Daniel in the Lion's Den

Instructions

Let's read the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den and then ask some questions.

This story is written by Little Bible Teacher.

Daniel and Darius


There was a man named Daniel who loved God and prayed to Him every day.

Daniel worked for a king named Darius. 

King Darius liked Daniel because he was someone you could trust to do the right thing.


Darius I

Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Bad Friends


But Darius also had some bad friends who tricked Darius into making a bad rule.

The bad rule said: you have to pray to the king instead of God. If you break this rule, you will be put in a room with hungry lions.


Image

By Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18884229

Daniel Prays


Daniel loved praying to God and prayed to God every day.

So the bad friends said that Daniel had to go into the room with hungry lions.

Darius was sad about this and tried to change the rule.  But the bad friends told Darius it was too late.

Darius put Daniel in the room with lions and said, "Your God can save you."


Image

By Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18884233

Daniel with the Lions


Daniel was put in a room with hungry lions.  He was there all night.

Daniel prayed hard to God.  And God heard Daniel’s prayer. 

An angel from God made sure the lions stayed calm.


Image

By Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18884238

Daniel is okay


In the morning Darius asked Daniel if God saved him.

Daniel said that God protected him because he hadn't done anything wrong.

Darius was grateful and told Daniel to come back and work for him.

Darius knew he had been tricked, so he got rid of his bad friends.


Image

By Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18884239

Darius and God


Darius was very happy God saved Daniel from the hungry lions. 

Darius told everyone in his country how happy he was that God saved Daniel.

And Daniel still prayed to God every day.


Image

By Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18884245

Discussion Questions

Do you think Daniel was afraid in the lions den?  Why or why not?

Would you be scared in a lions' den?

Why did Daniel say that God saved him?

Daniel heard about the new rule that he couldn't pray to God.  Shouldn't you always follow the rules?  Why did he break the rule?

Does God protect us?

Why did Daniel pray to God every day?

Do our friends sometimes tell us to do the wrong thing?  What should we do when that happens?