Esther-The Beautiful Girl who Became a Queen

Esther-The Beautiful Girl who Became a Queen Esther 1,2

Esther comes before the king. ESTHER, THE JEWESS, was only a little girl when both her parents died and she went to live in the home of her cousin, Mordecai. Her new home was in the great city of Shushan, where the King of Persia lived. Her cousin, Mordecai, had an office in the household of the king. He was very kind to Esther, and loved her as his own child. After Esther grew up to young womanhood the King of Persia made a great feast in his palace. He invited all the nobles and rulers of his kingdom. Then, at the last of the feast he invited all the men of Shushan, both great and small, to come to the palace and share in his entertainment. Perhaps mordecai was there, too. Women in that country always wore veils over their faces when in the presence of men other than their own husbands, and they could not attend the same feasts with them. So the Queen, Vashti, gave a feast to the women at the same time as the King's feast to the men. On the last day of the feast, which continued for a whole week, the King grew very reckless because he had drunk much wine. And he wished to see his beautiful wife, the Queen. He wished that all the people attending his feast might see how beautiful she was. So he sent some of his servants to bring her into his part of the royal palace, where all the guest could behold her beauty. But Vashti, the Queen, refused to appear in the presence of all the men of Shushan. And she told the King's servants that she would not come. She believed that the King's request was unwise because it was contrary to the customs of her people. King Ahasuerus was very angry when the servants returned alone and told him that Vashti would not come with them. He called his wise men and asked what should be done with Vashti, the Queen, who had dared to disobey him. And one of the wise men said, "The queen has done wrong, not only to you, O King, but also to the princes and to all the people who dwell in your kingdom. For when this deed becomes known, the women everywhere will no longer respect their husbands as they should. Therefore let her be queen no longer, but choose another who is better than she to take her place." This advice pleased Ahasuerus, and he refused to let Vashti come into his presence again. He refused to let her be queen any longer, and decided to choose another beautiful young woman to become queen in her stead. So he sent commands through all his kingdom that the most beautiful young women should be brought to his palace, where he might choose among them the one who would please him best. This one he would make queen instead of Vashti. Mordecai knew that Esther was a beautiful young woman, and he believed she would make a beautiful queen. So he sent her to the palace with the other young women who came from different parts of the kingdom. And there she was taught the manners of the courtlife, so she would know how to please the King. But Mordecai told her not to let the fact become known that her people were the Jews. After living in the palace for some time, Esther was brought before the King; and she pleased him so much that he chose her at once to become the queen instead of Vashti. He placed the royal crown of Persia upon her head, and gave her rooms in his palace and many servants to attend her. Then he made a great feast for his princes and nobles, called Esther's feast, and he published the fact that Esther had been chosen as the new queen. Mordecai could no longer see the young woman whom he had cared for as tenderly as his own daughter. But every day he passed by the palace where she lived, and she could see him from her window. She would send messages to him by her faithful servants, and they would bring back the messages Mordecai wished her to receive. Then Mordecai would return to the king's gate and sit there as a watchman. While sitting in the gate, Mordecai saw two servants of the king who whispered together about some secret matter. He watched closely and learned that they were angry with the King and were planning to kill him. So he sent word to the King by Queen Esther, and she gave the warning in Mordecai's name. The King investigated the matter, and found that the men were guilty, so he put them to death. Then the warning of Mordecai, and how he had saved the King's life, were written in a book. But the King forgot about Mordecai's kindness to him, and did not promote him in the kingdom. He did not know that Mordecai, the Jew, was a relative of the beautiful young woman who wore the royal crown. Tomorrow: Haman's Plans to Destroy All the Jews

How the New Temple was Built in Jerusalem

How the New Temple was Built in Jerusalem Ezra 3:7 to 6:22; Haggai 1,2

The prophet Haggai urges for work to begin on the new temple. WHEN ZERUBBABEL AND his company came to Jerusalem they did not begin at once to rebuild the temple of the Lord. Winter was coming on, and first they built houses for themselves. But at the return of springtime they set to work at the great task that had brought them back to Judah. Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the high priest, hired carpenters and masons for the new building, and put to work every man among their number who was twenty years old or more. Again they sent to the Lebanon Mountains for wood to use in the building, for Cyrus the king had given them permission to do this. When everything was ready, the workers laid the foundation of the new temple. And the priests and Levites and singers stood ready with their trumpets and musical instruments to worship the Lord. They sang together, giving praise to God. And all the people stood near by, rejoicing because the great work was so well begun. They shouted with a loud noise. But some among them had seen the temple which Solomon had built, and when they saw the foundation of this new building they remembered how beautiful the first temple had been. Instead of shouting with joy they wept for sorrow. There were strangers living in the country places near Jerusalem who were not Jews. When they saw the work that the Jews had commenced at Jerusalem, they asked permission to help in the building of the temple; they said, "We seek your God, as you do." But Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the high priest, knew these men did not worship God in the right way, and they would not accept help form them. These strangers were Samaritans, the people who came to live in Israel after the northern tribes were carried away into captivity. These were the people who had mixed religion--a mixture of the true religion and idol-worship. When Zerubbabel and Jeshua refused to let them help build the temple they grew angry and tried to hinder the work. They sent letters back to the king of Persia, accusing the Jews of falsehoods, and they continued to do this for a long time. Finally they caused the building of the temple to come to a standstill. Several years passed by, and the Jews were not allowed to finish the temple. So they build comfortable homes for themselves and began to work in the fields near Jerusalem. Finally God caused the new king of Persia, another king named Darius, to be friendly toward the Jews. But the Jews did not ask him to help them. They did not try to finish the work which they had begun on the temple. So God sent a prophet, named Haggai, to urge them to get at work again on the temple. This prophet said that Zerubbabel had begun the new temple, and he should finish the building of it. So Zerubbabel and Jeshua took courage and began once more on the temple-building. When they commenced work the Samaritans came down to see what they were doing. They asked, "Who had given you orders to do this?" And they answered, "Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us to build this house of God." The Samaritans did not believe their words, and they wrote a letter to King Darius, telling what the Jews had said. But when Darius looked in the records that had been kept during the rule of Cyrus he found that Cyrus had indeed commanded the Jews to rebuild the temple. So he sent word back to the Samaritans, telling them not to hinder the Jews, but rather to give them money to help hurry on the great work which Cyrus had commanded them to do. And he said that if they refused to obey his words their own houses should be torn down and they should be killed. This message caused the Samaritans to become afraid, and they ceased to hinder the Jews. When the temple was finally completed, the Jews had a great feast, and they offered many sacrifices to the Lord. They rejoiced very much because God had given them a friend in the new king of Persia, and had helped them to overcome the wicked plans of their neighbors, the Samaritans. Tomorrow: Esther-The Beautiful Girl who Became a Queen

The Home-Coming of the Jews

Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Home-Coming of the Jews Ezra 1:1 to Ezra 3:7

