Children Bible Overview 88 4/01/09

GOD SENT ANGELS TO HELP DANIEL WHEN HE PRAYED ERNESTLY

Teachers to read bible scripture: <Da 9-10>
Children to memorize bible scripture: <Eph 3:20>

Recap
Last week, we saw how God sent His angel to shut the mouths of the lions such that they did not hurt
Daniel. Daniel’s enemies and their wives and children were thrown into the lions’ den instead and
killed. The King and also people from various countries believed in Daniel’s God.

Introduction
One day, when Daniel was old, he understood from the scripture according to the word of the Lord
given to Jeremiah the prophet that because Israel worshipped idols and abandoned God, God
therefore desolated Jerusalem for 70 years, such that her people became slaves of other countries
and could not return to their own country. When Daniel knew about this, he was very upset. He knelt
before the Lord and prayed earnestly. Daniel first confessed his sins before God before confessing
the sins of God’s people. This was because God’s people, Israel had abandoned God’s promise.
Thereafter, Daniel again asked God for forgiveness, praying for his people such that God had mercy
on His people and hence bring them back to Jerusalem to use them. When Daniel was praying, he
was very earnest and felt upset for Israel. He therefore did not eat for many days. While praying, his
heart continued to be burdened and disappointed and could not hear God’s voice. However, Daniel
did not give up but continued to pray. After 21 days, an angel dressed in white called Gabriel came
before Daniel and told him, “Highly esteemed Daniel, God has heard your prayer. Actually, as soon
as you began to pray, I was sent by God to answer you. However, the army led by the devil Satan
opposed me. Therefore, God next sent archangel, Michael to help me and chased the army of
demons away. I was hence delayed by 21 days before coming. Now, I will tell you God’s perfect will
and plan…” Gabriel the angel hence told Daniel all the things that God wanted to do and God’s big
plan to save Israel. God also blessed Daniel and gave him long life. In the era of the Persian Kingdom,
Daniel was highly respected by the King and people. God also heard Daniels prayer. After 70 years,
God revived Israel once again so that His people could return to Jerusalem and build the Lord, God’s
holy temple there.

1. Because Daniel knew that God’s people were weak and hence were put in exile, he
prayed earnestly to God
1) Daniel knew that God loved Israel eternally and wanted to use Israel greatly.
Therefore, God had already prepared for them the greatest portion of blessing, that
was, to bless them and through them, enable many people to know God.
2) However, Daniel knew that the devil, Satan would steal the blessings of Israel. He
saw that the devil continued to tempt Israel to commit sins and asked them to
worship idols, love the world such that not only was Israel not able to receive
blessings but was carried away in exile, and became the laughing stock of many
people.
3) As a result, Daniel was on one hand upset for Israel and on the other hand, filled with
grievous hatred for the devil, Satan. Therefore, he knelt before God, fasted by not
eating and drinking and prayed for Israel that He could forgive them of their sins,
revive them once again and use them. Daniel knew that God was a compassionate
God and a God who would listen to prayers. He therefore prayed very earnestly.
2. When Daniel prayed earnestly, God sent His angels to help him
1) When Daniel prayed earnestly, God immediately listened to his prayer and sent two
angels, Gabriel and Michael to help him and give him answers. [When we pray, God
will sent His angels to help us].
2) God sent His archangel, Michael to chase away the army of demons which continued
to influence Daniel: Satan’s army often give us fear, no peace, disappointment, but
when the archangel, Michael comes, he chases away all the spirits that brings fear,
no peace and disappointment so that the devil Satan can no longer influence our
hearts. [Children, have you all experienced this when you pray? E.g. Fear

Courage, No peace
No fear, Disappointment/ Sadness
Joy, etc]
3) God sent His angel, Gabriel to tell Daniel of God’s perfect will: Every time we pray,
the devil will try not to let us hear God’s voice and hence cannot understand God’s
plan. Therefore, every time the angel, Gabriel comes, he enables us to hear and see
that God loves us and after that tells us God’s perfect will. When we hear that, we will
be very joyful. [Children, every time we remember that God loves us and understand
how God is helping us, will our hearts be in joy?]

3. When Daniel had the heart to pray earnestly for God’s people, God answered his
prayer beyond what he thought of and prayed for
1) Although Daniel prayed for God’s people, eventually, Daniel himself received the
greatest blessing. He received faith and understood God’s perfect will. Therefore, He
was not afraid or disappointed. Instead, he had strength and wisdom to complete
God’s work.
2) Not only did God give Daniel wisdom and faith, He also gave him good health and
long life so that he could serve God and continue to be the prime minister of Persia,
influencing many countries and people for God. Therefore, because of Daniel, many
people heard of the great name of the Jehovah God.
3) Not only that, God also heard Daniel’s prayer. After 70 years, God brought the
Israelites back to Jerusalem. There, they re-built the holy temple and worshipped the
Lord, God.
*Conclusion: When we earnestly pray according to God’s desire, God will surely answer
us beyond what we think of pray for.