Lion's Den

Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den.

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 6:3-5,10,16,19,21,23,28

[Yahweh, enlighten us to be aware when your angels protect us, so that we might give you the glory.]

Writing on the Wall

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them.

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.

Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

"This is the inscription that was written:
Mene , Mene , Tekel , Parsin

"This is what these words mean:
Mene : God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Peres : Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom....

Daniel 5:1,5,8,17,25-28,30 NIV

[Yahweh, Let kings consider your ways and seek you]

Beyond Understanding

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.

"I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this.
"So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things

"This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."

In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me.

While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision."

"The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future."

I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

Daniel 7:1,15,16,28, 8:1,15,16,26,27 NIV

[Yahweh, give us wisdom and understanding to learn and not fear the distant future]

Sing a song of Zion

Hear my prayer, O YHWH; 
       let my cry for help come to you. 
Do not hide your face from me 
       when I am in distress. 
       Turn your ear to me; 
       when I call, answer me quickly. 


Let this be written for a future generation, 
       that a people not yet created may praise YHWH

Psalm 102:1,2,18 NIV

Praise YHWH.
       Give thanks to YHWH, for he is good; 
       his love endures forever. 


Who can proclaim the mighty acts of YHWH 
       or fully declare his praise? 


Blessed are they who maintain justice, 
       who constantly do what is right. 


Remember me, O YHWH, when you show favor to your people, 
       come to my aid when you save them, 
that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, 
       that I may share in the joy of your nation 
       and join your inheritance in giving praise. 

Psalm 106:1-5 NIV

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept 
       when we remembered Zion. 
There on the poplars 
       we hung our harps, 
for there our captors asked us for songs, 
       our tormentors demanded songs of joy; 
       they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" 
How can we sing the songs of YHWH 
       while in a foreign land? 

Psalm 137:1-4 NIV

[Yahweh, may we fully declare your praise.]

Who can compare?

I will sing of YHWH's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

The heavens praise your wonders, O YHWH,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with YHWH?
Who is like YHWH among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.
O YHWH God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O YHWH, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
Your arm is endued with power;
your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O YHWH.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exult in your righteousness.
For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.
Indeed, our shield belongs to YHWH,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Praise be to YHWH forever!
Amen and Amen.

Psalm 89:1,2,5-8,11-18,52 NIV

[Yahweh, Blessed are we who have learned to acclaim you.]

YHWH said to Job

Then YHWH answered Job out of the storm. He said:
"Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
...
"Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
...
"Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
...
"Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
...
"What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
...
"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
...
"Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
Can you loose the cords of Orion?
...
"Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
...
"Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
and satisfy the hunger of the lions
...
"Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
...
"Will the wild ox consent to serve you?
Will he stay by your manger at night?
...
"The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork.
...
"Do you give the horse his strength
or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
...
"Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
and spread his wings toward the south?
...
YHWH said to Job:
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!"

Then Job answered YHWH :
"I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more."


Then Job replied to YHWH:
"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things i did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
"'You said, 'Listen  now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

Job 38:1-4,8,12,16,19,22,31,34,39 39:1,9,13,19,26 40:1-5, 42:1-6 NIV

[Yahweh, we stand silent in awe of your holy and mighty works.]

That the light of life may shine

[Elihu:]


Why do you complain to him
that he answers none of man's words?
For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though man may not perceive it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,
he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,
to turn man from wrongdoing
and keep him from pride,
to preserve his soul from the pit,
his life from perishing by the sword.


Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain
with constant distress in his bones,
so that his very being finds food repulsive
and his soul loathes the choicest meal.
His flesh wastes away to nothing,
and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.
His soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to the messengers of death.

Yet if there is an angel on his side
as a mediator, one out of a thousand,
to tell a man what is right for him,
to be gracious to him and say,
'Spare him from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for him'-
then his flesh is renewed like a child's;
it is restored as in the days of his youth.
He prays to God and finds favor with him,
he sees God's face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state.
Then he comes to men and says,
'I sinned, and perverted what was right,
but I did not get what I deserved.
He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit,
and I will live to enjoy the light.'


