Day 255 of My 3rd Bible Study Journey - 12 September 2023 reflections
Day 255, 12 September 2023
1) Daniel 1 - 3
Daniel 1
Daniel Taken to Babylon
1 (2Ki 24:1-2) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 (2Ch 36:7; Zec 5:11; Ge 11:2) The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah
into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God,
and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god.
And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 (Isa 39:7) The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his officials
that he should bring some of the sons of Israel and some of the king's
descendants and some of the nobles,
4 (2Sa 14:25; Da 5:11) youths in whom was no blemish, who were handsome
and skillful in every branch of wisdom and gifted with understanding
and discerning knowledge, and such as had ability in them to serve
in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning
and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 (Da 1:19; Ge 41:46) The king appointed them a daily provision
of the king's food and of the wine which he drank. They were to be educated
for three years, that at the end of it they might serve before the king.
6 (Eze 14:14; 14:20) Now among them were of the sons of Judah:
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
7 (Da 2:49; 4:8; 5:12) to whom the commander of the officials gave names.
And he gave to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar;
to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 (Eze 4:13-14; Dt 32:38) But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's food,
nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the master
of the officials that he might not defile himself.
9 (Ge 39:21; Ps 106:46) Now God had brought Daniel into favor
and compassion with the master of the officials.
10 The master of the officials said to Daniel,
"I fear my lord the king who has appointed your food and your drink.
For why should he see your faces worse-looking than the youths
who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king."
11 Then Daniel said to the steward, whom the master of the officials
had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 (Da 1:16) "Please test your servants for ten days,
and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before you,
and the countenance of the youths who eat of the portion
of the king's food. And as you see, deal with your servants."
14 So he consented to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
15 (Ex 23:25; Pr 10:22) At the end of ten days their countenances
appeared fairer and fatter than all the youths who ate the portion
of the king's food.
16 (Da 1:12) Thus the guard continued to take away the portion of their food
and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 (Da 2:23; Jas 1:5) As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge
and skill in every branch of learning and wisdom.
And Daniel had understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had set for them to be brought in,
the master of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 (Ge 41:46; Da 1:5) The king spoke with them, and, among them all,
none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Therefore they served before the king.
20 (Ge 31:7; 41:8) In all matters of wisdom and understanding
which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 (Da 6:28; 10:1) Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus.
Daniel 1
[1] In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
[2] And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of
the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of
Shinar to
the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of
his god.
[3] And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he
should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and
of the princes;
[4] Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all
wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as
had
ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach
the
learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
[5] And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat,
and of
the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end
thereof they might stand before the king.
[6] Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah:
[7] Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel
the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of
Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
[8] But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with
the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore
he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
[9] Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince
of the eunuchs.
[10] And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the
king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see
your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then
shall
ye make me endanger my head to the king.
[11] Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set
over
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
[12] Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us
pulse to eat, and water to drink.
[13] Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the
countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and
as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
[14] So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
[15] And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and
fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the
king's meat.
[16] Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that
they
should drink; and gave them pulse.
[17] As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all
learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and
dreams.
[18] Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them
in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
[19] And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none
like
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the
king.
[20] And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired
of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers that were in all his realm.
[21] And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 2
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 (Est 6:1; Da 4:5) And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,
Nebuchadnezzar had dreams, and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.
2 (Da 1:20; Ge 41:8) Then the king gave the command to call the magicians
and the astrologers and the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king
his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 (Ge 40:8; 41:15) The king said to them, "I have had a dream,
and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream."
4 (Da 3:9; 5:10) Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic,
[2:4-7:28 is originally from the Aramaic language.]
"O king, live forever. Tell your servants the dream,
and we will tell the interpretation."
5 (Ezr 6:11; Da 3:29) The king answered and said to the Chaldeans,
"The command from me is firm: If you will not make known to me the dream
with its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces and your houses
shall be made a dunghill.
6 (Da 5:7; 2:48) But if you tell the dream and its interpretation,
you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.
Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation."
7 (Da 2:4) They answered again and said, "
Let the king tell his servants the dream,
and we will tell the interpretation."
8 (Eph 5:16; Col 4:5) The king answered and said,
"I know of certainty that you are bargaining for time,
because you see that the command from me is firm:
9 (Est 4:11; Isa 41:23) If you will not make known to me the dream,
there is but one decree for you. For you have agreed to speak lying
and corrupt words before me until the circumstance is changed.
Therefore tell me the dream so that I know that you can tell me
its interpretation."
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, "There is not a man
on the earth who can tell the king’s matter, inasmuch as no great king
or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician or astrologer or Chaldean.
11 (Da 5:11; Ge 41:39) Also, it is a rare thing that the king requires,
and there is no one else who can tell it before the king,
except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12 (Da 3:13; Ps 76:10) For this cause the king was angry and very furious,
and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 (Da 1:19-20) Therefore the decree went out that the wise men should
be slain. And they sought for Daniel and his companions to be slain.
