Daniel & Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Review: Last week we studied Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego. The lesson is found in the Old Testament book of Daniel. There was a king named King Nebuchadnezzar and he had told his eunuch to bring some of the young men of the land for three years of training. They had to be good-looking and smart and after the training, they would serve the king.

Today's lesson is found in Daniel 2. During the second year that Nebuchadnezzar was king, he woke up from a dream. The dream worried him so much that he couldn't go back to sleep. King Nebuchadnezzar 'gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams.' (Daniel 2:2)

They all came and stood before King Nebuchadnezzar. He told them that he had a dream and he really wanted to understand what the dream meant. The Chaldeans told the king to tell them the dream and they would interpret it. But the king replied and told them they had to tell him the dream AND explain it! They told King Nebuchadnezzar that there wasn't anyone on earth that could tell him his dream! No one could do that except the gods (small g), and they didn't live on earth!

This made the king so angry that he gave the command to kill all the wise men! So, the order went out and they were even looking for Daniel and his friends to kill them also! (Daniel 2:13)

Daniel saw Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, and asked him what was so urgent, and Arioch told Daniel what had happened and why the king was so angry. Daniel went to the king and asked for time to interpret the dream. King Nebuchadnezzar gave Daniel the time and Daniel went to tell Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego why the king was so upset. They did not want to be killed like the rest of the wise men!

God explained to Daniel what the kings dream was and what it meant during the night in a vision. Daniel praised God and thanked Him for revealing what he needed to know about King Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

Daniel went to Arioch and asked him not to kill any more wise men and to take him to the king. Daniel said he had the answer and could interpret the king's dream.

Daniel went to the king and explained that God in heaven has given Daniel the answer to the king's dream. Daniel told the king what his dream was, then Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar what the dream meant.

 

This is the Teacher's answer sheet. It can be used as a visual, or printed for the students to use during the lesson. A fill-in-the-blanks of the same worksheet is below for the students.

Click here to download.

Daniel told the king that King Nebuchadnezzar is a king of kings, with power, strength and glory given to him by God! King Nebuchadnezzar is the ruler over all in the kingdom, he is the head of gold. But, after King Nebuchadnezzar, there would be another kingdom and it would be inferior to the kingdom now.

Then, there would be a second kingdom. This kingdom is made of silver and is the chest and arms. The chest and arms of silver represent the kingdom of Persia.

Then a third kingdom of bronze, which was the belly and the thighs on the statue. The third kingdom would rule over the earth was Greece. (Daniel 2:39)

There would be a fourth kingdom that would be as strong as iron. Iron breaks into pieces and shatters everything. The fourth kingdom will break into pieces and crush all the other kingdoms (Daniel 2:40) The fourth kingdom was the legs of iron and represented the Roman Empire.

The feet and the toes were made of potter's clay and some iron. That kingdom will be divided, but it has iron mixed in it, so it will be strong. (Daniel 2:41) Since the toes were part iron and part clay, the kingdom would be part strong and part fragile. (Daniel 2:42) This kingdom is the Divided Roman Empire.

During this time, God will set up a kingdom in heaven that will never be destroyed. The new kingdom would destroy the other kingdoms and will be the kingdom to stand forever.  (Daniel 2:45) The rock that will destroy all other kingdoms is the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that his great God had let the king know what would happen to the kingdom after the king died. And, it is for sure.

King Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel that God was the true God. Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:48) 
Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. (Daniel 2:49)

Click here to download and print the above worksheet.

Click here to download the updated visuals for Daniel 1-3.

Click here to download the pictures to color.

My daughter @ TPT: Bible Lessons For Teens created this Characteristics of Daniel Foldable for you to use with any of the Daniel lessons that you can print, cut, fold and use as a discussion starter for review. Which, I think will be great for either! Click here to download it.

You can also purchase these task cards to use with any Daniel lesson or as a review. My daughter has them listed for older ages, but I think they can be used for younger ages, even if the teacher has to read them and use them to review and have the students answer the questions. I want to eventually add some task cards for this age group when I have the time! Just click on the picture to see these. And, if you can, I'd appreciate it if you could follow her store. Thank you!

 Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Used by permission. 

Click here to download these updated names posters.

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