PART 5
While in captivity in Babylon, the Israelites had many tests of their faith. Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach and A·bedʹne·go were thrown into a fiery hot furnace, but God brought them out alive. Later, after Babylon was defeated by the Medes and the Persians, Daniel was pitched into a lions’ pit, but God also protected him by shutting the mouths of the lions.
Finally, the Persian king Cyrus freed the Israelites. They returned to their homeland just 70 years after they were taken away to Babylon as captives. One of the first things they did when they returned to Jerusalem was to begin building Jehovah’s temple. However, enemies soon stopped their work. So it was about 22 years after returning to Jerusalem that they finally finished the temple.
Next, we learn about Ezra’s trip back to Jerusalem to beautify the temple. This was some 47 years after the temple was finished. Then, 13 years after Ezra’s trip, Nehemiah helped to rebuild Jerusalem’s broken-down walls. Part FIVE covers 152 years of history down to this time.
STORY 77
STORY 77
They Would Not Bow Down
Do you remember the laws that Jehovah himself wrote called the Ten Commandments? The first one of these is: ‘You must not worship any other gods except me.’ The young men here are obeying this law, even though it is not an easy thing to do.
Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar, the king of Babylon, has called many important people to honor this image that he has set up. He has just finished saying to all the people: ‘When you hear the sound of the horns, the harps and the other musical instruments, you are to bow down and worship this gold image. Anyone who does not bow down and worship will be thrown into a burning hot furnace right away.’
When Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar learns that Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach and A·bedʹne·go have not bowed down, he is very angry. He has them brought to him. He gives them another chance to bow down. But the young men trust in Jehovah. ‘Our God whom we serve is able to save us,’ they tell Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar. ‘But even if he does not save us, we will not bow down to your image of gold.’
At hearing this, Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar is even more angry. There is a furnace nearby and he commands: ‘Heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was before!’ Then he has the strongest men in his army tie up Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach and A·bedʹne·go and throw them into the furnace. The furnace is so hot that the strong men are killed by the flames. But what about the three young men whom they threw in?
The king looks into the furnace, and becomes very much afraid. ‘Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the burning hot furnace?’ he asks.
‘Yes, we did,’ his servants answer.
‘But I see four men walking around in the fire,’ he says. ‘They are not tied up, and the fire is not hurting them. And the fourth one looks like a god.’ The king goes closer to the door of the furnace and cries out: ‘Shaʹdrach! Meʹshach! A·bedʹne·go! Come on out, you servants of the Most High God!’
When they come out, everyone can see that they have not been hurt. Then the king says: ‘Let the God of Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach and A·bedʹne·go be praised! He has sent his angel and saved them because they would not bow down and worship any god except their own.’
Isn’t this a fine example of faithfulness to Jehovah for us to follow?
STORY 78
Handwriting on the Wall
WHAT is happening here? The people are having a big feast. The king of Babylon has invited a thousand important guests. They are using the gold cups and the silver cups and the bowls taken from Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem. But, suddenly, the fingers of a man’s hand appear in the air and begin to write on the wall. Everyone is scared.
Bel·shazʹzar, the grandson of Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar, is the king now. He shouts for his wise men to be brought in. ‘Anyone who can read this writing and tell me what it means,’ the king says, ‘will be given many gifts and be made the third most important ruler in the kingdom.’ But none of the wise men can read the writing on the wall, nor tell its meaning.
The king’s mother hears the noise and comes into the big dining room. ‘Please don’t be so frightened,’ she tells the king. ‘There is a man in your kingdom that knows the holy gods. When your grandfather Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar was king he made him the chief of all his wise men. His name is Daniel. Send for him, and he will tell you what all of this means.’
So right away Daniel is brought in. After refusing to take any gifts, Daniel begins to tell why Jehovah once removed Bel·shazʹzar’s grandfather Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar from being king. ‘He was very proud,’ Daniel says. ‘And Jehovah punished him.’
‘But you,’ Daniel tells Bel·shazʹzar, ‘knew all about what happened to him, and still you are proud just as Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar was. You have brought in the cups and the bowls from Jehovah’s temple and drunk out of them. You have praised gods made of wood and stone, and you have not honored our Grand Creator. That is why God has sent the hand to write these words.
This is what is written,’ Daniel says: ‘MEʹNE, MEʹNE, TEʹKEL and PARʹSIN.’
‘MEʹNE means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. TEʹKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found to be no good. PARʹSIN means that your kingdom is given to the Medes and the Persians.’
Even while Daniel is speaking, the Medes and the Persians have begun to attack Babylon. They capture the city and kill Bel·shazʹzar. The handwriting on the wall comes true that very night! But what will happen to the Israelites now? We will soon find out, but first let’s see what happens to Daniel.
STORY 79
Daniel in the Lions’ Pit
The king of Babylon is now a man named Da·riʹus. He likes Daniel very much because Daniel is so kind and wise. Da·riʹus chooses Daniel to be a chief ruler in his kingdom. This makes other men in the kingdom jealous of Daniel, so this is what they do.
