FAITH QUEST
Daniel and the Lions’ Den
Apostle’s Playhouse
Scripture: Daniel 6:1-28
Memory Verse: “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord
your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (CEV)
Offering: Peacemaking
Concepts:
·
God is with us in
good and bad times.
·
God listens to us
when we pray.
·
Like Daniel, God
wants us to pray regularly.
·
Like Daniel, we
should trust God even when it is hard.
Objectives:
1.
The
students will hear/read the story of Daniel in the lions’ den and act out the
various roles in the story.
2.
Discussion
that follows will allow children to make connections from the story to their
own lives.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions:
1. Welcome the kids. Make sure that everyone is in the right
classroom! Kids will either already have
name tags on, or will be given a name tag by their shepherd as they
arrive. Make sure that you know everyone’s
name and greet her/him individually.
2. Introduce the topic. Who has
been to the zoo? Did you see the lions? Talk with the class about the size
of a lion’s teeth and claws. Today’s story is about Daniel who was in a cage
with hungry lions and through faith and prayer lived to tell about it. We are
going to act out Daniel’s adventure.
Scripture/Bible Story:
1.
Review the
scripture passages that this workshop is going to focus on. Have the kids find the book of Daniel in the
Old Testament. Read the passages Daniel 6:1-28 to them. You may choose props to
help liven up your reading. (Dress as Daniel, hold a stuffed lion, etc.)
2.
The book of
Daniel in the Old Testament is divided into 2 different sections. The first
half of the book (chapters 1-6) tells how Daniel and 3 of his friends from
3.
Warm up: Have
kids stand up and stretch. Tell them they are doing acting warm ups. Together
act out: a lion that has just woken up from a nap and is stretching, an angry
king, a hungry lion, praying Daniel, a frightened Daniel, a surprised King (or
other things of your choosing).
Application:
1. Possible
drama activities:
Younger kids: You read the
script and have the kids act out the story as you read. You can also tape yourself reading the story
so that you can play it for the final “production”. Some kids may not want to participate as an
actor, but would be willing to read one of the characters lines. Select those
who want to be actors first then pick lions. Everyone will want to be a lion!
Sometimes friends will play a part together if they feel insecure. Be flexible,
some children enjoy reading and speaking, others prefer a silent part. Some
children would prefer to help with props. Practice first and then do the final
cut.
Depending
on the size of the class, you may need to do the story/drama activity twice so
that each child can have a chance to participate in the drama (and be a lion).
Older kids: You can use
the script provided, or have the kids improvise their own scenes. If you like the idea of having kids creating
their own skits, I suggest that you divide the class into three groups and have
each group focus on a different part of the story.
One
group could be the group of rulers watching Daniel, deciding how to trap Daniel
and getting King Darius to make the rule.
The second group could act out what happens after the law is made and how
Daniel handles the situation and what King Darius finally has to agree to. The third group can act out the lions’ den
scene (everyone will want this scene!) and the outcome.
If you think that everyone WILL want to act out the
lions’ den scene, divide the class in half and have each group do one of the
first two suggestions and then have both groups do the lions’ den scene! This should end anyone feeling cheated!
Another option for the older kids would be to have 2
people be each character one the voice and one the “actor”, then they could
switch places for the repeat show. This
avoids trying to have kids read and move at the same time.
2. Perform! Have the kids put on costumes, if you think
appropriate, and get any stage props that they think will enhance their
scene. Remind them this is not going to
be a polished performance! Some of them
might even be holding scripts as they are acting.
3. Discussion: This is an important part of the drama
experience. Please be sure to leave enough
time for this, as well as journaling and closing. This is the place where you, the workshop
leader, will help the kids make the connections between the Bible story and
their own lives. Look back at the lesson
concepts some possible discussion points/questions:
a. Was God with
Daniel only when things were going good?
b. How do you think
Daniel felt when he heard he couldn’t pray without getting into trouble?
c. Do you think
Daniel trusted God? Why?
d. The Bible tells us Daniel
prayed regularly. When should we pray?
e. What is the
main or most important part of this story?
Why do you think that?
Remember
to accept all reasonable answers, especially to the questions that don’t really
have a right answer! Younger kids will
do better with fact recall type questions (What was the King’s name?), but try
and encourage them to think deeper into the story, beyond “right” answers.
4. Clean up! You will need to allow for cleanup,
journaling and closing. I suggest that
clean up start no later than 10:30-10:35.
Involve all kids in clean up so that you will have plenty of time for
the closing/sharing.
Reflection Time:
At 10:35 AM ask the shepherds to pass out the journal page and
pencils/markers.
Prompts
for journal writing: Draw your favorite scene from this play. If you were
Daniel in the lions’ den what would your prayer be?
Closing:
Prayer: suggestion Dear God, thank you for listening to our
prayers when we are in trouble or afraid. Help us to remember to pray regularly
like Daniel did. Amen.
Materials:
Bible
Script (copies if you are
using it with older kids or plan on having younger kids read it)
Costumes/props
References:
Year One Lesson Sets from St.
