Wes presents the theme of the book of Daniel as a struggle against the beasts of this world. The struggle includes the fight to not be captivated by worldly kingdoms and the resistance against pride and our own sinfulness, choosing instead to maintain trust in God and faithfulness to his word. In what way do you see these beasts at work in the world? In what way do you see your own inner beast fighting for control of your life?

Daniel is written to the post-exilic Israelites to encourage them to remain faithful to God under foreign rule. In what ways is your situation similar to that of the exiles, and how can you learn from the example of Daniel and his friends?

Daniel, Hannaniah, Azariah, and Mishael were completely uprooted from life as they knew it by the Babylonians. Their language, culture, and even their way of connecting with God through the temple worship system was stripped away from them. Yet through it all they remained faithful and flexible. In what ways, past or present, have you had your life uprooted? How did you or are you handling it? How do you stay faithful in times of crisis and change?

There is a way to be in the world but not of the world. They allowed themselves to be outwardly stripped of their Hebrew identity but inwardly they were still righteous men of God. No one could take that away from them.

Crisis brings clarity about what is important in life. In what ways have you seen this principle to be true in your life?

Daniel planted flag in his diet. In what area do you need to plant your flag?

Daniel’s dietary decision can’t be traced to an exact law, he was simply making the most faithful decision he could make with his understanding of God’s will at that period in his life. Have you ever had to make a decision like this when you felt like God’s will wasn’t written in the clouds telling you what to do? How did you decided what to do?

Eden represents an ideal in which man and God are working together to co-create the world as God intends it. Daniel’s decision to only eat seed bearing plants is representative of the how God originally provided for sustenance through seed-bearing plants in Eden. In this way, Daniel was attempting to bring the Eden ideal to his exilic surroundings. In what way is God calling you to create eden in your life right now?

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