A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                  FAR FROM HOME PART V

"I, Daniel, have just spoken with the chief official here at the palace at Babylon.... I and my friends have been offered the food and wine from the king's table.... That is very special, of course, since we are nothing more than prisoners of the king...... However, we remain Hebrews even though we now live in Babylon and have been given Babylonian names..... And as Hebrews we are committed to obeying our God by keeping the dietary laws.... I have, therefore, asked the chief official for us to be exempted from the food and wine offered to us.... I understand as well, of course, that I must not only watch what goes into my mouth but what comes out of my mouth."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Daniel, no doubt, will understand as well that he must not only watch what he eats but what he says....


              ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                             FAR FROM HOME PART V

Apparently, to Daniel, this food and drink issue is important enough to take a stand. The reason behind his refusal is that Daniel knows that he is a Hebrew. Learning a different language, learning the Babylonian literature, even receiving a Babylonian name has not changed him into a Babylonian. On the contrary, he remains a Hebrew. And as a Hebrew, he is committed to keeping certain dietary laws. And breaking these dietary laws means disobedience to his God.That is why Daniel is determined not to eat the food and drink the wine of the king's table.

Now you may say, "That story does not apply to me for I am not a Hebrew living under the Old Testament laws. I am a Gentile believer and even Jesus makes it very clear that a person is not made "unclean" by what he eats." And that is true for in Matthew 15:11 Jesus says,
"What goes into a man's mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out his mouth makes him "unclean."

Therefore, eating and drinking does not affect the condition of a person's heart. However, Jesus does not stop there but explains in Matthew 15:18-20 how a person becomes "unclean" when He says
"But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man "unclean." For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what makes a man "unclean."...."

                               

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                  FAR FROM HOME PART IV

"I, Daniel, had a decision to make... My three friends and I are in Babylon at the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.... However, we are not here as his honoured guests... We are here as his prisoners.... We are well taken care of though..... We have just learned that we are to follow a three-year course to learn the Babylonian language and literature.... And we have been given Babylonian names..... But my friends and I know that these things will not make us Babylonians... We have been told as well that we will be given food and wine from the king's table.... No doubt, the food and the wine from the king's table will be the very best quality.... However, I know that I, as a Hebrew, cannot eat the food and drink the wine offered to me.... My three friends agree with me that this food and wine from the king's table is not acceptable to us because of our dietary requirements as Hebrews... I have, therefore, decided to speak of the chief official to ask him if we can be exempted from eating this food and drinking this wine."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about the decision Daniel makes with regard the food and wine offered to him.....


                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                 FAR FROM HOME PART IV

Let's read Daniel 1:8 to see if Daniel is happy to eat the food and drink the wine from the king's table as ordered by king Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

How strange. Daniel accepts everything king Nebuchadnezzar has decided for him  but when it comes to some food and wine items he decides not to eat any of these foods or drink any of these wines.We would want to say to Daniel, "Please, Daniel, don't refuse to eat the food and drink the wine selected for you for if the king finds out that you refuse to eat the food and drink the wine that is served on his table he is bound to become very angry and it will only mean you will lose your head after all. You have been so careful up to now. You accepted whatever the king has told you to do, including accepting a Babylonian name, and that is very wise of you. But why have you suddenly decided to go against the king's wishes for you? Please think again, for surely you are just talking about some food and drink items and it is not worth losing your life over these items."

      

                                   

                                 A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                 FAR FROM HOME PART III

      


"I. Daniel, and my three friends have been taken from Jerusalem to Babylon as prisoners.....We have been treated well, though..... And we have now been taken into the palace.... We have been told we will be attending a three-year course to learn the Babylonian language and literature.... Moreover, my friends and I have been given Babylonians names.... However, we will continue to use our Hebrew names when we are together.... We know that we are Hebrews and not Babylonians whatever name we may have been given... And we have just been told that our food and wine will come from the king's table."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Daniel and his friends were to be given the food and wine from the king's table....


                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                  FAR FROM HOME PART III

One of the things king Nebuchadnezzar has ordered is that Daniel and his friends are to be fed the food and wine from the king's table as we can read in Daniel 1:5-7

The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names; to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

This will have meant that their food and drink are of the very best quality and we would expect Daniel to be very pleased that he has been selected to eat the food and drink the wine from the king's table.

