Bible Study

 

Answers discussed-  Sabbath 7th January 2012

D a n i e l   1

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 1 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

  1. With the help of a concordance, discover what you can about Jehoiakim and his reign?    Summarise your findings in a paragraph or two.
  1. Discover what you can about Nebuchadnezzar by using a concordance

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  1. As further background for studying the book of Daniel use your concordance to look up the following words: ‘Babylon’ and ‘Captivity.’  How does this help you understand the book of Daniel?

 

  1. What light does Deuteronomy 28:1-30:20 shed on the reason for the captivity of God’s chosen people?

 

  1. What specific things can you learn about Daniel as a person by reading chapter 1?  List them.  What can you learn about the Babylonians’ treatment of Daniel?  List these as well.  What do you think the Babylonians had in mind for Daniel and his companions?  Explain why you think the Babylonians had such care of these captives?

 

  1. Summarise in your own words the food and drink issue in Daniel 1.  What was the problem with the king’s food and drink?  For a partial answer to that question, you may want to examine such texts as Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14:1-21, and Leviticus 17:10-14.

 

  1. What do you think Daniel and his friends studied in the ‘UniversityofBabylon’?  A reading of Daniel 2 will provide some hints.  Why do you think Daniel may have rejected the king’s food but not the king’s learning?

 

       8.  List the indications of Divine guidance and/or Divine providence in Daniel 1. God is in Control Vs 1, 2, 17-21.

 

 

Answers discussed - Sabbath 14th January 2012

D a n i e l   2

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 2 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

  1. Outline the events that lead up to the mention of Daniel in verse 13.  What brought Daniel onto the scene of action?  Why was he successful when the other wise men were not able to tell the king his dream or to interpret it?  What explanation does Daniel give for his ability?

 

  1. List the basic symbols of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as reported in verses 31-36.  Then, list the interpretation of each of those symbols as explained in verses 36-45. 

 

  1. According to the message Daniel gave to the king, what was the dream’s general meaning?  How much of this dream do you think Nebuchadnezzar understood?  What would have been the most meaningful part of the dream to him?  What relationship, if any do you see between Daniel 2:38, 39 and Daniel 3:1-6?  What was the king seeking to prove in chapter 3?

  

  1. At what point during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign did he receive this prophetic dream?  Why do you think God sent it at that time?  Could it have been more effective in his experience if it had been given to him later in his reign?  What would have been happening then?  What do other chapters tell us about Nebuchadnezzar’s later experiences?  How do they relate to this episode?  What progression do you see?

 

  1. How far into the future do you think a prophet of God can see?  How far from his own time did Daniel see through Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and through the parallel prophecies given directly to him?  What does Daniel 2 tell us about God?  What does it tell us about divine foreknowledge?  In practical terms, does it mean anything to my faith that God can predict the course of history and the rise and fall of nations?  If so, how does it affect my faith?

  

  1. As you understand the message of the dream, in what part of it are you now living?  What is to come next?  What do these chapters tell me about the certainty of the second coming of Jesus?  How should that knowledge affect my daily life?  How does it affect my life?  In what ways can the gap be closed between how it should and how it does affect my life?

 

 

Answers discussed - Sabbath 21st January 2012 

D a n i e l   3

Getting Into The Word

 

 

 

  1. Describe the event taking place on the plain of Dura.  Who was invited, and what might be the probable reason for the event?  The ending of chapter 2 will help in the understanding of why Daniel’s friends were there.

 

 

 

  1. Why do you think Nebuchadnezzar went to all the trouble of erecting the great image?  What can we learn from Daniel 2 about the symbolism of the metal used for the image in Daniel 3?  Why did Nebuchadnezzar insist that everyone bow down to the image?  What was the meaning behind bowing to the image?

 

 

 

  1. List as many factors as you can find in chapter 3 that indicate pressure being put on the three Hebrews to conform.  Why didn’t they bow down?  Do the Ten Commandments relate to their predicament?  If so, how?  What is the relationship between the first and the second commandments?  How does the relationship parallel what Nebuchadnezzar was requesting of his officers?

 

4. List as many factors as you can find in chapter 3 that indicate how the Hebrews found the spiritual fortitude to resist the king’s order.  What light does chapter 2 throw on the source of their courage?  List and analyse the different elements in the three Hebrews’ courageous response when they reject the king’s order to bow down.  What is the significance of each?

