WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.030 --> 00:00:02.920 Emily: welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:04.690 day 300 and 63 00:00:05.309 --> 00:00:11.249 Many years later, king Bell Shazer gave a great feast for 1000 of his nobles, 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:16.649 and he drank wine with them while Bell Shazer was drinking the wine. 00:00:16.919 --> 00:00:20.369 He gave orders to bring in the golden silver cups that his 00:00:20.369 --> 00:00:24.689 predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. 00:00:25.589 --> 00:00:30.629 He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. 00:00:31.589 --> 00:00:36.749 So they brought these gold cups taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, 00:00:37.229 --> 00:00:42.029 and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 00:00:42.599 --> 00:00:43.469 While they drank. 00:00:43.469 --> 00:00:47.549 From them, they praised their idols made of gold, silver, 00:00:47.729 --> 00:00:50.639 bronze, iron, wood, and stone. 00:00:51.749 --> 00:00:57.149 Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand riding on the plaster wall of 00:00:57.149 --> 00:00:59.279 the king's palace near the lamp stand. 00:01:00.389 --> 00:01:06.119 The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, and his face turned pale with fright. 00:01:07.049 --> 00:01:12.239 His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him. 00:01:14.009 --> 00:01:17.819 The king shouted for the enchanters astrologers and fortune tellers 00:01:17.819 --> 00:01:18.959 to be brought before him. 00:01:19.919 --> 00:01:22.439 He said to these wise men of Babylon. 00:01:23.474 --> 00:01:28.214 Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means, will be dressed in 00:01:28.219 --> 00:01:33.734 purple robes of royal honor, and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. 00:01:34.574 --> 00:01:37.814 He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 00:01:39.344 --> 00:01:44.324 But when all the king's wise men had come in, none of them could read the 00:01:44.324 --> 00:01:46.874 writing or tell him what it meant. 00:01:47.744 --> 00:01:51.644 So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. 00:01:52.214 --> 00:01:54.224 His nobles too were shaken. 00:01:55.424 --> 00:01:58.994 But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she 00:01:58.994 --> 00:02:00.644 hurried to the banquet hall. 00:02:01.574 --> 00:02:05.654 She said to Bell Shazer, long live the king. 00:02:06.164 --> 00:02:08.174 Don't be so pale and frightened. 00:02:08.774 --> 00:02:12.704 There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy 00:02:12.704 --> 00:02:15.914 gods during Nebuchadnezzar's reign. 00:02:16.304 --> 00:02:20.114 This man was found to have insight, understanding, and 00:02:20.114 --> 00:02:22.124 wisdom like that of the gods. 00:02:23.084 --> 00:02:27.314 Your predecessor, the king, your predecessor, king Nebuchadnezzar, 00:02:27.794 --> 00:02:32.324 made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, 00:02:32.714 --> 00:02:34.964 and fortune tellers of Babylon. 00:02:35.774 --> 00:02:41.834 This man Daniel, whom the king named Belt Shazer, has exceptional 00:02:41.834 --> 00:02:45.674 ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. 00:02:46.394 --> 00:02:51.734 He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. 00:02:52.334 --> 00:02:56.744 Call for Daniel and he will tell you what the writing means. 00:02:57.614 --> 00:03:00.074 So Daniel was brought in before the king. 00:03:00.944 --> 00:03:02.204 The king asked him. 00:03:02.819 --> 00:03:06.869 Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my 00:03:06.869 --> 00:03:08.789 predecessor, king Nebuchadnezzar. 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:13.229 I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you, 00:03:13.469 --> 00:03:17.459 and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. 00:03:18.449 --> 00:03:23.879 My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:26.849 me their meaning, but they cannot do it. 00:03:27.689 --> 00:03:30.299 I am told that you can give interpretations and 00:03:30.299 --> 00:03:31.709 solve difficult problems. 00:03:32.819 --> 00:03:37.859 If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in 00:03:37.859 --> 00:03:43.739 purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. 00:03:44.429 --> 00:03:47.969 You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 00:03:49.289 --> 00:03:51.179 Daniel answered the king. 00:03:52.399 --> 00:03:55.349 Keep your gifts or give them to someone else. 00:03:55.829 --> 00:03:58.079 But I will tell you what the writing means. 