14 (Ge 37:36) Then Daniel answered with discretion and wisdom
to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill
the wise men of Babylon.
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain,
"Why is the decree from the king so urgent?"
Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would give him
time in order that he could tell the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known
to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18 (Isa 37:4; Jer 33:3) so that they might ask for compassion
from the God of heaven concerning this secret,
so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest
of the wise men of Babylon.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
19 (Nu 12:6; Job 33:15-16) Then the secret was revealed to Daniel
in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 (Ps 113:2; 115:18) Daniel answered and said:
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
for wisdom and might are His.
21 (Da 7:25; Job 12:18) It is He who changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and sets up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who know understanding.
22 (Job 12:22; Ps 25:14) He reveals the deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with Him.
23 (Ex 3:15; Da 2:18) I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers;
for You have given me wisdom and might,
and have made known to me now what we asked of You,
for You have made known to us the king's matter."
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 (Ac 27:24) Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king
had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon.
He went and said to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon.
Bring me in before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."
25 (Da 1:6; 6:13) Then in haste Arioch brought Daniel before the king
and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah
who can make known to the king the interpretation."
26 (Da 1:7; 4:8) The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name
was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream
which I have seen, and its interpretation?"
27 (Da 2:2; 2:10-11) Daniel answered in the presence of the king
and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men,
the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot tell the king.
28 (Da 10:14; Ge 40:8) But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets
and makes known to King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.
Your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed are these:
29 (Da 2:47) "As for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind upon
your bed about what would come to pass hereafter,
and He who reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.
30 (Ge 41:16; Ac 3:12) But as for me, this secret is not revealed
to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living man,
but for the purpose of making known the interpretation to the king,
and that you might understand the thoughts of your heart.
31 (Hab 1:7) "You, O king, were watching, and there was a great image.
This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you.
And its form was awesome.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver,
its belly and its thighs of bronze,
33 its legs of iron,
its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 (Da 8:25; Isa 60:12) You watched until a stone was cut out without hands
which struck the image upon its feet, which were of iron and clay,
and broke them to pieces.
35 (Ps 37:10; 37:36) Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver,
and the gold were broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff
of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away
so that not a trace of them was found.
But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.
36 "This was the dream. Now we will tell its interpretation before the king.
37 (Eze 26:7; Ezr 1:20 You, O king, are the king of kings. For the God
of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 (Da 4:21-22; Ps 50:10-11) Wherever the sons of men dwell,
or the animals of the field, or the fowl of the heavens,
He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all.
You are the head of gold.
39 (Da 2:32) "After you, another kingdom inferior to you shall arise,
and a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
40 (Da 7:7) And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron,
for iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes,
it shall crush and shatter all these.
41 As you saw the feet and toes, partly of potters' clay and partly of iron,
the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it some of the
strength of the iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay,
so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken.
43 Whereas you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves
with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave to one another,
even as iron does not mix with clay.
44 (Isa 60:12; Da 4:34) "In the days of these kings the God of heaven
shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.
And the kingdom shall not be left to another people,
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand forever.
45 (Isa 28:16; Ge 41:28) Inasmuch as you saw that the stone
was cut out of the mountain without hands
and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay,
the silver, and the gold, the great God has made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter.
And the dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."
The Promotion of Daniel
46 (Ac 10:25; 14:13) Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face
and did homage to Daniel, and commanded that they should present
an offering and sweet incense to him.
47 (Dt 10:17; Da 11:36) The king answered Daniel and said,
"Truly your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings,
and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."
48 (Da 2:6; 4:9) Then the king advanced Daniel and gave him many great gifts,
and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon
and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 (Est 2:19; 2:21) Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon.
But Daniel sat at the court of the king.
Daniel 2
[1] And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from
him.
[2] Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and
the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they
came and stood before the king.
[3] And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was
troubled to know the dream.
[4] Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever:
tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
[5] The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me:
if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation
thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a
dunghill.
[6] But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall
receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the
dream, and the interpretation thereof.
[7] They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream,
and we will shew the interpretation of it.
[8] The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the
time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
[9] But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree
for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me,
till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that
ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
[10] The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man
upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king,
lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or
Chaldean.
[11] And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other
that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not
with flesh.
[12] For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to
destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
[13] And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they
sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
[14] Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of
the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
[15] He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so
hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
[16] Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him
time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
[17] Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
[18] That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this
secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon.
[19] Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel
blessed the God of heaven.
[20] Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
for wisdom and might are his:
[21] And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and
setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that
know understanding:
[22] He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the
darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
[23] I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given
me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of
thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
[24] Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to
destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not
the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto
the king the interpretation.
[25] Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus
unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known
unto the king the interpretation.
[26] The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art
thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the
interpretation thereof?
[27] Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which
the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians,
the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
[28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known
to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and
the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
[29] As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what
should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to
thee what shall come to pass.
