Unit 14: Captivity Daniel and Esther OT14.4 Proud King is ...€¦ · Have you ever known someone...

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OT14.4 A Proud King is Humbled ©Beverly Wilson 2020

Unit 14: Captivity Daniel and Esther OT14.4 Proud King is Humbled Lesson

Scripture: Daniel 4

Lesson Goal: Daniel is a major prophet during the time of Israel’s captivity in Babylon. Daniel was a young man who had been captured by King Nebuchadnezzar and taken to the land of Babylon. God does not like pride. In this lesson we will see how King Nebuchadnezzar's pride caused him a lot of trouble and why we are to be humble.

Introduction: The book of Daniel is in the Old Testament. It is the last book in the section of books called the Major Prophets. Daniel was a prophet when Israel was in captivity in Babylon. In his book he tells about the faithful Jews living in captivity and shows how God is sovereign. This story is found the book of Daniel chapter 4. Let's say the books of Major Prophets--Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel.

Attention Getter: “Pride” Have you ever known someone who thought that he or she was the most beautiful person in the world? People who think like that often look at themselves in the mirror and act in a very bad way. Sometimes people who are very smart and get good grades can become full of pride. They show off their papers and think that they are better than everyone else. Acting like that makes everyone around them feel very bad. These children have just won medals in a race. Now winning a race is good and you can be happy about it but you should NOT say "I won the race and you didn't!" That is being full of pride. Here is a boy who has a fancy race car that he is driving. Having a racecar does not make you better than others. If you think that way then you are full of pride. The word Pride has an “I” in the middle. In a way that is what pride means. It means that someone thinks they are the best and that everyone should do what they say or think like they do! The opposite of pride is humility. Humility is putting other people first and caring about others. It is realizing that you are not perfect or the best at everything. This is the kind of person that God wants us to be. In this lesson we are going to learn about the pride of King Nebuchadnezzar and how he boasted about all his success, wealth, and power. We will see that how he learned to trust in God and trust in His wisdom and strength.

Opening Prayer: “Father, please forgive us of the sin of being proud. Help us to depend on you and not ourselves. Show us the truth about ourselves so that we can yield our whole lives to You. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die on the cross for us. You love us and want us to go to heaven with you. Amen.”

Memory Verse: The memory verse is Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/rtzN2_-27qc Because of the unfaithfulness of the children of Israel, God allowed the Babylonians to invade Israel. They captured the people and marched them 900 miles away to Babylon into slavery. Among those taken captive were Daniel and his three friends-- Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. These friends loved God and wanted to obey Him even in this foreign land that worshipped idols. When they were chosen to serve the king as his special advisors, they were faithful to God. They refused to eat

https://youtu.be/rtzN2_-27qc

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the meat that had been offered to idols. God blessed them by making them ten times smarter than any of the other of the King's wise men. One night King Nebuchadnezzar had dream about a huge image that he did not understand. God gave the interpretation to Daniel and then Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar about the coming kingdoms. The king was so pleased that he made Daniel and his friends rulers over all the land of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar gave them new Babylonian names: Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego. Just as Daniel had predicted in the interpretation of the king's dream, King Nebuchadnezzar grew in power. Year after year he added more new countries to his kingdom. In every land he was greatly feared. But at the same time, the king became very proud of his success. One day King Nebuchadnezzar decided to build a 90 ft. tall statue of himself! He thought that he was now a god and he wanted everyone to worship him. Anyone who did not fall down and worship the image would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Everyone bowed down except the three Jewish captives--Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. They believed they should obey God and only worship Him! Nebuchadnezzar lost his temper and ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. The three Jewish captives were thrown fully clothed, into the roaring furnace. But when the king looked into the furnace he could not believe his eyes! He said, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the blazing furnace?" Now there are four men and the fourth one looks like an angel or Son of God." So Nebuchadnezzar called for them to come out. Their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them. God had protected them from harm. The Lord Jesus Himself or an angel of God had been with them in the flames! Even though King Nebuchadnezzar publicly said that God was the God of gods and the King of Kings and that He was the One who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire, he did not have the living God in his heart. He only admired God's power and that is NOT enough! For many years King Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty general and he continued to conquer many lands. He and his army traveled to other lands and won battles with the Syrians, the Jews and even the Egyptians. He brought thousands of captives back to Babylon to work as slaves. During the one of his last sieges he totally destroyed the entire city of Jerusalem. He and his soldiers burned the beautiful, magnificent Temple that Solomon had built. He stole all the golden goblets and gold lamp stands and took them back to Babylon with him. King Nebuchadnezzar used all the slaves he took to build great walls all around the city of Babylon. They were 25 feet thick and they were so wide that a horse and chariot could ride along the top of the wall! At the entrance to the city he built a beautiful blue tile gate when he would have great parades and processionals. King Nebuchadnezzar liked to show everyone his great power! He also build canals throughout the city to bring water to the all the people. He used the water to irrigate the land and grow lush gardens everywhere. One of the buildings that he constructed was his palace known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This building was so beautiful that it was called one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Each floor of the building was watered by a hydraulic system that pumped the water up to the top of the building. The water would run down each floor to water all the plants. The inside of the palace was covered with beautiful tile and paintings of his great victories in battle.