The Jews begin their journey back to Judah. A GREAT COMPANY of people were gathering in the valley along the Euphrates River, preparing to start on a long journey. There were old people, and young people, and even little boys and girls. These people were the Jews, and they were arranging soon to start back to the land of their fathers--Judah. For Cyrus, the new king, had sent this message to the Jews scattered everywhere throughout his kingdom: "The Lord God of heaven was given me all the kingdoms of earth; and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Now who is there among his people--the Jews--who will go up to Jerusalem and build this house for God?" Daniel was too old to return on this long journey to Jerusalem. And perhaps the King would have been unwilling to spare this great man from his work. But there were others, many others, who were just as eager as Daniel to see the temple of the Lord rebuilt. And one of these persons was Zerubbabel, a brave young man who belonged to the family of David. He became the leader of the people who returned to Jerusalem, but he ruled as a prince under the command of King Cyrus; for the throne of David was not restored in Jerusalem again. When the long journey began, the people moved slowly up the highway that led northward from Babylon, the same highway over which some of them had traveled seventy years before. Many of them walked, but some rode on horses, others on camels or donkeys. Now they were singing songs of joy, and they were carrying their beautiful harps back to their own land. There they would be glad and there they would play sweet music in the new house of the Lord which Cyrus had commanded them to build. Cyrus had given them the vessels of gold and of silver which Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from the temple before he set it on fire, and they were taking those vessels back to be used in the new temple. And Cyrus had commanded their neighbors and friends to give them rich gifts of gold and of silver. So they were well laden for their journey. Not all the Jews returned to Jerusalem; for many were becoming rich in their new homes, and they did not care to go back to Judah. But they sent precious gifts to help in the building of the new temple. And they were glad because some of their own people were returning to build up the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. When at last the long journey was nearing its end, the people came in sight of the crumbled walls of Jerusalem. Some of them remembered how the city looked before it had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and their hearts where filled with sadness. But many of them had never seen Jerusalem, for they had been born in the land of captivity. They had heard their parents tell about the land which God had given to them long ago, and which he had allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to take away from them because they had worshiped idols. And they were glad to come back and build homes in that land which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away from them. In the ruins of Jerusalem the people found the place where the temple of the Lord used to stand. They found the rock where the altar of the Lord had been built. And here the priests and the Levites cleared away the rubbish and gathered stones to build a new altar. Then they began to offer sacrifices to God each morning and each evening, just as the law of Moses commanded them to do. Tomorrow: How the New Temple was Built in Jerusalem

Daniel's Angel Visitor

Daniel's Angel Visitor Daniel 8-12

Daniel sees the heavenly visitor. DANIEL HAD LIVED many years in the beautiful capital cities of the eastern kings, and he had helped these kings rule the people. But during those many years (for he was now old) he had never forgotten his childhood home in Jerusalem nor the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar and his soldiers had destroyed. Daniel had read the letters that Jeremiah the prophet had written to the captive Jews in Babylon, and he knew Jeremiah had prophesied that the Jews might return again to their own land after seventy years. And now, when he was an old man, Daniel knew the seventy years would soon be passed, and he longed to see his people return again and rebuild the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Instead of praying three times everyday for himself and for his people, now Daniel sometimes prayed all day long. Sometimes he refused to eat his food because he wished to have more time to spend alone, talking with God. And he even dressed himself in sackcloth and sat in ashes when he prayed, to show God that he was very sorry for his sins and for the sins of his people. And Daniel's earnest prayers were heard. One evening while he was praying an angel came to talk with him. This angel had come one time before, when God had caused Daniel to see a wonderful vision; but this time the angel came to comfort Daniel to see a wonderful vision; but this time the angel came to comfort Daniel. He said, "O Daniel, you are a man greatly loved by the Lord, and you shall know what shall come to pass in after years." And the angel told Daniel about the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who should suffer and die for the sins of the people. Daniel, after he became a very old man, continued to do business for the King. And when Darius died, the new King, Cyrus, took Daniel to his capital city in Persia and kept him there for a helper. And Daniel continued to pray earnestly even while he did business for the new King. One day during the rule of king Cyrus, Daniel and several companions were by the riverside when all at once Daniel saw a heavenly visitor stand before him. The face of this heavenly visitor shone like lightning and his eyes like fire. Even his arms and his feet shone like polished brass. Daniel could not look upon him, and fell to the ground. The men who were with Daniel did not see the heavenly visitor, but they felt the earth trembling beneath their feet and they ran away in fear. As Daniel lay on the ground like one dead, the angel came and touched him. Then Daniel rose up on his knees, and the angel spoke. And his voice sounded like a multitude of voices. At first Daniel could not answer, for he had no power of speech left in him. But the angel touched his lips and caused strength to return into his body. And Daniel talked long with his heavenly visitor. And all these things he afterwards wrote in a book. Daniel was one of the greatest prophets, as well as a great man in the country where he lived. By his courage and trueness to God he caused several heathen kings to respect the religion of the Jews, and he lived to see the time when King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return again to Judah. Tomorrow: The Home-Coming of the Jews

Daniel in the Lions Den

Daniel in the Lions Den Daniel 6

God protects Daniel from the lions. KING DARIUS, THE new ruler, chose one hundred and twenty princes to help him govern the people of his great kingdom. Over these princes he appointed three presidents, and because he found that Daniel was a very wise old man he made Daniel the first president. So Daniel was more highly honored than any of the princes or other presidents. A better feeling of jealousy began to stir in the hearts of these princes and presidents. They hated Daniel because the King had honored him so greatly. They decided to watch him carefully, and find fault with him at their first opportunity. But their careful watching only revealed to them the fact that Daniel was a very faithful man, with no faults that might displease the King. Their careful watching revealed another fact, too; and this one was that Daniel was deeply religious. Often they saw him kneel before his open window and pray to his God. He never seemed too busy to take time to pray. At last the men confessed among themselves that they could find no fault with Daniel. But they planned another way to rob him of his great honor. A cruel way, it was, but they were wicked men and they did not mind at all. Darius was surprised to see the great company of his princes assembled before him. He did not notice that Daniel was not among them. He did not guess that they were plotting against his faithful servant. So he permitted them to tell the purpose that had brought them to his palace, and they said, "King Darius, live forever. All the presidents of the kingdom, and the princes, the governors, the counselors, and the captains have planned to establish a royal law and to make it very binding. This is the law: That whoever shall ask a request of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O King, he shall be cast into a den of lions." Now the truth was that all the presidents of the kingdom had not helped to plan that law, for Daniel had no part in it. But the King did not know. And because he was a heathen king, with a proud heart, he felt flattered to hear the law. So he readily consented to it, and he caused it to become published among all the people. Of course Daniel heard about the law. But three times every day Daniel knelt, just as he had done before, and prayed by his opened window with his face toward Jerusalem, the city where God's house used to stand. And there these men found him on his knees thanking God. Now they were sure they should soon be rid of this good man whom they despised. So they came to tell the King how Daniel had dared to disobey the new law. They reminded the King that the laws he made could not be changed, and Daniel would have to be punished for his disobedience. Darius understood, when too late, why this law had been made. He knew the presidents and princes had not desired to honor him, but only to rid themselves of the one whom they hated. And Darius was sorry, very sorry, that he had listened to the flattering words of these wicked men. All day long he tried to think of some way in which to spare Daniel from such a cruel fate; all day long he worked hard, studying the laws of his country and hoping to find something that would release him from enforcing such a punishment upon his faithful servant. But finally the sun went down, and the presidents and princes came impatiently to the palace and told the King that his new law must be obeyed. And Darius feared to try longer to save Daniel, so he told them to bring him out and cast him into the lions' den. The King told Daniel how sorry he was to see this dreadful punishment brought upon him. And he said, "The God whom you serve so faithfully surely will deliver you from the lions." Then he saw Daniel thrown into the den, making Daniel a prisoner inside among the savage beasts. Afterwards, according to the law of his country, he put his own seal upon the great stone, so that no one would dare to remove it without the King's command. Then, with a heavy heart, he went back to his palace. All that night long Darius could not sleep. He was too troubled to enjoy any kind of entertainment, for he thought constantly about his faithful servant in that terrible den. He longed for the morning light, and with the first break of dawn he rose up from his bed and ran quickly to the lions' den. Then, in a troubled, anxious voice, he cried out, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God whom you have served so faithfully able to save you from the lions?" Then the King listened, and soon he heard an answering voice from the deep pit, saying, "O King, live forever. My God has sent his angel, and the angel has shut the mouths of these savage beasts, and they have done me no harm at all. For God has seen that I was not guilty of any wrong-doing before him nor even before you." Darius was very glad, and he called his servants to come and take Daniel up out of the den. Then he commanded that the wicked men be brought who had planned to get rid of Daniel, and he told his servants to cast them into the den of lions where Daniel had been all the long night. When they fell, screaming, into the deep pit, the lions rushed upon them and tore them in pieces, for they were not worthy to live. Darius wrote letters to the people of every nation, telling them about the wonderful way in which God had delivered Daniel from the lions. And he made a law that all the people in his great kingdom should fear the God of the Jews. Tomorrow: Daniel's Angel Visitor