[30] But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I
have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the
interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy
heart.
[31] Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose
brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was
terrible.
[32] This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver,
his belly and his thighs of brass,
[33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
[34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote
the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to
pieces.
[35] Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for
them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled
the whole earth.
[36] This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before
the king.
[37] Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given
thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
[38] And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee
ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
[39] And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and
another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
[40] And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all
these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
[41] And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and
part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the
strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry
clay.
[42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the
kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
[43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another,
even as iron is not mixed with clay.
[44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left
to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
[45] Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay,
the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure.
[46] Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel,
and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
[47] The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your
God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing
thou couldest reveal this secret.
[48] Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts,
and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the
governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
[49] Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in
the gate of the king.
Daniel 3
The Image of Gold
1 (Isa 46:6; Jer 16:20) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,
whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits.
[About 90 feet high and 9 feet wide, or 27 meters high and 2.7 meters wide.]
He set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 (Da 3:27) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together
the officials, the governors, and the captains, the judges,
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers
of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image
which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 Then the officials, the governors, and captains, the judges,
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers
of the provinces were gathered together to the dedication of the image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, and they stood before the image
that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 (Da 4:1; 6:25) Then a herald cried aloud:
"To you it is commanded, O peoples,
nations, and languages,
5 (Da 3:10; 3:15) that at the time you hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music,
you should fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king has set up.
6 (Jer 29:22; Da 3:11) And whoever does not fall down and worship shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples,
the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
The Fiery Furnace
8 (Ezr 4:12-16; Est 3:8-9) Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near
and accused the Jews.
9 (Da 5:10; 6:6) They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king,
live forever.
10 (Da 3:4-7; 6:12) You, O king, have made a decree, that every man
who hears the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
and dulcimer, and all kinds of music should fall down and worship
the golden image.
11 And whoever does not fall down and worship should be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 (Da 2:49; 6:13) There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs
of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men,
O king, have not regarded you. They do not serve your gods
or worship the golden image which you have set up."
13 (Da 2:12; 3:19) Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then they brought these men
before the king.
14 (Isa 46:1; Jer 50:2) Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said to them, "Is it true,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods
or worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 (Ex 5:2; 2Ki 18:35) Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound
of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer,
and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made,
very well. But if you do not worship, you shall be cast the same hour into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is that god who can deliver
you out of my hands?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king,
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer in this matter.
17 (Job 5:19; Ps 27:1-2) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able
to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us
out of your hand, O king.
18 (Isa 51:12-13) But even if He does not, be it known to you,
O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image
which you have set up."
Protection in the Fiery Furnace
19 (Da 3:13; Lev 26:18) Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury,
and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego. Therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat
the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
20 He commanded the most mighty men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their trousers, their coats, and their hats,
and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning
fiery furnace.
22 (Ex 12:33) Therefore, because the king's commandment was urgent
and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men
who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 (Da 6:7) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished,
and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said to his counselors,
"Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"
They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
25 (Isa 43:2; Job 1:6) He answered and said, "But I see four men loose
and walking in the midst of the fire, and they are unharmed.
And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!"
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
26 (Da 3:17; 4:2) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning
fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
you servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!"
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the midst of the fire.
27 (Heb 11:34; Isa 43:2) The officials, governors, and captains,
and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men upon
whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor had the smell of fire even come
upon them.
28 (Ac 5:19; Ps 22:4-5) Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said,
"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him.
They have defied the king's word, and yielded their bodies,
that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
29 (Da 2:5; 6:26-27) Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation,
and language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall
be made a dunghill, because there is no other God
who can deliver in this way."
30 (Da 2:49) Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 3
[1] Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the
plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
[2] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the
governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers,
the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the
dedication
of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[3] Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
[4] Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations,
and languages,
[5] That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the
golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
[6] And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
[7] Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the
people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden
image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[8] Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
[9] They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
[10] Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the
sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all
kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
[11] And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
[12] There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king,
have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up.
[13] Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
[14] Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image which I have set up?
[15] Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye
fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship
not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O
Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
[17] If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
[18] But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy
gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
[19] Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was
changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and
commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it
was wont to be heated.
[20] And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery
furnace.
[21] Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats,
and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery
furnace.
[22] Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace
exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego.
[23] And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
[24] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and
spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into
the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
[25] He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of
the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son
of God.
[26] Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants
of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
[27] And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers,
being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no
power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats
changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
[28] Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants
that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their
bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own
God.
[29] Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language,
which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a
dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
[30] Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the
province of Babylon.
2) Our Daily Bread for 12 September 2023 titled Be Still
Psalm 37:5-7
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) Commit your way to the Lord;
trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your judgment as the noonday.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret because of those who prosper in their way,
because of those who make wicked schemes.
[5] Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it
to pass.
[6] And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment as the noonday.
[7] Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because
of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass.