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Not only did he build many buildings in Babylon he also sent the slaves out to the rest of his country and dug many canals and buildings everywhere. The land of Babylon became the greatest nation on earth during that time! It had wealth, power, and strength. It was a spectacular city! And truly King Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful king. He was just as God had said that he would be--a shining head of gold. Yet, with all of his success, wealth, and power, Nebuchadnezzar did not have the most important thing of all—the living God in his heart. He knew about God but he had not submitted to God. He was still trusting in his own wisdom and strength. One day King Nebuchadnezzar had another dream. When he woke up he remembered the dream but could not figure out what it meant He called his wise men and astrologers. He wanted them to interpret the dream for him. He said, ""In my dream I saw a great tree," he told them. "It was so tall and huge that it spread out over the entire world. Its leaves were very green. It was loaded with delicious fruit, enough for everyone in the world to eat. The beasts of the earth came to live under it, and many birds lived in its branches.” "Then I saw an angel come down from heaven. The angel cried out, 'Cut down the tree! Cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the animals and the birds get away from under the tree. Cut it down, but leave the stump of the tree and its roots in the ground. Then put a band of iron and brass around the stump surrounded by the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of heaven. Then the tree became a man and began to eat grass with the animals. He had an animal's mind instead of a man's mind. This lasted for seven years until the man came to know that the Most High God rules the earth and gives rulers the power they have to whomever He wishes. " The wise men and the astrologers were very confused and could not tell King Nebuchadnezzar the meaning. Then King Nebuchadnezzar remembered that Daniel had interpreted a dream before for him. So he called Daniel. When Daniel heard the dream he was very troubled. He sat there a long time and said nothing he was so disturbed. He did not want to tell the king the bad news. Finally the king convinced him to tell what the dream meant. Daniel then told King Nebuchadnezzar, "You are the tree. You will be cut down from your throne. You will lose your mind and become like a beast and eat grass like an oxen. This will last seven years. Then you will acknowledge that God is the One who rules over all. Then your mind will return to you and you will be the king of Babylon once again.” Daniel then began to plead to the king. He said, "0 King, please repent of your sins and start showing mercy to the poor so that these things won't happen to you. God is merciful and if you repent, He could cause these things not to happen to you." The king just said there staring into space. He did not reply. In spite of Daniel's warning he did not repent of his sins nor turn to the true God. A year went by and nothing happened. Then once day Nebuchadnezzar was walking outside his palace. He looked over the great city of Babylon. He saw the great river, the beautiful hanging gardens and the powerful city. He proudly said to himself, "This is the great Babylon that I have built by my power and my might for the honor of my majesty." No sooner had he said this, than he heard a voice from heaven. "O King Nebuchadnezzar, your authority is taken from you. You will be driven away from people. You will live with the wild animals and eat grass like the cattle.”

