Bible Heroes give us Inspiring Stories of FAITH
Bible Heroes give us. . . Inspiring Stories of FAITH: Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace!
Satan tempted the King. . . to make an image ALL of gold.
The three faithful Hebrews — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — knew they could NOT bow down to an image!
God warns us NOT to bow down to images or statues in the Second of His Ten Commandments.
The faithful Hebrews answered the King fearlessly: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ” — Daniel 3: 16 -17, NLT
Then they added. . . “But even if He does NOT, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. ” — Daniel 3: 18, NASB
Daniel 3: 24, NKJV says: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? ’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king. ’”
The King couldn’t believe his eyes
Daniel 3: 25, NKJV — “ ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see FOUR men LOOSE, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. ’ ”
Jesus honored their FAITH!
Another story from the Book of Daniel is that of the Handwriting on the Wall!
Later Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, ruled Babylon “A number of years later, King Belshazzar gave a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. ” — Daniel 5: 1, NLT
Painting by Rembrandt
The Heavenly Hand inscribed this Writing on the Wall: “MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. ” — Daniel 5: 25 The Graffiti of God!
Daniel 5: 26 -26, NIV tells us, “This is what these words mean: MENE God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. ”
Daniel 5: 27 -28, NIV tells us, TEKEL “You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. PERES Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. ”
You’ve heard the expression. . . “One man’s MEAT is another man’s POISON. ” But have you heard that. . . “One man’s Mede is another man’s Persian”? (Just a little humor!)
Persians’ hats fluted, Medes’ round
The Euphrates River ran through the city of Babylon
“This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, His anointed one, whose right hand He will empower. . Know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the One who calls you by name. . I called you by name when you did not know Me. I am the LORD; there is no other God. I have prepared you, even though you do not know Me. ” — Isaiah 45: 1 -5, NLT
No doubt Daniel SHOWED Cyrus his own name in the scroll of Isaiah!
The Lord God Himself “says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he [Cyrus] will say of JERUSALEM, “Let it be rebuilt, ” and of the TEMPLE, “Let its foundations be laid. ”’” — Isaiah 44: 28, NIV
Persian General Cyrus Conquered Invincible Babylon!
The Fall of Ancient Babylon
Alexander the Great, outstanding general and first King of the Greek Empire
Philip of Macedon was the father of Alexander the Great
Mural of Alexander the Great
“No more worlds to conquer”
- Slides: 63