence and hope.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Now, one thing I love about Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in Daniel chapter 2 is the perspective it gives us on the work that we’re all a part of as members of Christ’s restored Church in the latter-days. Most of our contributions to the kingdom happen in fairly ordinary ways. We teach a class, help someone understand the gospel, minister to a family, or invite someone to learn more about the restored Gospel. And you know, sometimes we wonder whether those efforts are making much of a difference. Daniel 2 helps us see that our service belongs to something much larger than what we can observe today. God has established a kingdom that will endure forever. No more general apostasy between now and the Second Coming. The restored kingdom will endure, even through opposition and setbacks. Hopefully, our students will leave this lesson with greater confidence in the future of this great work we’re all a part of and a renewed willingness to continue contributing to it.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Daniel chapter 2 begins with a troubled Babylonian king and a demand his wise men can’t meet. King Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream that he doesn’t understand. But he’s kind of tired of his astrologers and soothsayers just kind of feeding him prophetic garbage, so to speak. So he requires them to disclose not just the interpretation of his dream, but the content of the dream itself. And he goes so far as to threaten the lives of all of his prophetic advisors, Daniel included, if no one is able to interpret the dream. So quite the challenge here. Daniel therefore seeks the Lord’s help and receives the content and interpretation of the king’s dream through revelation. So, he goes before the king, reveals the dream and its interpretation to him, gives God the credit, and then Daniel and all of the wise men are saved.
Now that’s the story behind this chapter, but for this particular lesson, I’d summarize that part of it briefly. Where we really want to spend our time here is on the vision itself and what it teaches us about God’s kingdom. Because the implications of the dream are directly relevant to us in the latter-days. In the king’s dream, he sees a great image, a giant statue made of all kinds of different materials. Daniel explains that the different parts of the statue represent the different kingdoms and civilizations that would subsequently rule the ancient world. From top to bottom they symbolize the order of conquering civilizations in the old world. The golden head represented Babylon. The silver chest represented Persia that would take over the Babylonian kingdom within Daniel’s lifetime. The belly of brass would be Greece, the iron legs, Rome, and the feet of iron and clay would be the divided countries and nations of Europe and the world after the fall of Rome. But in a more general sense, the statue represents worldly power. The power of man. So a statue is a good symbol for that, isn’t it. It’s man-made and shaped in the image of a man. And that image appears magnificent and powerful, just as the power of man can seem intimidating and insurmountable. Yet it’s destroyed. In the dream, a little stone is cut out of a mountain “without hands”, and it begins to roll down the mountain towards the image. But as it rolls, it’s like a snowball effect. It gets bigger and bigger as it rolls until it finally smashes into the statue, destroying it, then continues to roll until it eventually fills the entire earth with its bulk.
So if the statue represents the power of man, what is the stone ? What does it represent?
Daniel 2:44-45 tells us.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
So what’s the stone? It’s the restored church and latter-day kingdom of Zion. In that sense, maybe they should have called the official Church magazine, “Rolling Stone” magazine. Right? That would definitely be appropriate. But I’m afraid that’s already been taken by another industry. But that prophecy is certainly coming true. What started so small in 1830 has continued to grow exponentially since then. The fact that it’s a stone cut “without hands” is significant, because the Church of Jesus Christ was not created by the hands of men, but by God. Its growth and destiny is inevitable and unstoppable.
Doctrine and Covenants section 65 gives us that official “Restoration” connection. It explicitly joins the stone imagery with the restored Church of Jesus Christ rolling forth and growing in the latter-days. And to me, one of the great applications of this vision is the confidence that it can give us in the future of Christ’s restored church and our part in its growth. Sometimes it might seem like the kingdoms of the world are winning. They’re like giant, imposing statues that seem permanent. But the vision explains how this will eventually work. The Church will start small, but it will grow throughout the world, as it rolls forth through the latter-days. And from 1830 to now, it has done just that. It has grown incredibly quickly from a small handful of Saints in 1830 to millions worldwide in less than 200 years. We get to be a part of that rolling forward momentum. The Church is growing, and will continue to do so until one day, it will fill the world! That’s inspiring.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 4 min
For an icebreaker, I like to measure out a 14 by 14-foot square in the middle of my classroom and tell my students the story of the prophecy that Joseph Smith makes in the little log schoolhouse in Kirtland. I ask them to imagine Joseph making that prophecy when the entire priesthood leadership of the church could fit into a space that size. What was the prophecy? Wilford Woodruff describes what happened:
"On Sunday night the Prophet called on all who held the priesthood to gather into the little log schoolhouse they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet square. But it held the whole of the priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who were then in the town of Kirtland, and who had gathered together to go off in Zion's camp. That was the first time I ever saw Oliver Cowdery or heard him speak; the first time I ever saw Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, and the two Pratts, and Orson Hyde and many others. There were no apostles in the Church then except Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. When we got together the Prophet called upon the elders of Israel with him to bear testimony of this work. Those that I have named spoke, and a good many that I have not named, bore their testimonies. When they got through the Prophet said: "Brethren I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it." I was rather surprised. He said: "It is only a little handful of priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church . . .[will fill the Rocky Mountains] . . . It will fill North and South America-it will fill the world."
Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, p 57, April 8, 1898
After reading that story, I ask:
If you’d been sitting in that little room, what would have made that declaration remarkable?
And to me, when you think about it, what an incredibly bold statement for Joseph to make under those circumstances. When the church was so small, to make a prophecy of global proportions is really something. They’re hearing about a worldwide future while packed into a small 14 by 14-foot structure.
Then transition:
“Centuries earlier, Daniel interpreted a dream that revealed something about the future of God’s kingdom. And it also asked people to look beyond what seemed powerful or important at the moment.”
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 8 Min
Give your class the brief background concerning Nebuchadnezzar and his dream and then put two headings on the board:
THE IMAGE andTHE STONE
Then invite your students to read Daniel 2:31–35, looking for this contrast:
How is each described, and what happens to each?
Read the verses together and allow a moment for students to identify what they notice.
Under THE IMAGE, you could record things like :
Impressive appearance. Different materials. Broken and carried away.
Under THE STONE, write:
Cut without hands. Becomes a mountain. Grows. Breaks the image. Fills the earth.
Now you could ask if anyone knows what the statue represents? If not, briefly summarize verses 36-43, and explain that Daniel identifies the image with the successive earthly empires and the power of man. But where we really want to spend our time is on the interpretation of the stone.
Now have students read Daniel 2:44–45, looking for what it represents and any additional information we learn about it:
And the answers. We discover that the stone represents the kingdom of God and under THE STONE we can add the phrases “Never be destroyed,” “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,” and “stand forever.”
LIKENING THE SCRIPTURESTime: 4 minutes
Then, our next task is to help our students connect that ancient vision with our day.
So ask:
Has this prophecy been fulfilled? What’s “the kingdom of God”? And whether a student identifies this, or you do as the teacher, make sure they understand that it’s the Church. The stone is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
And we know that’s the interpretation because the Doctrine and Covenants explicitly makes that connection. You can take them to section 65:2 and ask a student to read it.
That verse connects the keys of God’s kingdom on earth with the restored gospel going forth until it fills the whole earth.
You might ask: What’s the significance of the stone being cut “without hands?”
They should identify that it means the Church is not the work of men, but the work of God. And he has invited us to be a part of it. We have the privilege of helping that stone to grow and roll forward. And how do we do that?
One final search question. Invite them to take a look at verses 4–5 and ask: What specific actions can we take to help the stone roll forward?
They should identify: pray, call upon the Lord, and make His works known to others. Meaning, do missionary work. Pray that his work will go forth, and prepare yourself for his coming. Those are specific things we can do to help the stone roll and grow.
And here is where I’d display the TRUTH slide:
Because God’s kingdom will endure, I can help build it with confidence and hope.
Then to make the application more reassuring and practical you can say:
“Sometimes our part may seem small. Sometimes earthly powers may seem intimidating and unassailable. But with each member doing their part, this vision gives us the assurance that God’s kingdom will grow and eventually overcome all worldly power.” I’d be careful here to acknowledge that confidence in the kingdom doesn’t mean every effort turns out the way we hope. People still have agency. Some invitations are declined. Some growth takes time. But those realities don’t make our faithful service meaningless.
I WILL GO AND DO:
So for an “I will Go and Do” invite your students to consider the following challenge:
What might you do this week to help God’s kingdom go forward?
Then you can give them a number of suggestions to consider. And these are ways we could act on the invitations found in section 65.