Suffer it be so - the baptism of Jesus scene from the movie Jesus of Naz...

Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist(see Matthew 3:13-17) Read onlineIn the book of Malachi, there is a prophecy about a forerunner who would prepare the way for the Lord: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. - Malachi 3:1 (NIV translation).This prophecy was fulfilled about 400 years later by John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus was about to begin his ministry, John the Baptist proclaimed to others: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! - John 1:29 (NIV translation).Jesus was about 30 years old. He had left the district of Galilee, which included the town of Nazareth, where he grew up, and had traveled to the wilderness of the Jordan River to be baptized. There, John the Baptist drew crowds as he preached and baptized.As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV translation).Jesus resists the temptations of Satan(see Matthew 4:1-11) Read onlineAfter he was baptized, Jesus went into the desert and fasted (ate no food) for 40 days. Satan used this time to tempt Jesus. "Satan" is a Hebrew word that means "adversary," "enemy" or "devil."During the temptations, Satan uses the supernatural to find Jesus in the desert, then to transport Jesus to the top of the Temple in Jerusalem, and then to take Jesus to a high mountain. With each successive temptation, the loftiness of what Satan offers increases, as does the height from which he makes the offer.Each time, Jesus resists the temptation and quotes scripture to rebuke Satan. In one instance, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy, chapter 8. It is important to note that Deuteronomy 8:2-3 reminds us that the Israelites spent 40 years in the desert where they too were tested for their obedience to the will of God. This is another example of the book of Matthew pointing out similarities between the life of Jesus and the history of Israel.Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine(see John 2:1-11) Read onlineJesus and some of his disciples went to Cana, a town in the district of Galilee, to attend a wedding party. His mother, Mary, also attended. The host of the wedding party did not have enough wine for everyone and this was considered a very embarrassing situation. Mary intervened on behalf of the wedding host and told Jesus about the problem. Jesus then miraculously changed six barrels of water into wine for the wedding party.Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, this one might seem minor. But it did accomplish important things. It shows that Jesus has concern for people's problems, even if they are not major problems. And it showed Jesus' disciples that he was able to perform miracles.Throughout the four Gospels (the Bible's books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) there are descriptions of 34 miracles performed by Jesus. But all told there may have been thousands, as sometimes when surrounded by a large group of people, the Bible states "He healed them all." These 34 miracles are a sampling of what he did and the compassion he felt for people. Everything from raising the dead, controlling nature, healing the sick, casting out demons, and providing enough food from a few baskets of bread and fish to feed thousands. Click here for summaries of the 34 miracles.Jesus cleanses the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem(see John 2:13-17) Read onlineJesus went to holy city of Jerusalem, the most important city in the Jewish homeland, and visited the Lord's Temple. When he arrived he saw that many people were selling animals and exchanging money in the Temple courts. This angered Jesus because the Temple was intended to be a place to worship God, not a place for commerce. Jesus made a whip out of some strands of rope and chased the merchants out of the holy Temple. Jesus said to them: "How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" - John 2:16 (NIV translation).

The Baptism of Christ (6) - Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist

(see Matthew 3:13-17) Read online
In the book of Malachi, there is a prophecy about a forerunner who would prepare the way for the Lord: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. - Malachi 3:1 (NIV translation).

This prophecy was fulfilled about 400 years later by John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus was about to begin his ministry, John the Baptist proclaimed to others: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! - John 1:29 (NIV translation).

Jesus was about 30 years old. He had left the district of Galilee, which included the town of Nazareth, where he grew up, and had traveled to the wilderness of the Jordan River to be baptized. There, John the Baptist drew crowds as he preached and baptized.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV translation).

Jesus resists the temptations of Satan

(see Matthew 4:1-11) Read online
After he was baptized, Jesus went into the desert and fasted (ate no food) for 40 days. Satan used this time to tempt Jesus. "Satan" is a Hebrew word that means "adversary," "enemy" or "devil."

During the temptations, Satan uses the supernatural to find Jesus in the desert, then to transport Jesus to the top of the Temple in Jerusalem, and then to take Jesus to a high mountain. With each successive temptation, the loftiness of what Satan offers increases, as does the height from which he makes the offer.

Each time, Jesus resists the temptation and quotes scripture to rebuke Satan. In one instance, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy, chapter 8. It is important to note that Deuteronomy 8:2-3 reminds us that the Israelites spent 40 years in the desert where they too were tested for their obedience to the will of God. This is another example of the book of Matthew pointing out similarities between the life of Jesus and the history of Israel.

Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine

(see John 2:1-11) Read online
Jesus and some of his disciples went to Cana, a town in the district of Galilee, to attend a wedding party. His mother, Mary, also attended. The host of the wedding party did not have enough wine for everyone and this was considered a very embarrassing situation. Mary intervened on behalf of the wedding host and told Jesus about the problem. Jesus then miraculously changed six barrels of water into wine for the wedding party.

Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, this one might seem minor. But it did accomplish important things. It shows that Jesus has concern for people's problems, even if they are not major problems. And it showed Jesus' disciples that he was able to perform miracles.

Throughout the four Gospels (the Bible's books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) there are descriptions of 34 miracles performed by Jesus. But all told there may have been thousands, as sometimes when surrounded by a large group of people, the Bible states "He healed them all." These 34 miracles are a sampling of what he did and the compassion he felt for people. Everything from raising the dead, controlling nature, healing the sick, casting out demons, and providing enough food from a few baskets of bread and fish to feed thousands. Click here for summaries of the 34 miracles.