 

 

 5. What can we learn about Nebuchadnezzar from Daniel 3? What is the significance of the chapter’s conclusion?

 

 

 

Answers discussed - Sabbath 29th January 2012 

D a n i e l   4

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 4 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

  1. List the sin or sins of which Nebuchadnezzar is guilty in this chapter.

 

  1. What specific indications can you find that show that Nebuchadnezzar had an opportunity to repent?  What indications are there regarding the amount of time given him for repentance?  Would you say that this chapter reveals God as long-suffering and merciful – or arbitrary, vengeful, and judgmental?  Give reasons for your answer.

 

  1. List the symbols God used to speak to Nebuchadnezzar in his dream.  In the second column, list Daniel’s interpretation of each symbol.

 

Symbols in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Daniel’s Interpretation of the Symbols

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  1. What is the principal unit of time used in the prophecy to Nebuchadnezzar?  Compare Daniel7:25and 12:7, where this same unit is used.  What do you think the prophecy means by the term “times”?  Give a reason for your answer.

 

  1. Was it fair for God to use insanity as a judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar?  What indications can you find in Daniel 4 as to whether Nebuchadnezzar thought the judgment was fair?

 

  1. Compare Nebuchadnezzar’s reaction to Daniel’s message at the beginning of chapter 4 and at its end.  Write a paragraph or two about the lessons to be learnt from those reactions. 

 

 

 Answers discussed - Sabbath 4th January 2012

D a n i e l   5

Getting Into The Word

 

 

Read Daniel 5 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

  1. List the sins of Belshazzar brought to light in Daniel 5.  Is any single sin more central to the story and/or more serious than the others?  If so, why?

 

 

  1. Was Daniel present when the people assembled for the banquet described in chapter 5?  What reason can you suggest for his presence or absence?

 

 

  1. On what did Daniel base his remarks to Belshazzar when he began their conversation?  To what experience did he point?  Is there a lesson for us in this?  If so, what is it?

 

 

  1. List the specific elements of the judgement that was to come upon Belshazzar according to Daniel’s interpretation of the handwriting on the wall.  Even at this late date, did Belshazzar have an opportunity to repent?  If so, when?  Could he have avoided this judgement?  If not, why not?

 

 

  1. In chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar received a judgement from God, but he came back from it to return to his rulership of the kingdom.  In chapter 5, Belshazzar received a judgement from God, but he did not recover from it or maintain his throne.  Was God being arbitrary and unjust in Belshazzar’s case?  What evidence can you supply for your answer?  What was the difference between the two situations?

 

 

 

Answers discussed - Sabbath 11th February 2012 

D a n i e l   6

 

Getting Into The Word

 

 

 

Read Daniel 6 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

 

 

  1. What can you learn from Daniel 6 about the way the Persians set up their new administration in the recently conqueredprovinceofBabylon?  What part did Daniel play in that administrative organisation?

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What attributes of Daniel’s character can you infer from the information given in chapter 6?  List them.  What does this chapter tell you about Daniel’s spiritual practices?  How were they affected by external circumstances?

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Was Daniel right in making an issue of his spiritual practices?  Could he have avoided trouble by continuing his prayer life in private without publicly disregarding the ban against prayer?  What was the motivation of his enemies?

 

 

 

 

 

  1. According to chapter 6, what kind of person was Darius the Mede?  What evidence do you find in this chapter of a change in his personal spiritual experience?  If so what direction does it take?  Summarise your conclusions.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What similarities and differences do you find between God’s deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in chapter 3 and His deliverance of Daniel in chapter 6?  List them below

 

 

 

The Deliverance of

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

The Deliverance of

Daniel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anwers will be discussed this Sabbath 18th February 2012 

D a n i e l   7

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 7 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

  1. In what ways does chapter 7 highlight the issues in the great controversy between God and Satan?  What are some of the issues in that controversy as revealed in chapter 7?  How is my daily life placing me on one side or the other of these issues?  In what ways do I need to change in order to be on God’s side?  How can I do so?  What steps can I take?

 

 

  1. Compare the beast from the sea in Revelation 13 with Daniel 7.  List all the symbolic connections between the two chapters that you can discover.  To which of the symbols in Daniel 7 does the beast of Revelation 13 respond?  Compare the two in parallel columns.  What information regarding the beast helps us fill out our understanding of the corresponding power in Daniel?

 

 

  1. With the help of a concordance, look up all biblical references in Daniel and Revelation to 1,260 days; time, times, and half a time; and forty-two months.  In context, how do these texts add to your understanding of the symbol in Daniel 7?  What information do they add?

 

 

  1. Compare the characteristics of the little horn as given in Daniel 7 with those given in chapter 8.  Are both chapters referring to the same power?  List the evidence for your conclusions.