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Suddenly, his body grew like the feathers of eagles and his nails like the claws of a bird. Nebuchadnezzar had lost his mind just like God had told him! For seven years the once great Nebuchadnezzar lived in the fields with the animals. His hair grew long and was filled with dirt and matted together. His body was wet with rain and dew. At the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar bowed his heart before God. God immediately gave him back his mind and his reason. Nebuchadnezzar praised God and honored Him as the One Who lives forever and has everlasting dominion over all men. Nebuchadnezzar honored God as the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, the One Who had the power to humble proud men. Nebuchadnezzar was quickly changed back into a sane man who was able to rule his people. He straightened up his shoulders, probably found a stream to bathe himself in and happily walked back to his palace in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was so happy to be whole again. He was filled with the knowledge and wonder of God and he wanted everyone to know about Him. So he sent a proclamation to everyone in the world. He told them how God had humbled him and how He had restored him to his kingdom. He wanted everyone to know about the true God. Nebuchadnezzar had to humble himself before God before he could be saved from his sins and have fellowship with God. When we start thinking that we do not need God's help, God has to send something to humble us. We should thank God that He loves us so much that He humbles us when we get proud. Only the humble can receive God's gifts and be used by Him. God loves humility. A humble person is someone who does not brag or think that they are better than everyone else. If we are proud we are acting like the frog who thinks he can just jump into the water without looking. He is going to be eaten by a hungry alligator if he doesn't watch out! Did you know that being humble is the first step for anybody to be saved? When we are willing to admit we have sinned, then we are ready to receive the forgiveness and salvation that God offers through His Son, Jesus, Who died on the cross for us. Have you ever come to God, admitting you are a sinner and trusting in what Jesus did on Calvary's cross to save you? This is the only way you can be saved. Remember don't be proud. Be humble and trust in God!

Review Questions: “Scrabble” Letters Preparation: You will need at least one letter per child in your class from a set of wooden scrabble letters. You will also need to collect a set of scrabble letters of the entire alphabet placing 1 set of letters in a container for the teacher or leader. Procedure: Distribute the scrabble letter to the children. If you have extra letters in the alphabet left continue to distribute the letters. Be sure to give each student an equal number of letters. Say: “I will pull a letter from my container. If you have the matching letter, stand up and answer the review question.” You can keep score of the number of correct answers that each student gives, if desired.

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1. Who in this lesson were captured from Israel and taken to Babylon? (Nebuchadnezzar’s army took Daniel and three of his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah as part of the young men taken as captives to go to Babylon as slaves.)

2. Why did Daniel and his friends not want to eat the food of the Babylonian King? (God had ordered that the Hebrew people were not to eat meat that had been offered to idols. Daniel and his friends loved God and did not want to disobey God.)

3. Why did King Nebuchadnezzar build the golden statute? (King Nebuchadnezzar had grown in power as he added more new countries to his kingdom. The king became very proud of his success and probably wanted to build a statute to honor himself much like the one he had seen in his dream.”

4. Why did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego not fall down and worship the golden image? (Worshipping the image would have been a violation of the first two Commandments. We are worship God as the only God and no other. We are not to worship idols.)

5. What surprised King Nebuchadnezzar when he looked into the fiery furnace? (He looked into the furnace and saw four men walking around in the fire. He wanted to know why there were four men rather than three. And they were not hurt but were walking around in the fire! He noticed that the fourth man looked like an angel or Son of God.")

6. When King Nebuchadnezzar called out to the three friends in the furnace, what was surprising about the men when they came out? (Only the ropes that had been around them were burned off! Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them.)

7. What did King Nebuchadnezzar say after God saved the three friends from the fiery furnace? How was it different from true belief in God? (Even though King Nebuchadnezzar publicly said that God was the God of gods and the King of Kings and that He was the One who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire, he did not have the living God in his heart. He only admired God's power and that is NOT enough!)

8. What were some of King Nebuchadnezzar’s great accomplishments that caused him to be so proud? (He conquered many lands and brought back many slaves. He built a magnificent palace called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon that was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He built a huge thick wall around the city of Babylon. He built a beautiful blue gate as the entrance to the city. He had his slaves dig irrigation canals and build buildings throughout his land.)

9. What warning did God send to King Nebuchadnezzar about his pride and arrogance? (God gave him a dream about tall tree so tall and huge that it spread out its branches. It had very green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all the people and animals to eat. Then an angel cut down the tree leaving only a stump. The tree became a man and began to eat grass for seven years. The man had the mind of an animal for seven years until he came to know that God was the ruler of the earth not him.)

10. Who interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream? (God gave the interpretation to Daniel.) 11. Who was the tree in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream? (The tree was King Nebuchadnezzar

himself. He was the proud tree who considered himself the most powerful person on the earth.) 12. What happened to King Nebuchadnezzar’s one year after the dream? (He suddenly lost his mind

and became like an animal roaming in the field and eating grass for seven years. He lost his kingdom during this time.)