Pray for someone by name. Ask the Lord to help someone to receive the gospel and show you how you could support them.
Share one of God’s wonderful works. Tell someone about an answered prayer, a blessing, or an experience that strengthened your faith in Christ.
Help someone feel welcome. Reach out to a person who’s new, attending alone, or returning to church.
Prepare yourself more fully for the Savior. Choose a change you need to make, and take your first step through prayer and repentance.
TAKEAWAY:
To conclude, show the takeaway slide and then I always like to end by returning back to the prophecy made by Joseph Smith in that little log schoolhouse. So I say something like this:
“Do you know what I would really love to know? I would like to know what Joseph Smith saw that night in that little log schoolhouse in Kirtland. What was the vision that he had of the church? Obviously, it extended far beyond those current circumstances. Did he see our day? Was that what he was looking at? The incredible size and growth of the Church in 2026? But, I wonder what would happen if Joseph came to my ward this Sunday and we held a testimony meeting. Maybe we would get up and testify of how amazing the progress of the church has been since his day. Maybe we would triumphantly testify of a conference center filled with priesthood holders, or 17 million members, or 300 temples, or 88,000 full-time missionaries, or the fact that we have congregations in 160 different countries worldwide. Now I’m not sure, but I just wonder if Joseph would then walk up to the pulpit and say, “Brethren and Sisters, I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here today, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it. This church will fill the world.” What did he see that night? Maybe far beyond what we can even fathom now. Did he see 50 million members? 500,000 missionaries? 1,000 temples? Congregations in every single country on the planet? I don’t know, but I imagine we would be very surprised if we could tap into that vision from that night in a little 14 by 14-foot log schoolhouse in the obscure town of Kirtland Ohio in 1834.”
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
VIDEO:
A fun video you could show to your students is the following called: “The Gospel Shall Roll Forth”. It depicts the growth of the Church by temples and stakes from the restoration of the Church in 1830 up until 2017. Now it would be great if it proceeded all the way to 2026 especially with all the temples announced during President Nelson’s administration. But you could mention that after watching and just have them consider how many more temples have been announced since that video was made. Certainly another testament to the power of that stone continuing to roll forth, just within the last decade!https://wTww.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2018-07-0001-the-gospel-shall-roll-forth?lang=eng
QUOTE:
A quote I might consider sharing during this lesson would be the following from the prophet Joseph Smith. He said:“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 142)
HANDOUT:
If you have time, you could include this secret phrase handout activity. It helps your students to identify all the phrases that describe the stone in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The secret phrase reveals what the stone represents. So the final phrase is “The Restored Church of Jesus Christ”
LESSON #3 BUT IF NOT (Daniel 3)
TRUTH:
Faith in Jesus Christ means trusting and following Him even when things don’t turn out as we hope.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Now, I imagine most of our students are going to have something that they’re hoping the Lord will help them with. Something they’re praying will change, improve, or work out. And sometimes it does. But what happens to our faith when it doesn’t? Or when we’re still waiting for God’s help? This account gives us a powerful picture of faith in just such circumstances. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believe God can deliver them. But their devotion to Him doesn’t depend on receiving that deliverance. Hopefully, we can help our students see that they can bring their deepest hopes to the Savior and keep following Him even while the outcome remains uncertain. Helping my students to understand that principle gives me a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are Israelites living and serving in a kingdom whose religious expectations differ from their own. They, like Daniel, are trying to live like Israelites in a Babylonian world. In fact, those aren’t even their real names. Those were their Babylonian names. Their Hebrew names are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Which, I imagine they’d prefer to be known by their Hebrew names, knowing what we know about them. We got to see Daniel’s strength and courage in the face of worldly power in chapters 1 and 6, but in Daniel chapter 3, it’s Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah who take the spotlight here. And it’s such a good story.
King Nebuchadnezzar erects a giant golden statue, 90 feet tall and commands everyone assembled to worship it when the music sounds. And this is decreed as a public expectation with a public consequence. Refuse to worship at the sound of the music, and you’ll be thrown into a fiery furnace.
So what will Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah do? Verse 12 reveals that they refuse to bow. Now I want you to picture that for just a moment. Can you just see those three boys standing while everyone else is bowed to the ground. In that situation, they couldn’t help but stand out. In this situation, it would be painfully obvious to everyone present that they were defying the king’s order. Even in a crowd of thousands, if everyone is bowing except just three, you’re not going to be able to hide that.