Jesus cleanses the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem

(see John 2:13-17) Read online
Jesus went to holy city of Jerusalem, the most important city in the Jewish homeland, and visited the Lord's Temple. When he arrived he saw that many people were selling animals and exchanging money in the Temple courts. This angered Jesus because the Temple was intended to be a place to worship God, not a place for commerce. Jesus made a whip out of some strands of rope and chased the merchants out of the holy Temple. Jesus said to them:

"How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" - John 2:16 (NIV translation).

Jesus talks of God's love and plan of salvation

(see John 3:16-17) Read online
Jesus explains to Nicodemus what a person must do to have salvation and eternal life. Jesus says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. - John 3:16-17 (NIV translation).

Jesus tells a Samaritan woman about "water of life"

(see John 4:5-42) Read online
As Jesus and his followers traveled through Samaria, Jesus rested at a place called Jacob's Well. There he met a Samaritan woman and spoke to her about the "water of life." He told her:

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:13-14 (NIV translation).

In this discussion with Samaritan woman, Jesus showed that the word of God was meant to be shared with all people, even enemies (the Samaritans and the Jews were hostile towards one another). And, he showed that it was to be shared with men and women, Jews and Gentiles. (Gentile refers to people to who are not Jewish).

Jesus' early ministry in Galilee

(see John 4:3, 43-45) Read online
During the early part of Jesus' ministry, he went to the district of Galilee, where Jews and many Gentiles (non-Jews) lived. Jesus preached and performed many miracles there. He became a beacon for many as he shed light on the word of God. This was foretold by the prophet Isaiah about 700 years beforehand:

". . .in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-- The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." - Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV translation).

Jesus heals a royal official's son

(see John 4:46-54) Read online
When Jesus again visited the town of Cana in the district of Galilee, a royal official begged Jesus to heal his son who was very ill. Jesus said:

"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe." - John 4:48 (NIV translation).

Jesus then sent the royal official on his way, telling him that his son would recover. The official later learned that his son was healed and he and his family became believers.

Jesus announces that he is the Messiah

(see Luke 4:14-21) Read online
Jesus went to a synagogue (a Jewish place of worship) in Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah to the people gathered there:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, - Isaiah 61:1-2 (NIV translation).

Then, Jesus announced that he was the Messiah that Isaiah spoke of:

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." - Luke 4:20-21 NIV translation).

Jesus is rejected as the Messiah

(see Luke 4:28-30) Read online
Shortly after Jesus announced that he was the Messiah, the people at the synagogue in Nazareth rejected him as the Messiah:

"All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way." - Luke 4:28-30 (NIV translation).

The Strange Handwriting on the Wall of the Palace

The Strange Handwriting on the Wall of the Palace Daniel 5

Daniel interprets the strange handwriting on the wall. A GREAT FEAST was being held in the palace of Babylon. The king, Belshazzar , had invited a thousand princes and nobles to enjoy the feast with him and his many wives. And the palace was ringing with their voices and laughter and song. Presently, while they were drinking wine together, the King remembered the beautiful vessels of gold that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from the temple of the Lord, in Jerusalem He commanded his servants to bring the vessels into the palace, that he and his company might drink wine from them. And the vessels were brought, and the King commanded that they be filled with wine and passed among the guests, Then, as they drank from the golden vessels they praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of wood, and of stone. Belshazzar's heart was merry, and he felt very secure and happy in his palace-home among his guests. He joined with them in praising the gods of gold, silver, wood, and stone. Then suddenly he turned pale, and the gladness died out of his heart. A great fear swept over him, and caused his knees to tremble. For there on the wall of the palace, over near the candlestick, he saw the fingers of a man's hand writing strange words, which he could not read. All at once everything grew quiet in the banquet-hall.. And everybody became afraid, for no one could understand the strange words that the hand had written. Then the King commanded that the wise Chaldeans be brought in at once; for he thought they might be able to read the words and tell their meaning. He promised to give a rich reward to the one who could do this; but none of the Chaldeans were able to earn that reward. They could not read the writing on the wall. News of the strange handwriting spread rapidly through the palace, and soon the old Queen Mother heard about it. She heard, to, that the wise men could not read the writing nor tell its meaning. So she came into the banquet-hall, where the King sat trembling among his frightened guests. And she said, "O King, there is in this city a very wise man whom you have quite forgotten. In the days of Nebuchadnezzar, the king, this man was the master of all the king's wise men, for the spirit of the gods dwells in him. Now send for him, and he will tell you the meaning of this strange handwriting on the wall." Daniel was now an old man. For a long time he had lived quietly in Babylon, for the kings who followed Nebuchadnezzar had not set him up to places of honor in the kingdom. And he was almost forgotten. The Queen Mother, however, remembered how he had interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar, and she knew that his wisdom was greater than any of the wisdom of the Chaldeans. Belshazzar sent in haste for Daniel, and when the old man came before him he asked, excitedly, "Are you that Daniel whom my fathers brought out of the land of the Jews?" Daniel replied that he was, and the King said, "I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods dwells with you and enables you to understand deep mysteries. Now, if you can read the writing upon the wall and tell its meaning, I will cause you to be dressed in royal garments, and will make you the third ruler in this kingdom." Daniel did not care for the honors of the Babylonian kingdom. He did not care for the beautiful, kingly robes, and he told the King to give those gifts to someone else. But he said, "I will read the writing, and will cause you to understand its meaning." First Daniel reminded Belshazzar of great punishment that God had sent upon Nebuchadnezzar because of his wickedness and pride. Belshazzar had known about this, yet he had dared to be proud and to despise the God of heaven and earth. He had dared to use the vessels that belonged in the Lord's house, in Jerusalem, for drinking wine, and he and his guests had praised the gods of gold and of silver and of wood and of stone, which can not see nor hear. Daniel told Belshazzar about these things, and then he said, "Because you did these things, God sent his hand to write upon the wall of your banquet-room, that you might see it and become afraid. The words that this hand has written are Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, and they mean this: "Mene; God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. "Tekel; you are weighed in the balances and found wanting. "Upharsin; your kingdom is divided, and is given to the Medes and Persians." Belshazzar commanded his servants to bring a royal garment and put it on Daniel, then he fastened a gold chain about Daniel's neck and proclaimed before all the guests that Daniel was the third ruler in the kingdom. But that very night the kingdom of Babylon was destroyed; for the Medes and Persians came into the city and killed Belshazzar, and placed the Median king Darius upon the throne. Tomorrow: Daniel in the Lions Den

God Humbles the Proud Heart of Nebuchadnezzar

God Humbles the Proud Heart of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4