God does all these things to a man—
twice, even three times-
to turn back his soul from the pit,
that the light of life may shine on him.

Job 33:13-30 NIV

[Elohim, I praise you that your desire is that I turn to you to be restored and live.]

wisdom & understanding

[Job:]

But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?
Man does not comprehend its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.
The deep says, 'It is not in me';
the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed in silver.
It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
with precious onyx or sapphires.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.


Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds of the air.
Destruction and Death say,
'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.'


God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,
when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,
then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.
And he said to man,
'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.'

Job 28:12-28 NIV

[Adonai, be with us in a mighty life-changing way as we seek you.]

Evil men

[Job:]
There are those who rebel against the light,
who do not know its ways
or stay in its paths.
When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up
and kills the poor and needy;
in the night he steals forth like a thief.
The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk;
he thinks, 'No eye will see me,'
and he keeps his face concealed.
In the dark, men break into houses,
but by day they shut themselves in;
they want nothing to do with the light.
For all of them, deep darkness is their morning;
they make friends with the terrors of darkness.


Yet they are foam on the surface of the water;
their portion of the land is cursed,
so that no one goes to the vineyards.
As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow,
so the grave snatches away those who have sinned.
The womb forgets them,
the worm feasts on them;
evil men are no longer remembered
but are broken like a tree.
They prey on the barren and childless woman,
and to the widow show no kindness.
But God drags away the mighty by his power;
though they become established, they have no assurance of life.
He may let them rest in a feeling of security,
but his eyes are on their ways.
For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone;
they are brought low and gathered up like all others;
they are cut off like heads of grain.


If this is not so, who can prove me false
and reduce my words to nothing?

Job 24:13-25 NIV

[Yahweh, we trust you for perfect justice in our broken world.]

My Redeemer Lives

[Job:]


Though I cry, 'I've been wronged!' I get no response;
though I call for help, there is no justice.
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
He has stripped me of my honor
and removed the crown from my head.
He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hope like a tree.
His anger burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.
His troops advance in force;
they build a siege ramp against me
and encamp around my tent.


He has alienated my brothers from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
My kinsmen have gone away;
my friends have forgotten me.
My guests and my maidservants count me a stranger;
they look upon me as an alien.
I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome to my own brothers.
Even the little boys scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.
All my intimate friends detest me;
those I love have turned against me.
I am nothing but skin and bones;
I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth.


Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
for the hand of God has struck me.
Why do you pursue me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?


Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19:7-27 NIV

[Yahweh, give us courage in all circumstances to declare "I will see God"]

the grave awaits me

[Job:]

O earth, do not cover my blood;
may my cry never be laid to rest!
Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.
My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as a man pleads for his friend.

Only a few years will pass
before I go on the journey of no return.
My spirit is broken,
my days are cut short,
the grave awaits me.
Surely mockers surround me;
my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.
Who else will put up security for me?
You have closed their minds to understanding;
therefore you will not let them triumph.
If a man denounces his friends for reward,
the eyes of his children will fail.

God has made me a byword to everyone,
a man in whose face people spit.
My eyes have grown dim with grief;
my whole frame is but a shadow.

Job 16:18-17:7 NIV

[Yahweh, strengthen us in our suffering when we fear death.]

In His hand

[Job:]

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish of the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of YHWH has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?
Is not wisdom found among the aged?
Does not long life bring understanding?

To God belong wisdom and power;
counsel and understanding are his.
What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
the man he imprisons cannot be released.
If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
To him belong strength and victory;
both deceived and deceiver are his.
He leads counselors away stripped
and makes fools of judges.
He takes off the shackles put on by kings
and ties a loincloth around their waist.
He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows men long established.
He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.
He pours contempt on nobles
and disarms the mighty.
He reveals the deep things of darkness
and brings deep shadows into the light.
He makes nations great, and destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;
he sends them wandering through a trackless waste.
They grope in darkness with no light;
he makes them stagger like drunkards.

Job 12:7-25 NIV

[Yahweh, let us respect your wisdom, power, counsel, and understanding.]