 

 

  1. Follow Daniel’s personal prophetic experience through chapter 7.  When does he see the vision, and where does the vision stop?  When does he talk with the interpreting angel, and when does the interpreting angel talk to him?  How many times does this discussion go back and forth between them?  What do you learn from this about how prophets receive information from God and how the prophetic gift operated?
Questions already discussed 
D a n i e l   8

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 8 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

 

Daniel 8:1-8, 15-22

  1. The first prophetic symbol in this chapter is the ram (vs. 3).  List all the identifying characteristics of the ram found in verses 3 and 4.

 

  1. The goat is the second prophetic symbol in chapter 8.  List all the identifying characteristics of the goat given in verses 5-8.  Describe the relationship between the ram and the goat.

 

  1. In verses 15-22, Gabriel is sent to Daniel to identify the ram and the goat.  What further facts can you discover for each of the symbols from these verses?  What do these verses tell you about the identity of both the goat’s large horn and the four horns that replace it?

 

Daniel 8:9-12, 23-25

  1. Where did the small horn of verse 9 come from?  In what directions did it expand its power?  What is the “beautiful” land?  To help you answer this question, use a concordance, and look for all the other uses in Daniel of the word “beautiful” in the NIV (or “pleasant” and “glorious” in the KJV).  What light do verses 23-25 throw on the identity of the “beautiful” land?

 

  1. List the small horn’s activities against God and His kingdom as given in verses 10-12.  Also list the activities of the small horn as explained by Gabriel in verses 23-25.  To the best of your ability, describe each of those activities

 

  1. Who is the “Prince of the host” (vs. 11) or the “Prince of princes” (vs. 25)?  Using a concordance, look up all the references in Daniel to the word “prince.”  How do these other uses help you identify the “Prince of the host”?  In Daniel 8, what is the relationship of the small horn to this Prince?

 

Daniel 8:13-27

  1. What is the relationship of the question asked in verse 13 to verses 11 and 12?  What answer is provided in verse 14? 

 

  1. What is an “evening and a morning?”  See Genesis 1:5, 8, 13 to help you formulate your answer.

The answers will be discussed on Sabbath 3rd March 2012  

D a n i e l   9

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 9 at least two times and then respond to the following exercise:

  1. What light does Jeremiah’s book shed on Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9.4-19?  (Note especially Jeremiah 25.10-14).  Use marginal references in your Bible to gain a better understanding of what Daniel found to be of special interest in the book of Jeremiah.

 

  1. Outline Daniel’s prayer in 9.4-19.  What does it say about the covenant?  What does it say about the reason for the Babylonian captivity?  What does it say about God?  What does it teach about the sanctuary and God’s special city?  For background on the Jewish captivity, read the article, “Captivity,” in the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary.

 

  1. What are the “seventy ‘sevens’” of verse 24?  List any evidence you can find in Daniel 9.24-27 that (a) these are symbolic time periods, and (b) they should be interpreted as a day representing a year of actual time.

 

  1. Verse 24 contains six infinitives (“to” plus a verb) that express what is to be accomplished during the “seventy ‘sevens.’”  List those six infinitives and for each, write down who is to accomplish that action, and summarise what the activity is and what it might mean.

 

  1. What is the relationship of the decree to rebuildJerusalem(vs. 25) to the seventy weeks (vs. 24)?

 

  1. Where is the decree found?  Read Ezra 1.1-4; 6.1-12; 7.11-26; Nehemiah 1, 2.  Summarise the authority granted in each of these four decrees.

 

  1. What is the significance of the words “times of trouble” in 9.25?  How do the books of Ezra and Nehemiah help us understand those words?  (See for example, Ezra 4.)

 

  1. According to 9.25, what happened at the end of the first sixty-nine weeks (483 prophetic days)?

 

  1. The three sentences of verse 26 list three things that will take place after the end of the sixty-two weeks (i.e., after the end of the sixty-ninth week).  List those three things.

 

  1. Who is “the Anointed One”?  What does it mean for the Anointed One to be “cut off”?  Your marginal references will help here.  So will references to “cut off” in your concordance.
  2. Who will come and destroy the city and the sanctuary?  What historical event might the prophecy be describing?

 

12. What is the significance of the wording in the last phrase of verse 26 referring to a “flood”?  Read the section in your Bible dictionary about the destruction ofJerusalemin A.D. 70.  What insights does this give you regarding verse 26?  List these.

 

 

 

D a n i e l   10

 

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 10  - 12 through once.  Then go back and reread chapter 10 before carrying out the following exercise:

 

  1. What indication of a date do we find for the prophecy that begins in Daniel 10?

 

  1.   What was Daniel’s state of mind in chapter 10?  Does the text indicate the nature of the problem that Daniel was praying, mourning and fasting about?  Read Ezra 1 – 4 (which takes place during this same time period).  How might that passage help us understand Daniel’s concerns?  Especially note Ezra 4:5. 