13. What warning and plea did Daniel give to King Nebuchadnezzar before the dream became a reality? (Daniel pleaded with King Nebuchadnezzar to repent from his pride and turn to God and recognize him as the Most High God who ruled the earth and gave the power to whomever He wished. But King Nebuchadnezzar did not listen nor repent.)

14. Why do you think God waited a year for King Nebuchadnezzar to repent of his sin of pride? (God is a God of mercy and does not want anyone to suffer judgment. It shows how much God loves us.)

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15. What happened at the end of seven years of King Nebuchadnezzar losing his mind and wandering in the field like an animal? (He repented and came to know that God is the Most High One who rules the earth and gives rulers the power they have. King Nebuchadnezzar was healed and returned to his throne in Babylon.)

16. What is our memory verse? (Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.")

17. What lessons can we learn from this Bible lesson about King Nebuchadnezzar and how he was humbled? (God hates pride. God wants us to be humble and recognize his absolute authority. God loves us and shows us mercy when we sin. He desires for us to be healed and live a humble life submitted to Him.)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: “Humble Pie” The memory verse is Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Have students locate the verse in scripture and read aloud together several times. Say: “This verse means that God does want us to be proud. He wants us to trust in Him.” Preparation: You will need to print a copy of the “Humble Pie” template below for each child. You will also need a sheet of construction paper, markers or crayons, scissors, and glue. Procedure: Distribute the materials. Have students color the “Humble Pie” template like a pie. Cut apart the pieces and glue them in the correct order onto a piece of construction paper. Lead the children in a prayer of commitment to not be prideful but to desire humility. Encourage children to recognize the being humble is a part of repentance and repentance is how we respond to the gospel. Group Learning Activity: “Proud Animals” (Grades K-3) Preparation: You will need a sheet of drawing paper and colored markers for each child. Procedure: Distribute the drawing supplies to each child. Ask the students to draw an animal that might make them think of pride or being proud. Offer suggestions such as being a lion, a tiger, a peacock, an eagle, or a bear. After drawing have each child share their picture with the class and tell why they chose that animal as representing pride. Discuss the reasons that pride is a sin and hated by God. Examples:

“Proud as a peacock”—peacocks are birds that strut around the barnyard and open up their tail feathers in a huge fan to show off their beautiful colors;

“Proud lion”--a lion is proud because they are sometimes called the “King of the Jungle.” They walk in very arrogant haughty manner that shows a sense of pride. A group of lions is even called a “pride.”

“Roaring tiger”—tigers roar when they want to attract attention and they want other animals to know that they are present. They roar during hostile situations in order to

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frighten their enemies. People who are proud want others to give them all the attention.

“Soaring eagle”—eagles are animals that fly very high in the sky. They show a sense of courage and a desire to explore and grow. They signify that good fortune or victory is on its way. They have strong powerful legs and sharp claws that can tear their prey apart. They are large and not afraid. These are characteristics of people who are filled with self-pride and a strong ego.

“Strong as a bear”—bears are animals that often symbolize protection and courage. Just like a mother bear cub protects her babies, so is a father bear raised up in courage and strength to protect the family. The picture is of an animal that shows authority and stands tall against all foes and enemies. The bear is an animal that shows pride and courage.

Say: “In this lesson we learned that King Nebuchadnezzar was a man of great pride. God had to use a very difficult situation to teach him that God is the One who is the Most Powerful God and the One who is control of all things not King Nebuchadnezzar! King Nebuchadnezzar strutted like a peacock and roared his voice like a powerful lion. But God hates the sin of pride. The king had to learn an important lesson about humility. “God wants us to be humble. God wants us to know that He is the One who gives us the gifts, talents, and abilities that we have. God will humble us if we fall into the sin of pride.”

Group Learning Game Activity: “Boastful or Humble” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: You will need to print a copy of the following scenarios so the teacher can lead the class discussion. Procedure: Read each of the six examples. Lead students in a discussion of whether the child in the illustration was boastful or humble. Be sure to explain why the answer is boastful or humble.

1. Jimmy came running home from school. He got an A+ on today’s quiz. He thanked his mom for encouraging him to study the night before. Was Jimmy boastful or humble? (Jimmy was humble because he was thankful to his mother for helping him and encouraging him to get the good grade.)

2. Tammy looked around at the other girls in her classroom. None of them had as nice a dress as she had. She couldn’t wait for someone to notice, so she told everyone how pretty her dress was. Was Tammy boastful or humble? (Tammy was boastful because she looked at outward appearances. She thought her dress was better than the other girls' dresses and went out of her way to tell the others how pretty it was.)