I love that resolve and conviction. These were young men who were not afraid to stand up, and stand out, regardless of the consequences. And there are real consequences to consider here. They know their refusal could cost them their lives. And that’s where the relevance of this story really hits. Standing for what’s right in our day can also carry real consequences. Now thankfully, it’s not typically going to require your life, but there are consequences. Choosing what’s right can bring criticism, exclusion, or lost opportunities. But we too can “STAND UP” for what we believe which can be a very difficult thing to do in these kinds of situations. When you know that everyone else is going to realize it. That it won’t remain hidden. I believe it’s easier to believe or do certain things in private, or to keep your religion to yourself. But what do we do when we’re placed into a situation where we can’t just fade into the background. When our values come face to face with those of the world. Those are the moments when we need to have Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah type courage.
But, you know, we’ve already explored that idea of resisting worldly pressure in Lesson #1 with the two examples from Daniel. You could teach the same principle here if you liked, but here, we have an opportunity to move toward a deeper question: Will my commitment to God depend on whether He protects me from the consequences?
Because, as expected, the three are brought before the king to explain themselves. And their answer to the king in light of the threat of imminent death is phenomenal.
Their answer gives us four powerful expressions to build around:
We are not careful to answer thee in this matter
Our God is able.But if not.
andWe will not serve thy gods.
The first statement shows how settled their commitment is. They’re not going to negotiate about whom they’ll worship. I wouldn’t take that to mean they’re being rude or disrespectful, but they’re simply making it clear that the king’s threat won’t change their allegiance to God. There’s a quiet confidence in that answer. They know where they stand.
The second statement affirms God’s power. They expressed faith in God’s ability to save them from the king’s threatened fate. They believed in a God of miracles. But believing that He can act doesn’t mean we know exactly how He’ll act or what He’ll do in every circumstance. That’s where the next statement comes in.
“But if not” doesn’t mean they think He might be too weak to help. They believe He can deliver them. But their worship doesn’t depend on receiving that rescue.
That’s the distinction we want our students to understand here. We can pray sincerely for healing, protection, reconciliation, or relief. We can believe in miracles. But faith in God doesn’t require certainty about exactly how He’ll answer.
Then our final statement, “We will not serve thy gods” is so profoundly simple but huge in its impact. I love that resolve, that commitment. In other words, it doesn’t matter what happens to us, one way or the other. WE WON’T DO IT.
The classic talk regarding the message of those verses comes from Elder Dennis E. Simmons. And he gives such great illustrations of this attitude, so I prefer to just quote him. He said:
“They knew that they could trust God—even if things didn’t turn out the way they hoped. They knew that faith is more than mental assent, more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him.
Faith is believing that although we do not understand all things, He does. Faith is knowing that although our power is limited, His is not. Faith in Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him. . . .”
And then later in the talk, Elder Simmons gives us some great examples of “But if not” faith.
Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not. … He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.
Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has.”
Dennis E. Simmons (Conference Report, April 2004)
Hopefully we can demonstrate that same kind of “But if not” faith. Two fundamental truths stand out to me from those statements. First, it is totally appropriate to ask God for the outcomes we hope for. Second, we can still maintain our faith and trust in Him and his power, regardless of the outcome.
Now, the miracle in this story still matters. God does deliver them, and the account emphasizes how complete that protection is. The furnace kills those who take them to it, yet they emerge without singed hair, damaged clothing, or even the smell of fire.
The miracle demonstrates God’s power. But more importantly, their faith is evident before the miracle occurs. They were faithful before they were rescued.
Another fantastic detail to take note of from this story is the scene of a fourth figure walking with the three young men while in the fiery furnace. “And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Now isn’t that powerful!? God may not always deliver us from all our trials, and this story shouldn’t be turned into a promise that faithful people will emerge from every trial untouched, but, if we stand up for what we believe, I’m convinced that we will walk with Christ. He will not allow us to pass through our fiery furnaces alone. He will be with us, and support us, and give us strength. It’s a powerful picture of the promise of divine help as we stand up for what we believe.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 2–3 minutes
To introduce this lesson, I like to play a quick game called “Singled Out.” Have everyone stand, then explain: “I’ll read some statements and if a statement is true about you, remain standing. If it isn’t, sit down. And once you’re seated, stay seated.”