They go to Da·riʹus and say: ‘We have agreed, O king, that you should make a law saying that for 30 days no one should pray to any god or man except to you, O king. If anyone disobeys, then he should be thrown in with the lions.’ Da·riʹus does not know why these men want this law made. But he thinks it is a good idea, so he puts the law into writing. Now the law cannot be changed.
When Daniel learns about the law, he goes home and prays, just as he always has done. The bad men knew that Daniel would not stop praying to Jehovah. They are happy, because it seems that their plan to get rid of Daniel is working.
When King Da·riʹus learns why these men wanted to make this law, he is very sorry. But he cannot change the law, so he has to give the command for Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ pit. But the king tells Daniel: ‘I hope that your God, whom you serve, will save you.’
Da·riʹus is so upset he can’t sleep that night. The next morning he runs to the lions’ pit. You can see him there. He cries out: ‘Daniel, servant of the living God! Was the God whom you serve able to save you from the lions?’
‘God sent his angel,’ Daniel answers, ‘and shut the mouths of the lions so that they did not hurt me.’
The king is very glad. He commands that Daniel be lifted out of the pit. Then he has the bad men who tried to get rid of Daniel thrown to the lions. Even before they reach the bottom of the pit, the lions grab them and break all their bones.
Then King Da·riʹus writes to all the people in his kingdom: ‘I command that everyone should respect Daniel’s God. He does great miracles. He saved Daniel from being eaten by the lions.’
STORY 80
God’s People Leave Babylon
Cyʹrus, the king of Persia, did. Long before Cyʹrus was born, Jehovah had his prophet Isaiah write about him: ‘You will do just what I want you to do. The gates will be left open for you to capture the city.’ And Cyʹrus did take the lead in capturing Babylon. The Medes and the Persians came into the city at night through gates that had been left open.
But Jehovah’s prophet Isaiah also said that Cyʹrus would give the command for Jerusalem and its temple to be built again. Did Cyʹrus give this command? Yes, he did. This is what Cyʹrus tells the Israelites: ‘Go, now, to Jerusalem and build the temple of Jehovah, your God.’ And this is just what these Israelites are on their way to do.
But not all the Israelites in Babylon can make the long trip back to Jerusalem. It is a long, long trip of about 500 miles (800 kilometers) and many are too old or too sick to travel so far. And there are other reasons why some people don’t go. But Cyʹrus tells those that don’t go: ‘Give silver and gold and other gifts to the people who are going back to build Jerusalem and its temple.’
So, many gifts are given to these Israelites who are on their way to Jerusalem. Also, Cyʹrus gives them the bowls and the cups that King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar had taken from Jehovah’s temple when he destroyed Jerusalem. The people have a lot of things to carry back with them.
After about four months of traveling, the Israelites get back to Jerusalem right on time. It is just 70 years since the city was destroyed, and the land was left completely empty of people. But though the Israelites are now back in their own country they will have some hard times, as we will learn next.
STORY 81
Trusting in God’s Help
One of the first things that they build is an altar. This is a place where they can make animal offerings, or gifts, to Jehovah. A few months later the Israelites begin building the temple. But enemies living in lands nearby don’t want the Israelites to build it. So they try to frighten them to make them stop. Finally, these enemies get the new king of Persia to make a law to stop the building work.
Years pass. Now it has been 17 years since the Israelites came back from Babylon. Jehovah sends his prophets Hagʹgai and Zech·a·riʹah to tell the people to start building again. The people trust in God’s help, and they obey the prophets. They start to build again, even though a law says that they are not to do it.
So a Persian official named Tatʹte·nai comes and asks the Israelites what right they have to build the temple. The Israelites tell him that when they were in Babylon, King Cyʹrus told them: ‘Go, now, to Jerusalem and build the temple of Jehovah, your God.’
Tatʹte·nai sends a letter to Babylon and asks if Cyʹrus, who is now dead, really said that. Soon a letter from the new king of Persia comes back. It tells that Cyʹrus really said it. And so the king writes: ‘Let the Israelites build the temple of their God. And I command you to help them.’ In about four years the temple is finished, and the Israelites are very happy.
Many more years pass. It is now almost 48 years since the temple was finished. The people in Jerusalem are poor, and the city and God’s temple do not look very pretty. Back in Babylon, the Israelite Ezʹra learns about the need to fix up God’s temple. So do you know what he does?
Ezʹra goes to see Ar·ta·xerxʹes, the king of Persia, and this good king gives Ezʹra many gifts to take back to Jerusalem. Ezʹra asks the Israelites in Babylon to help him carry these gifts to Jerusalem. About 6,000 people say they will go. They have a lot of silver and gold and other precious things to carry with them.
Ezʹra is worried, because there are bad men along the way. These men might take away their silver and gold, and kill them. So Ezʹra calls the people together, as you can see in the picture. Then they pray to Jehovah to protect them on their long trip back to Jerusalem.
Jehovah does protect them. And after four months of traveling, they arrive safely in Jerusalem. Doesn’t this show that Jehovah can protect those who trust in him for help?
