| A QUICK LOOK BACK Israel is forced to accept the things it cannot change. They are stuck in Babylon as exiles, and for the time being, nothing is going to change that. God is still God though, no matter how far away from home they might be. THE WEEK AHEAD As we look ahead, though, Exile is still the reality. We meet Daniel and his friends who are Jews from Jerusalem who have found a strange place of honor in the courts of the king of Babylon. Remember Joseph? He was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers and ended up being pharaoh’s second in command. It’s hard to keep a good man down, and it’s hard to keep a God fearing, covenant keeping Child of God down, too. Now that doesn’t mean that Daniel and his friends are living on easy street. They may not be working in the canals, but they still have enemies all around them who resent their position in the court. As is often the case, they forced to choose between fitting in with those around them and remaining obedient to God. This fiery choice leads to one of the most memorable scenes in the entire Bible. If you are ever placed in a situation like this, how would you choose? Keep reading and I’ll see you in the Bible! WEEK 37 Reading Schedule: Sep 10 Ezekiel 42-43 Visions of the Temple Sep 11 Ezekiel 44-45 Visions of the Temple Sep 12 Ezekiel 46-48 Instructions for the Future Use of Temple Sep 13 Joel A Plague of Locusts Sep 14 Daniel 1-3 Golden Image and Fiery Furnace Sep 15 Daniel 4-6 Daniel and the King. The Lions’ Den Sep 16 Daniel 7-9 Daniel’s Visions |
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