3. Carl knew his parents were wealthy. He always got a large allowance. But all of his friends said Carl did not act rich. Instead he was very generous. Was Carl boastful or humble? (Carl was humble because although he knew he came from a wealthy family he didn't act like it. Carl was also very generous. He recognized that what he had was a gift from God and should be shared with others.)

4. Liz was doing great in school. She was the captain of the soccer team and had many friends. She didn’t need to worry about Jesus right now in her life. Was Liz boastful or humble? (Liz was boastful because she thought that her friends were the most important thing in life. She thought her earthly accomplishments were all she needed. She foolishly didn't want Jesus in her life.)

5. As James entered his friend’s house, he noticed how old and dirty everything looked. He laughed and said, “Our furniture looks much nicer than yours.” Was James boastful or humble? (James was boastful because he made fun of his friend’s family and what they had. He compared his possessions with what others had and would laugh at people who had less materially.)

6. Justin saw the mess his younger sister made. There was mud all over the floor. He know his mom would clean it up, but he decided to do it himself before she noticed. Was Justin boastful or

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humble? (He was humble because he was willing to do a job that nobody really wanted to do. He didn't leave the mess for his mother to clean up, but rather took the initiative to clean up the mess his sister made without being asked.)

Once everyone has finished discussing these scenarios ask if the kids can think of any other situations where we can act in a humble way.

Group Learning Activity “Pride or Humility” (Grades 3-5) Purpose: To help students learn that God despises pride and honors the humble. Preparation: You will need Bibles, spiritual journal page, pencils or pens. Say: “In this lesson we learned the King Nebuchadnezzar who was a very prideful king learned how to be humble. We are going to look at other scripture that tells what God feels about pride.” Procedure: Have students look up the following scripture. Discuss the meaning of each verse with the group.

• Luke 18:9-14 “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Jesus told the parable of two men who prayed in the temple. One was a Pharisee who was proud and the other was a tax collector who was humble. Only the humble man was rewarded with eternal life. Self-righteousness is dangerous. It leads to pride causing a person to despise others and prevents him from receiving mercy from God.

• Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Selfish ambition is wanting to do something for your own good instead of the good of others. Vain concept is thinking that you’re better than others. We can practice humility when we work to help other succeed.

• Titus 3:2 “to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men,” This verse commands us to live at peace with all men. Living a peaceful life means to show humility toward others. Humility is respecting others and treating them as we would wish to be treated. Humility is thinking of others before ourselves.

• James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” The cure for evil desires is humility. God wants to gives strength to those who seek to do His will.

Say: “God’s word tells us that God stands against those who are proud (James 4:6). If we are proud of our own talents or abilities, looks or possessions, God may take those things away so we will see what is true. God is the One who gives every good thing that we have (James 1:17). Without God we are helpless. We should never brag about what we have accomplished (1 Corinthians 5:6). The only thing we should ever brag about is that we know the Lord! (Jeremiah 9:24).”

Have students record what they have learned about pride and humility in their spiritual journals.