Then, you read a number of statements and continue until only one person remains. If everyone still standing sits down at once, you could have that last group stand again and try another statement.
Here are a few of the statements you could use:
I’ve never broken a bone.
I have a middle name.
I own a dog.
I’ve been camping.
I’ve traveled outside my home state.
I’ve watched Star Wars.
I’m wearing something blue.
Use only as many as you need and you could even give the last person standing a small treat.
But with that final person still standing, you ask:
How easy is it to notice someone standing when everyone else is sitting?
And it’s pretty obvious. Even in a giant crowd, just a few people standing would be hard to hide.
Then to transition to the scriptures, explain that there’s a story in the book of Daniel where three young men faced a situation where they would have to choose to either fade into the crowd or stand up and stand out.
BACKGROUND
Time: 1 Min
At this point, I would give your students the context and background of the story. Tell them about the king’s statue, his decree, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s courage and refusal to bow. And explain that the consequence of their refusal was far more serious than merely being singled out in a game.
The real question though, is what gave them that courage to remain faithful when their choice could cost them their lives?
Let’s take a closer look at their answer to the king.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time: 8 min
For the search activity, have your students read Daniel 3:16–18. Then display or point out these four phrases:
“We are not careful to answer thee in this matter.”
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us.”
“But if not.”
“We will not serve thy gods.”
Then give them a moment to consider this question:
Which phrase stands out to you, and why?
Then invite your students to share their thoughts. They don’t need to work through all four. Let their observations help guide the discussion, and draw on the insights we discussed above to clarify and deepen what they notice. A simple follow-up might be, “What is it about those words that stands out to you?” If a phrase doesn’t get chosen, you can briefly share what you find meaningful about it. Keep the whole exchange to about five or six minutes, and bring the observations together around this discovery:
These men express their faith and commitment before they experience their deliverance.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Time: 1 Min
What’s the difference between trusting God and being certain that a particular thing will happen?
Take a few brief responses, then you might explain:
“We can ask the Lord for something good. We can sincerely believe He has power to grant it. But our faith in Him can continue while we wait, and it can continue if the answer differs from what we hoped.”
Then display the TRUTH slide:
Faith in Jesus Christ means trusting and following Him even when things don’t turn out as we hope.
TEACHER SUMMARY:
Time: 2 Min
Then, as the teacher, I would summarize what happens to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in verses 19-30 drawing attention to the fact that God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace and he did in this case. But be careful not to suggest that that will always be the case for us when WE stand up and stand out. But then I would also be sure to point them to the blessing explained in verse 25 where they walk with the Son of God. Express your faith in the fact that when we show faith in God, that is a blessing that I do believe is guaranteed, Christ will walk with us, even in the midst of our own fiery furnaces.
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Time: 5 Min
For a take it to heart, I would encourage your students to think of modern-day fiery furnace kinds of situations. You could ask:Could you share an example of a time in your life when either you or someone you know stood for something regardless of the consequences? What happened?
And as a teacher, I might consider sharing an example of your own of a time when you or someone you know stood for something.
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2 Min
For the conclusion of the lesson, show the takeaway slide and share your testimony of a principle from the story that meant the most to you or your class. I might say something like the following:
At the beginning, we saw how easily someone standing alone gets noticed. These three men were willing to stand, even before they knew whether God would rescue them. I know the Savior is worthy of that kind of trust. So whatever you’re hoping He’ll change in your life, keep bringing it to Him—and choose one faithful step you’ll take while you wait. He can strengthen you to take it. You don’t have to face an uncertain future without His help, and you don’t have to know the outcome to know whom you’ll follow.
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
VIDEO:
If you’d like to summarize the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you could show the following short, animated Church video that dramatizes it.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2021-11-1460-shadrach-meshach-and-abed-nego?lang=eng
You could do that in lieu of the teacher summaries and then spend the bulk of your time analyzing the four phrases highlighted above.
QUOTE:
During the discussion, if someone makes a comment regarding the “But if not” principle, you may want to share the quote from Elder Dennis E. Simmons that I mentioned earlier in the “What Should the Teacher Know” section.
HANDOUT:
Another option for summarizing the story is similar to the Daniel handout activity from Lesson 1. It invites your students to place the main events of the story into chronological order. And that order here is D, A, B, F, C, E.
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