00:03:58.904 --> 00:04:01.304 Your Majesty the most high. 00:04:01.304 --> 00:04:08.504 God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory and honor to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar. 00:04:09.104 --> 00:04:14.294 He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages 00:04:14.594 --> 00:04:16.604 trembled before him in fear. 00:04:17.744 --> 00:04:18.734 He killed those. 00:04:18.734 --> 00:04:20.924 He wanted to kill and spared those. 00:04:20.924 --> 00:04:22.034 He wanted to spare. 00:04:22.904 --> 00:04:24.014 He honored those. 00:04:24.014 --> 00:04:26.564 He wanted to honor and disgraced those. 00:04:26.564 --> 00:04:27.974 He wanted to disgrace. 00:04:28.619 --> 00:04:32.489 But when his heartened mind were puffed up with arrogance, he 00:04:32.489 --> 00:04:36.029 was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 00:04:36.659 --> 00:04:38.879 He was driven from human society. 00:04:39.269 --> 00:04:44.429 He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. 00:04:45.044 --> 00:04:49.394 He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven 00:04:49.754 --> 00:04:54.044 until he learned that the most high God rules over the kingdoms 00:04:54.049 --> 00:04:56.444 of the world and appoints anyone. 00:04:56.444 --> 00:04:58.364 He desires to rule over them. 00:04:59.654 --> 00:05:01.424 You are his successor. 00:05:01.814 --> 00:05:05.144 Oh, bell Shazer, and you knew all this. 00:05:05.384 --> 00:05:07.574 Yet you have not humbled yourself. 00:05:08.234 --> 00:05:12.974 For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups 00:05:12.974 --> 00:05:14.594 from his temple brought before you. 00:05:15.524 --> 00:05:19.784 You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from 00:05:19.784 --> 00:05:26.204 them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. 00:05:26.624 --> 00:05:30.584 Gods that neither see nor hear, nor know anything at all. 00:05:31.844 --> 00:05:35.264 But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of 00:05:35.264 --> 00:05:38.024 life and controls your destiny. 00:05:39.134 --> 00:05:42.884 So God has sent this hand to write this message. 00:05:44.414 --> 00:05:50.114 This is the message that was written, meany, meany, tackle, and Parson. 00:05:50.894 --> 00:05:52.844 This is what these words mean. 00:05:53.774 --> 00:05:55.394 Mimi means numbered. 00:05:56.024 --> 00:06:00.404 God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. 00:06:01.274 --> 00:06:02.774 Tackle means weighed. 00:06:03.404 --> 00:06:06.764 You have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. 00:06:07.634 --> 00:06:09.344 Parson means divided. 00:06:09.944 --> 00:06:14.654 Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Meads and Persians. 00:06:15.314 --> 00:06:20.084 Then at Bel Shazer's command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes. 00:06:20.294 --> 00:06:24.344 A gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the 00:06:24.344 --> 00:06:26.384 third highest ruler in the kingdom. 00:06:27.389 --> 00:06:34.859 That very night Bell Shazer, the Babylonian king was killed and darris. 00:06:34.889 --> 00:06:39.179 The mead took over the kingdom at the age of 62 00:06:41.459 --> 00:06:47.399 Darras, the mead decided to divide the kingdom in into 120 provinces, 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:51.449 and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. 00:06:52.094 --> 00:06:57.704 The King also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high 00:06:57.704 --> 00:07:00.884 officers and protect the king's interests. 00:07:01.694 --> 00:07:04.994 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other 00:07:04.999 --> 00:07:06.944 administrators and high officers. 00:07:07.754 --> 00:07:11.954 Because of Daniel's great ability, the king made plans to place 00:07:11.954 --> 00:07:13.964 him over the entire empire. 00:07:15.089 --> 00:07:19.409 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some 00:07:19.409 --> 00:07:23.849 fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't 00:07:23.854 --> 00:07:26.339 find anything to criticize or condemn. 00:07:27.239 --> 00:07:31.949 He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. 00:07:32.729 --> 00:07:37.979 So they concluded our only chance of finding grounds for accusing 00:07:37.979 --> 00:07:41.789 Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion. 00:07:42.974 --> 00:07:46.754 So the administrators and high officers went to the king and 00:07:46.754 --> 00:07:50.024 said, long Live King, Doris. 00:07:50.654 --> 00:07:52.244 We are all in agreement. 00:07:52.454 --> 00:07:57.314 We administrators, officials, high officers, advisors, and governors 00:07:58.034 --> 00:08:01.874 that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. 00:08:02.609 --> 00:08:05.369 Give orders that for the next 30 days. 00:08:05.969 --> 00:08:12.629 Any person who prays to anyone, divine or human except to you, your majesty 00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:16.319 will be thrown into the den of lions. 