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Group Learning Activity: “Write a Letter” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: Students will need a Bible, a piece of stationery, and pen or pencils. You will also need a sample of a modern day personal letter that you have received. Print a copy of the stationey template for a friendly letter for each student. Procedure: Distribute the Bible, stationery and writing supplies to all students. Say: “Open your Bible to Daniel 4. This chapter is actually a letter. When we write a letter, we sign it at the bottom. (Show your modern-day letter, and where it is signed.) Back in Bible times, they did something interesting when they signed their letters. They signed them at the beginning of the letter. This actually makes a lot of sense. This way, when a person received a letter, he or she knew right away who sent it. So, look at the first couple words in Daniel 4. Ask: Who was this letter from? King Nebuchadnezzar. Say: And right after the letter writer’s name, he tells us who the letter is written to. Who would like to read verse 1 aloud so we can see whom this letter is written to? (Choose a volunteer to read.) Say: “This letter is written to everyone in the whole world! Wow! This must be a very important letter! Let’s see what this mighty King thought was so important that he should write a letter to the entire world. He begins: (Read Daniel 4:2-3). This announcement in the letter is much higher praise than Nebuchadnezzar had ever spoken about God. Something big has happened in the King’s life and he wants to tell everyone about it. Say: “In Daniel 4:4-18 King Nebuchadnezzar explains a dream that he had. Let’s read the description of this dream.” (Read Daniel 4:4-18) “This was the second dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had and of course once again he wanted his wise men to explain it to him. Finally Nebuchadnezzar calls Daniel to interpret the dream for him. (Read Daniel 4: 19-27) At first Daniel did not want to explain the dream to him, but finally warned King Nebuchadnezzar about the coming judgment.” Say: “The letter that King Nebuchadnezzar continues with telling how the dream came true and was fulfilled. All of the things that he was so proud of were taken away. (Read Daniel 4:28-33) Remember the fine food at the King’s table that we read about in Daniel 1? That was taken from Nebuchadnezzar; he had to eat grass just like the goats and cows! He was used to living in a grand palace, but now he had no shelter over his head. For 7 years, the great King Nebuchadnezzar lived out in the wilderness like an animal. He lost his mind; he became crazy (Daniel 4:34). Without God, he was helpless. All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar because he was full of pride and would not recognize that God was sovereign.” Say: “The letter ends with the good news about King Nebuchadnezzar changed. Nebuchadnezzar showed that he became humble when he admitted his sin of pride in this letter that he wrote for the entire world to read. He also used the letter to praise God and declare that God was in control of everything.” Say: “Just as King Nebuchadnezzar wrote a letter to tell of how God worked in his life we are going to write a letter to a friend and tell about how God has helped us.” Have students use the writing stationery to write a letter of praise about something that God has done or given them in their life to a friend. Read the letters aloud to class.

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Group Learning Activity Game: “Blowing Bubblegum Bubbles” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: You will need at least four pieces of bubble gum and a whiteboard. Say: “Who can blow a bubble with bubble gum? Today we are going to play a game that will help us understand more about the lesson that King Nebuchadnezzar had to learn.” Procedure: Choose four volunteers from those who raise their hands that they could blow bubblegum bubbles. (If not enough students know how to blow bubble gum, you can choose from adult helpers.) Give each volunteer a piece of bubble gum and let them sit down in front of the group and chew for a few minutes. While the volunteers are chewing their gum, begin the discussion. Say: “I am going to write some words on the whiteboard and then you are to think of a word that is opposite in meaning. These are all words that describe the actions of some people.” Give students the following words and then find the opposite. Write the results on the whiteboard.

Afraid—Brave Mad—Calm or Sane Rude—Kind Greedy—Generous Coward—Courage Insult—Compliment Sadness—Happiness Hate—Love

By this time, the bubble gum should be chewed sufficiently to blow bubbles. Ask the volunteers to blow big bubbles with their gum. Thank them for their efforts. Say: “What made the gum become bubbles? (Air was blown into the gum.) What made the bubbles pop? (Too much air was in the bubble.) What might happen if one of the volunteers blew a huge bubble and then it popped? (It could stick all over his face, hair, and clothes. It would be a big mess.)” Say: “This experiment helps us see a problem we sometimes have. It’s called pride and it happens when we get puffed up by how good we think we are and that we’re better off than others. (Write pride on the list of opposites.) These balloons are a lot like pride. They are puffed up with a lot of air but they are really empty inside. What is the opposite of pride? It is humility. (Write humility on the opposite side of the white board.) Humility is the lesson that King Nebuchadnezzar had to learn. Humility is looking toward God and recognizing that we need God’s mercy and help. Without Him, we cannot save ourselves. God looks at the attitudes in our hearts and He wants us to have humility. A proud heart is useless to God.” Say: “How will we know if we have a proud or humble heart?” (When we are humble, we will have an attitude of realizing that we are not better than others. We understand that we are not special because of our abilities or talents because those have been given to us by God. We know that we need God’s help. If we are proud, we will be too good for others, not admit that we do wrong, and refuse to see our mistakes and failures.”

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Group Learning Activity: “Pride vs. Humility” Boxing Match (Grades 1-4) Preparation: You will need a pair of boxing gloves, a large poster paper on an easel or large dry erase board, markers, black paint, paint brush, and one kingly crown labeled King Nebuchadnezzar. Say: (Put on the boxing gloves and a boxer’s attire if desired to gain attention.) “Today there is going to be a big fight. Pride is going to go up against humility to see who will win the heavyweight championship title. Everyone’s got their bets on pride. Pride knows he will win. He’s got confidence. He’s strong. He’s been fighting in the ring like this for years. He’s also got a mouth on him. You should hear him destroy Humility. In my opinion, Humility doesn’t have a chance.” Procedure: Draw two large stick figures side by side.