For seven years, God gave Nebuchadnezzar a heart like a beast's instead of a man's ONE NIGHT WHILE Nebuchadnezzar lay asleep in his palace, God caused him to have another strange dream. This time when he awoke in the morning he remembered what the dream had been, and he wondered about its meaning. So he sent again for the wise Chaldeans, and told them about the dream that was troubling his mind. The Chaldeans were glad because Nebuchadnezzar had remembered his dream; but when they listened to it they could not tell its meaning. So the King sent them away and called for Daniel. He believed that the spirit of Daniel's God dwelt in Daniel and caused him to understand the deepest mysteries. And he called Daniel the master of all his wise men. Daniel listened while Nebuchadnezzar told the dream that was troubling him. And God caused Daniel to understand what the dream meant. But at first he was afraid to tell the King. For a whole hour he sat quietly, wondering that he should do. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Do not be afraid, nor let the dream or its meaning trouble you." So Daniel took courage and spoke to the great ruler. Now, the dream had been this: Nebuchadnezzar had seen a tree grow up in the earth and become so great that the top of it reached to the sky. Underneath its branches all the beasts of the field found shelter, and in its leafy boughs all the bird of the air made their nests. And the people of the earth from the near and far came to eat of its fruit. Then Nebuchadnezzar had seen the Lord come down from heaven and cry out: "Cut down the great tree; cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get away from under the shadow of it, and let the dew come upon it for seven years. But let the stump of the great tree remain with its roots in the ground until the seven years be passed. Let this be, that all who live may know there is a God in heaven who rules over all the kingdoms of earth." Daniel knew the dream was sent as a warning from God to the proud King. He knew Nebuchadnezzar was not willing to believe in the great God, who is over all. But he spoke bravely and said, "This great tree which you have seen means you, for you have become a great king and you are known in every part of the land. And the meaning of that voice which you heard crying out that the great tree should be cut down is that you shall lose your kingdom for seven years and go out from men to live among the beasts of the field. You shall eat grass like an ox, and the dew of heaven shall be upon you. But when you humble yourself and believe that the Most High God rules in the kingdoms of earth, giving them to whomever he pleases, then you shall return again to live among men and be restored to your kingdom." Daniel knew that God is very merciful, and he believed that God would save the King from such severe punishment if only the King would quit his sins and do right. So he urged Nebuchadnezzar to turn away from his wicked doings and begin to live differently. Then he went back to his own house. One year passed by, and nothing unusual happened. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar almost forgot the strange dream, at least he did not try to do as Daniel had urged him to do. He saw about him all the splendors of his kingdom and all the beauties of his palace grounds. He saw the famous city of Babylon, which he had helped to beautify, and his heart grew more proud and haughty. Then one day as he walked about in his kingly palace, admiring the grandeur of his surroundings, he said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for my own royal house by my own power and for my glory?" And while he spoke the words a voice called him from heaven, saying, "O King Nebuchadnezzar to you it is spoken: The Kingdom is taken from you.!" In that very hour the great king lost his mind and became like a wild beast. And the people were afraid of him, and they drove him out of the city. There he lived in the fields and ate grass like the oxen. And his hair grew like eagle's feathers and his nails grew like claws. For seven years he roamed about in the fields, with a heart like a beast's instead of a man's. Then God allowed his mind to return again, and his heart to become like a man's heart, and Nebuchadnezzar rose up like a man and thanked God for his mercies, and praised him for his greatness. When the people of Babylon saw that their King had returned again to their city with the mind of a well man, they welcomed him back. And they honored him as their king just as they had done before. But Nebuchadnezzar did not forget the lesson that God taught him, and he no longer believed that his greatness and his glory had come by his own strength. Tomorrow: The Strange Handwriting on the Wall of the Palace

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar sees four men, unbound and walking freely about in the midst of the fire. NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THE king, grew in power until he became the greatest king in the world at that time. Year after year he added new countries to his kingdom, and in every country the people feared him greatly. These things caused him to become very proud, and to think himself a wonderful man indeed. Then Nebuchadnezzar decided to make a god and compel the people of every country to worship that god. So he built a great image, ninety feet high, and covered it with gold. This image he set up on the plain of Dura, which was near Babylon. There it could be seen at a great distance. After the image had been set up, the King sent a command to the princes and rulers and officers in every nation, that they should come to the great gathering on the plain of Dura. And they dared not disobey. When they came together, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel's three friends, were among them. For some reason Daniel himself was not there. King Nebuchadnezzar was pleased to see such a vast company of men assembled on the plain before the image. He wished to have every one of them bow down and worship the god that he had made, so he caused one of his servants to cry out in a loud voice and say: "O people, nations, and languages, to you it is commanded that when the sound of music is heard you must fall down upon your knees before this great image of gold, which the King has set up. But if you refuse to fall down and worship the image, then you shall be thrown into a furnace of fire." Soon afterwards the music began to play, and the people feel down on their knees, trembling in fear of the great King who had given such a stern command. All the people except three men bowed with their faces to the ground. These three stood up boldly, and would not kneel at all. They were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Because Nebuchadnezzar had given these young men positions of honor in the kingdom, some of the Chaldeans were jealous of them. And now these jealous Chaldeans watched to see if Daniel's friends would kneel before the image. When they saw the young men standing bravely alone among all the kneeling princes and nobles, they hurried to tell Nebuchadnezzar. And Nebuchadnezzar was surprised to hear that these men had dared to disobey his command. He knew they were good rulers, and he did not wish to destroy them in the furnace of fire. He thought perhaps they might have misunderstood, so he sent for them at once, and told them that he would give them another chance to obey. But they bravely answered: "O King, we will not accept another chance. We will not bow before your image, for we will not worship any god except the one true God. And our God is so great that he can deliver us from the fiery furnace that you have prepared. But even if he will not deliver us from any such a death, we will not worship any other god." Nebuchadnezzar could not understand why these Jews should refuse to worship the image, and he was very angry indeed. He believed these young men were too stubborn to obey him, and he no longer wished to spare their lives from the cruel furnace. He commanded his servants to throw more fuel into the fire and make it seven times hotter than it had been before. Then he called the mightiest men of his army and gave them orders to bind stout cords around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and throw them like pieces of wood into the fire. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not afraid. They stood quietly while the mighty men wound the cords tightly around their bodies, and they did not cry out when the men picked them up and threw them into the furnace. But the flames leaped out of the furnace door and killed the mighty soldiers who carried them to the place of burning. Nebuchadnezzar sat in his royal chair near by, watching. He saw the flames leap out and burn the soldiers to death. He saw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fall, bound hand and foot, into the fire. Then his eyes grew wide in surprise; for he saw the three men who had dared to disobey his command rise up and walk about in the fire with no cords to hinder them. And another Person, one who looked to the astonished King like a god, was walking about with them in the furnace. At first Nebuchadnezzar refused to believe his own eyes. He called to the nobles who stood near his chair and asked, "Did we not cast only three men into the fire?" They replied, "True, O King." "But now I see four men, unbound and walking freely about in the midst of the awful flame!" he cried out. "They seem to have no hurt and the fourth one is like a god." Now Nebuchadnezzar rose from his royal chair in haste and ran to the door of the furnace. He called loudly to the three men and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth! and come to me at once!" The princes and nobles and rulers of the kingdom gathered around in amazement to see these three men walk out of the fire and come before Nebuchadnezzar. And they saw that the fire had not harmed these Jews at all. Not even had their hair been singed by the flames, and the smell of fire was not noticed on their garments. But the stout cords that the soldiers had wrapped tightly around them before throwing them into the furnace had been burned to ashes. Nebuchadnezzar was no longer angry with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Now he believed they were great men, and he wished to honor them. He knew they served a great God, one who could do miracles, and he blessed the God of the Jews. He said to all the people, "Now I shall make another commandment, that no man in all my kingdom shall speak one word against the God of these brave men." And after this Nebuchadnezzar set these men up in higher places in his kingdom. Tomorrow: God Humbles the Proud Heart of Nebuchadnezzar

The Prophecy of Daniel 8 & 9

One purpose of this timeline is to show that all 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are in complete harmony with each other even though they were written from 4 totally different perspectives, but the most important purpose is to show how much God really loves us.

