中文 | English
|
| « Prev | Next » | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 |
| Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | |
Weekly Guide：2022-2023 Week 93
October 15, 2023
2022-2023 Week 93 Day 1: The Blazing Furnace ⇧ ⇩
Foreword
We continue to read the Book of Daniel this week.
Like Daniel being forced to live in a land of idolatry, we are too living in a foreign land. Although the life is abundant and prosperous, it runs against our believe. To the world, self-centeredness is god, one’s own worthiness is the life-long pursuit, and spirituality takes meaning only in one’s own perception. Such is the great discrepancy between the world’s believe and Christian believe. We live in the world of atheism and agnosticism and being attacked by paganism and hedonism. We may feel like fighting an uphill battle against the world, but we shall determine not to defile ourselves by the world.
May you all be renewed in God’s word each day!
Question
Why did Nebuchadnezzar throw some Jews into the blazing furnace?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
-
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold and assembled officials for its dedication. Everyone was ordered to fall down and worship the image. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.
-
Some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that they did not worship the image.
-
Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
-
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego believed the God they serve would deliver them from the blazing furnace.
-
Nebuchadnezzar commanded to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the blazing furnace.
-
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire. 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.
-
Nebuchadnezzar praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Why didn’t Shadrach and friends obey the king’s order to worship the golden image? Do we face similar dilemma? What pressure am I facing today? How does today’s passage help me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
2022-2023 Week 93 Day 2: Pronounce God's Miracle ⇧ ⇩
Question
Why did Nebuchadnezzar tell nations about the signs and wonders of God?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
-
Nebuchadnezzar told nations about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed.
-
Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream at home in his palace, contented and prosperous. All wise men of Babylon could not interpret it.
-
Daniel, with the spirit of the holy gods in him, interpreted the dream.
-
Nebuchadnezzar would be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; would eat grass like the ox.
-
At the end of that time, Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity was restored. Then he praised the Most High; he honored and glorified him who lives forever.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - Nebuchadnezzar was driven away for seven years. Was his attitude toward God changed after that time? Do I understand God’s good intention when He disciplines me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
2022-2023 Week 93 Day 3: End of Belshazzar ⇧ ⇩
Question
What was the end of Belshazzar?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
-
King Belshazzar gave a great banquet. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that they might drink from them.
-
The fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall.
-
All the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. The king brought Daniel to read the writing.
-
Daniel rebuked the king that he did not humble himself to give glory to God and therefore, God sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
-
Daniel read the writing that God had already numbered the days of Belshazzar’s reign and brought it to an end.
-
That very night Belshazzar was slain.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - Belshazzar was punished for his pride. What difference was there between him and his father? What caused the difference? What does it remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
2022-2023 Week 93 Day 4: In Lions' Den ⇧ ⇩
Question
What happened to Daniel during Darius’ reign?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
-
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.
-
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.
-
These administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and ask the king to issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
-
Daniel went home. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. The men went to King Darius and reminded him of the decree.
-
The king gave the order to throw Daniel into the lions’ den.
-
The king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
-
At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. He called to Daniel in an anguished voice. The lions did not hurt Daniel.
-
At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den.
-
King Darius issued a decree that everyone must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
-
Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Even though the king banned it, Daniel was unaffected and continued to pray to God. What example has Daniel shown me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
2022-2023 Week 93 Day 5: The Two Visions ⇧ ⇩
Question
What were the differences in Daniel’s two visions?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
-
In the first year of king Belshazzar, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed.
-
Four great beasts, each different from the others.
-
Daniel was disturbed by the visions and asked one of those standing there the meaning of all this.
-
In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel had another vision.
-
A ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, no animal could stand against it. A goat came from the west.
-
Gabriel told Daniel the meaning of the vision.
-
In the first year of Darius’s reign, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.
-
Daniel turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes, to turn away His anger and wrath from Jerusalem.
-
Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed, to put an end to sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - The animals in Daniel’s vision did as they pleased. What happened to these animals?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
2022-2023 Week 93 Day 6: Persia and Greece ⇧ ⇩
Question
How did the revelation of Greece come to Daniel?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
-
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel.
-
Daniel was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, he had no strength left, face turned deathly pale and was helpless.
-
The one who looked like a man gave Daniel strength.
-
Prophesy three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others and he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.
-
The kings of south and kings of north would sometimes go to war against each other and sometimes have peace.
-
The king of north would set his heart against the holy covenant and desecrate the temple.
-
Everyone whose name is found written in the book will be delivered.
Meditation: My Story
- Integrity - What was the view in Daniel’s vision on those who are in power? What am I leaning on in this world?