The book of Daniel ends by talking about the end: what happens at the end of human history. We find that death isn't the end, for us or our world. There is a resurrection and a future for every human being, all based on what you do with Jesus Christ. This changes how we live today, as we orient our lives around a future much longer than the lives we live on earth.

Application Questions: 

1. How often do you think about what happens after you die? What are those thoughts like?

2. How does the future described in Daniel 12 compare to the way you think about eternity? 

3. What might it look like for you to "go your way" knowing that you have an eternal place with God?

Daniel’s final vision describes a chaotic future. Kingdoms rise and fall, with God’s people caught in the middle. Today most of Daniel’s vision is history, but it gives us stabilizers for life in today's chaotic world. Daniel 11 shows us how wisdom, hope, and the knowledge of God can give you firm footing in the whirlwind of modern life. 

Application Questions: 

1. How can you pursue wisdom by putting the circumstances of your daily life in conversation with eternity? 

2. How can God’s power and goodness give you hope in the midst of real difficulty? 

3. How might knowing God help you stand firm through the chaos of life in the city?

The book of Daniel ends with a final vision detailing events in human history and God’s rule over them all. Before it begins, Chapter 10 turns our eyes to the spiritual world behind such events. This is challenging for modern people, but the spiritual world is more plausible than many expect. That spiritual world is also different than we often think, expanding our horizons and growing our sense of wonder. In light of an overwhelming unseen world, Daniel is told to fear not. Because of God’s love for us in Christ, we can navigate the world without fear and find peace.

Application Questions: 

1. Do you tend to think about the spiritual world too much or too little? How might that be affecting your life? 

2. How does the Bible’s understanding of angels and demons differ from common ideas in secular or Christian culture? 

3. In light of an overwhelming spiritual world, Daniel is told to “fear not." How does Jesus give you the ability to do so in ways you couldn’t without him?

Daniel 9 is one of the most difficult passages in the Old Testament, and yet its central message is clear: God wants to bring his people home, and he will do it through Jesus Christ. The road home begins with God’s love for us, not our efforts or morality. And it leads to a home far better than we hoped: an existence free from sin, injustice, and pain, where all God’s promises are fulfilled. The way there is through God himself in human flesh, Jesus Christ, dying in our place. 

Application Questions: 

1. After confessing his sin, Daniel is told that he is greatly loved by God. What are some ways that challenges you and/or comforts you?

2. Read the six phrases in verse 24. Which ones do you find most compelling as a description of the future? 

3. "All roads run through Jesus." How might you put Christ at the center of your view of the world and your own life choices?

In the midst of visions, Daniel stops and reflects on the past seventy years of God's people in exile. Daniel's response is one of confession and petition – pouring out his heart in honesty, and pleading with God for mercy. Daniel's prayer shows us what it looks like to have a heart that seeks God.

Application Questions: 

1. What are your initial feelings about confession? Is this something you practice? Why or why not?

2. How can you encounter God in His Word?

3. What would it look like to truly search your own heart and be honest and vulnerable before God?

4. What holds you back from genuine vulnerability?

5. How can you begin practicing confession in your life?

Daniel 8 records a vision of world empires clashing and God’s people suffering. This prophecy, written hundreds of years before the events took place, gave Daniel and his readers clarity for the chaos that was ahead of them—and it can do the same for us. God is at work even when things seem like they are falling apart. This makes you clear-eyed, firm footed, and warm-hearted as you walk through the chaos of life, looking forward to God’s eternal kingdom at the end.

Application Questions: 

1. Do you tend toward being cynical or idealistic? How does Daniel 8 help you see things more clearly? 

2. God is at work even when things are falling apart. How can that encourage you toward faithfulness and endurance in your own life? 

3. Despite what’s going on around you, the love of God in Christ never changes. How can that keep your heart warm and joyful in the difficulties you face this week?

Daniel transitions from stories to visions in chapter 7, using startling imagery that often leaves us confused and bewildered. The goal of these visions is to leave us comforted and hopeful, and as we look closer we see why: we find God’s kingdom juxtaposed against the kingdoms of earth, leading to a final clash that brings the kingdom of heaven to earth forever. When we have this grasp of human history, it lets us walk through the world a different kind of person: joyful, secure, and wise. 

Application Questions: 

1. What’s your experience with apocalyptic literature, like Daniel’s vision in this chapter? 

2. How have you experienced the chaos of life in the world? 

3. What is appealing to you about the description of God’s kingdom in Daniel 3:9-14? 

4. How can you look at the world differently with the “key to history” this week?

Today we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Cornerstone's sanctuary. Built in 1924, this building is filled with stories of God's provision, transformation, and the spread of his kingdom. As we commemorate this moment, we find that the reason this church has thrived throughout the generations is not a testament to our leadership, our character, or our vision - it is a testament to the mercy, power, and kindness of our God.

Application Questions: 

1. What strikes you as you imagine all that God has done over the course of the last century in this place?

2. How have you seen God's mercy on display in our church and in your own life?

3.How have you seen God's power on display in our church and in your own life?

4. How have you seen God's kindness on display in our church and in your own life?

5. How is God calling us to respond to his mercy, power, and kindness in our own generation?

The famous story of Daniel and the lions' den concludes the narrative portion of the book of Daniel, and shows us how to navigate life in the midst of exile. In exile we must be wary of the world's agendas, we must seek faithfulness in our spiritual disciplines, and we must fix our hearts and eyes on God's glory.

Application Questions: 

1. Why should we be cautious when we encounter the world's rejection or celebration?

2. How can you see people as people?

3. What spiritual disciplines are necessary in your life to fight the current of the world around you?

4. How is the story of Daniel a story about resurrection?

5. What hope does this story give you in the midst of the lions in your life?

What happens when a young son is left in charge of the empire while his father is away for years and years? Predictably, nothing good. But, while Babylon begins to crumble from the inside out, God remains faithful to his people in exile, even when it seems like they've been forgotten. 

Application Questions: 

1. In what ways are you tempted to put your hope in the kingdoms of this world, even though their days are numbered?

2. In what ways are you tempted to put your hope in the things you treasure in this life, even though they are fleeting?

3. If your life is weighed before God, do you think you have more in common with King Belshezzar or King Jesus?

4. How does the gospel of Jesus give you hope and a future in spite of your sin and weakness?