The healing and preaching ministry of Jesus lasted only 3 1/2 years. (This was predicted, as shown in the "Daniel 8 & 9" timeline.) The Devil had falsely accused God of being unfair, unkind, unloving and unjust. Jesus' focus was to show God's true character to everyone; to show that God's character was very fair, very kind, very loving and very just.

The Prophecy of Daniel 8 & 9

From the book of Daniel:

8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, [even unto] me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.
8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I [was] at Shushan [in] the palace, which [is] in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had [two] horns: and the [two] horns [were] high; but one [was] higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither [was there any] that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.
8:5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat [had] a notable horn between his eyes.
8:6 And he came to the ram that had [two] horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant [land].
8:10 And it waxed great, [even] to the host of heaven; and it cast down [some] of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
8:11 Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
8:12 And an host was given [him] against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.
8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain [saint] which spake, How long [shall be] the vision [concerning] the daily [sacrifice], and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. (2,300 days or 2,300 years)
8:15 And it came to pass, when I, [even] I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
8:16 And I heard a man's voice between [the banks of] Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this [man] to understand the vision.
8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end [shall be] the vision.
8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end [shall be].
8:20 The ram which thou sawest having [two] horns [are] the kings of Media and Persia.
8:21 And the rough goat [is] the king of Grecia: and the great horn that [is] between his eyes [is] the first king.
8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify [himself] in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told [is] true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it [shall be] for many days.
8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick [certain] days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood [it].

NOTE: Daniel 9:1-20 are being omitted here because they do not really help us understand this prophecy. These verses contain Daniel's prayer for his people and for the end of captivity.

9:21 Yea, whiles I [was] speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
9:22 And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show [thee]; for thou [art] greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

NOTE: Which "vision" is being spoken of here? The vision given in Daniel 8 is the only vision Daniel was trying to understand at the time. Daniel 8 verses 13 & 14 refer to 2,300 days or 2,300 years. The angel Gabriel begins to explain the vision by telling Daniel that "70 weeks" of this prophecy (70 weeks = 490 days or 490 years) are specifically for Daniel's people (the Jews).

9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
9:25 Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel in Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Daniel in Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Daniel 2

Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream. AFTER YOUNG DANIEL and his free friends were numbered among the wise men in Babylon, one night the King had a very strange dream. When he awoke from the dream he could not go to sleep again. And the dream troubled him greatly. He believed that surely that dream must have a deep meaning, and he decided to call the wise men in his kingdom and have them explain the meaning to him. Morning came at last, and Nebuchadnezzar arose from his bed. But now he could no longer recall his dream. This fact troubled him, too, for he knew the dream had been strange and he believed it had a deep meaning. He sent at once for the wise men who had often stood before him, and when they came he told them about his troubled thoughts regarding the strange dream which he could no longer remember. He asked them to tell the dream and the meaning of it. The wise men were puzzled at this request from their King. They thought he was being unreasonable, for they did not know what he had dreamed about. So they asked him to tell the dream first, and then they would tell the meaning. "I have forgotten the dream," replied the King, impatiently, "and if you are as wise as you claim to be you can tell me what it was. Then you can tell its meaning." When the wise men insisted that no human being could do such a thing as tell what some one else had dreamed and forgotten, the King became very angry with them. He said, "Unless you tell this dream and its meaning you shall all be killed." Even this cruel threat could not enable the wise men to know the dream, so they turned away from his presence in great fear. Nebuchadnezzar then called the captain of his guard and commanded him to kill all the wise men in Babylon. So Arioch, the captain, took his sword and prepared himself to do the terrible deed. When he came to Daniel's house he found that the brave young man and his three friends had heard nothing about the the King's command. They had not appeared with the other wise men before Nebuchadnezzar. When Daniel heard what had happened he begged the captain to delay the cruel work until he might first speak with the King. Then he hurried to the palace and went boldly in to tell Nebuchadnezzar that he would find out the dream and its interpretation if only a little time were given him to prepare. And Nebuchadnezzar granted him a little time. Daniel knew that no living person could be wise enough in himself to do what the King had required; but Daniel knew also that secret things are known by the great God of all the earth, whom he and his three friends were serving. So the four young men prayed very earnestly that God would cause Daniel to know his dream, and that night God showed Daniel in a vision what the dream had been and what it meant. Now Daniel was very thankful to God. He knelt down and prayed a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving. Then he went quickly to Arioch, the captain of the King's guard, and said, "Do not destroy the wise men, but bring me in to speak with the King; for I can tell the interpretation of his dream." Arioch was glad, and he took Daniel and brought him to the palace. Then he told the King that he had found a man among the captives from Judah who could make known the strange dream and its meaning. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the power to make know his dream was given by the great God in heaven, for no wise man of earth could know such secret and reveal them. Then he said: "O King, when you lay down to sleep on your bed you wondered what should come to pass in future years. Then you fell asleep, and in your dream God showed you what would happen hereafter. And this was your dream: You saw a great image, exceedingly bright, standing before you. The head of this image was of gold, the breast and arms were of silver, and the waist and hips were of brass, the legs were of iron, and the feet were part of iron and part of clay. Then you saw a stone that was cut without hands roll toward this great image and strike the feet of it. And the stone broke the feet, and the whole image fell to the ground in broken pieces, and it became like dust, which the wind can blow away. Then while you looked in wonder, the stone grew until it became a great mountain, which filled the whole earth." Nebuchadnezzar listened eagerly to the young man's words. Then Daniel continued: "Now I will tell you what this dream means, for God intends to teach you something by it. This great image represents four great kingdoms of earth. Your kingdom is the first, and the head of gold represents this kingdom. After you there will come another king not so great, and he is like the breast and arms of silver. The third kingdom is shown in the dream by the parts of brass, and the fourth by the iron legs and the feet. This fourth kingdom will be very strong at first, but afterwards it will become weaker; for the iron in the feet was mixed with clay. "In the days of these kings," said Daniel, "God will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom is represented in your dream by that stone cut out without hands, which smote the great image till it fell. God's kingdom will increase until it fills the whole earth, and it will break in pieces every other kingdom. This, O King, was your dream, and this is the meaning of it." Nebuchadnezzar was astonished at the wisdom of this young Jew. He believed that Daniel was a wonderful person, like a god, and he fell on the floor before Daniel to worship him. But Daniel had told him that the God in heaven had made known the dream and the meaning to him, so Nebuchadnezzar said, "Of a truth, your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets." Then Nebuchadnezzar gave many great gifts to Daniel, and made him the ruler of all the province of Babylon, and the chief of all the wise men in his kingdom. He did not allow his captain to destroy the wise men, after Daniel had revealed the meaning of his dream. At Daniel's request the King placed Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in honorable offices of the province, among the governors of the land. And the names of these young men were known to the King as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Tomorrow: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace

Daniel and His Friends Stand Before a Great King

Daniel and His Friends Stand Before a Great King Daniel 1

Daniel and his friends refuse to eat the King's food. IN THE KING'S palace at Babylon a company of young boys were being entertained. These young lads were strangers in Babylon. But there were not strangers in a king's court, for they had lived in a royal palace in their home country. Among this company were four bright-eyed, handsome youths who seemed to be more thoughtful than their friends. These boys were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and they had come from Jerusalem with the first captives whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Judah. They have been princes in Judah during the rule of King Jehoiakim, and they served the God of Israel. King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded his chief officer of the palace to choose this company of young boys and to teach them the learning of the Chaldeans. He wished to have them well trained, that when they should become grown men they might be able to help rule the great kingdom of Babylon. And he had appointed his servants to carry choice food from his own table to set before them every day, that they might eat of it and grow into sturdy manhood. Now, Daniel and his three friends wished to keep the law that God gave to the people of Israel; and that law forbade them to eat of certain kinds of food. But the heathen nations, like the Chaldeans, had no regard for that law, and they prepared food that the Jews called unclean. They also cooked their food in certain ways that the law of Moses condemned. Daniel and his three friends knew about these differences between the Chaldeans and their own people. And they decided to refuse the King's food, lest it should be the kind of food that Moses in his book had forbidden the Israelites to eat. God knew about the desire of Daniel and his friends. And God caused the chief officer of the King's palace to love these young boys. When the food was brought before them from the King's table, Daniel stood up and bravely told the officer about his desire not to eat of that food, lest he should be breaking the law of his God. He also pleaded for his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, that they, too, might be allowed to refuse the King's food. At first the officer was afraid that the King might be displeased if the boys refused to eat food from his table. He said, "When you appear before Nebuchadnezzar and he sees, that you are not looking so well and strong as the other young boys, then he will think that I have not cared for you as I should have done. And he will kill me." But Daniel said, "Try us for ten days with the kind of food we desire to eat, and then see if we do not look as well fed as the other young men." Because the officer loved these boys he agreed to do as Daniel had asked. And for ten days he fed them vegetable food and bread instead of the meats and wine from the King's table. At the end of the ten days the officer saw that Daniel and his friends were even healthier-looking than their companions. So he continued to give them the food that they desired. And God blessed these boys with much wisdom, so that they quickly learned the language and the wisdom of the Chaldeans. When three years had passed the King requested that the young boys should be brought before him. He examined them with hard questions, and he saw that Daniel and his three friends were wiser by ten times than were any of the wisest men in all his kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar was well pleased with these young Jews. He gave them places of honor among his own people, and they continued to live in Babylon for many years. Tomorrow: Daniel in Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

The People of Judah Live in a Strange Land

The People of Judah Live in a Strange Land 2 Chron. 36:14-21

The Chaldean army marches the Jews as prisoners to Babylon. WHEN THE CITY of Jerusalem was finally broken up, the Chaldean army started back on their long journey to Babylon. They took with them Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and a host of his people for prisoners. Old men and women, young people, and even children were among the number who marched as prisoners to Babylon. Day after day this host of people walked on and on, stopping only at night to camp by the roadside and rest from their weary journey. And at every camp they knew they were farther away from their home and nearer the land of strangers. The captives were called "Jews" -- a word that means "the people of Judah." And the Jews of today are descendants of those very people who marched as prisoners from Jerusalem to Babylon so long ago. When at last the weary journey came to an end, the Jews found that their new ruler treated them more kindly than they had hoped. He gave them fields and houses in that strange land, and permitted them to work for themselves just as they had done, in their own country. He even took some of them into his capital city and trained them to become his nobles and rulers. God did not forget the people after they were carried away to Babylon. He sent messages to them from this faithful prophet Jeremiah. And he promised to bring them back again to their own country if they would try to please him while they were living among strangers. The people listened to these messages, and some of them rejoiced to hear Jeremiah's letters read. They longed for the time to come when they would return to the land of their fathers. In the land of Babylon the Jews refused to worship idols. They saw around them the idolatry of their heathen neighbors, the Chaldeans; but they remembered how God was displeased with idol-worship, and they were trying now to please him. They often met together in little groups and talked about the land of Judah and the beautiful temple of the Lord, which had been destroyed. And when they talked about these things they wept for sorrow. Sometimes the Chaldeans would ask the Jews to sing for them. Perhaps they had heard that the Jews were lovers of music, and were skilled musicians. But the Jews hung their harps away and refused to sing. They would answer,"How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" They thought the beautiful songs of joy and victory that David and other musicians had written would sound out of place in a strange country. Now the Jews were careful to teach their children about the true God. They were glad when the priest and the Levites came to talk to them about Moses' law. And as the days and the years passed by they did not forget the hope which Jeremiah had given them--the hope of returning again to Judah. In the land of Babylon another man began to hear messages from God and to speak those messages to the people. This man was Ezekiel, who was one of the captive Jews. He had been among the first captives, when Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon. And he afterwards warned the other people in Judah about God's punishment upon them for their disobedience. Ezekiel saw wonderful visions from God, and he encouraged the people to believe that the time would come when they might return again to their own land. Tomorrow: Daniel and His Friends Stand Before a Great King

Jeremiah, The Weeping Prophet

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Jeremiah, The Weeping Prophet Jeremiah 1-52

