Daniel's Decision of Faith
Questions for Study 1

Daniel 1:1-21
Memory Verse: 1:8

AFTER ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMMENTARY.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ AN INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ AN OUTLINE FOR DANIEL.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE IN 500 B.C.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF GREECE DIVIDED AFTER ALEXANDER DIED.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF MAJOR EVENTS FROM DANIEL'S TIME TO ROMAN TIMES.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT ISRAEL'S HISTORY.
BEFORE ANSWERING PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF ISRAEL'S KINGS AND PROPHETS.

I. When Israel Did Not Maintain God's Blessings (1-2)

1. What was the situation of the people of Judah and Jerusalem at that time? Read 2 Kings 23:29-30 and Jeremiah 46:2.

2. Review God's plans, promises and blessings for his people: Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 6:5, 10-12. Why had they not maintained God's blessing? What did he want his people to do? (Deuteronomy 4:29; Joshua 24:13)

II. Daniel's Decision of Faith (3-16)

3. What policy did the king of Babylon establish toward the people of the occupied country of Israel? What kind of men did he instruct his chief official to select?

4. How and for how long were these select young men to be trained? What special benefits did they receive? What was the purpose of their training?

5. Who were the young men selected from Judah? What new names did the steward give them? Why did he change their names? What does this reveal about the difficulty of being an exile--even one with privileges?

6. What did Daniel do in his helpless situation? What difficulties would this decision create? Why did he make such a decision?

7. How did he get permission to carry out his decision? What happened? Why is it important for a person to make such a decision of faith before God? (Psalm 24:3,4; Matthew 5:8)

III. God was with Daniel (17-21)

8. How did God help these 4 young men? How is this consistent with God's promises and his ways of dealing with people? (Deut. 28:1-20, 4:28-30)

9. How did they do their orals before the king? (18-20) What does this teach us about God? About how to obtain God's blessing?