少儿圣经故事:但以理(五)/Daniel Lesson 5

??Introduction：King Darius was busy setting up his new kingdom. He had chosen 120 men to be princes in his kingdom. They must have been feeling pretty important to be chosen as leaders in the most powerful kingdom in the world. Over the 120 princes, the king set 3 presidents. Of the 3 presidents, the Bible says that Daniel was first.

??Daniel was an old man now, probably about 96 years old, but the Bible says, "Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm." Daniel 6：4 says, "forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." With God's help, Daniel had proved to be a stedfast, faithful person.

??Main Teaching：If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, God will help you be stedfast and faithful to Him. What does it mean to be stedfast and faithful？It means that whether someone is watching you or not, you will do the right thing. If you are a stedfast and faithful student at school then when the teacher walks out of the classroom, she can trust you to keep doing your school work just as if she were standing 2 over your shoulder watching. If you are faithful, you will do your work just as diligently 3 at home for your parents, as you do for your teachers at school. And most importantly, you will be stedfast and faithful in your work for God! Our Bible verse for today says, " ...be ye steadfast 4, unmovable, always abounding 5 in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor 6 is not in vain in the Lord." If you know the Lord Jesus, God will help you be stedfast and faithful to Him. Others will notice that wonderful quality in you!

??King Darius was quick to notice that Daniel was a faithful and wise man, and the king promoted him. But the other presidents and princes were jealous of Daniel and they tried to find fault with Daniel. But every way they checked his life, they found him doing an excellent job. We have to stop and ask, "Were those jealous men doing a faithful job？" No, rather than taking care of the king's business, their time was spent trying to get an innocent man in trouble. They said, "We won't find any thing against Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Together they came up with an evil plan.

??Daniel 6：6 says, "Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said, "O King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal ...decree that whoever would ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except for the king, should be cast into the den 1 of lions. they urged the king to sign the decree. Everyone knew it was the law of the Medes and Persians that once the king signed a decree, it could not be changed , not even by the king himself.

??Perhaps the king thought his officials were seeking to gain greater loyalty 7 for their king, so he signed the decree. No doubt the king's heralds 8 went quickly to work, for their job was to see that the decrees of the king were publicized to all officials and citizens of the kingdom as soon as possible.

??Daniel was one of the officials who soon heard about the new decree. Would this decree change Daniel's life？Daniel 6：10 says, "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber 9 toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, " just as he always did. Daniel served King Darius well, but his first devotion was to the King of Kings! Daniel was stedfast and faithful in his love and devotion to God. The king's decree nor the den of lions was going to change that.

??Main Teaching：If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, God will help you be stedfast and faithful to Him. Let's say our Bible verse together again, I Corinthians 15：58, "Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Right now as you are reading or listening to this story, someone in the world is suffering persecution 10 because they refused to deny the Lord Jesus. They are being stedfast in their love for Him. What about you？If you know the Lord Jesus, ask Him to help you stand firmly for Him. When you are tempted 11 to play or do other things when you know you have not taken time to read your Bible and pray, ask God to help you do the right thing. When others make fun of you, or threaten you, or try to distract you from serving the Lord, ask God to help you stand for Him! When you do your work at school or at home, ask God to help you do it faithfully, even when no one is watching. You need God's strength to be stedfast and faithful. Daniel was stedfast and faithful in his love and devotion to God, as well as in his work for the king.

??You can be sure the jealous presidents and princes were spying on Daniel. Would he still pray to his God？. Sure enough, they saw Daniel opening his window and kneeling down to pray, as always. Away they ran to tell the king! "Haven't you signed a decree that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within 30 days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions？The king answered, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not change." The evil men could hardly hide their delight as they reported, " Daniel does not regard you, O king, nor the decree that you signed, but he is still praying to his God 3 times a day."

??Suddenly the king must have realized the whole motive 12 behind their decree! It wasn't loyalty to him, it was a murderous plot against the wisest man in his kingdom! The Bible says the king was very displeased 13 with himself. Can you imagine his anguish 14 as he realized he was helping 15 to destroy his most faithful friend？Immediately he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, calling in counselors 16, working til the sun went down trying to find a way to get around the law he himself had signed.

??At sundown the princes and presidents assembled to remind the king, "Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree which the king has established may be changed." It was the law, and not even the king could change it.

??Gospel：Did you know the true and living God has laws that cannot be changed？John 3：36 says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting 17 life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath 18 of God abideth on him." God says that the person who believes on the Lord Jesus will have everlasting life, and nothing can change that. But the person who does NOT believe on the Lord Jesus will suffer God's anger and punishment for sin forever. The God Who created you and everything in the universe loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. His plan is not to destroy you, but to give you eternal life in Heaven! What a wonderful future our loving God has in store! But we are born separated rom Him because of sin. taking drugs or murder or stealing is sin, but God says even the jealous thoughts we think about others is sin. Sin is anything we think, say or do that dis pleases God. We must admit we are sinners and come to the Lord Jesus Christ, God's perfect Son, the only One Who can take care of that sin problem. Many years ago when the Lord Jesus came to earth as a baby and grew up in the land of Israel, most people did not realize they were looking at the Answer to their sin problem! But when Jesus was about 33 years old, He allowed wicked men to nail Him to a wooden cross. Jesus knew He was dying to take your punishment for sin. I Corinthians 15：3 says " ...how that Christ died for our sins..." In 3 days the Lord Jesus rose from the dead and now He is in heaven. The moment you come to Him in prayer, admitting your sin and telling Jesus you believe and receive Him as your Savior from sin, He will save you and give you everlasting life.