After I’d gotten settled into the chamber, my body floating comfortably above
the water, the room went dark and the gentle music that had been playing in
the background went silent. I'd read that isolation tanks were therapeutic,
offering relief for stress and anxiety. But this was like nothing I'd ever
encountered. It felt like the chaos of the world had stopped, and I could
clearly hear my innermost thoughts. I left the experience balanced
and rejuvenated, reminded that there is power in stillness.
We can rest most comfortably in the stillness of the presence of God, who
renews our strength and grants us the wisdom we need to tackle the challenges
we face each day. When we're still, silencing the noise and removing
distractions in our lives, He strengthens us so we can hear His gentle
voice more clearly (Psalm 37:7).
While sensory deprivation chambers are certainly one form of stillness, God
offers us a simpler way to spend uninterrupted time with Him. He says, "When
you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father"
(Matthew 6:6). God will guide our steps and allow His righteousness to shine
brightly through us when we seek the answers to life's challenges
in the stillness of His magnificent presence (Psalm 37:5–6).
By: Kimya Loder
Reflect & Pray
What are some things that consume your time?
How can you make more room for quiet time with God?
Dear Father, I know I get caught up in the fast pace of life.
Help me to be still, making room for You in everything I do.
For further study, read In His Presence: Spending Time with God.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 3 - The Promise of Completion
Philippians 1:6
6 (1Co 1:8; Jn 6:29) I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it
until the day of Jesus Christ.
6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
"Elizabeth is a good student", the note on the side of the report card read,
"but she doesn't finish what she starts. She has a lot of good ideas, but
rarely brings then to completion."
Many of us are like Elizabeth. We start into a new venture with high hopes
and great motivation. But somewhere along the way, we become discouraged.
Someone tells us that our ideas are stupid, or that we are not capable of
doing what we dream. We get a particularly difficult hurdle and give up.
Sometimes we fell the Christian like is like that, too. We start well, and
believe that in Christ we can accomplish anything. But then our prayers
become rote, our Bible reading ritual. We can't seem to regain that sense
of God's presence; we have, we conclude, "Lost our first love." (Rev 2)
But God has a different perspective. He began the work of salvation in us;
he leads and guides us in his will, and he will complete what he has begun.
Often we fail to see God's grace in the ongoing process of walking with him
because his agenda is different from ours. We know what we want to see
happen in our lives; God knows what needs to happen.
"When I fist came into a relationship with Christ," one woman explained,
"I knew I had a lot of changing to do. But, strangely enough, the things God
changed weren't on my list at all!"
When God begins his work in our lives, he has a plan for our maturity.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. And what God
has begun, he will finish.
Application
a) Have I ever tried to "decide" for God what problems in my life
needed dealing with?
b) Has God ever pointed out issues that were a surprise to me?
c) How can today's verse help me relax in God's will and
have confidence in the direction of my life?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Gen 26:12-14
12 (Ge 26:3; 24:1) Then Isaac sowed in that land
and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; the Lord blessed him.
13 The man became rich and continued to prosper until he became very wealthy.
14 (Ge 37:11; Ecc 4:4) For he had possessions of flocks and herds
and a great number of servants so that the Philistines envied him.
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year
an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
13 And the man waxed great, and went forward,
and grew until he became very great:
14 for he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds,
and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Unfailing Love
Ps 36:5-9
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens,
and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) Your righteousness is like the great mountains,
Your judgments like the great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) How excellent is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore mankind seeks refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) They will drink their fill
from the abundance of Your house,
and You will cause them to drink from the river of Your pleasures.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light we see light.
5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
And thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;
Thy judgments are a great deep:
O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;
And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2022 edition?)
Nova Scotia
Total population 942700
Muslim population (est.) 14629
With 6 of the Nova Scotia's 10 universities located in Halifax, there is
a high concentration of Muslin international students in the area,
a harvest field in itself.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Halifax is the centre of Muslim activity for the Province of Nova Scotia
with at least 10 Islamic centres (mosques) and musallas
(prayer locations, especially for Friday prayer). And there are other mosques
in Chebucto, Kearney Lake, Dartmouth, Bedford and Truro.
Though the original community of Muslims was primarily composed of
newcomers from Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, continued immigration
has further diversified this community. Anf it is said thay Arabic
is the second most spoken language in Halifax.
while conservative estimates place the number of Muslims at almost 15000
in 2014, the Imama of a primary Halifax mosque estimates their population
somewhere between 25000 to 30000.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...)
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
12th Day of the Month
a) Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
(Proverb 11:1
1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is His delight.
1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD:
But a just weight is his delight.
)
b) Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity across the world.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord to keep your integrity for He will
protect you.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear Father, I know I get caught up in the fast pace
of life. Help me to be still, making room for You in everything I do."
Pray to the Lord and pray for the Lord to mould you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to Lord to be prosperous in His Name.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know His unfailing love.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity across the world.
