Scripture: Daniel 2, 4
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn that God sometimes sent prophecies in dreams.
- Students will learn God’s prophecies are often in great detail and always come true.
- Students will learn God does not want us to put ourselves in the position in our lives meant for God.
- Students will learn to understand patterns in dreams.
Guiding Question: How can students learn what significance there may be behind our dreams?
Materials: Blank journals
Procedure: Review the stories of Nebuchadnezzar’s two dreams. Point out that in the first dream, Daniel explained about four great world kingdoms. The symbols represented real kingdoms that eventually ruled the world. The first was Babylonia (which probably made Nebuchadnezzar very happy.) The other three were prophecies of future kingdoms – Persia, Greece and most people believe Rome is the fourth.
By the time of the dream in chapter 4, King Nebuchadnezzar was getting very proud. In the chapter before this one, he had built a large statue of himself and tried to force the people to worship it. Even though he saw the miracle of God saving Shadrach and his friends, Nebuchadnezzar evidently had not learned his lesson. The punishment God gave him was severe. He would not only be unable to rule, but he would be made so lowly by God, that he actually lived like an animal for those years. In fact, his hair and nails grew to the point that he almost looked like an animal, too!
Explain that God gave Nebuchadnezzar specific dreams as a message that Daniel could interpret and tell him. Our dreams do not have the same significance, but they can give us clues to what our mind is trying to process. Have students create a dream log to keep by their beds at home. Have them record their dreams, whether they were in color or black and white, etc. After two weeks, compare the logs. Do certain people remember more dreams, have more vivid dreams, more dreams in color, etc. Are there any patterns? For example, do the boys in your class remember more dreams than the girls or visa versa?
Additional Questions: How can students learn about the science behind dreams?
Supplemental Activity: Have students work in pairs or groups to create a research project on the significance behind our dreams today and how dreams occur. Students can share with the class/families when they are finished.