 



                                 A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                 FAR FROM HOME PART II

"I, Daniel, and my three friends were taken to the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.... We were taken there as prisoners from Jerusalem.... We did not know why we were taken to the palace.... But we soon found out.... We were to learn the language and literature of the Babylonians.... Our teacher is the chief of the court officials.... His name is Ashpena.... I have never needed to learn the Babylonian language and literature.... That is because I am a Hebrew... I speak, therefore, the Hebrew language... And so do my three friends.... We are all Hebrews.... And we all speak the Hebrew language... But we are no longer in Jerusalem.... I know, though, that I will remain a Hebrew no matter what language I will have to speak.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Daniel and his friends were taken to the palace where they were to be taught the Babylonian language and literature...


             ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                            FAR FROM HOME PART II

Daniel, having been taken to Babylon from Jerusalem together with his three friends, now finds himself among a people who speak a foreign language, whose customs are foreign to him and whose gods are foreign gods. Furthermore, he is not allowed to choose his education system. It is chosen for him by the king.And that is for one purpose only; that Daniel and those with him will forget that they are Hebrew people who serve the Hebrew God as you can read in Daniel 1:3-4

Then the king ordered Ashpena, the chief of the court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites form the royal family and the nobility - young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand. and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and the literature of the Babylonians.

It seems that Daniel accepts all these changes. After all, he is a prisoner of the Babylonian king so what can he do as a prisoner? He knows very well that if king Nebuchadnezzar is not pleased with his behaviour he can order for Daniel's head to be cut off. So it makes sense for Daniel to play it safe and to just go along for nothing is worth losing his life over, or is it....?

                           A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                FAR FROM HOME PART I

"I, Daniel, used to live in Jerusalem with my family.... I grew up there... My closest friends grew up there as well.... We used to see each other every day....But one day Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came with his army to our city and took us to his country.... He took our king as well.... Moreover, he took some of the articles from our temple... These articles are to be used in the worship of our God, the God of Israel.... But they are now in the treasure house of Nebuchadnezzar's god.... I wonder what will happen to these articles.... I can only hope that they will never be used in the worship of their god....Everything and everyone is so unfamiliar for me.... I wish I was back home with my family.... I can only pray to my God that one day I will be allowed to return to them.... In the meantime I must trust my God that He will keep me safe.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.


               ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                FAR FROM HOME PART I

Every day you are faced with choices. Some of them are very easy to make, such as what you are going to have for dinner. However, other choices are more difficult to make and may well have far reaching consequences. In the Book of Daniel you can read about a young man named Daniel and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and the choices they had to make. Their story begins when they are taken from their country Israel to a foreign nation Babylon as you can read in Daniel 1:1-2

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king f Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along some some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried of to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.

Daniel and his friends are, in fact, only teenagers when they are taken from their country. Their nation Israel has sinned against God and God disciplines His people by allowing them to be taken into exile. And Daniel is one of the people taken into exile, even though he himself has not sinned against God.

                                 A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                    BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XVII

"I, Esther, am so grateful that the king heard my plea for my people, the Jews... They were able to defend themselves against anyone who tried to kill them... He has authorised me to established certain days in the year for the Purim Festival to be held in remembrance of our victory... So I have put together a decree to confirm these regulations about Purim and they have been written in the records for the generations to come."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn God wants to use you as much as He used Esther in her time...


                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XVII

God, who knew that one day Haman would try and attack his chosen people. had chosen a young Jewish girl, an orphan living with her cousin, to be taken into the palace to become queen so that she could come before the king and be his instrument to save her people. Esther did not know this when she was forced to enter the palace. Neither did Mordecai know this was God's plan for his cousin Esther. But God knew. And when the time came for Esther to act she was prepared to be obedient to her calling, no matter what the cost. And Esther established the Feast of Purim as you can read in Esther 9:29-32

So queen Esther, daughter of Abhail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes - words of goodwill and assurance - to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. Esther's decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

God wants to use the story of Esther to encourage you for He wants you to know that He has a plan for your life, just as He had a plan for the life of Esther. Now, His plan for your life will not be like the plan He had for Esther's life. His plan for your life will fit your circumstances, just as God's plan for Esther's life fitted her circumstances. But I do want you to know that the God, who loved Esther and cared for her throughout her life and gave her the strength, ability and wisdom to do what He had for her to do, will do the same for you because He loves and cares for you. So He will strengthen you in your circumstances and enable you to do whatever it is you are to do for Him. Moreover, God will give you the wisdom to do whatever He has for you to do so you can do it well. For God wants your life to be a testimony to His goodness and mercy just as Esther's life was a testimony to the goodness and mercy of God.