Say: “Meet Proud Dude and Humble Dude” As you compare and contrast these guys during the lesson, write down brief captions next to the figures.

As you draw the eyes on each, explain that Proud Dude only likes to look at himself. Occasionally he sees other people, but when he does, it’s only to see their mistakes, weaknesses, and failures. Humble Dude sees God first and then others. He knows that people matter to God, so he treats them with dignity, worth, and respect.

As you draw the mouths, explain that Proud Dude brags about himself constantly. He’s always telling us about his good grades, his 4 soccer goals, how he is the most popular student and so very cute. He complains about other people and talks about them behind their backs. Humble Dude is often talking about how awesome God is. He also is known to brag about others. Like, “Did you see her art project? It’s amazing! I can’t believe that girl can draw like that. What a gift!” Humble Dude uses his words to encourage everyone!

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As you draw the ears, talk about how Proud Dude hates to be told what to do. He doesn’t like to hear that he is wrong about anything, so he starts fights when he is corrected. Humble Dude realizes that sometimes he makes mistakes, so he hears people out and he apologizes for sin. (Proverbs 13:10)

As you draw the hands, put a boxing glove on Proud Dude’s hand. Tell the students that he is always causing fights because he never gets what he wants. Read James 4:1-2. Humble Dude should have a balloon, a flower, or any other treat in his hand. Humble Dude honors other people above himself and is peaceable and considerate. (Titus 3:2) He makes people happy.

As you draw the feet, say that Proud Dude often stomps his. He demands his own way. He thinks he deserves to be served. In contrast, Humble Dude is always walking towards needs. He helps people without being asked.

As you draw little stick figures surrounding each of them (to represent their friends, family, pastors, teachers, etc.), ask the students whether they think that Proud Dude gets along with anyone? What about Humble Dude? What might God think of each of them?

As you draw little stick figures surrounding each of them (to represent their friends, family, pastors, teachers, etc.), ask the students whether they think that Proud Dude gets along with anyone? What about Humble Dude? What might God think of each of them?

As the students answer, start scribbling out Proud Dude’s relationships. You may want to even use black paint and a paintbrush to get rid of these people completely. Tell them that Pride is a source of destruction. It destroys everything – friendships, relationships, even yourself. Pride ends up all alone. In contrast, add more stick figures to Humble Dude’s group. Humility builds relationships because people feel loved and valued.

Write, “GOD” one time at the top of the paper. What does God think? In 1 Peter 5:5 it says that, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” It also says that God detests pride. Proud Dude is foolish. However, in Proverbs 22:4, it says, “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.” Humble Dude just keeps getting blessed by God over and over!

Say: “So, the question is this: Who wins the fight of life in the end? Who would be the heavyweight champion? Have the students give applause to declare the winner. Will it be Proud Dude? (No.) Will it be Humble Dude? (Yes!)” Ask for one volunteer. Crown him King Nebuchadnezzar. Briefly review King Nebuchadnezzar’s life: Say: “Some say you were the greatest King that Babylon ever produced. (Have children salute.) You had tons of people working for you – maybe 90% of the kingdom! Bricks were stamped in your name. You built and restored much of Babylon. (Have King Nebuchadnezzar flex his muscles.) Say:”Now for the bad news King Nebuchadnezzar: You threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fiery furnace. That was a bad decision! (Have King Nebuchadnezzar shake his head.) You were so proud that you ignored God and thought you were better than him. (Have King Nebuchadnezzar shake his fist at God.) Say:”Now for the really bad news: Your pride causes you to go crazy. Your kingdom is taken away. (Take away King Nebuchadnezzar’s crown.) You are driven away from people. (Have him go stand alone.) You live with wild animals. (Have him howl like a wolf.) You eat grass. (Have him rub his belly and say yummy.) You grow hair like feathers and nails like claws. (Beg King Nebuchadnezzar not to do that.)” Remind students that Pride leaves you alone, disgraced, destroyed, and humbled.

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Say: “After 7 years of living like a wild animal, King Nebuchadnezzar decided to get rid of his pride and honor God. (Have students applaud and invite King Nebuchadnezzar back.) Your sanity is restored. You look human again. Your crown is returned. (Place on head again.) Your kingdom is returned and its even greater than your other kingdom.” Have King Nebuchadnezzar. get on his knees and repeat Daniel 4:37. “Now I, King Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of Heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble.” Thank the volunteer for helping and have the students give him a huge round of applause.