Ask the former generations

[Bildad:]

Ask the former generations
and find out what their fathers learned,
for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,
and our days on earth are but a shadow.
Will they not instruct you and tell you?
Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?

Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?
Can reeds thrive without water?
While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.
Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
so perishes the hope of the godless.
What he trusts in is fragile;
what he relies on is a spider's web.
He leans on his web, but it gives way;
he clings to it, but it does not hold.
He is like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots over the garden;
it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
and looks for a place among the stones.
But when it is torn from its spot,
that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you.'
Surely its life withers away,
and from the soil other plants grow.

"Surely God does not reject a blameless man
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more."

Job 8:8-22 NIV

[Yahweh, let us learn from our former generations and not ignore their teaching.]

Three friends

When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

[...] Then Elipaz [...] replied.
[...] Then Bildad [...] replied.
[...] Then Zophar [...] replied.

 Job 2:11-13, 4:1a, 8:1a, 11:1a NIV

[Yahweh, I thank you for the gift of listening and caring friends.]

Naked I came...Naked I will depart

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

One day the angels came to present themselves before YHWH, and Satan also came with them. YHWH said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered YHWH, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

Then YHWH said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

YHWH said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of YHWH.

One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. YHWH gave and YHWH has taken away; may the name of YHWH be praised."

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job 1:1-3,6-22 NIV

[Yahweh, may we grow in our knowledge of you to be like Job, fully trusting you in all circumstances.]

Most High God

King Nebuchadnezzar,
To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world:
May you prosper greatly!
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.

... what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: "What have you done?"

At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Daniel 4:1-5,33-37 NIV

[Yahweh, I praise you that everyone - kings and all people - can come to this deep knowledge of you.]

Yahweh is There

Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of YHWH filling the temple of YHWH, and I fell facedown.

YHWH said to me {Ezekiel}, "Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations regarding the temple of YHWH."

...the priests, who are Levites and descendants of Zadok and who faithfully carried out the duties of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me.

This is what Sovereign YHWH says: "These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, with two portions for Joseph. You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will become your inheritance.

You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who have settled among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the alien settles, there you are to give him his inheritance," declares Sovereign YHWH.

"And the name of the city from that time on will be: YHWH is There."



Ezekiel 44:4,5,15, 47:13,14,21-23, 48:35b NIV

[Yahweh, may all realize the gift of your church and respect her. Thank you for the gift of faithful ministers, priests and pastors who sacrifice to serve.]

Most Holy

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of YHWH was upon me and he took me there. In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. The man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the house of Israel everything you see."

...and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory of YHWH entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of YHWH filled the temple.

While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. He said: "Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever.

"Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.

This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple."


Ezekiel 40:1-4, 43:2-7b,10-12  NIV

[Yahweh, teach us what holiness means and bring us new visons of living in holiness - faithful to you.]

But even if he does not

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
      They replied, "Certainly, O king."

He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.


Daniel 3:4-6,16-20,24-30 NIV

[Yahweh, let us all know you like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.]

Turn and Live

[Ezekiel] Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign YHWH, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'

"Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, 'The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness.' If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done. And if I say to the wicked man, 'You will surely die,' but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and right- if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.

"Yet your countrymen say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But it is their way that is not just. If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so. Yet, O house of Israel, you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to his own ways."

Ezekiel 33:11-20 NIV

[Yahweh, teach us your justice and may you see us practice it.]

Breathing bones

The hand of YHWH was upon me [Ezekiel], and he brought me out by the Spirit of YHWH and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" 

I said, "O Sovereign YHWH, you alone know."

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of YHWH! This is what Sovereign YHWH says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am YHWH.' "

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what Sovereign YHWH says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what Sovereign YHWH says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am YHWH, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I YHWH have spoken, and I have done it, declares YHWH.' "

Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV

[Yahweh, reveal yourself to your people.]

Hearts greedy for unjust gain

As for you [Ezekiel], son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from YHWH.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.



When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Ezekiel 33:30-33 NIV

[Yahweh, let us hear your words and then put them into practice.]