Pray that Yemeni believers will be strengthened and encouraged in their faith.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
1) Daniel 1 - 3
Daniel 1
Daniel Taken to Babylon
1 (2Ki 24:1-2) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 (2Ch 36:7; Zec 5:11; Ge 11:2) The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah
into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God,
and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god.
And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 (Isa 39:7) The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his officials
that he should bring some of the sons of Israel and some of the king's
descendants and some of the nobles,
4 (2Sa 14:25; Da 5:11) youths in whom was no blemish, who were handsome
and skillful in every branch of wisdom and gifted with understanding
and discerning knowledge, and such as had ability in them to serve
in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning
and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 (Da 1:19; Ge 41:46) The king appointed them a daily provision
of the king's food and of the wine which he drank. They were to be educated
for three years, that at the end of it they might serve before the king.
6 (Eze 14:14; 14:20) Now among them were of the sons of Judah:
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
7 (Da 2:49; 4:8; 5:12) to whom the commander of the officials gave names.
And he gave to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar;
to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 (Eze 4:13-14; Dt 32:38) But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's food,
nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the master
of the officials that he might not defile himself.
9 (Ge 39:21; Ps 106:46) Now God had brought Daniel into favor
and compassion with the master of the officials.
10 The master of the officials said to Daniel,
"I fear my lord the king who has appointed your food and your drink.
For why should he see your faces worse-looking than the youths
who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king."
11 Then Daniel said to the steward, whom the master of the officials
had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 (Da 1:16) "Please test your servants for ten days,
and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before you,
and the countenance of the youths who eat of the portion
of the king's food. And as you see, deal with your servants."
14 So he consented to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
15 (Ex 23:25; Pr 10:22) At the end of ten days their countenances
appeared fairer and fatter than all the youths who ate the portion
of the king's food.
16 (Da 1:12) Thus the guard continued to take away the portion of their food
and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 (Da 2:23; Jas 1:5) As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge
and skill in every branch of learning and wisdom.
And Daniel had understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had set for them to be brought in,
the master of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 (Ge 41:46; Da 1:5) The king spoke with them, and, among them all,
none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Therefore they served before the king.
20 (Ge 31:7; 41:8) In all matters of wisdom and understanding
which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 (Da 6:28; 10:1) Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus.
Daniel 1
[1] In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
[2] And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of
the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of
Shinar to
the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of
his god.
[3] And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he
should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and
of the princes;
[4] Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all
wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as
had
ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach
the
learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
[5] And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat,
and of
the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end
thereof they might stand before the king.
[6] Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah:
[7] Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel
the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of
Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.
[8] But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with
the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore
he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
[9] Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince
of the eunuchs.
[10] And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the
king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see
your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then
shall
ye make me endanger my head to the king.
[11] Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set
over
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
[12] Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us
pulse to eat, and water to drink.
[13] Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the
countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and
as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
[14] So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
[15] And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and
fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the
king's meat.
[16] Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that
they
should drink; and gave them pulse.
[17] As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all
learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and
dreams.
[18] Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them
in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
[19] And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none
like
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the
king.
[20] And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired
of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers that were in all his realm.
[21] And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 2
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
1 (Est 6:1; Da 4:5) And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,
Nebuchadnezzar had dreams, and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.
2 (Da 1:20; Ge 41:8) Then the king gave the command to call the magicians
and the astrologers and the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king
his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 (Ge 40:8; 41:15) The king said to them, "I have had a dream,
and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream."
4 (Da 3:9; 5:10) Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic,
[2:4-7:28 is originally from the Aramaic language.]
"O king, live forever. Tell your servants the dream,
and we will tell the interpretation."
5 (Ezr 6:11; Da 3:29) The king answered and said to the Chaldeans,
"The command from me is firm: If you will not make known to me the dream
with its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces and your houses
shall be made a dunghill.
6 (Da 5:7; 2:48) But if you tell the dream and its interpretation,
you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor.
Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation."
7 (Da 2:4) They answered again and said, "
Let the king tell his servants the dream,
and we will tell the interpretation."
8 (Eph 5:16; Col 4:5) The king answered and said,
"I know of certainty that you are bargaining for time,
because you see that the command from me is firm:
9 (Est 4:11; Isa 41:23) If you will not make known to me the dream,
there is but one decree for you. For you have agreed to speak lying
and corrupt words before me until the circumstance is changed.
Therefore tell me the dream so that I know that you can tell me
its interpretation."
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king and said, "There is not a man
on the earth who can tell the king’s matter, inasmuch as no great king
or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician or astrologer or Chaldean.
11 (Da 5:11; Ge 41:39) Also, it is a rare thing that the king requires,
and there is no one else who can tell it before the king,
except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12 (Da 3:13; Ps 76:10) For this cause the king was angry and very furious,
and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 (Da 1:19-20) Therefore the decree went out that the wise men should
be slain. And they sought for Daniel and his companions to be slain.
