1. Talk about a time in your life when you were driven of necessity to Bible study and prayer.
Ask two people to read aloud Daniel 9:1-6, 14-27, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize these verses.
2. Even as he worked in the service of Babylon’s king, Daniel still found time to devote to the study of God’s Word (vv. 1-2). What can his example teach us about prioritizing time in the Word even amid demanding responsibilities?
3. What attitudes and actions did Daniel display as he approached God in prayer (v. 3)?
- What can we learn from this about our own attitudes and actions when we pray?
4. As a group, look closely at Daniel’s earnest prayer (vv. 4-19) and answer the following questions:
- What does Daniel say about God?
- What does he say about the nation of Israel?
- What does he say about himself?
- What does this say about Daniel’s own heart?
5. As Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said, “As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you” (v. 23). What encouragement do you draw from this encounter that helps you when you pray?
6. God answered Daniel’s prayer with specific prophecies (vv. 24-27). How do you view their fulfillment and how does this build your trust in God as one who hears and answers prayer?
7. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
For Next Week: Read and reflect on Esther 2:5-20 as we begin a unit on the heroic actions of the young Jewish woman who became queen of the Persian empire. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
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