Craft Learning Activity: “Flip Flop Faces” (Grades K-3) Preparation: You will need craft foam, construction paper, yarn, colored markers, two small paper plates, large craft sticks, glue, and scissors for each child. Say: “In this lesson we learned that King Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by losing his mind and becoming an animal for seven years. When he believed and prayed to God, God saved him. Now Nebuchadnezzar is a happy man. He trusts in God! We are going to make a craft that will help us remember the big change that took place in the king’s life!” Procedure: Have students cut from the construction paper or the craft foam the shapes for eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth for faces. Cut yarn into six inch length for hair. (Younger students may need to have this prepared in advance for them.) Have students glue the happy face features to the back side of one paper plate. Glue yarn on for hair. Next have students glue the angry face features to the back side of a second paper plate. Glue the yarn on for hair. Help students glue the craft sticks to the front edge of one plate. Glue the front rims of the plates together. Allow the glue to dry. Optional: Have children draw faces on the paper plates instead of gluing the shapes. Say: “How does a person feel when they are full of pride and arrogance? Do they get angry with others if they do not receive all the attention? What happens if the person makes a mistake? Do they get angry with themselves? King Nebuchadnezzar did not want to recognize that God was in control. How do you think he felt when he became an animal and had to eat grass? Do you think that he was angry with God at first? How did he eventually change his attitude? When we are willing to ask God to forgive us, we will experience a great change in our attitude. We will have a “flip-flop” face!”

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Craft Learning Activity: “Be Humble Bees” (Grades K-4) Preparation: You will need 1” yellow foam balls or yellow pom poms, 2” lengths of black chenille stems, small googly eyes, glue, black elastic threads and a craft needle. Procedure: Help students make bumblebees by bending two chenille stems into wing shapes. You can also draw simple wings on paper and cut out to attach to the yellow foam ball or pom pom. Cut a 2“ piece of chenille stem in half and attach two pieces as antennae. Glue on a pair of googly eyes. If desired, thread a needle with black elastic thread and push through the bee body from the top to bottom. Knot several times under the body and pull back up so the knot is snug against the bottom of the body. The elastic thread allows the bee to bounce in the air. Say: “These bumblebees can be good reminders that God wants us to be “humble” not proud.” Optional Craft: Preparation: You will need Black, yellow, and white craft foam (or construction paper); glue sticks; large wooden craft sticks; googly eyes; black pipe cleaners. Procedure: Cut the craft foam (or construction paper) so that each child has the pieces to assemble a bee: yellow oval body, black stripes, black circle head and white wings. If using craft foam, poke two holes at the top of the circle (to thread the pipe cleaner through). Write “Bee Humble” near the end of each craft stick. Say: “God wants us to be humble like Jesus is. This “Humble Bee” will remind us to practice being humble.”

Snack Learning Activity: “Puffed Up” Snacks Preparation: You will need cheese puffs, popcorn, cotton candy or other “airy” snacks. Procedure: If you plan to provide a snack, serve one of the following during craft or table activity time. Say: “While you are eating these snacks, remember that pride puffs you up. You can eat the puffed up snacks. Before you eat, share with a friend in the class one way that it’s easy to be proud instead of humble. The next time you eat these kinds of air-puffed foods, remember that God wants our hearts to be humble, not puffed up with pride.” Note: Always be aware of children with food allergies and have another option on hand if necessary.

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Life Application Challenge: “Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord” Song Sing this popular chorus with girls echoing the boys.

(Boys) Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, (Girls) Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, (Boys) Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, (Girls) Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, (Boys) And He, (Girls) And He, (Boys) Will lift, (Girls) Will lift, (Both) You up, higher and higher, (Boys) And He, (Girls) And He, (Boys) Will lift, (Girls) Will lift, (Both) You up! repeat several times Words & Music by Bob Hudson © 1978 Maranatha! Music

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The Proud King is Humbled

Proverbs 16:18

"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."

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Humble Pie

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Unit 14: Captivity Daniel and Esther OT14.4 Proud King is ...€¦ · Have you ever known someone...

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Transcript of Unit 14: Captivity Daniel and Esther OT14.4 Proud King is ...€¦ · Have you ever known someone...