Who rescued Daniel?

God rescued Daniel.

 

After the Persians defeated King Belshazzar, Darius was made king. By this time, Daniel was an old man, probably in his early 80s. Daniel served the new king as one of the three leading supervisors in the kingdom.

Daniel was very good at his job. So good, in fact, that King Darius planned to put him in charge of the entire kingdom. The other supervisors and satraps beneath them were jealous; they tried to catch Daniel doing something wrong so they could complain to the king. But Daniel was trustworthy, and they couldn’t find any negligence or corruption in him. They also knew Daniel was devoted to the one true God. If they couldn’t catch Daniel breaking a law, they would convince the king to make a law that Daniel would break.

Under their malevolent persuasion, King Darius passed a law that no one could pray to anyone but him. Daniel continued to pray to God, and the jealous officials turned him in. The king stayed up all night trying to find a legal loophole, but the law couldn’t be undone. (Daniel 6:15) Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den, but God shut the lions’ mouths. Daniel wasn’t hurt. His accusers received the very punishment they sought for Daniel.

Daniel trusted the Lord to save him; he knew he didn’t stand a chance fighting off the lions in his own strength. God showed His power to rescue Daniel from the lions, but Daniel was just a small part of a much bigger story. We all have sinned and deserve punishment far worse than a lions’ den: eternal separation from God, in hell. God ultimately rescued us from this much bigger problem—sin and death—through His Son, Jesus. 

Save the Dates! 

Preschool Day Camps at Broadmoor Baptist in Shreveport are June 5 - 9 and July 31 - August 4. Both camps are Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 1 PM (bring a sack lunch). Day Camp is for Preschoolers age 3 - (just completed) Kindergarten. Registration begins April 5, 2017. Cost of each camp is $100, and that includes a $20 non-refundable registration fee. For more information, email preschool@broadmoor.tv or call 318-868-6552.

How did God help Daniel help the king?

God gave Daniel wisdom.

 

Today’s Bible account takes place many years after Nebuchadnezzar’s reign ended. King Belshazzar hosted a grand banquet for a thousand of his nobles. King Belshazzar and those closest to him drank from the holy vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the house of God in Jerusalem. King Belshazzar and his friends drank and praised their false gods.

The party was suddenly interrupted when a human hand appeared; its fingers wrote a message on the wall. The king couldn’t understand the message; neither could the astrologers and wise men. The queen remembered Daniel and his God-given ability to understand dreams and visions. (Daniel 1:17)

Daniel read the words on the wall: “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.” These words mean “numbered,” “weighed,” and “divided.” God had evaluated Belshazzar and found he wasn’t good enough. God would bring Belshazzar’s reign to an end—that very night!

God used Daniel’s wisdom to get the king’s attention about his pride. The king acted like he was better than God, so God humbled the king. Jesus humbled Himself by dying on the cross for our sin. God raised up Jesus and gave Him honor. When we humble ourselves and trust in Jesus, God will raise us up too, and we will be with Him forever in heaven.

 

 

Who was with  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?

God was with them in the fire.

 

The Gospel Project® for Kids now takes us to Babylon during the exile and the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were Daniel’s three friends who stayed faithful to the one true God. Nebuchadnezzar built a tall gold statue and issued a new law: “When you hear music, you are to fall down and worship the statue.” Whoever did not bow to the statue would be thrown into a blazing furnace. (Daniel 3:6) So when the music played, all the people bowed down and worshiped the gold statue. Well, almost everyone. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the statue. They loved and worshiped the one true God. Only He was worthy of their worship.

The Chaldeans—a group of astrologers and dream interpreters (see Daniel 2:2,4)—told on Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But not even the threat of death could convince the three friends to renounce God. They said, "Our God is able to save us from the blazing furnace. But even if He does not, we will not worship the gold statue." Their trust in God enabled them to stand firm even as they were tied up and thrown into the fire. The Lord not only rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He was with them. Nebuchadnezzar saw four men in the fire, walking around unharmed!

Only God could rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire. Jesus is the only One who can save us from our sin. On the cross, people mocked Jesus: “He saved others; He cannot save Himself!” (Mark 15:31). Jesus was not physically unable to save Himself; He chose to do the Father’s will. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross provided the way for us to be rescued and have eternal life.

 

What did Daniel do when he was captured?

Daniel obeyed God.

 

Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project^® for Kids. Over the next four weeks, we will take a look at the exile through the eyes of Daniel and his friends. Before the exile, prophets had warned God’s people to stop sinning, but the people did not listen. The nation of Judah was consumed by idol worship and the kings did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So God kept His word—He allowed His people to be taken from their land. They became captives in the enemy nation of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, called for the best young men from Judah to be trained for service in the palace—among them, Daniel and his three friends. The boys were given new identities—new names, new education, new culture. They were indoctrinated to be good Babylonians. But Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah stayed faithful to the one true God and did not make themselves unclean by eating the king’s food.

Daniel and his friends chose to obey God no matter what and God blessed Daniel and his friends. They were smarter than all the other young men in Babylon, and the king recognized their gifts. Daniel wasn't perfect, but he reminds us of someone who was. Jesus always obeyed God perfectly and He always pleases God. We please God when we trust in Jesus. 

What was God's plan for Israel?

God planned to bring His people 

back together in their own land. 

 

Ezekiel, in a vision, saw God’s glory leave the temple. It seemed like all hope was lost. God had removed the people of Judah from His presence. The exiled people of Judah were eager to blame God for their circumstances. “It’s not fair!” they argued. (See Ezekiel 18:25.) Ezekiel told the people that they were at fault for their exile; their faithlessness had provoked God’s wrath. The people were getting what they deserved. “I take no pleasure in anyone’s death,” God said. “So repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32).

God gave Ezekiel a vision of hope. In this vision, God showed Ezekiel a valley of dry bones. The bones represented Israel. Ezekiel prophesied that God would put tendons, flesh, and skin on the bones. He would put breath in them so they would come to life. Ezekiel encouraged the exiles. Apart from God, they were dead, but God was offering them life. He would restore their future. “My dwelling place will be with them,” God said. “I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Ezekiel 37:27).

We too are dead in our sin. (Ephesians 2:1) Sin separates us from God because He is holy. We are apart from God’s holy presence. But God does not delight in our death, He is patient and wants us to repent and live! The dry bones of Ezekiel’s vision remind us what we are like when we sin. God had a plan for people who sin. Because Jesus came to earth, died, and was raised to life, He has the power to give us eternal life.