I am excited about the journey you are about to take through the book of Daniel. It is an awesome book with some familiar stories about the lion’s den and fiery furnace. The truths in this book will greatly challenge you in the areas of courage, boldness, faith and security in God alone. I have been greatly humbled by the courage and faith of Daniel, Hanniah, Mishael and Azariah. They were faithful to God from their teens to their 80s. They are great examples and role models for trusting God in tough times. As you study this book, I would like for you to keep in mind several things that will assist your understanding:

It is obvious from reading Daniel chapter three that Nebuchadnezzar, though influenced by Daniel, did not fully embrace Daniel’s God. Nebuchadnezzar built a 90-foot-high, 9-foot-wide statue made of gold, which may have resembled the one from his dream, and placed it in the plain of Dura. Then, he commanded everyone to bow down and worship the image or be thrown into the fiery furnace. In his dream, (chapter 2) he and Babylon were represented by the head made of gold, but this entire statue was made of pure gold. It is possible that Nebuchadnezzar was making a bold statement that he was not planning on giving up his power to anyone or any god.

Is there someone in your life that is fighting for control or power?

We have all heard the statement “the writing is on the wall.” Coaches have felt the truth of this statement after a big loss, during a losing season or after their job was terminated. If you have gone through the “writing is on the wall” experience, share the heart issues you wrestled with during that difficult time.

Note: King Belshazzar experienced the writing on the wall because of pride and rebellion, but that may not be why you went through your experience. If it is, then confess it to God. If not, then know that God wants to use your trial and pain for His glory.

If you have not received Christ as your Savior and Lord, I ask you to please read the following pages. The most important thing you can have in life is a relationship with Jesus Christ. This can also be used as one of the lessons in your study of Daniel.

Daniel chapter eight is not discussed as a lesson, but is referred to in Chapter nine. Chapter eight deals mainly with prophecies fulfilled in the Greek and Roman empires that are more fully explained in Chapters 9-11. So for the sake of not dealing with the same information twice we will move to Chapter 9.

Secure coaches are honest. They are honest about themselves and the team. Without being negative for negativity’s sake, honest assessment is critical. Total honesty about your past and current situation is the starting block for knowing how to proceed in the future. Sometimes assessment is humbling, but to glaze over reality will only hurt your effectiveness in the future.

There is a lot of information to be digested in this lesson. Take your time to discuss the points where needed. Let the Spirit of God speak to your heart. Practically, it may be best to read the chapter first. Then, use the bullet points for clarification and discussion.

God Provides an Answer to the Vision
Read Daniel 11:2-12:13. The prophecy in this chapter is very detailed about events in the future. The accuracy and fulfillment of these events have led many skeptics to believe that this portion of Daniel was written by someone else after all the events occurred, but I am not a skeptic!

Here are some thoughts on the historical fulfillment of this vision: