Last time, we went from King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign to King Belshazzar’s reign to the very beginning of King Darius’ reign. A change has taken place in that Babylon has fallen and the Medo-Persian Empire was now in charge.Daniel would face the famous den of lions – and live in victory!
Captivity Continues
Daniel 6:1-3. Daniel and his friends were really still in captivity.
This period of time was known as the Babylonian captivity, but now Babylon had fallen and the Medo-Persian empire inherited the Judean captives.
But Daniel is still included as a resident of Babylon, so when King Darius demands that all of Babylon bow and worship, he was including all of the Hebrew captives.
So Daniel was a prisoner, but he was set above the rest to govern, one of 3 governors.
Daniel was distinguished “because an excellent spirit was in him.”
This is the mark of person who loves God.
You should have an excellent spirit. When you are at work, it should be so obvious that you are different. My Bible has some commentary and it says Daniel had a “surpassing ability to do his job” and he probably had a “commendable attitude.”
Are there ever times when you don’t have a good attitude?
Ask the LORD to give you a positive outlook on life.
Daniel was so impressive that King Darius contemplated letting him run everything.
Being Blameless when those around you want to find fault
Daniel 6:4 How many of you know that when you finally start doing something great for God, the devil starts using people around you to discourage you?
The other governors and satraps wanted to find some fault with Daniel. This guy is just too talented, he is making us look bad.
Daniel 6:5 They plot against him. We can only find a fault with Daniel if it relates to the law of his God. The conspirators know that Daniel will refuse to break God’s law.
Daniel was coming up against a whole host of demons.
These accusers had an angry, wickedly ambitious spirit about them, overly critical, jealous, compulsive, reactionary spirits. Things of the enemy and things of the flesh.
But Daniel’s faith was not in the things of the flesh, but rather in the truth of God’s Word. He knew how to operate in victory.
When prayer is against the law
Daniel 6:7 King Darius’ advisors conspire against Daniel and decide to make a royal decree.
Royal decrees were handled very differently back then than they are now.
Once a royal decree was issued, it couldn’t be revoked, even by the king. The law could not be changed. Why not? Because if the law was changeable that would be admitting that the law was imperfect. And since they wanted everyone to obey their laws, they would essentially be saying their manmade laws were infallible.
The royal decree stated that no one could worship anyone except King Darius for 30 days. At least this law had an end date.
But the king had to sign it.
Is it that he truly trusted his advisors? That they had all the best interests of his kingdom in mind?
Or was he pressured into signing it for political reasons?
He signed the decree. Prayer was banned! (Dan.6:9)
Why did King Darius sign it!?
Did he honestly believe he was a god? He might’ve. That was the culture back then just like it remains in North Korea. These leaders want full submission including worship.
Daniel 6:10. Daniel knew King Darius signed it, but instead of confronting the king about it or cowering in fear in some cave someplace, he simply went home.
He knew only God could intervene.
He opened his windows, got down on his knees 3x/day and prayed.
The Bible says as was his custom.
Daniel didn’t let his circumstances change him. He remained steadfast in His devotion and he had unwavering faith that “pasa lo que pasa” whatever happens happens. It’s in God’s hands.
Nothing to hide
He not only prayed, but he prayed with his windows open. He had nothing to hide.
But there are always the tattletales and the troublemakers.
If it were suddenly against the law here in the US to pray, would you be found guilty?
Daniel 6:11-13Daniel has disobeyed the king’s decree. He must be cast into the den of lions.
That Daniel.
That ________(fill in your name.) Those children of God are at it again, praying to the God who hears. The God who saves.
Notice the accusers in verse 13 don’t call him governor. They intentionally call him a captive from Judah. They want to make their case that Daniel is treasonous. He isn’t good enough for their clique.
King Darius realizes his error
Daniel 6:14the king was mad at himself. He realized the foolishness of having signed the law.
He had sealed the fate – spoken death – over even his friend, Daniel whom he respected.
The king spent the whole afternoon trying to figure out how he could find a loophole in the decree so Daniel would be spared the lion’s den.
Daniel 6:15but the accusers are back. Hey, king, the law is the law. Daniel’s going to be lion dinner.
Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den
Daniel 6:16-17King Darius encourages Daniel and confesses with some faith here, that God who you serve so continually, He will deliver you.
Daniel 6:18-20The king didn’t eat all night. He was fasting, he refused entertainment. He couldn’t sleep. And in the morning he faced his worst fear and called out to Daniel.
The king asked, “has your God been able?
Our God is Able!
Oh, let me tell you today, our God is able! Of course, our God is able!
Daniel 6:21-23.And Daniel answered King Darius. God sent His ministering angel to shut the mouth of the lion.
Daniel was unhurt, Hallelujah.
No injury whatsoever because Daniel believed in his God.
Servant of God, expect great things. If you believe in your God, He will deliver you.
All of the accusers were cast into the lion den along with their wives and children and none of them survived.
Daniel 6:27-28.King Darius pronounces a new decree that God should be honored.
So what does this all mean for us now?
Does it mean we should tempt God and jump the enclosures at the zoo so we can prove that God will protect us? Absolutely not, the Bible says do not tempt the Lord thy God.
There’s a true story about that. A guy in Taiwan
Intentionally jumped into a lion’s pen at the zoo holding his Bible and shouting at the lions that Jesus was going to save him.
Needless to say, the lions attacked him, he got severe bite wounds, and the zoo personnel had to tranquilize the lions and get him to safety.
This man put everyone danger.
Sometimes people (even Christians) get some crazy ideas and want to convince themselves or others that God told them to do something. I had heard of another guy who did something similar in Africa. Speaking in tongues and everything and he said, if I can survive the lion’s den I will prove the power of God to everyone looking.
Make sure that you are legitimately hearing from God.
Otherwise, Christians rightfully get a bad rap. Y’all are crazy. Y’all are jumping into lions dens. God doesn’t need our help in proving his power.
The serpent will not harm you Mark 16, but this is when the lion or the snake comes to you. Don’t you go try finding it. Don’t you go provoking the enemy.
It is entirely different if you were standing by the lion enclosure and an accident happened, and you found yourself in the midst of that den. God could make those lions the tamest little cats around.
So today I want to encourage you to:
Be like Daniel. Have an excellent reputation. Go the extra mile for God. Do something you might be uncomfortable with for the sake of the Gospel. Pray even when the world tells you not to.
Don’t be like his accusers. The enemy wants you on his side to cast blame, doubt, to even discourage your own self. When those thoughts come to you that bring division, seek the Lord’s help. The Lord will help you to develop a kind and generous spirit. One that builds others up, and doesn’t tear them down.
Have faith! You’re going to find yourself in crazy situations you’ve never anticipated. When you feel like your in a lion’s den with no escape and no plan, God can work His finest miracle in your life because you are powerless and hopeless without Him. When you have no choice but to depend on your Heavenly Father, you will see that He will pull you through.
Amen!
Review: KJV Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible from Thomas Nelson
This is an absolutely beautiful Bible. The cardboard book sleeve does an excellent job of protecting the Bible itself from shelfware, as evidence by the fact that in shipping, the front of the book sleeve did get slightly dented, but the Bible itself was entirely undamaged.
This Bible contains 53,000 (!!!!!!!!) center-column references! 53,000!? What a valuable resource for any Christian!
Thomas Nelson Publishing company never disappoints. The Bibles that they print are always high in quality and eye-catching.
This Bible is large print, meaning that the font size is a readable 10.5-point. This Bible includes Bible book introductions, a concordance, a 365-day reading plan, and a matching satin ribbon bookmarker. It is a Red Letter Edition, which is also a definite bonus because the reader can quickly identify the words of our Savior Jesus.
I absolutely LOVE the pink color on this Bible. I’ve always been pretty traditional in my book collecting; most of my copies of the Bible are black, a few brown, and a maroon one here and there. The soft pink offered as an option for this Bible makes this a beautiful and thoughtful gift for any female pastors in your life, mothers, grandmothers, and young women.
Thomas Nelson Bibles are renowned for their beautiful color maps included in so many editions of the Bibles they print. The KJV Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible is no exception:
With all that is currently going on in the Middle East, being able to quickly turn to maps that express God’s story in His dealings with humanity is truly a blessing. I find that Bible history comes so much more alive with the use of colorful maps such as those included in this KJV Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible.
Readability
This lovely Bible is readable, not only because of the 10.5-point Comfort Print (TM), but also because the layout is so well-crafted. The introduction does not draw attention to itself and likewise the center-column references do not cause confusion to the following of the actual Biblical text.
The King James Version Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible lays flat, which also aids in its readability because it won’t fold in on itself when the reader is trying to read it. Here is an example of this Bible laying flat, open to the book of Ecclesiastes:
Rev. Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University
Book details
Title: KJV Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible Author: Publisher: Thomas Nelson Bibles Release Date: March 2024 Genre: BIBLES/King James Version/Reference
Daniel 5: King Belshazzar and a new King in charge
A New King in charge: King Belshazzar
In our study of Daniel, we have talked at length about King Nebuchadnezzar: from his rule over magnificent and wealthy Babylon to his humiliation when he lived in the manner of beasts. King Nebuchadnezzar’s wits had been restored to him, but meanwhile, kings rise up and fall . . . and at this point in the historical record, there was a new king in charge.
A historian named Berosus had chronicled what was happening in Babylon. He actually served as a Babylonian priest of Bel Marduk, but he was Hellenistic and actually wrote in Koiné Greek, a departure from Chaldean (an Aramaic dialect). We see a transitioning from the Babylon of King Nebuchadnezzar into a weakening empire that would be overtaken first by the Medo-Persians and then by the Greeks.
Berosus gives a timeline for some of these kings which helps us understand where King Belshazzar fits in.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a son. His name was Evil-Merodach. His Babylonian name would be transliterated more like Awil-Marduk, but I think as generations have passed, scribes left it as “Evil” because he was evil, licentious (lawless, crude, unrestrained), and served Marduk so the name fits and has stuck.
If you remember from Daniel 1, King Jehoiachin of Judah was the son of King Jehoiakim of Judah.
ExtraBiblical sources such as Berosus and even Ptolemy record that Evil-Merodach ruled for only 2 years and then was assassinated by his brother-in-law. His brother-in-law was named Nergal-Sharezar.
Well, the Bible does at least mention Nergal-Sharezar in Jeremiah 39:3 –
It is said he ruled for 4 years and then he died of natural causes. The ancient historians say that he had a son, Laborosoarchod, who ruled as a child, but he had a mental disorder. He only ruled for 9 months when a gang of conspirators beat him to death.
The gang appointed one of their guys, Nabonidus, to be the new king.
Nabonidus had a son named Belshazzar, who became king. These were the final Babylonian kings.
Don’t confuse Daniel’s Babylonian name, “Belteshazzar” with this King Belshazzar. Very similar and even in meaning, their gods will “protect,” but Daniel is not the king, so don’t get confused by all these names.
It has been years since the holy items had been taken from the Jerusalem temple.
But Belshazzar wanted to make a point of how mighty his empire was and commanded that the gold and silver cups and utensils be brought to be used at his pagan feast and all those people drank from them with no shame.
Remember King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue dream? It was constructed of each of those items. Their worship was severely misguided and would result in the fulfillment of that dream.
If you’ve ever heard that phrase, “the handwriting’s on the wall,” everything’s going down from here . . . it comes from this.
King Belshazzar watched as he experienced a vision. He saw a man’s hand writing on the wall. Like King Nebuchadnezzar’s before him, King Belshazzar’s countenance changed . . . and his knees buckled!
According to commentaries, the queen mentioned in Daniel 5:10 is not King Belshazzar’s wife, but rather the queen mother. The Queen was either versed in their national history, had a good memory, or feared God. She knew about Daniel and counseled Belshazzar to call for Daniel. She was certain Daniel could give Belshazzar the interpretation of the writing on the wall.
Daniel had been governor, but with all the different kings rising to power, he had essentially been demoted and forgotten about. Now King Belshazzar offers to make him third in command.
Daniel is very confident in who he is as a prophet. He knew he would be able to interpret the writing.
When you serve God and you know who you are in Christ, you can have that same conviction. Learn to operate in the gifts of the Spirit and allow God to use you to bless others. Daniel had a prophetic gifting and He cultivated that as He sought God.
Daniel reminds King Belshazzar about all that happened to his predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar.
Verse 22 is very convicting because Daniel tells Belshazzar, “you knew all [of] this.”
This isn’t news to you, king.
Daniel describes 5 sins of Belshazzar:
Belshazzar hasn’t humbled his heart
Belshazzar has lifted himself up against the Lord of heaven. Daniel uses the term, “Lord.” In those earlier chapters, the term “God” was often used. But it has been established which God we are talking about, and not only is the God of Israel Supreme, but He is LORD of heaven. Lord over all of Belshazzar’s gods.
Belshazzar used the LORD’s holy vessels to drink wine at his pagan feast.
Belshazzar has given praise to idols who cannot see, hear, or know.
Belshazzar refuses to glorify the God who has given him life, and who owns everything
The area in southern Babylon near the Persian Gulf was known as the “Land of the sea.” I imagine it would have been seen as a tourist destination, a beautiful place.
Well, God mocks their view of beauty. He calls it the Wilderness – in other words, the Wasteland desert of the sea. Babylon would be made desolate.
Daniel actually lived in Elam according to Daniel 8:2.
We know that ultimately Elam (Persia) will ally with Magog, which is believed to be Russia. (Ez.38:5)
There are differing views as to when the Gog/Magog war will begin, so you would have to really study this out to come up with what you think best aligns with the Scriptures.
Some believe the Gog/Magog War will occur pre-Tribulation while others believe it would occur during the first half of the tribulation. In any case, we know that Iran will fall on the mountains of Israel (Ez.39:4-5). While Iran and Russia plot and plan for a total victory, Ezekiel 39:7 assures us that God will make His Holy Name known.
Hope for Iranians?
It is so very difficult to live in a nation that does its best to work against God.
Even the United States is becoming more and more secularized and anti-God.
The people of Iran have faced so much oppression, yet God has been working and there have been many conversions to Christianity despite the very real risks.
God can still bless you, even if you find yourself alone.
Place your trust in Him today! The fulfillment of so many Biblical prophecies in Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel prove that He will soon return! Are you ready for His return? Are you ready to meet Him in the air? If you would like to know more about Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ), please send us a message. We would love to hear from you!
Review: Amplified Journal the Word Bible from Zondervan
As part of the Zondervan bloggerprogram, I have received a copy of the Zondervan Amplified “Journal the Word” Biblepublished by Zondervan Bibles/Harper Collins Publishers at no cost to mein exchange for an honest reviewhere on the Adonai Shalom USA blog.#zondervanpartner
The Zondervan Amplified Journal the Word Bible uses the popular Amplified translation of the Biblical text. This particular edition allows ample space so that those who enjoy taking notes in the margins or even drawing and doodling can have room to truly personalize their copy of the Holy Scriptures.
The Amplified version is nice because this translation inserts notes to help define key words and phrases in Scripture that are otherwise misunderstood or overlooked due to difficulties in transition from the original Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. The brackets and parentheses help to ensure that none of these notes are mistaken as actual Scripture, which is critical because Revelation 22:18 sternly warns us to never add to the actual Scriptures. The purpose of the Amplified Bible is to add understanding, not to add erroneous text, and I believe it fulfills its mission in a helpful way for those wanting to delve deeper into the original meaning of the text.
From the back cover book jacket: “The Amplified Bible translation delivers enhanced understanding of the rich nuances and shades of meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew words in Scripture. Using a unique system of brackets, parentheses, and italics, the Amplified Bible defines and expands key words and phrases within the text of Scripture. In this way, the fuller meaning of God’s Word unfolds, verse by verse, as you read.”
I immediately noticed the beautiful Leathersoft (TM) cover. The size of this Bible is perfect for personal devotionals.
It features two satin ribbon bookmarks and it lays flat when open, which is ideal for serious notetakers!