 

  1. What does Daniel’s view of the personal presence of God tell us about the Divine Being?  Compare Daniel’s vision of God with those found in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 1.  What impressions do you receive from reading such visions?

 

  1. Who came to Daniel’s aid in10:10- 12?  What indications are there that this might be the same being we find in8:15, 16 and9:21– 23?  List these.

 

  1. What was this being doing just before he came to visit Daniel?  According to chapter 10, what did he do after leaving Daniel?  What do his activities tell you about divine intervention in human affairs?

 

  1. Who is Michael?  Use a concordance to discover other places in the Bible that mention Michael.  List each reference and the information that it supplies about Michael.  What picture of Michael do we get from these texts?

 

  1. Who is the “prince ofPersia”?  What does his role appear to be in chapter 10?

 

  1. In Daniel 10:2, 3 we find Daniel mourning and fasting, apparently in a state of prayer as he seeks the meaning of God’s message to him.  How do I relate to times of trouble or need?  How should I relate to them?

 

  1. What do I learn about God’s care of Daniel in chapter 10 that I can apply to my own life?

 

 

D a n i e l   11

Getting Into The Word

 

Read Daniel 11 through twice.  Then work your way through the following exercise:

 

  1. Compare Daniel 11:2-4 with 8:3-8, 20-22.  List all the similarities you find between the two passages, including similarities in wording.

 

  1. List each of the symbols in Daniel 11:2-4, and attempt to identify them historically based on your previous study of Daniel 8.

 

  1. Daniel 11:5 begins an extensive discussion of the king of the south and the king of the north.  According to this chapter, where did these kings come from?  What relationship might they sustain with the four winds 11:4 and the parallel mention of the four horns in 8:8, 22?  Given the fact that Daniel is thinking of Jerusalem when he mentions the kings of the north and south, what powers or geographic regions might he be referring to?

 

  1. Compare 11:16-22 (especially 16 and 22) with 8:9 and 8:23-25.  In two columns, list all the similarities you can find between these two passages.  What is the “Beautiful land”?  Who is the “Prince of the covenant”?  Also compare 11:16 with 2:40 and 7:7, 23.  What similarities do you find?  Next, compare 11:22 with 9:25-27, and list all the similarities you can find.  Given your knowledge of Daniel 2, 7, 8, and 9, what is the power, what is the power being discussed in 11:16-22?

 

  1. With these verses, we come to one of the most detailed and difficult portions of prophetic Scripture.  But even though the prophetic history is complicated by the mass of details, there are at least two touch points that enable us to place the detail within the flow of history.  The first is in 11:31-37.  Compare those verses with 7:8-11 and 7:20-26.  List the similarities between these two columns.  Then do the same, comparing Daniel 11:31-37 with the description of the same power in Daniel 8:10-12.

 

  1. The second touchstone in 11:23-45 is found in verses 40-45 (especially 40 and 45).  How does the information in verses 40 and 45 fit into the flow of prophetic history as described in Daniel 7?

 

This will be discussed this Sabbath 31st March 2012 

Daniel’s Walk With God

 

Getting Into The Word

 

  1. What evidence is there in chapter 1 regarding the relationship between Daniel and God?  From Daniel’s point of view?  From God’s point of view?  Would you say that this was an open demonstrative relationship, or was it still undisclosed at this point in time?  Give Reasons for your answer.

 

  1.  According to chapter 2, how did the revelation of prophecy come?  What part did Daniel play in this?  What does this say about his relationship with God?

 

  1. Compare the way in which revelation of God came in chapter 2 with the way it came in chapter 4?  What differences/similarities are there in the part Daniel played in each of the experiences?

 

  1. Chronologically, God’s revelation and relationship to Daniel in chapters 7 and 8 came before those of chapters 5 and 6.  How did God manifest Himself to Daniel on each of these occasions?

 

  1. In what way does the mode of revelation differ in Daniel 7, 8, and 9?  Is there a progression here?  If so what is it?

 

  1. How is the final prophecy of the book of Daniel (chapters 10-12) introduced?  What does this demonstrate about Daniels relationship with God?  How does this series of the manifestations of God progress through the book, and how does it climax?

 

  1. Am I coming closer and closer to God in my daily spiritual walk so that when He reveals Himself in Glory I will be ready to walk into the heavenly kingdom with Him?

 

  1. What specifics do I need to do in my personal spiritual life to enrich this experience?