00:08:17.159 --> 00:08:22.229 And now your majesty issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed. 00:08:22.589 --> 00:08:26.819 An official law of the Meads and Persians that cannot be revoked. 00:08:27.689 --> 00:08:30.479 So King Dars signed the law. 00:08:31.709 --> 00:08:35.999 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt 00:08:35.999 --> 00:08:41.099 down as usual in his upstairs room with its windows open toward Jerusalem. 00:08:41.849 --> 00:08:48.929 He prayed three times a day just as he had always done giving thanks to his God. 00:08:49.829 --> 00:08:53.579 Then the officials went together to Daniel's house and found him 00:08:53.579 --> 00:08:56.399 praying and asking for God's help. 00:08:57.209 --> 00:09:00.509 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. 00:09:01.349 --> 00:09:05.759 Did you not sign a law that for the next 30 days, any person who 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:11.579 prays to anyone, divine or human except to you, your majesty will 00:09:11.579 --> 00:09:14.099 be thrown into the den of lions? 00:09:14.849 --> 00:09:15.509 Yes. 00:09:15.749 --> 00:09:19.109 The king replied that decision stands. 00:09:19.529 --> 00:09:24.359 It is an official law of the Meads and Persians that cannot be revoked. 00:09:25.664 --> 00:09:30.464 Then they told the king that Man Daniel, one of the captives from 00:09:30.464 --> 00:09:33.044 Judah is ignoring you and your law. 00:09:33.464 --> 00:09:36.614 He still prays to his God three times a day. 00:09:37.424 --> 00:09:42.104 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled and he tried to 00:09:42.109 --> 00:09:43.964 think of a way to save Daniel. 00:09:44.774 --> 00:09:49.784 He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. 00:09:50.999 --> 00:09:56.399 In the evening, the men went together to the king and said, you're majesty. 00:09:56.789 --> 00:10:01.889 You know that according to the law of the Meads and the Persians, no law, 00:10:01.894 --> 00:10:04.289 that the king signs can be changed. 00:10:04.949 --> 00:10:10.319 So at last, the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and 00:10:10.319 --> 00:10:13.049 thrown into the den of lions. 00:10:13.829 --> 00:10:20.564 The king said to him, May your God, whom you serve so faithfully rescue you. 00:10:21.614 --> 00:10:24.884 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. 00:10:25.694 --> 00:10:31.334 The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles 00:10:31.514 --> 00:10:33.854 so that no one could rescue Daniel. 00:10:34.914 --> 00:10:39.134 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. 00:10:39.884 --> 00:10:44.474 He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night. 00:10:45.359 --> 00:10:46.229 Very early. 00:10:46.229 --> 00:10:50.579 The next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions den. 00:10:51.359 --> 00:10:54.179 When he got there, he called out an anguish. 00:10:54.929 --> 00:11:00.839 Daniel servant of the living God was your God, whom you serve so faithfully 00:11:00.844 --> 00:11:03.089 able to rescue you from the lions. 00:11:04.049 --> 00:11:11.279 Daniel answered, long live the king, my God, sent his angel to shut the lion's 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:13.919 mouths so that they would not hurt me. 00:11:14.459 --> 00:11:19.619 For I have been found innocent in his sight and I have not wronged you. 00:11:19.649 --> 00:11:20.579 Your majesty. 00:11:21.689 --> 00:11:26.159 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. 00:11:27.089 --> 00:11:31.799 Not a scratch was found on him for he had trusted in his God. 00:11:33.269 --> 00:11:38.729 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. 00:11:39.449 --> 00:11:44.579 He had them thrown into the lion's den along with their wives and children. 00:11:45.749 --> 00:11:49.349 The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they 00:11:49.349 --> 00:11:51.179 even hit the floor of the den. 00:11:52.379 --> 00:11:57.209 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and 00:11:57.209 --> 00:12:02.939 nation and language throughout the world, peace and prosperity to you. 00:12:03.749 --> 00:12:08.159 I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:14.609 before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and he will endure forever. 00:12:15.299 --> 00:12:19.649 His kingdom will never be destroyed and his rule will never end. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:22.439 He rescues and saves his people. 00:12:23.189 --> 00:12:28.409 He performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. 00:12:29.099 --> 00:12:32.879 He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. 00:12:33.944 --> 00:12:40.154 So Daniel prospered during the reign of DARS and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.