The Zondervan Amplified Journal the Word Bible is excellent for personal study. It is not; however, a “study Bible” in that this Bible does not contain notes, commentary, concordances, nor maps. The Amplified translation intends for the reader to gather insights from the amplified text which does contain elements that could be considered commentary. Immediately following the ending of the New Testament in Revelation, there are additional pages for personal notes.
The Zondervan Amplified Journal the Word Bible does contain an “Explanation of General Format” to help those unfamiliar with the Amplified version to understand how the features work within the text:
I personally enjoy anything that helps to further explain the original meanings, so I like the Amplified Version. The only thing I could suggest to make this particular Journal the Word Bible even better would be if there were further textual commentary included on each page.
This high-quality Amplified version of the Bible is suitable for anyone who enjoys writing notes or drawing in the margins of their personal devotional Bible. It would make a wonderful gift for the artists and creative people in your life who love God’s Word!
Rev. Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University
Book details
Title: Amplified Journal the Word Bible Publisher: Zondervan Release Date: February 2024 Genre: BIBLES/The Amplified Bible/Journaling
ISBN-13: 978-0-310-46362-7
Daniel 4: Nebuchadnezzar is humbled before the True King
In the previous chapter, King Nebuchadnezzar witnessed the miracle of the 3 Judean youth unharmed despite being thrown into Babylon’s fiery furnace.
King Nebuchadnezzar now addresses everyone and decides to acknowledge God’s wondrous works:
Daniel 4:4 describes how Nebuchadnezzar was flourishing. This dream appears to be describing King Nebuchadnezzar’s current situation at the height of his reign – he is like a tall, strong tree that provides for the kingdom in abundance.
The watchers from the heavenly court have made a very strong decree so that “the living may know that the Most High rules . . . “: King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart will be transformed from that of a man to an animal.
And 7 times will pass.
Most interpret these 7 to be a literal 7 years. 7, again, symbolizes “completion.” In the completion of time, the fullness of time.
The purpose of the coming trial for King Nebuchadnezzar is for him to “come to know that Heaven rules.” King Nebuchadnezzar had a court, but the court of heaven is far superior to that of Babylon.
In Daniel 4:20, the tree is described similarly to the Tower of Babel: having height reaching to the heavens:
King Nebuchadnezzar had the same ambitious spirit.
The tree is to be chopped down, but the stump left in tact and bound up with iron and bronze.
In Daniel 2, iron and bronze represented Rome and Greece, respectively. The Babylonian Empire would remain intertwined – rooted – and even so much as bound up – together with the empires that would follow. Rather than displaying its power and might freely, Babylon would be confined.
Daniel gives King Nebuchadnezzar some valuable advice: seek righteousness and mercy to break the power of sin in his life. Looking ahead to Daniel 4:29, we see that God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a full year to repent!
King Nebuchadnezzar was afflicted with what modern psychologists call “boanthropy.” This is a mental disorder that causes its victim to believe he is an ox or a cow. But I think King Nebuchadnezzar had it even worse. I haven’t seen anybody have hair like eagle’s feathers and nails like claws. God allowed him to experience a pit of shame. Sometimes that’s what it takes to get us to not think so highly of ourselves. His pride as Babylon’s leader had to be stripped away.
We must pray for God’s mercy, that we will always remain humble no matter what position we find ourselves in whether it is in ministry or a secular job or any type of leadership.
Daniel 4:36 tells us that for the glory of King Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, God allowed his honor and splendor to return to him. King Nebuchadnezzar extolled and honored God as the true King.
A lesson for us today
Pride sets itself up so very quickly, and when a person has access to privilege and material possessions, it can be a challenge to remain humble.
Our King Jesus demonstrated humility, as we talked about on Palm Sunday. May the Lord help each of us to always remain humble and give God all the glory in our lives!
We’ve been talking a bit about Lazarus. Lazarus needed someone to pray for him and he ended up being resurrected, but Jesus – He could resurrect Himself!
Now today, we see that the Bible says (John 20:9) that the disciples “as yet did not know the Scripture that He must rise again…” The lesson in that for us is, let’s make sure we know the Scriptures so we are never caught off guard and we can attest to the reality that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead!
Conquering Fear
The resurrection is as much about new life as it is about conquering fear.
It is because of the resurrection that Paul could say:
When I served as a chaplain, I saw death every day.
Some people were ready to confront that reality while others were definitely not.
Those who had lived for Jesus and had professed a consistent faith in Christ were ready. Even when pain would come, believers have a peace and a preparedness, knowing that death is no longer final and that
One night at the hospital, there was a man there who essentially refused to repent. From what I could tell, he didn’t believe in Jesus, heaven, or hell and he was experiencing genuine agony. Excruciating pain coupled with absolute fear.
When a person has never experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus, they will fear death in an often terrifying way.
The disciples would have been terrified, too.
They were targets after the crucifixion. Peter denied Jesus for a reason. These people were scared out of their minds!
Their hopes that somehow Jesus would miraculously escape being put to death had been crushed.
They didn’t know that death could be defeated with finality. Yes, Lazarus had been raised up, but a lasting, victorious eternal resurrection . . . they didn’t know that was possible.
The disciples were in hiding. It was probably actually safer for the women to go to the tomb!
But Mary went to the tomb while it was still dark. She was eager and probably couldn’t sleep, but she, like Nicodemus going to visit Jesus under cover of darkness, took advantage of the darkness to go out.
Mary was with Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women. They had brought prepared spices for the body of Jesus.