??That's God's promise! Not to believe and receive the Lord Jesus means you must take your own punishment for sin, and that is separation from God and His Heaven forever in a terrible place called Hell, prepared for the devil and his angels. God will not change His Word on that.

??The word of King Darius could not be changed, once he had put his signature on a decree. That was the law of the Medes and Persians. King Darius had worked so hard all day trying to get the law changed to save Daniel's life, but his officials reminded him it was impossible. It must have been a very heartbroken king that commanded Daniel to be cast into the den of lions. The king spoke 19 his last words to Daniel："Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." Do you think the king believed that？??Daniel was cast into the den of lions, and a stone was set on the opening of the den. Then the king went sadly back to his palace. He refused to eat, and no music was heard in the palace that night. The king was so tormented 20 by his thoughts that he did not sleep at all. But what about Daniel？Daniel 6：10 says, "Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out sadly, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God Whom you serve continually able to deliver you from the lions？" To the king's amazement 21, he heard a voice answering him from the den of lions!! "O king, live forever. My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; because the Lord knew I was innocent, and you know also, O king, that I have done nothing to hurt you."

??The king was so excited, so happy and immediately he commanded that Daniel be taken out of the den. The Bible doesn't say, boys and girls, but I think the king was so glad to see Daniel alive and well that he might have given him a big hug! The king and his servants looked Daniel over：not one scratch was found on him! The long night was over for faithful, stedfast Daniel, and he was restored to his position and prospered 22.

??However, the Bible says the king commanded to bring the men who accused Daniel, and cast them into the den of lions with their wives and children. There was no one to deliver them, for they had not trusted in the true and living God.

??King Darius wrote a new decree："In every part of my kingdom men shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and stedfast forever."

??Challenge：If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, your God is stedfast and faithful! And He will help YOU to be stedfast and faithful. This week, whether it's reading your Bible and praying, doing your work at home or at school, will you ask the Lord to help you be stedfast and faithful, like Daniel？It will take God's help if someone threatens you or tries to distract you from doing the right thing. But God will help you to be stedfast!

??Say I Corinthians 15：58 to yourself often!

??If you have never believed on Jesus and asked Him to save you from sin, remember, God's Word does not change. Won't you change your mind and today believe on the Lord Jesus' Go now to "How to Be a Child of God."

??大利乌王忙着立国, 他选了一百廿个总督来治理通国, 这些总督心里一定很舒服, 因为当时的玛代王国是世上最了不起的国家。王又选了三个总长来管这一百廿个总督, 圣经告诉我们, 但以理就是这三个总长中最大的。

??虽然但以理当时已经是差不多九十六岁的老人了，但圣经告诉我们：“因这但以理有美好的灵性、所以显然超乎其余的总长和总督、王又想立他治理通国。”但以理书六章四节又说：“只是找不着他的错误过失、因他忠心办事、毫无错误过失。”因着神的帮助，但以理被证明是一个忠诚可靠的人。如果你知道主耶稣是我们的救主，神会帮助你成为一个忠诚可靠的人。

??什么是忠诚可靠？它意味着无论别人怎样看你，你始终做对的事情。老师不在教室里，而你仍然是一个忠心的学生，老师会相信你仍然好好做功课就象他站在你旁边一样。如果你是忠心的，你会在家里为父母勤奋学习就象在学校里为老师一样。更重要的是，你会忠心的为主做工。

??圣经上说：“要忠心，坚定不移，常常为主做工，要知道我们这样不是徒然的。”如果你认识主，神会帮助你忠心到底。别人会在你身上看到你美好的见证。大利乌王很快注意到但以理是一个又忠忠心又有智慧的人，所以提拔他。但其他总长与总督妒嫉他，处处想找他的碴。但无论他们们怎样查看他，却找不出但以理一点差错。我们此时会问：“这些妒嫉的人在忠心的工作吗？”显然没有，他们没有专心去为王做事，反倒花时间来找一个无辜之人的碴。他们商量说：“我们找不出但以理的错，除非在有关他神的律法中去找。”于是他们就密谋了一个恶毒的计划来陷害但以理。

??但以理六章68节记载说：“国中的总长、钦差、总督、谋士、和巡抚、彼此商议、要立一条坚定的禁令．〔三十日内不拘何人、若在王以外或向神或向人求什么、就必扔在狮子坑中．王阿、现在求你立这禁令、加盖玉玺、使禁令决不更改、照玛代和波斯人的例、是不可更改的，即或即或王自己也不能更改。”也许大利乌王认为他的官员在想办法让人对王更忠心，所以他签署了这项法令。王的官员们立即去执行这项法令，因为他们的工作就是让所有国内的人尽快知道王的法令。