14 (Ge 37:36) Then Daniel answered with discretion and wisdom
to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill
the wise men of Babylon.
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain,
"Why is the decree from the king so urgent?"
Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would give him
time in order that he could tell the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known
to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18 (Isa 37:4; Jer 33:3) so that they might ask for compassion
from the God of heaven concerning this secret,
so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest
of the wise men of Babylon.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
19 (Nu 12:6; Job 33:15-16) Then the secret was revealed to Daniel
in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 (Ps 113:2; 115:18) Daniel answered and said:
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
for wisdom and might are His.
21 (Da 7:25; Job 12:18) It is He who changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and sets up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who know understanding.
22 (Job 12:22; Ps 25:14) He reveals the deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with Him.
23 (Ex 3:15; Da 2:18) I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers;
for You have given me wisdom and might,
and have made known to me now what we asked of You,
for You have made known to us the king's matter."
Daniel Interprets the Dream
24 (Ac 27:24) Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king
had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon.
He went and said to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon.
Bring me in before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."
25 (Da 1:6; 6:13) Then in haste Arioch brought Daniel before the king
and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah
who can make known to the king the interpretation."
26 (Da 1:7; 4:8) The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name
was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream
which I have seen, and its interpretation?"
27 (Da 2:2; 2:10-11) Daniel answered in the presence of the king
and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men,
the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot tell the king.
28 (Da 10:14; Ge 40:8) But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets
and makes known to King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.
Your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed are these:
29 (Da 2:47) "As for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind upon
your bed about what would come to pass hereafter,
and He who reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.
30 (Ge 41:16; Ac 3:12) But as for me, this secret is not revealed
to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living man,
but for the purpose of making known the interpretation to the king,
and that you might understand the thoughts of your heart.
31 (Hab 1:7) "You, O king, were watching, and there was a great image.
This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you.
And its form was awesome.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver,
its belly and its thighs of bronze,
33 its legs of iron,
its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 (Da 8:25; Isa 60:12) You watched until a stone was cut out without hands
which struck the image upon its feet, which were of iron and clay,
and broke them to pieces.
35 (Ps 37:10; 37:36) Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver,
and the gold were broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff
of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away
so that not a trace of them was found.
But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.
36 "This was the dream. Now we will tell its interpretation before the king.
37 (Eze 26:7; Ezr 1:20 You, O king, are the king of kings. For the God
of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 (Da 4:21-22; Ps 50:10-11) Wherever the sons of men dwell,
or the animals of the field, or the fowl of the heavens,
He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all.
You are the head of gold.
39 (Da 2:32) "After you, another kingdom inferior to you shall arise,
and a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
40 (Da 7:7) And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron,
for iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes,
it shall crush and shatter all these.
41 As you saw the feet and toes, partly of potters' clay and partly of iron,
the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it some of the
strength of the iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay,
so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken.
43 Whereas you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves
with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave to one another,
even as iron does not mix with clay.
44 (Isa 60:12; Da 4:34) "In the days of these kings the God of heaven
shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.
And the kingdom shall not be left to another people,
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand forever.
45 (Isa 28:16; Ge 41:28) Inasmuch as you saw that the stone
was cut out of the mountain without hands
and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay,
the silver, and the gold, the great God has made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter.
And the dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."
The Promotion of Daniel
46 (Ac 10:25; 14:13) Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face
and did homage to Daniel, and commanded that they should present
an offering and sweet incense to him.
47 (Dt 10:17; Da 11:36) The king answered Daniel and said,
"Truly your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings,
and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."
48 (Da 2:6; 4:9) Then the king advanced Daniel and gave him many great gifts,
and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon
and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 (Est 2:19; 2:21) Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon.
But Daniel sat at the court of the king.
Daniel 2
[1] And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from
him.
[2] Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and
the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they
came and stood before the king.
[3] And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was
troubled to know the dream.
[4] Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever:
tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
[5] The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me:
if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation
thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a
dunghill.
[6] But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall
receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the
dream, and the interpretation thereof.
[7] They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream,
and we will shew the interpretation of it.
[8] The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the
time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
[9] But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree
for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me,
till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that
ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
[10] The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man
upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king,
lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or
Chaldean.
[11] And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other
that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not
with flesh.
[12] For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to
destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
[13] And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they
sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
[14] Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of
the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
[15] He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so
hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
[16] Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him
time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
[17] Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
[18] That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this
secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon.
[19] Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel
blessed the God of heaven.
[20] Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
for wisdom and might are his:
[21] And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and
setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that
know understanding:
[22] He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the
darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
[23] I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given
me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of
thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
[24] Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to
destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not
the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto
the king the interpretation.
[25] Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus
unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known
unto the king the interpretation.
[26] The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art
thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the
interpretation thereof?
[27] Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which
the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians,
the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
[28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known
to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and
the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
[29] As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what
should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to
thee what shall come to pass.