They’ve taken the body?
Who?
The angels?
Mary and her friends were “greatly perplexed” (verse 4) about where the body could be.
And then the 2 angels appear and ask the perfect question:
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? And they reminded the women of Jesus’ words.
But the women still don’t grasp this fully because John says they came back saying that they didn’t know where the body was lain.
Between the shock of it all and having just received an angelic visitation, the women’s story when they came back sounded like gibberish to the men. They have all been traumatized.
Jesus was killed in the most excruciating way possible, crucified on that cross, then He was buried, and now nobody knows where He is.
He’s wanted dead or alive.
Where is Jesus?
Where is the body?
Peter
But Peter, he had been through enough in the past few hours, he knew he should go to that tomb. See what is going on.
John 20:9 Peter and the women and the other disciples did not yet know the meaning of the Scriptures.
Luke 24:12 Peter marveled to himself about what happened.
Jesus appears to Mary
Overtaken by the emotion of the moment, Mary was weeping. She is just so worried about where this body is at.
Do you ever get so focused on something and people around you or the Holy Spirit is telling you – the answer is before you, but you are so distracted that you don’t see it?
God sent angels to Mary and even Jesus Himself and she was still struggling!
When Mary thought she was talking to a gardener, she still asked Him, “where did you lay the body?” She is willing to take Jesus’ body anywhere else if they would just tell her where it is.
So Jesus meets her where she is at and calls her by name.
When you find yourself facing a fear or very anxious, turn to Jesus.
The Resurrected Risen Jesus appeared and said, Shalom. “Peace be with you.”
He showed them his wounds because He knew they were incapable of having peace until they had seen some physical evidence.
Jesus repeats His blessing – trying to reassure these panicked, fearful disciples.
And then He immediately commissions them.
He didn’t give them a day to reflect on what had happened. He immediately sends them out to make more disciples. There is no time to waste. Souls need to be saved.
You need the Holy Spirit. The same power that raised up Jesus from the grave.
John 20:23 has been taken out of context at times because it seems a little confusing. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. This has to do with the responsibility that Jesus’ disciples have to preach the Gospel to the world. A person who has never heard the Gospel cannot receive life-saving forgiveness. Only God has the power to forgive.
When Jesus was in the room, and showed them His hands and His side, Thomas wasn’t there.
Don’t miss God.
Why wasn’t Thomas around?
Sometimes people stop going to church, they are no longer accountable, or for various reasons whether it’s past hurts or fears or judgmentalism, they just stop attending. They don’t gather with believers, even though Hebrews 10:25 tells us to never neglect the assembling together because we are encouraged when we are together.
Was Thomas too afraid to be there?
Did Thomas already lose his faith, just completely devastated that Jesus was dead?
That was fast. Some people don’t have unshakable faith. You gotta get to a place where you have unshakable faith.
Doubting Thomas wants to see a sign – and ironically he requests to see the print of the nails and feel the wounds of his hand and side. But Jesus already showed that. Thomas missed the mark.
Thomas wasn’t there to receive the Holy Spirit. His missed out.
Don’t be the one who misses out.
The Resurrection changed everything
Had Jesus never risen from the dead, we would be without hope.
The resurrection changed everything!
Let the reality of the resurrection breathe new life into you today. Meditate on the awesomeness that Jesus has power over the grave, and you, too, will one day rise to be with the Lord!
We know something that not everyone knows.
Like the disciples who encounter the Risen Jesus, we have a testimony that people need to hear.
It’s that age-old question. Where is Jesus? Who is Jesus?
Maybe you are someone who has heard the Gospel many times, but you need to regroup and regain the sense of awe and power that the Gospel should have over your life.
1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Before Lazarus was raised from the dead, Martha was unsure that Jesus could do anything.
But
John 11:25-26: “Jesus said to [Martha], ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
Martha believed in a resurrection, on the last day. But Jesus said, we don’t need to wait for the last day. If you know me and if you believe my Words, lives can be resurrected right here right now.
So today, let it be our prayer: Lord, increase our faith!
Lord, make your Gospel real to me!
Lord, let me know the power of the Good News! That I would be motivated by the Gospel to share with others this glorious news!
Lord, make known to me – in a tangible way – who You are.
So that when the question is asked, Who is Jesus and where is He? He is here and His Spirit dwells within you and me and
Jesus is very much alive! He is risen, He is risen indeed!
Hallelujah!
Palm Sunday: the Hour has Come
Zechariah’s Shabbat HaGadol/Palm Sunday Prophecy
Every year, I enjoy reading Zechariah’s prophecy in Zechariah 9:9-10 that was fulfilled on Shabbat haGadol, Palm Sunday:
“From the River to the Sea . . . to the ends of the earth”
You may have heard the Palestinian chant back when Hamas’ Gaza still stood strong, “From the River to the sea, Palestine shall be free.”
The problem with the chant is that it (either inadvertently or purposefully) calls for the annihilation of Israel. Palestine wanted to claim the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.
So when I read this portion of Zechariah’s prophecy in preparation for today’s message, I was struck by the ending of verse 10:
Last week we talked about Philip. He was the eager one. We’ve found Him! We have identified who the Messiah is and He is alive in our time today! On that first Palm Sunday, Philip would have been among those who were crying out “Hoshia-na!” Lord, save us!
That same excitement and enthusiasm is what we need. We know who the Savior is. He is alive in our time and He is coming back. We need to share with others that He is indeed the only One who can save us!
