Lesson 12 (Mar 14-20), From North and South to the

Prophecies About Persia and Greece

1. What could be God's purpose in giving such detailed prophecies about kings of one part of the world? What does it matter to us what those kings did?
2. How do these prophecies relate to the freedom of choice of these kings?
3. What evidence is there that God is in control of the affairs of the earth these days?

Prophecies of Syria and Egypt

1. Are the King of the North and King of the South literal kings or symbolic?
2. How successful are marriages for political benefit?
3. What would we lose if Dan 11 were not in the Bible?

Rome and the Prince of the Covenant

1. Why is it so difficult to understand Dan 11? Why does no angel appear to help interpret this prophecy?
2. Can there be more than one fulfilment of these prophecies?
3. What are the clues that connect this prophecy with the Roman empire and what takes us beyond that?

The Next Power

1. What are clues connect the next power with religion which is absent from the prophecy thus far?
2.  Can the Pope sue the Adventist church for defamation of character?
3. Can there be more than one antichrist?

Final Events

1. When does/did the time of the end begin?
2. What does "north" and "south" stand for in the Bible and how might that be significant here?
3. What assurance do we have that God and His people will be victorious at the end?

Lesson 11 (Mar 7-13), From Battle to Victory

Fasting and Prayer, Once Again

1. Why didn't Daniel return to Jerusalem with the others at the end of the 70 years?
2. Why was Daniel mourning after the others returned to Jerusalem?
3. Since it is mentioned that Daniel during his mourning avoided pleasant bread, wine, and flesh does it mean that he normally consumed those things? How does this compare with the Daniel of the first chapter?

A Vision of the Prince

1. Why does God give visions during the day instead of during the night when it is more convenient?
2. Why do prophets who describe God and heaven use words "like" and "as" so many times? Are prophets shown real things or just pictures in their mind?
3. What could have frightened Daniel's companions?

 Touched by an Angel

1. Under what circumstances will God control a human being like a robot?
2. Does God hear ALL prayers personally, or do angels assist in hearing and answering prayers?
3. Who was with Daniel? Why is he described as "one like the sons of men?"

A Great Conflict

1. Are all humans--rulers and commoners on one side or the other in the great controversy, or are some neutral?
2. Why would Satan attempt to block the return of the Jews to Jerusalem since they were the ones who would crucify Jesus?
3. Who is Michael? Why is he described as "One of the princes?" Who are the others?

A Victorious Prince

1. Is Satan stronger than Gabriel?
2. How do angels fight, physically or verbally?
3. How does Satan fight with humans? What do we need to fear when we deal with evil ones, and what do we not need to fear?

Lesson 10 (Feb 29-Mar 6), From Confession to Consolation

The Centrality of God's Word

1. Was Daniel presumptuous in assuming that the fall of Babylon meant freedom for his people or did the prophecy say that?
2. Is there anything significant about the number 70? Could God have ended the captivity earlier?
3. Can prophecies be understood and interpreted only by another prophet?

An Appeal to Grace

1. Was Daniel's confession a condition for the captivity to end?
2. How effective is a leader's confession on behalf of the people?
3. Does God do things so that His name will be honoured?

The Value of Intercession

1. Was Daniel right or wrong to include himself in the sins/guilt of his people?
2. What is the value of intercessory prayer? Could Moses save his people by giving up his right to life?
3. What is the value of parents praying for an unbelieving child?
4. What is the value of prayer before an exam, or before setting out on a trip?

The Work of the Messiah

1. How does forgiveness make an "end to sin?"
2. Why can remission be accomplished only by the shedding of blood?
3. What does it mean to "seal up a vision?"

The Prophetic Calendar

1. How do we know that the year-day principle has to be applied to the 2300 day prophecy?
2. How do we know that the 2300 day prophecy has the same starting date as the 70 week prophecy?
3. Does probation close for the Jews at the end of the 70 week prophecy?

Lesson 9 (Feb 22-28), From Contamination to . . .

The Ram and the Goat

1. What are the differences between a ram and a goat? What are the similarities? 
2. What could be the reason the two of them being mentioned together are restricted to the Day of Atonement setting?
3. Why is the ram pushing in all directions except east?
4. Why does the angel specify which are the empires and kingdoms in this vision and not in Dan 2?

The Rise of the Little Horn

1. Why is it important to understand the directions in which the Little Horn is moving?
2. How do we know the Little Horn of this chapter is the same as the Little Horn in Dan 7?
3. What is this "pleasant" or "glorious" land? Why is the direction not a point on the compass?