Elmo’s Choir, Daniel and the Lion’s Den
Children’s Illustrated
Bible, retold by Marjorie Newman,
World International Publishing Limited, 1989
DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN
Narrator 1: King Darius, king of the mighty Medes and
Persians, needed someone to be the chief ruler in
Narrator 2: The other rulers were angry. They couldn’t believe that a foreigner had
been chose over them! They worked out a
trap to catch Daniel.
Ruler 1: What are we going to do? We can’t let Daniel get such an important
job.
Ruler 2: We’ll get rid of him! Let’s go to King Darius and get him to make a
law that will make Daniel do something wrong.
Ruler
1: What
sort of law should we suggest……I know, something to do with Daniel’s religion
and his God.
Ruler 2: Yes!
That is a great idea! Let’s go!
Narrator 1: The Medes and Persians worshipped many gods,
but Daniel worshipped only the God of Israel, the one true God.
Narrator 2: The jealous rulers knew that Daniel prayed
often to his God. So, with fast-beating
hearts, the rulers went to the king.
Ruler 1
& 2: O King, live forever!
Ruler 1: All the rulers have agreed you should make
a law saying that for thirty days no one should pray to any god or man except
you.
Ruler 2: And if anyone disobeys the law, they should
be thrown to the lions.
King Darius: Oh, what a nice thing to suggest. My rulers must think I am a great king if
they want this law. Of course, I am a
pretty good king. Yes, I like that idea.
Ruler 1: This law should be written down
immediately!
King Darius: (Nodding head) Very well, I will write
it down.
Narrator 1: Happily the rulers watch King Darius write down
the law. They knew that once a law of
the Medes and Persians was written down, it could never be changed.
Narrator 2: The law was then told to everyone in the
land. As soon as Daniel heard it, he
knew it as a trap set for him. He must
either give up his daily prayers to God, or be thrown to the lions.
Daniel: What am I going to do? I can save my life by not praying to God for
thirty days…I could save my life by praying secretly in my head…. I know, I could find a hiding place and pray
there!
PAUSE
No, I know what I must do!
Narrator 1: Daniel went into his house. Upstairs he went, to the front room where he
always prayed. He opened the window
which faced towards
Narrator 2: Daniel prayed to God to help him with this
problem. Daniel did not try and hide his
prayer, but prayed just like he had before the new law.
Ruler 1: Look!
Daniel is there in the window.
He appears to be praying, just like usual.
Ruler 2: Yes, our plan has worked! Quick, let’s go and tell the King.
They rush
off to tell King Darius.
Ruler 1: King Darius, live forever. Did you not make a law saying that anyone who
prayed to any god or man except you these thirty days should be thrown to the
lions?
King Darius: Yes, I did. You were the ones who suggested that I make
such a law.
Ruler 2: Well, Daniel, who is one of the Jews
captured and brought to
King
Darius: How did this happen! I must find some way to change the law. Daniel is one of my favorite leaders! I must put an end to this law.
Narrator
1: All day King Darius tried to find a way
to help Daniel, but it was no use. King
Darius himself had written the law down, and it could not be changed.
Ruler
1: King, it is now evening and you
must decide what to do about Daniel. You
must carry out the law as you wrote it.
Ruler
2: Yes, Daniel must be punished to
show others he has broken your law. He
must be taken to the lions’ den.
King
Darius: I have no choice. Daniel is to be brought to the lions’ den.
Narrator
1: So Daniel was brought to the edge of
the lions’ den. The hungry lions
paced backwards and forwards, roaring.
Narrator
2: Bravely, Daniel waited. Then the men threw him in.
King
Darius: Daniel, may the God to
whom you are so faithful save you!
Narrator
1: Then, hardly able to watch, Darius
watched as the huge stone was rolled into place over the entrance to the den.
Narrator
2: Then King Darius had to seal the stone
with his own ring, so that everyone would know if the stone had been moved in a
rescue attempt. Then King Darius went
back to the palace.
King
Darius: I cannot sleep or
eat. I am so worried about Daniel. What have I done!
Narrator
1: At the first sign of morning, he
hurried back to the lions’ den.
Narrator
2: But he stopped just before he got
there. What would he see? Had his friend been torn to pieces. Fearfully, he called out….
King
Darius: Daniel! Has your God saved you?
Daniel: O King, live forever! I am safe.
God did not let the lions harm me!
King
Darius: (Speaking to the rulers)
I order you to get Daniel out!
Ruler
1: What! He isn’t dead?
Ruler
2: How can this be?
Narrator
1: The men who had thrown Daniel into the
den now lifted him out. Sure enough, he
was completely untouched by the lions.
Narrator
2: After a joyful greeting, King Darius
issued another order….
King
Darius: You rulers there! You have accused Daniel and now I accuse
you. You shall be thrown into the lions’
den!
Rulers
1 & 2: No……
Narrator
1: And so the rulers who had tried to
trick Daniel and the King were themselves thrown into the lions’ den.
Narrator
2: Even before they touched the floor of
the den, the lions sprang on them and tore them to pieces.
King
Darius: Tell all the people in my
kingdom I have a new law. I command that
everyone should respect Daniel’s God.
For this God is truly great, and will last forever.