[30] But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I
have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the
interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy
heart.
[31] Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose
brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was
terrible.
[32] This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver,
his belly and his thighs of brass,
[33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
[34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote
the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to
pieces.
[35] Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for
them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled
the whole earth.
[36] This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before
the king.
[37] Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given
thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
[38] And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee
ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
[39] And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and
another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
[40] And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all
these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
[41] And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and
part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the
strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry
clay.
[42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the
kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
[43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another,
even as iron is not mixed with clay.
[44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left
to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
[45] Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay,
the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure.
[46] Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel,
and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
[47] The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your
God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing
thou couldest reveal this secret.
[48] Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts,
and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the
governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
[49] Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in
the gate of the king.
Daniel 3
The Image of Gold
1 (Isa 46:6; Jer 16:20) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,
whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits.
[About 90 feet high and 9 feet wide, or 27 meters high and 2.7 meters wide.]
He set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 (Da 3:27) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together
the officials, the governors, and the captains, the judges,
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers
of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image
which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 Then the officials, the governors, and captains, the judges,
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers
of the provinces were gathered together to the dedication of the image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, and they stood before the image
that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 (Da 4:1; 6:25) Then a herald cried aloud:
"To you it is commanded, O peoples,
nations, and languages,
5 (Da 3:10; 3:15) that at the time you hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music,
you should fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king has set up.
6 (Jer 29:22; Da 3:11) And whoever does not fall down and worship shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples,
the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
The Fiery Furnace
8 (Ezr 4:12-16; Est 3:8-9) Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near
and accused the Jews.
9 (Da 5:10; 6:6) They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king,
live forever.
10 (Da 3:4-7; 6:12) You, O king, have made a decree, that every man
who hears the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
and dulcimer, and all kinds of music should fall down and worship
the golden image.
11 And whoever does not fall down and worship should be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 (Da 2:49; 6:13) There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs
of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men,
O king, have not regarded you. They do not serve your gods
or worship the golden image which you have set up."
13 (Da 2:12; 3:19) Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then they brought these men
before the king.
14 (Isa 46:1; Jer 50:2) Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said to them, "Is it true,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods
or worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 (Ex 5:2; 2Ki 18:35) Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound
of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer,
and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made,
very well. But if you do not worship, you shall be cast the same hour into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is that god who can deliver
you out of my hands?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king,
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer in this matter.
17 (Job 5:19; Ps 27:1-2) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able
to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us
out of your hand, O king.
18 (Isa 51:12-13) But even if He does not, be it known to you,
O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image
which you have set up."
Protection in the Fiery Furnace
19 (Da 3:13; Lev 26:18) Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury,
and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego. Therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat
the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
20 He commanded the most mighty men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their trousers, their coats, and their hats,
and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning
fiery furnace.
22 (Ex 12:33) Therefore, because the king's commandment was urgent
and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men
who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 (Da 6:7) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished,
and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said to his counselors,
"Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"
They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
25 (Isa 43:2; Job 1:6) He answered and said, "But I see four men loose
and walking in the midst of the fire, and they are unharmed.
And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!"
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
26 (Da 3:17; 4:2) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning
fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
you servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!"
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the midst of the fire.
27 (Heb 11:34; Isa 43:2) The officials, governors, and captains,
and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men upon
whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor had the smell of fire even come
upon them.
28 (Ac 5:19; Ps 22:4-5) Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said,
"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him.
They have defied the king's word, and yielded their bodies,
that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
29 (Da 2:5; 6:26-27) Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation,
and language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall
be made a dunghill, because there is no other God
who can deliver in this way."
30 (Da 2:49) Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 3
[1] Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the
plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
[2] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the
governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers,
the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the
dedication
of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[3] Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
[4] Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations,
and languages,
[5] That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the
golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
[6] And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
[7] Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the
people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden
image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[8] Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
[9] They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
[10] Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the
sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all
kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
[11] And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
[12] There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king,
have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up.
[13] Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
[14] Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image which I have set up?
[15] Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye
fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship
not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O
Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
[17] If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
[18] But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy
gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
[19] Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was
changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and
commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it
was wont to be heated.
[20] And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery
furnace.
[21] Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats,
and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery
furnace.
[22] Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace
exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego.
[23] And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
[24] Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and
spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into
the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
[25] He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of
the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son
of God.
[26] Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants
of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
[27] And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers,
being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no
power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats
changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
[28] Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants
that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their
bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own
God.
[29] Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language,
which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a
dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
[30] Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the
province of Babylon.
2) Our Daily Bread for 12 September 2023 titled Be Still
Psalm 37:5-7
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) Commit your way to the Lord;
trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your judgment as the noonday.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret because of those who prosper in their way,
because of those who make wicked schemes.
[5] Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it
to pass.
[6] And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment as the noonday.
[7] Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because
of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass.
