Faith In God SS2 Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Lesson Note

FAITH AND COURAGE 

Faith and trust are inter- changeable. Both imply confidence in God’s ability to solve any problem one encounters, abandoning self- interest, self- reliance, arrogance, pride and self- trust. Faith implies firmness in one’s confidence in God in the midst of unfavorable situations.

FAITH AND POWER Daniel 6:1- 28

King Darius of Persia divided his kingdom into a hundred and twenty (120) satraps ( governors) with only three presidents appointed to oversee all. Daniel, by divine act, was one of the presidents. Besides, he was the most favored of the three presidents. As a result,his colleagues were full of jealousy and plotted to destroy him. Finding nothing on which to pin Daniel down, they moved to the king and compelled him to make a law that no one, for thirty days, should request anything from God or man, except from the king . The penalty was casting the culprit into the Lions’ den.

King Darius obliged them and made the decree, not knowing their plot was to rope someone in and report to the kin. The King looked for a way to release Daniel when he realized what he did, but the enemies reminded him that right from time immemorial, the laws of Medes and Persia were unchangeable.

Against his wish therefore the King cast Daniel into the den of lions, but prayed for Daniel for God to deliver him. The King could not sleep all night. Early the following morning, the king rose and came to the den to see if Daniel was dead or alive. Daniel was alive and told him that his God had sent his angels and shut the mouth of the lions and they could not harm him. The King was happy. He ordered that Daniel be brought out and those men who accused Daniel together with their families were cast into the den of lions. He also decreed that throughout his kingdom, everyone   should worship the God of Daniel.

LESSONS TO LEARN

1. God always delivers his people from their enemies.

2. False accusers will never go unpunished. Daniel’s false accusers die eventually.

3. Our faith in God can effect a change on others around us. The faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego makes all Babylon to begin to worship God. The same goes for Daniel, Darius recommends the God of Daniel to all his provinces.

4. For God to rise to our protection, we must have absolute faith in him as well as be upright like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

ASSIGNMENT

1. Darius did not want to kill Daniel because he 

(a) knew that Daniel was blameless (b) was afraid of the people’s reaction 

(c) was afraid of God’s punishment 

(d) was a responsible person

2. Daniel was one of the three____. (a) presidents (b) chairmen 

(c) securities (d) council members

3. Daniel was cast into the lion’s den because 

(a) he was a Jew   (b) he prayed to his God  (c) he raped the king’s wife (d) he was by the window

4. The lions could not hurt Daniel because 

(a) he had some magical powers 

(b) the demons were scared of him (c) he trusted in God 

(d) he was a shepherd

5. People were to pray to the king for — 

(a) twenty days  (b) thirty days 

(c) ten weeks (d) fifty days