The Attack on the Sanctuary

1. How do we know what "hosts" or "stars" represent?
2. Why do we say that "Michael" is Jesus?
3. What all went on everyday in the earthly Sanctuary and what could that represent in the ministry of the heavenly?

The Cleansing of the Sanctuary

1. How do we know that the cleansing has to take place in heaven? Why didn't William Miller realise that?
2. Why should the heavenly sanctuary need cleansing?
3. Why does some blood pollute and some cleanse?

The Prophetic Timetable

1. How do we know that the 2300 days is symbolic and not literal?
2. On what basis do we use the time scale one day is equal to one year and not another such as one day is equal to one week or month?
3. Is the vision of the 2300 days positive or negative?

Lesson 8 (Feb 15-21), From the Stormy Sea to

Four Animals

1. Was Daniel 7 a dream or a vision? What is the difference?
2. How can a superior kingdom be defeated by an inferior one?
3. Why do you think God used familiar animals in the beginning and an unfamiliar one at the end?

The Little Horn

1. Why do we say the animals represent kingdoms when the angel plainly says they represent kings? Is there any difference?
2. What is the connection between the fourth beast and the Little Horn? On what basis do we claim that both are Rome?
3. Is there just one fulfilment of the Little Horn or are there many?

The Court was Seated

1. From the sequence in the dream how can we tell when the court scene will begin?
2. On what basis do we claim that this is the great judgement of all humanity?
3. How can we tell which parts of the dream/vision are literal and which are symbolic?

The Coming of the Son of Man

1. Why is Jesus described as the Son of Man rather than as the Son of God?
2. How do we know that this Son of Man is not a human being?
3. Why is God referred to as the "Ancient of Days?" How is that epithet significant in this context?

The Holy Ones of the Most High

1. On what basis can human beings be called "holy ones" or "saints?"
2. Practically who in your area can be expected to persecute God's people?
3. How easy is it to convince people of our interpretation Daniel and Revelation?

Lesson 7 (Feb 8-14), From the Lions' Den to the . . .

Jealous Souls

1. What comes first, jealousy or pride?
2. Was it the king's fault that the other administrators became jealous of Daniel?
3. What could have given the impression that Daniel feared God more than he did the king?
4. How can one keep from getting jealous or from coveting?

The Plot Against Daniel

1. What could the other administrators have gained by getting rid of Daniel? Would they have succeeded if the lions had killed Daniel?
2. Why would any country or organization have such a policy against changing laws?
3. Why did the king respect Daniel more than he did the other administrators?
4. How can we earn similar respect in our current work places as Daniel did in the king's court?

Daniel's Prayer

1. If Daniel had alerted the king to the problem could some provision have been made for him?
2. Would it have been a sin for Daniel to pray with his windows closed?
3. How should we respond when the sunday law is passed?

In the Lions' Den

1. What did the king mean when he referred to Daniel "serving the Lord continually?"
2. What made the administrators thing that captives were second class citizens? Were they justified in feeling superior?
3. Why do some Christians have the attitude that they are more deserving that recent converts?
4. Why did Jesus tell the parable of equal pay? Don't those who start work earlier deserve more pay?
5. What are similar situations today in which we might be like Darius enjoying ego boosts?

Vindication

1. Why does history not record the conversion of the entire nation of Babylon?
2. What is God's attitude to punishment of wives and children for the sins of men?
3. Why does God permit some faithful to perish and others to be spared?

Lesson 6 (Feb 1-7), From Arrogance to

Belshazzer's Feast

1. Why do you think Belshazzer desired to drink from the temple vessels?
2. Why do you think God permitted those vessels to be looted from the temple in Jerusalem?
3. What made Babylon a symbol of opposition to God's people when they were surrounded by other enemies?

An Uninvited Guest

1. Why did God prefer to communicate through riddles and codes to the King rather than writing clearly?
2. How could no Babylonian attempt to interpret the writing on the wall?
3. What made the king believe the interpretation that Daniel gave?

Enter the Queen

1. Why was Daniel not called in the first place? Why was he absent from the party?
2. Do prophets ever retire from prophesying?
3. Why didn't the king and all the people not realize that God was punishing them for defiling sacred vessels?

Weighed and Found Wanting

1. Since the words written were easy to read and understand, why couldn't people guess what it meant?
2. Why was it important to God to inform Belshazzer of impending doom?
3. Does God always punish those who defile sacred things?

The Fall of Babylon

1. What made the fall of Babylon of greater import than the fall of Assyria, Syria, Edom and other nations?
2. Why did Daniel accept the rewards for his interpreting?
3. Does God always send warnings before punishing a person?