Church of Christ Studies

The Book of Daniel - about the rise and fall of nations
And showing that God is for His people on all occasions
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had seized Jerusalem
Taking choice children to Babylon with him

He wanted children with knowledge of things
To leam the language and customs of the Chaldeans
He took a special liking to a boy named Daniel
Along with Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego as well

Soon they were favored with Royal responsibilities
Making the King’s Princes have feelings of jealousy
The Princes became uneasy, “What was going on‘?”
We must do something or we’ll be long gone!

They devised a plan to put before the King
A three-year diet for Daniel by the King’s Decree
To see if he was as hearty as he seemed to be
The King was pleased and quickly made the Decree

Daniel not wanting to be unfaithful to his God
He made a deal with those in charge
Give us “our diet” of pulse and Water for 10 days
And then see what progress We will have made

At the end of 10 days they faced examination
They looked 10 times better than the Magicians
The King was so rmpressed with this testing
He put Daniel in charge of his own Princes

In the 2nd year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign
He had a devastating, unexplained dream
He was unable to describe what he had seen
None of the Magicians could reveal it to him

The King, so angry none could interpret the dream
He decreed that all the wise menwere to be slain
Daniel volunteered to go talk to the King
He interpreted the dream and what it might mean

The King was so elated with what Daniel revealed
He fell on his face saying, “Daniel’s God is reall”
Daniel was honored with gifts as a great man
And was made govemor of Babylon’s land

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Later Nebuchadnezzar built an image of gold
To be worshipped by all the young and the old
Many of the Jews refused to do so
Among them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

The King in a rage, called them, why did they resist?
They replied they could not worship their God and his
The King responded, “As I have so plainly decreed
lt’s the “Fiery Furnace” for you three"

The three men were thoroughly bound and tied
And thrown in the furnace to be fried
As their observers watched through the door
They saw, not 3 but 4---it must be the Lord!

Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they come forth
Amazed, not a hair on their head had been scorched
Again the King was to acknowledge their God’s power
Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego were promoted that hour

Nebuchadnezzar’s next dream he told the whole nation
How Daniel had interpreted it was so amazing
Warning the King he would be driven from men
The Most High God would rule instead of him

12 months passed and the dream came true
I lis Kingdom departed and Nebuchadnezzar was through
llis last speech was to honor and praise the God of Heaven
And that all should learn from this lesson

When Darius took over the kingdom
120 princes were chosen to serve him
Three presidents were over them, Daniel, was first
To see that Darius would in no way be hurt

The 2 presidents and princes sought to fault Daniel
If only they could get Daniel to cross the King’s will
They persuaded Darius to make a “King’s Decree”
No petition to be asked of any God but the King

When Daniel leamed ofthe Decree
Three times a day he knelt to pray
His opponents observed and reported on him  
And Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s Den

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Again the God of Heaven stepped in
Closed the lion’s mouths and they didn’t bother him
Agaln we see when faithful to the Lord
We may well expect that God will reward

Daniel is now having visions and dreams
But couldn’t interpret what they might mean
But God provided an interpreter in each case
Allowing Daniel the opportunity to “save face”

The dreams described the rise and fall of nations
With vision and dreams to challenge imaginations
Judah would not be spared because of her sins
But would survive for the Messiah’s reign to come in

Daniel was so moved he spent hours in prayer
Penitent, asking forgiveness and praising God’s power
For all of his life Daniel had been faithful to his Lord
He was confident God would live up to His Word

Soon the prophecies began to unfold
And the conditions were what had been told
Christ, the Messiah, would come in due time
To bless those, who would listen, both in body and mind

Daniel is given information about the end of this strife
When some will be granted “everlasting life”
While others whose names were not in “the book”
Given “eternal shame” for the life they overlooked
 

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