Philip and Andrew were long-time friends. People were coming far and wide to celebrate the Passover feast. It is very interesting that the Scriptures tell us that some Greek travelers were in town and wanted to see Jesus. The message of Jesus was reaching beyond the Jewish enclave. The message was for Jew and Greek, Jew and Gentile.
Philip, Andrew, Mary, Martha, the Risen Lazarus, and a whole multitude were waving palm branches and doing their best to get as close to Jesus as they could.
Enough had transpired that they loved Him. They waved the Palm Sunday branches just like they would have done with the lulav during the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles was like a divine dress rehearsal for the receiving of the Word who dwelt among us:
Notice, the people were commanded to rejoice. Now, the crowds in Jerusalem freely rejoiced and they heard testimony of witnessing Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead!
His fame was spreading and eyewitnesses to Lazarus’ resurrection were now willing to speak up and testify.
The Bible tells us the disciples didn’t understand at first (John 12:16). It took many of them until after the ascension to reflect back and see that Jesus had fulfilled the prophetic Scriptures.
The Greek word, δὲ, should be translated “and” in John 12:23. The “but” used in the NKJV should be “and.” KJV, ESV, and NIV got this right here.
Victory Proven
Jesus is fully triumphant. He is the One the Scriptures have foretold, He is revealing Himself to His disciples on that Palm Sunday and even the crowds around Him, and has announced that the hour has come for Him to be glorified.
He didn’t say, the hour of terror has come. It will be an excruciating hour, but Jesus is focused on the victory.
Meanwhile the Pharisees are wallowing in their ineffectual campaign against the Lord.
They are pointing fingers at each other. You’ve done nothing to stop this! The whole world is following this donkey-riding “king.” Their strategy to bring Him down is imploding because of their own disunity.
Unity is so very important. If we want to see a genuine move of God in this city, we need to be of united purpose. Division and finger-pointing are the enemy’s tactics to destroy such a movement.
“We wish to see Jesus”
On the first Palm Sunday, the Greek men expressed that they wanted to see Jesus. They didn’t care about the Pharisee’s religious constructs. Judaism was fairly foreign to them. They wanted to meet the miracle-working, salvation-bringing Son of God.
Similarly, there’s a hunger in hearts today.
Our culture here in North Central Wisconsin is also longing to see Jesus. They see a glimpse,
The human part of Jesus would really feel strongly about verse 5, don’t you think?
The divine part of Him knows He can’t ask the Father to detain this. He came to earth for this very moment.
And the Father’s voice was heard audibly. This gets glossed over a lot. A voice thundered. It’s unclear whether or not the people heard what was said to Jesus, but they knew a voice from above had spoken.
If any around had doubts, there could be no doubt now.
Who is the Son of Man?
The Palm Sunday crowd asked the essential question: who is this Son of Man? The Messiah we know about will live forever, but you talk of your death. Where do you fit into the story, Jesus? We don’t understand who is a “Son of Man.”
He spoke cryptically: be sons of light.
And then He left from that place and was hidden to them (v.36).
“Behold, our King is coming to you”
“Behold, our King is coming. He is just and having salvation.” Zechariah’s words that were fulfilled on Palm Sunday are still true to this day and they have a two-part meaning. The LORD rode in on a colt, but His dominion will extend to the ends of the earth. Maranatha!
Review: The NKJV Breathe Life Bible
As part of the Thomas Nelson Bibles bloggerprogram, I have received a copy of theNKJV Breath Life Bible published by Thomas Nelson Bibles/Harper Collins Publishers at no cost to mein exchange for an honest reviewhere on the Adonai Shalom USA blog.
The NKJV Breathe Life Bible is a Christian response to the social unrest in Minneapolis and around the country following the tragic death of George Floyd in 2020.
This edition of the Bible contains the full text of the reliable NKJV translation with articles throughout that relate to racial reconciliation and social justice.
The contributors have come up with an acronym: BREATHE: Believe, Reconcile, Exalt, Act, Trust, Hope, and Elevate to help the reader find peace in God’s Word in a broken world.
I received a paperback edition of this Bible. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the softcover edition contains the same high-quality, colorful maps that are found in so many Thomas Nelson Bibles such as the NKJV Ultra Thinline Bible.
The maps included feature the “World of the Patriarchs,” “Exodus and Conquest of Canaan,” “Land of the Twelve Tribes,” “Kingdom of David and Solomon,” “Jesus’ Ministry,” “Paul’s Missionary Journeys,” and “Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus.”
The binding showed a bit of wear from shipping, but all in all it is a high quality, economical edition of the Bible.
Here is an excerpt from the overview page on the Gospel According to Mark:
This Bible features articles focusing on “faith in action:”
This NKJV Bible uses a very readable “Comfort Print” font exclusive to Thomas Nelson Bibles.
Daniel was given the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream because He relied on God’s promises. He prayed together with his friends and sought God, and the interpretation of the dream was given.
Daniel, like Joseph
This week I was reminded that Pharaoh, King of Egypt, also had mysterious and troubling dreams. God used Joseph to give him the interpretation. Like Daniel in Babylon, Joseph in Egypt was given favor by the pagan king and promoted to rule alongside the Pharaoh.
Remember the statue-like image of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream? (Daniel 2:32, 38)
He was the head of gold (Daniel 2:38). Babylon was extremely wealthy and prosperous.
So it is very fitting that King Nebuchadnezzar decides to buildhimself an image of gold.
A huge statue.