Jehoiakim burns the Word of God WHILE JOSIAH WAS the king in Judah, God called a young man named Jeremiah to be a prophet. At first Jeremiah thought he could never obey his call, for he was a shy, timid young man. He told the Lord that he could not speak to the people because he was only a child. But God answered, "Do not say you are only a child; for you must go to every person to whom I send you, and you must tell them every word I bid you." Then the Lord touched Jeremiah's mouth and said, "I have put my words in your mouth, and I have set you over the nation to do a great work for me." Jeremiah was no long afraid to obey when God promised to be with him and help him out of his troubles. For Jeremiah knew he would have many troubles. He knew how the prophets before him had been cruelly treated because they dared to speak God's words to the sinful people. He knew that he, too might have to suffer many things. While Josiah was king in Judah, Jeremiah was treated kindly. But after Josiah died the people soon turned back to idol-worship again. They did not care for the true God, and they refused to listen to his faithful prophet. The king of Egypt took their new king away as a prisoner, and made them pay great sums of money every year. Then he placed another of Josiah's sons upon the throne of Judah. Josiah's sons were not good men like their father. They forsook God and allowed idols to be set up all through the land. They even treated God's prophet unkindly because he warned them about the dangers that God would send upon them as punishments for their sins. One day Jeremiah told his dear friend Baruch the words that God spoke to him, and Baruch wrote the words in a book. Then he took the book and went out to read it among the people. Soon the princes of Judah heard about it, and they called Baruch and asked him to read to them. They were frightened when they heard what Baruch had written; for they believed God's words, and they knew their land would soon be taken away from them. They asked Baruch to let them have the book to read to the King. But first they told Baruch to hide himself and Jeremiah, lest the King be angry when he hear the words of God and try to punish them for putting the words into the book. Jehoiakim, Josiah's son, was the king at that time. He was sitting in his palace when the princes came to him, bringing the book that Baruch had written. And he listened while they read. But as soon as they finished reading a page he called for the book and took his penknife and cut the page out. Then he threw it into the fire. This he did with every page that Baruch had written. He would not believe the words of the Lord. And he wanted to punish Jeremiah and his friend; but he could not find them. The princes sent word to Jeremiah and Baruch, telling them how the King had treated the book, and once more the prophet and his friend wrote down the words of God. And the words that they wrote were true; for not long afterwards a great king from the east country, of Chaldea, came and took some of the people away to Babylon And Jehoiakim was placed in a prison-house and kept for a prisoner as long as he lived. But Jeremiah's troubles were by no means ended. After the death of Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim, who had reigned just a little over three months, a new king, Zedekiah, another son of wicked Jehoiakim, was soon ruling the people of Judah, and he was more wicked than his father had been. He caused Jeremiah to be cast into a prison-house because he spoke the words of God. And the men who put him into the prison tied ropes about his waist and lowered him into a deep hole beneath the prison floor. Such a hole is called a dungeon, and there the prophet was kept for some time. In the dark, dreary dungeon Jeremiah was very unhappy. He had no comfortable place to rest, and he had only dry bread and water to eat and drink day after day. While this trouble was happening to Jeremiah, the people of Jerusalem were also in distress. The king of Babylon had come again, with a strong army, and was camping around the walls of their city. They could not go away, and none of their friends could come to help them. And their food-supply was growing smaller every day. Soon they would have nothing left to eat. The King of Judah was afraid of this army outside his city. He called for Jeremiah to tell him what to do. So the men let ropes down into the dungeon and pulled the prophet out again to send him to the King. And Jeremiah told the King that God was going to allow the army to capture the city and break down its walls and even destroy the beautiful temple of the Lord. But he said that God would not let the Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar, kill the people of Jerusalem if they would willingly offer themselves to become his prisoners. Then they would not need to starve to death inside the city. Jeremiah asked the King not to send him back into that dark dungeon again. So afterwards he was kept in the court of the prison, and treated more kindly. But he was not allowed to go about through the city and talk to the people. The people of Jerusalem and their King were not willing to give themselves up as prisoners to Nebuchadnezzar, as Jeremiah had told them to do. So weary months passed by, and they stayed inside the walls of Jerusalem and suffered from hunger and thirst. Jeremiah suffered with them, for he could not escape. At last, when all the food was gone, the King decided to slip away from Jerusalem during the night. He thought the Chaldean army and King Nebuchadnezzar might not see him. But King Zedekiah had not gone far from the city when he was captured by his enemies, the Chaldeans. They put heavy chains on his hands and feet, and then put out his eyes and led him away to Babylon. Many of the people of Judah were taken with him, and only a few of the poorer people were left in the land. Nebuchadnezzar and his army broke down the walls of Jerusalem and set fire to the temple of the Lord. They first took out all the vessels of gold and silver that they found in the temple, and carried those precious vessels to their own land. Jeremiah was allowed to remain in the land of Judah among the poorer people. And he lived to be an old man. But as long as he lived he faithfully warned the people according to all the words that God spoke to him. Because he lived during such a time of trouble, Jeremiah was a sad-face man. He talked more about the sorrows of his people than about their joys. And often he wept because of their sins. For this reason he was called the "Weeping Prophet." Tomorrow: The People of Judah Live in a Strange Land

King Josiah and the Story of a Forgotten Book

King Josiah and the Story of a Forgotten Book 2 Chronicles 34, 35

The pagan altars are torn down and removed from the temple. IT WAS HOUSE-CLEANING time in the temple of the Lord. Many years had passed since this building had been repaired by the boy king, Joash, and during those long years the temple had been much neglected. It had even been mistreated, for one king had set up altars for the idol of Baal right in the courts of the Lord's house. Now that king was dead, and his grandson, Josiah, was ruling the people of Judah. And because Josiah was trying to do right he had given the command that God's house should be repaired and made ready for the proper kind of worship. Many skillful workmen were hired to help repair the temple. And the heathen altars were torn out of the temple courts and carried outside the city, where they were burned with fire. While this work was going on, the high priest was setting things in order in the rooms of the temple. And there, hidden away beneath some rubbish, he found a strange book. This strange book proved to be the same as one Moses had written before he died. It was called the Book of the Law, for in it Moses had written the words of the law, which God gave to the Israelites. And Moses had commanded that the book should be read in the hearing of all the people once every seven years. But now many years had passed by since the book had been read. And during those years the book had been entirely forgotten. The high priest carefully removed the dust from this precious book and called for a servant of King Josiah. Shaphan, the servant, came quickly, and the high priest told him to carry the book of the King. Now, Josiah had never heard the words of God's law before this time. He asked his servant to read aloud from the book, and Shaphan read about God's promise to bless the people if they should serve him faithfully. Then he continued to read, and Josiah heard about God's promise to punish the people if they should forsake him and turn to worship idols. Josiah was alarmed. He knew the people had disobeyed God's law, and he feared the awful punishments, which God promised to send upon them. He tore his clothes and wept bitter tears. Then he sent servants to a woman named Huldah, who was a prophetess, to ask her about God's plan to punish the people for their great sins. Huldah told the servants that God would surely sent all the great punishments upon the people just as he had promised to do if they should forsake his law and worship idols. But because Josiah, the king, had humbled his heart and had wept tears of sorrow for their sins, Huldah said that God would not let the punishments come upon the land during his lifetime. Josiah did not try to forget about the words of God's law. He wanted all his people to hear them, too. So he called for a great meeting at Jerusalem, and when the people came together he read to them out of the book. Then he promised God to keep that law and to serve God with all his heart. He commanded his people to keep the law, too. And they obeyed their King. Afterwards Josiah prepared to keep the Passover Feast, which the Israelites were commanded in God's law to keep once every year. He assembled the people from every part of the land, and when they came together he gave from his own flocks many lambs for the Passover supper. And the people rejoiced together, and kept the Feast for seven days. Not since the days of the prophet Samuel had there been such a great Passover Feast as this one. Josiah ruled the people for thirty-one years. He began to rule when he was only a child, eight years old. Of course some older men had charge of the important affairs of the kingdom until he grew to manhood. But Josiah longed to be a good king when he was only a boy. And at the age of sixteen he began to seek God earnestly, and God helped him to rule wisely. At the end of Josiah's good reign the king of Egypt went out to fight against the Assyrian king, and he marched through the land of Judah. Josiah have him pass through the country so he called out his army and prepared to fight against him. Now the king of Egypt did not wish to fight against Josiah, and he sent word for Josiah to return home from the battle-field; but Josiah would not go. He dressed himself in the clothes of a common soldier and went out to battle anyway. And in the midst of the fight he was shot by an archer and wounded so severely that his servants brought him back to Jerusalem in a chariot. Soon afterwards he died, and the people buried him among the honorable kings of Judah. The prophet of God wept for him, because he knew that Josiah was the last king who would ever try to keep the words that Moses wrote in the Book of the Law. Tomorrow: Jeremiah, The Weeping Prophet