P.S. We have come to the end of Esther's story. In my next post I will begin to focus on the story of Daniel "Far From Home."

                               A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XVI

"I, Esther, asked the king for another dinner.... He very kindly accepted.... I knew that I had to wait for the right moment before I could share with him my concerns about my people, the Jews.... During the second dinner, I sensed the time had come for me to bring up the subject of my people.... I pleaded with him for a new edict to be written that would overrule the previous edict... The king heard me... He approved the writing of a new edict.... My people will now be able to defend themselves against their enemies.... I believe that God will be with them and cause them to be victorious."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Esther's plea for her people...


              ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                            BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XVI

The next day the king returns for another banquet and this time Esther pleads her case before the king as you can read in Esther 8:3-8

Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman, the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold sceptre to Esther and she arose and stood before him. "If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favour and thinks it is the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me. let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on all my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family? King Xerxes replied to queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther and they have hanged him on the gallows. Now write another decree in the king's name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring - for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.."

Esther finally shares with the king her concerns for her people. The king hears her plea  and has another decree written, which states that her people will be able to defend themselves against any attacks of their enemies.

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                  BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XV

"I, Esther, have prayed and fasted for three days together with my maids and the Jewish people in Susa.... Today I went to see the king... I knew that my life is in God's hands... So I knew I would be safe regardless what the king would decide to do... This morning I put on my royal robes in honour of the king... I then went to the inner court of the palace.... I knew the king would be on his royal throne in the hall.... I quietly waited for the king to see me... After a few moments he spotted me.... I could see he was surprised to see me.... More importantly, he was pleased to see me!!... He then showed his pleasure in seeing me by holding out the gold sceptre that was in his hand... I then knew it was safe to approach him.... Gratitude to  my God rose up in me.... He had answered my prayers and the prayers of all those who had prayed with me.... I touched the tip of his sceptre.... And I asked him to come for dinner that evening... The king gladly accepted my invitation.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Esther's visit to the throne hall to see her husband, the king.....


                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XV

The day arrives for Esther to go before the king as you can read in Esther 5:1-2

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of his sceptre.

God touches the heart of the king and he stretches his gold sceptre to Esther to let her know she is welcome to enter his presence. Esther is allowed to live and speak to the king. She invites the king over for a meal and the king accepts her invitation. At the meal all Esther asks for is that the king return for another banquet the next day and he accepts.

                                  A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XIV

"I, Esther, received another message from my cousin Mordecai.... It was not what I expected.... I expected a message full of sympathy for me.... A message in which he he told me he understood my predicament... And he was not going to pressure me any longer to see my husband, the king, since seeing him might even be the cause of my death....But that was not the message he wrote.... On the contrary, he once again told me to go before my husband, the king, to plead for mercy for my people.... In fact, his message was even stronger than before.... And he ended his message by writing he believed the reason for me becoming queen might well be so that I could save my people.... I had not thought of that... Perhaps he is right.... Perhaps I have come to royal position for such a time as this.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Ester's cousin Mordecai challenges her to take up her task as queen for which she may have been born....


               
                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS PART XIV

After reading her cousin Mordecai's latest message to her Ester begins to grasp the reason why God is allowing her to live at the palace... She is not there so she can enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. No, God is allowing her to live at the palace in order for her to plead for her people, the Jews, before the king even if that means she will die as you can read in Esther 4:15-16

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai, "Go, gather together all the Jews, who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Esther knows that her life is really in God's hands and not in the king's hands. Since God has allowed her to live in the palace, He is the One who will protect her as she goes before the king without his permission. However, she knows she needs to spend time in preparation first and so arranges a three-day period of prayer and fasting before going to see the king.