He clearly missed the point of the dream. The dream wasn’t so that he would go out and build himself a golden image, it was to alert him about the future of his kingdom and the kingdoms after him, but he fixates on the gold.
See Babylon was like Texas. Everything had to be bigger there.
An Israeli cubit was about 18″ while in Babylon a cubit was measured as about 20.”
This would make King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue the size of a 10 story building, which for ancient Babylon lacking modern construction machines, was a good size.
It was 60 by 6 cubits. Not 70 by 7. It was a mere imitation of greatness. Symbolically, the number 6 means incompletion in the Bible, sinfulness of mankind, human weakness, and the evil devil.
What was the image?
The Bible doesn’t tell us what the image actually was.
Was it a statue of one of the Babylonian deities? Or more likely: was it an image of King Nebuchadnezzar himself? Babylonian kings were worshipped as divine. Receiving a divinely-inspired dream, then, King Nebuchadnezzar may have felt very entitled to being worshipped, considering himself one amidst a pantheon of gods.
Dedication of the image
King Nebuchadnezzar decrees that all of his government officials have to come to the dedication of the idolatrous statue. What’s more, all of these people would be required to bow down and worship the gold idol when his pagan worship band starts playing.
Worship: or else . . .
The spirit of Babylon always forces a pluralistic and polytheistic agenda. Pluralism is the accepting of all religions as equally valid. Polytheism is the belief in multiple gods. Babylon claims to promote religious tolerance. We see evidence of that in their worship because the names of the instruments are actually written in Greek. The rest of this chapter is written in Aramaic, but the uniting of pagan practices and musical influences was occurring in Babylon. The empire wanted to put on a show of inclusivity and universalist worship!
Some of the Chaldeans (remember, this is just another name for Babylonians) decide to accuse the Jews. (Daniel 3:12). The Aramaic term there in Daniel 3:8קְרַץ “qerets” translated as simply “charges” has a deeper connotation of “maliciously accused” and more literally, “to eat the pieces of, to devour piece by piece” (NKJV Study Bible).
So the Chaldeans came forward to maliciously accuse Daniel’s friends “to devour them a bit at a time, piece by piece.” It’s interesting that Daniel is not accused at this point, only his friends.
In Daniel 3:12, Daniel’s friends are listed by name. Their accusers are trying to really make a point. An “us” vs. “them” point.
They want to remind King Nebuchadnezzar that these Jews, who serve in the government refuse to assimilate into the pagan culture.
And King Nebuchadnezzar follows the antiSemitic lead of his advisors, but to his credit, (Daniel 3:14) he does ask the Hebrews directly if the accusations are true.
Refusal to Worship Pagan Deities
Daniel 3:13 describes King Nebuchadnezzar as being in a “rage and fury!”
He addresses Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and asks them directly: is this true? Do you not worship my golden image?
He gives them a second chance. “Next time you hear my worship team leading idol worship, make sure you fall down and worship.” He even says that would be “good!”
And then he threatens them. Worship or else you’re being thrown into an oven.
Back in Daniel 2:47, King Nebuchadnezzar had acknowledged that Daniel’s God is Lord of kings and able to reveal secrets. Did he forget already? Or did he not realize that Daniel’s friends also shared strong faith in the God of Israel? King Nebuchadnezzar viewed himself as a god and because our God cannot be seen with human eyes, he didn’t think there would be any intervention.
In Daniel 3:16, the three Judean young men don’t challenge Nebuchadnezzar. It kind of reads that way, like “we don’t need to answer you!” But it’s not that so much as they were admitting they had nothing to say, no answer for the king because their refusal to worship was so obvious.
A lot of people in our culture today, especially those who have grown up with a religious spirit are uncomfortable with expression in worship. They don’t want to raise their hands or they don’t want to physically bow before the Lord in prayer. But one of the very main definitions of worship used throughout the Bible is the Hebrew word “שָׁחָה”shachah, which means to “bow down, very low.” It is a physical action shown the heart’s devotion.
In the time of Babylon, it was no different. Worship, whether it was the worship of the One True God of Israel, or worship of a pagan deity, was understood as being physically prostrate before the object of worship.
So it was obvious that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were not physically bowing before anything. There was no need to defend themselves, they knew they were guilty of disobeying the king’s order.
The testimonies of believers who have gone before can really be encouraging. Daniel and his friends can really inspire us to trust in God no matter what happens and no matter the cost. Paul suffered and maintained an unwavering faith. He and Timothy wrote to the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 1:8-11:
He has not forgotten about you. He knows the labor of love you do in service to Him. He sees you and He smiles. He died for you so you could live and when you face the world’s fiery furnaces and you feel under attack or afraid for your future, just remember, place your hope and trust in Him. He is your confidence and your rescuer, your mighty Savior.
The Bible says that Nebuchadnezzar’s countenance – the expression on his face – changed. Some translate this as “his face was distorted with his fury.” He took on a spirit of rage and his whole attitude worsened (NIV).
He orders the furnace turned up to 7x hotter than normal and then has his valiant army man bind up Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and throw them into the fire.
The fiery furnace was so hot that it killed anyone near it. King Nebuchadnezzar’s men died instantly. To Nebuchadnezzar they were disposable. He makes no mention of their death. He is satisfied to oversee the three Judeans falling over in a fire, but then . . . he is completely taken aback.