STORY 82
Mordecai and Esther
Esther’s parents died when she was very small, and so Morʹde·cai has raised her. A·has·u·eʹrus, the king of Persia, has a palace in the city of Shuʹshan, and Morʹde·cai is one of his servants. Well, one day the king’s wife Vashʹti does not obey him, so the king chooses a new wife to be his queen. Do you know the woman he chooses? Yes, beautiful young Esther.
Do you see this proud man that people are bowing down to? This is Haʹman. He is a very important man in Persia. Haʹman wants Morʹde·cai, whom you can see sitting here, to bow down to him also. But Morʹde·cai won’t do it. He doesn’t think it is right to bow down to such a bad man. This makes Haʹman very angry. And so this is what he does.
Haʹman tells the king lies about the Israelites. ‘They are bad people who don’t obey your laws,’ he says. ‘They should be put to death.’ A·has·u·eʹrus does not know that his wife Esther is an Israelite. So he listens to Haʹman, and he has a law made that on a certain day all Israelites are to be killed.
When Morʹde·cai hears about the law, he is very upset. He sends a message to Esther: ‘You must tell the king, and beg him to save us.’ It is against the law in Persia to go see the king unless you’re invited. But Esther goes in without being invited. The king holds out his gold rod to her, which means that she is not to be killed. Esther invites the king and Haʹman to a big meal. There the king asks Esther what favor she wants from him. Esther says that she will tell him if he and Haʹman will come to another meal the next day.
At that meal Esther tells the king: ‘My people and I are to be killed.’ The king is angry. ‘Who dares to do such a thing?’ he asks.
‘The man, the enemy, is this bad Haʹman!’ Esther says.
Now the king is really angry. He commands that Haʹman be killed. Afterward, the king makes Morʹde·cai second in power only to himself. Morʹde·cai then sees to it that a new law is made that allows the Israelites to fight for their lives on the day they are supposed to be killed. Because Morʹde·cai is such an important man now, many people help the Israelites, and they are saved from their enemies.
STORY 83
The Walls of Jerusalem
How do you think the people have felt living here all these years without walls around their city? They have not felt safe. Their enemies could easily come in and attack them. But now this man Ne·he·miʹah is finally helping the people to build the walls again. Do you know who Ne·he·miʹah is?
Ne·he·miʹah is an Israelite who comes from the city of Shuʹshan, where Morʹde·cai and Esther live. Ne·he·miʹah worked in the king’s palace, so he may have been a good friend of Morʹde·cai and Queen Esther. But the Bible does not say that Ne·he·miʹah worked for Esther’s husband, King A·has·u·eʹrus. He worked for the next king, King Ar·ta·xerxʹes.
Remember, Ar·ta·xerxʹes is the good king who gave Ezʹra all that money to take back to Jerusalem to fix up Jehovah’s temple. But Ezʹra did not build the broken-down walls of the city. Let’s see how it came about that Ne·he·miʹah did this work.
It has been 13 years since Ar·ta·xerxʹes gave Ezʹra the money to fix up the temple. Ne·he·miʹah is now the chief cupbearer for King Ar·ta·xerxʹes. This means that he serves the king his wine, and makes sure that no one tries to poison the king. It is a very important job.
Well, one day Ne·he·miʹah’s brother Ha·naʹni and other men from the land of Israel come to visit Ne·he·miʹah. They tell him about the trouble the Israelites are having, and how the walls of Jerusalem are still broken down. This makes Ne·he·miʹah very sad, and he prays to Jehovah about it.
One day the king notices that Ne·he·miʹah is sad, and asks: ‘Why are you looking so sad?’ Ne·he·miʹah tells him that it is because Jerusalem is in such a bad condition and the walls are broken down. ‘What is it that you want?’ the king asks.
‘Let me go to Jerusalem,’ Ne·he·miʹah says, ‘so that I may rebuild the walls.’ King Ar·ta·xerxʹes is very kind. He says that Ne·he·miʹah may go, and he helps him to get wood for doing some of the building. Soon after Ne·he·miʹah comes to Jerusalem, he tells the people about his plans. They like the idea, and say: ‘Let’s start building.’
When the enemies of the Israelites see the wall going up, they say: ‘We will go up and kill them, and stop the building work.’ But Ne·he·miʹah hears about this, and he gives the workers swords and spears. And he says: ‘Don’t be afraid of our enemies. Fight for your brothers, for your children, for your wives, and for your homes.’
The people are very brave. They keep their weapons ready day and night, and they keep building. So in just 52 days the walls are finished. Now the people can feel safe inside the city. Ne·he·miʹah and Ezʹra teach the people God’s law, and the people are happy.
But things are still not the same as they were before the Israelites were taken as prisoners to Babylon. The people are ruled by the king of Persia and they must serve him. But Jehovah has promised that he will send a new king, and that this king will bring peace to the people. Who is this king? How will he bring peace to the earth? About 450 years pass before any more is learned about this. Then there is a most important birth of a baby. But that is another story.
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