Scripture: Daniel 2,4
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn 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 participate in an activity to help them understand humility.
Guiding Question: How can we learn to be humble like Nebuchadnezzar eventually did during his punishment?
Materials: large piece of paper (for anchor chart), markers, rags, and trash bags
Procedure: Tell students 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!
It took seven years for Nebuchadnezzar to learn his lesson. In the end, he realized God deserves all of the glory. Anything man has is merely a gift from God – including power, position and wealth.
Place the large sheet of paper where everyone can see it. Explain to students that just like Nebuchadnezzar we can become proud. We can forget to be humble. We can forget to give God the glory and be grateful for everything He has given us.
Explain that people get really confused about when they are being proud and when they are being humble. Draw a line down the middle of the large sheet of paper. Have students give words and phrases to describe someone who is proud and someone who is humble. What sorts of things does a proud person do or not do? What about a humble person?
After finishing your chart, hand students rags. Tell them someone who is truly humble will do lowly tasks to help others. Using safety rules, have students go around the area (you may want to go outside if it’s a nice day) picking up trash and dusting with their rags. Or have them do some other cleaning type chore.
After finishing the cleaning activity, return and review your chart. How hard was it to be humble when it meant doing, dirty chore type work? Encourage students to practice helping others humbly during the week.