3 tied up Hebrew men were cast into the fire, but now they were freely walking in the fire unharmed, and now not 3, but 4! The only thing that had burned were the ropes that had tied them up! The Septuagint translation (the Greek translation of the original Aramaic/Hebrew) actually says that King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished because he heard the men singing praises! It reminds me of Paul and Silas singing praises in the jail (Acts 16:25).
The New King James and the King James translates this as the Son of God. If you have commentary notes in your Bible, you might notice that Son of God could be translated as “son of the gods.” So which is it?
In Aramaic, the generic word for “God” is singular “Elah.” The plural for “Elah” is “elahin”, which although etymologically related to the Hebrew (a related Semitic language) for God, “Elohim,” the difference is that “elahin” is used only to refer to idols.
So (unusually!) the NIV actually translates this a bit more accurately:
King Nebuchadnezzar wouldn’t understand a singular Son of God. We know it was Jesus. But, we have to be careful reading translations (the original manuscripts of Scripture are 100% right).
So King Nebuchadnezzar expresses in his own language and his own understanding that there is Someone, of divine origin, who has appeared in the fire. He doesn’t know how to express what he is seeing from his pagan context.
I actually think that gives the text more power, not less. King Nebuchadnezzar is astonished because he is not the supreme deity. He has to really grapple with this . . . who are these Judeans and who is with them!?
This is an example of a theophany. A theophany is an appearance of God. The king of Babylon was astonished by this, but the Bible doesn’t mention if the 3 youth even knew the 4th man (Jesus!) was there. Sometimes God will manifest in a very tangible, apparent way in our lives, but other times, He is working and we don’t even realize how close He is to our situation.
In verse 26, King Nebuchadnezzar switches to “Elah,” the singular form! Here he is beginning to understand! He acknowledges that the 3 young men serve the Most High God (Elah). He is recognizing that the God of the Hebrews is greater than his Babylonian gods by singling Him out.
King Nebuchadnezzar only calls the 3 men out of the fire. The 4th man was heavenly enough in appearance, he knew not to even go there. The Chaldean advisors saw with their own eyes that the fire had no power whatsoever on them and they didn’t even smell like a fire.
Nebuchadnezzar celebrates this singular victorious God. Nebuchadnezzar sent his “Angel.” This is an accurate translation for the Aramaic מַלְאֲכֵהּ֙ (mal·’a·cheh) (Hebrew: מֲלְאָךְ malach). “Angel” can also be translated as “Messenger.” Nebuchadnezzar recognizes that a Messenger from God was in the fire.
No Other God can deliver like this
King Nebuchadnezzar realizes that no other God can deliver like this and he says no one is allowed to slander Hananiah, Mishael, nor Azariah. In keeping with his excessively brutal personality, King Nebuchadnezzar decrees that anyone who does speak against them shall be chopped up and their homes burned. This chapter ends with another promotion: the 3 Hebrew youth are once again promoted in the province of Babylon.
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were willing to pay the ultimate price to remain faithful and obedience to the One True God. And the LORD revealed Himself! May the LORD give us the strength to be that faithful!
Review: The Thomas Nelson NKJV VALUE Ultra Thinline Bible (And what is the difference between the Ultra Thinline and the VALUE Ultra Thinline?)
As part of the Thomas Nelson Bibles bloggerprogram, I have received a copy of the Thomas Nelson NKJV Value Ultra Thinline Bible published by Thomas Nelson Bibles/Harper Collins Publishers at no cost to mein exchange for an honest reviewhere on the Adonai Shalom USA blog.
This would be a perfect Bible for an evangelist or missionary: someone who knows the Word and does not want to carry extra weight around when traveling. This Bible does not contain commentary or even cross-references. This Bible would also be a perfect Bible for any new Christian wanting to read the Bible for him or herself without the distractions of footnotes, cross-references, or commentary.
Each of these Bibles have a presentation page that can be used if you are gifting this to someone special in your life.
A difference between the Thomas Nelson NKJV Value Ultra Thinline Bible and the Thomas Nelson NKJV Ultra Thinline Bible is that the value edition does not have the gilded golden edging on the pages. The edges are simple white paper.
I personally love the golden edging that is on most Bibles. It reminds me how special God’s Word is. But, if you are simply looking for an economical Bible or one that does not draw attention to itself, this will work for you.
The Bible does include an integrated red satin bookmark.
The NKJV Value Ultra Thinline Bibles use an 8-point font, called “Comfort Print” by Thomas Nelson Bibles. The text in both the ultra and value ultra looks identical to me.
The greige cover is beautiful and simple. The color is tasteful, too. I found it matches my kitchen table quite well!
Both the ultra and value ultra editions contain the beautiful full color maps that Thomas Nelson is known for. These Bibles are made with quality and longevity in mind.
The NKJV Value Ultra Thinline Bible contains only the simple Biblical text, keeping it lightweight and easy to carry with you anywhere. It does have the words of Christ in red. It would not be considered a “study Bible” because it does not have concordances or commentary.
The NKJV Value Ultra Thinline Bible comes with a lifetime guarantee which proves that Thomas Nelson stands by the quality of their Bibles. In order to get the lifetime guarantee, be sure to register your purchase using this link on the Thomas Nelson website.
This economical edition of God’s Holy Word in the New King James Version will last for years! It is easy to transport, making this a particularly useful Bible for evangelists and missionaries!
Rev. Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University
Book details
Title: NKJV Value Ultra Thinline Bible Author: Publisher: Thomas Nelson Bibles Release Date: 2024 Genre: BIBLES/New King James Version/Text