After I’d gotten settled into the chamber, my body floating comfortably above
the water, the room went dark and the gentle music that had been playing in
the background went silent. I'd read that isolation tanks were therapeutic,
offering relief for stress and anxiety. But this was like nothing I'd ever
encountered. It felt like the chaos of the world had stopped, and I could
clearly hear my innermost thoughts. I left the experience balanced
and rejuvenated, reminded that there is power in stillness.
We can rest most comfortably in the stillness of the presence of God, who
renews our strength and grants us the wisdom we need to tackle the challenges
we face each day. When we're still, silencing the noise and removing
distractions in our lives, He strengthens us so we can hear His gentle
voice more clearly (Psalm 37:7).
While sensory deprivation chambers are certainly one form of stillness, God
offers us a simpler way to spend uninterrupted time with Him. He says, "When
you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father"
(Matthew 6:6). God will guide our steps and allow His righteousness to shine
brightly through us when we seek the answers to life's challenges
in the stillness of His magnificent presence (Psalm 37:5–6).
By: Kimya Loder
Reflect & Pray
What are some things that consume your time?
How can you make more room for quiet time with God?
Dear Father, I know I get caught up in the fast pace of life.
Help me to be still, making room for You in everything I do.
For further study, read In His Presence: Spending Time with God.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 3 - The Promise of Completion
Philippians 1:6
6 (1Co 1:8; Jn 6:29) I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it
until the day of Jesus Christ.
6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
"Elizabeth is a good student", the note on the side of the report card read,
"but she doesn't finish what she starts. She has a lot of good ideas, but
rarely brings then to completion."
Many of us are like Elizabeth. We start into a new venture with high hopes
and great motivation. But somewhere along the way, we become discouraged.
Someone tells us that our ideas are stupid, or that we are not capable of
doing what we dream. We get a particularly difficult hurdle and give up.
Sometimes we fell the Christian like is like that, too. We start well, and
believe that in Christ we can accomplish anything. But then our prayers
become rote, our Bible reading ritual. We can't seem to regain that sense
of God's presence; we have, we conclude, "Lost our first love." (Rev 2)
But God has a different perspective. He began the work of salvation in us;
he leads and guides us in his will, and he will complete what he has begun.
Often we fail to see God's grace in the ongoing process of walking with him
because his agenda is different from ours. We know what we want to see
happen in our lives; God knows what needs to happen.
"When I fist came into a relationship with Christ," one woman explained,
"I knew I had a lot of changing to do. But, strangely enough, the things God
changed weren't on my list at all!"
When God begins his work in our lives, he has a plan for our maturity.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. And what God
has begun, he will finish.
Application
a) Have I ever tried to "decide" for God what problems in my life
needed dealing with?
b) Has God ever pointed out issues that were a surprise to me?
c) How can today's verse help me relax in God's will and
have confidence in the direction of my life?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Gen 26:12-14
12 (Ge 26:3; 24:1) Then Isaac sowed in that land
and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; the Lord blessed him.
13 The man became rich and continued to prosper until he became very wealthy.
14 (Ge 37:11; Ecc 4:4) For he had possessions of flocks and herds
and a great number of servants so that the Philistines envied him.
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year
an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
13 And the man waxed great, and went forward,
and grew until he became very great:
14 for he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds,
and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Unfailing Love
Ps 36:5-9
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens,
and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) Your righteousness is like the great mountains,
Your judgments like the great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) How excellent is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore mankind seeks refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) They will drink their fill
from the abundance of Your house,
and You will cause them to drink from the river of Your pleasures.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light we see light.
5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
And thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;
Thy judgments are a great deep:
O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;
And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2022 edition?)
Nova Scotia
Total population 942700
Muslim population (est.) 14629
With 6 of the Nova Scotia's 10 universities located in Halifax, there is
a high concentration of Muslin international students in the area,
a harvest field in itself.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Halifax is the centre of Muslim activity for the Province of Nova Scotia
with at least 10 Islamic centres (mosques) and musallas
(prayer locations, especially for Friday prayer). And there are other mosques
in Chebucto, Kearney Lake, Dartmouth, Bedford and Truro.
Though the original community of Muslims was primarily composed of
newcomers from Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, continued immigration
has further diversified this community. Anf it is said thay Arabic
is the second most spoken language in Halifax.
while conservative estimates place the number of Muslims at almost 15000
in 2014, the Imama of a primary Halifax mosque estimates their population
somewhere between 25000 to 30000.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...)
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
12th Day of the Month
a) Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
(Proverb 11:1
1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is His delight.
1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD:
But a just weight is his delight.
)
b) Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity across the world.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord to keep your integrity for He will
protect you.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear Father, I know I get caught up in the fast pace
of life. Help me to be still, making room for You in everything I do."
Pray to the Lord and pray for the Lord to mould you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to Lord to be prosperous in His Name.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know His unfailing love.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity across the world.
Pray that Yemeni believers will be strengthened and encouraged in their faith.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.