STORY TELLING (Preschool)

DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN

There was a new king in Babylon called Darius. He liked Daniel because he was a hard
worker and honest servant. Darius put Daniel in charge of the whole country.
The other people who worked for the king were very jealous of Daniel. They wanted
to get Daniel into trouble. They tricked King Darius into making a law, so that people could
only pray to him. Anyone found praying to anyone else would be thrown into the lions’ den.
Daniel loved God and loved and loved to talk to Him every day. He obeyed all the
king’s laws, but he couldn’t obey this one.
He loved God so much.
When the men saw Daniel praying, they told the king right away and made him
punish Daniel.
King Darius was very sad that he gave the order. He was sad that Daniel will be
thrown into the lions’ den. Regretfully he said, “I hope your God who you serve and pray to
will rescue you.”
All night King Darius could not eat or sleep. He was so worried.
First thing the next morning, he rushed to the lions’ den. He shouted, “Daniel are you
there?”
Daniel replied, “O king, my God sent an angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.”
King Darius was very happy. Daniel was saved. God had protected him.
STORY TELLING (Primary)

DANIEL AND THE LION (Daniel 6)

Daniel was Israelite who was wise and respectful. Most importantly, he loved God.
When Daniel was a young boy, he along with other Israelites, had been taken to live in
another country. God had taken care of Daniel and his friends. Now as much older man,
Daniel worked for a Persian king named Darius. King Darius liked Daniel and had plans to
make him a great ruler.
Some other man who worked for the king did not like Daniel. They tried to catch him
doing something wrong, but Daniel faithfully obeyed God and honored the king.
Three times a day Daniel went into his room and prayed to God with the window
open. This was one way he showed his love for God. The men who did like Daniel
encouraged the king to make a law Daniel could not obey. The king followed their advice
without really thinking about what he was doing. The law required that no one could pray
to anyone except the king. Anyone who did not follow the law would be thrown into the
lions’ den.
The men watched Daniel closely. They wanted to see if he would keep praying to hi
God. Sure enough, even though the king had made the law, Daniel continued to pray with
his window wide open.
As Daniel prayed, the men watched and they went to the king. They told the king that
Daniel was breaking the law by praying to his God. King Darius was very sad because he like
Daniel, but there was nothing he could do. The law had been made, so Daniel had to be
punished.
Daniel was taken to lions’ den. Before he was thrown into the den, the king said,
“May your God, who you serve continually, rescue you!” The authorities place Daniel in the
den and slammed the door shut.
All night long the king thought about Daniel. The next morning, he ran to the lions’
den and called out, “Daniel, Daniel has your God been able to save you from the lions?”
Daniel answered, “My God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, so they
haven’t harmed me.”
The king ordered Daniel to be taken out of the lions´ den. God had rescued Daniel!
King Darius was thankful that God had protected his friend. The king wanted all the people
in the kingdom to worship Daniel’s God – the only real God.
Just like God loved and took care of Daniel, he loves and takes care of us. One way
that God leads us is through prayer.
Pray thanking God for His leadership in our lives and the ability to talk to Him in
prayer.
DECLAMATION (Intermediate)

DANIEL AND THE LIONS’ DEN

Bible Story Poem
Know this story? Think again! It’s Daniel in the Lions’ Den.
One twenty men King Darius used. Until Daniel, they all accused.

It goes like this, They knew he prayed. So a cunning plan, they thought and laid.
Hunched in a huddle they did all agree, to convince the King to make a decree.

“Let’s tell the King to ban all prayer, To God, to Queen, to King or bear,
Only to Darius should they vow, That will make the King say wow!”
Now by his window, three times a day. Daniel will sit and think and pray.
They knew he would, they bet on it, But Daniel didn’t care a bit!
They grabbed Daniel, they threw him in. The lions’ den; a human bin.
It was where lions gobbled up. Adult, youth, or crazy pup.
“That serves him right!” they shouted loud.
They didn’t realize, they were all so proud.
That God had heard. Dan’s little prayer. He saw him in the lions’ lair.

He sent an angel to shut their teeth, they couldn’t eat, Daniel beneath.
Now in the morning Darius ran, To check on him; his good mate Dan.
Was he alive or was he a lunch? The king thought fast, he had a hunch.
He opened up the den to see. Daniel as peaceful as can be.

Now this where this little story, starts to get a lot more glory.
Daniel came out, the men went in, They had no hope, their deadly sin.
Had got them trapped, now dead they be, the lions crushed their bones, you see.
As if that wasn’t quite enough, their families tasted just as tough.

What can we learn from all this mess? Do you now, want to take a guess?
It’s serious stuff, our actions matter, even our thoughts and useless chatter.
So don’t forget to say your prayers, and you’ll catch the enemy unawares.
Like a lion he waits for someone to gobble.
With God on your side you won’t need to wobble.

But one more thing that you should know.

There is now grace; through Jesus though.
He took our sin, he set us free. He was as perfect as can be.
We’ll not be punished for our sin, There’ll be no more need for a human bin,
IF WE TURN TO JESUS NOW, TODAY. HE IS THE TRUTH, THE LIFE, THE WAY.
POEM (primary)

The Arrow and the Song

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I shot an arrow into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak

I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.