??但以理很快就知道了这项新的法规。但这项法规有没有影响到但以理呢？在但以理六章10节中说：“但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺、就到自己家里、（他楼上的窗户、开向耶路撒冷)一日三次、双膝跪在他神面前、祷告感谢、与素常一样。”但以理叫心的为大利乌王工作，但在他生命里排在第一位的却是万王之王！但以理忠心的奉献给神。无论是大王的法令还是狮子洞里的凶猛的狮子都不能改变。

??如果你已经接受主，神会帮助你成为他忠心的仆人。让我们再看哥林多前书十五章５８节：“所以我亲爱的弟兄们、你们务要坚固不可摇动、常常竭力多作主工、因为知道你们的劳苦、在主里面不是徒然的。”你可知道就在你听广播或者在读这个故事时，正有一些人宁愿受逼迫也不抛弃主的名。他们是忠心爱主的人。你呢？如果你已经接受了主，就求主帮助坚固你的心。当你被诱惑去玩耍或去做别的事情而没有花时间去读经和祷告，求主帮助你做对的事情。当别人因此讥笑你，威胁你或者扰乱你服事主的时候，求主帮你站立的住。无论是在学校或者在家里，求主帮助你忠心的服事，无论有没有人看见。你需要神所赐的力量来站稳。

??但以理就是又踏实又忠心的服事神，即使在为大利乌王工作时也是一样的忠心。你可以确信也些妒嫉的总长与总督们肯定在监视但以理，看他是不是还在向神祷告。他们肯定也看到了但以理象往常一样打开窗户跪下祷告。于是他们跑去在王面前告状。“王阿、你不是签署了一项法令，三十日内不拘何人、若在王以外或向神或向人求什么．必被扔在狮子坑中。”王回答说，“实有这事、照玛代和波斯人的例、是不可更改的。”这些诡诈的人按捺不住心中的快乐赶紧告状：“王阿、那被掳之犹大人中的但以理不理你、也不遵你盖了玉玺的禁令、他竟一日三次祈祷。”

??顿时大利乌王肯定意识到这个法令后面的动机。不是对他的忠心，而是要陷害他的国家里面最有智慧的人！圣经告诉我们大利乌王非常愁烦。你可以想象当他意识到他正在帮别人陷害他忠实的朋友时，他是何等的痛苦！于是大利乌王一心要救但以理，召他的法律顾问来筹画解救他，他们商量这件事情直到日落的时候。当日落时，那些总长与总督聚集来提醒王：“王阿、当知道玛代人和波斯人有例、凡王所立的禁令、和律例、都不可更改。”这是律法，即使是王也不能改变他。

??你知道永生神也有律法是不可更改的吗？约翰福音3：36节说：“信子的人有永生。不信子的人得不着永生、〔原文作不得见永生〕神的震怒常在他身上。”神说凡接受基督耶稣做救主的就有永生，这是不可更改的。但拒绝接受主的人面临的是神永远的愤怒与惩罚。创造我们与天地万物的神爱你，已经为你的生命预备了一个美好的计划。他的计划不是毁坏你，而是要赐给你属天的永远的生命。

??爱我们的神给我们预备的是多么美好的计划。可是却因为罪与他隔离。不但吸毒，杀人，偷窃是罪，就连我们对人有妒嫉的心也是有罪的。我们的所想所说所做如果不讨神的喜悦就是罪。我们必须来到神的独生爱子面前承认我们都是罪人，因为只有他才会除去我们的罪。

??在许多年以前，当耶稣来到这个世界，在以色列从婴孩到长大成人，所有的人并没有意识到他们所看到就是如何解决罪的答案。当耶稣在三十三岁时，他任凭人把他钉死在十字架上。耶稣知道他死是为了除去世人的罪。“他为我们的罪死了”（哥前15：3），三天后主耶稣从死里复活，现在他在天上。当你来到他面前祷告，承认你的罪并且愿意相信并接受他做你的救主，他必救你并赐给你永远的生命。这是神的应许！不接受救主耶稣基督意味着你自己要承担你自己的罪孽，就要与神和天堂分离，进入到为魔鬼及堕落的天使所预备的地狱，那是一个可怕的地方。这一点神是不会改变的。

??一旦大利乌王签署了法令，他是不能更改的。这是玛代与波斯的律例。大利乌王虽然想尽办法来救但以理，但他的官员提醒他这是不可能的。相信大利乌王命人将但以理扔到狮子洞时肯定非常伤心。

??可怜的王最后对但以理说：“你所常事奉的神、他必救你。”你认为大利乌王相信吗？但以理被扔到狮子洞里去了，并且用一块石头将洞口封死。然后大利乌王非常伤心的回到他的宫殿。那天晚上他吃不下饭，拒绝任何乐器的声音，甚至难受的整夜不能睡觉。此时的但以理怎么样呢？

??“次日黎明、王就起来、急忙往狮子坑那里去、临近坑边、哀声呼叫但以理、对但以理说、永生神的仆人但以理阿、你所常事奉的神能救你脱离狮子么。但以理对王说、愿王万岁。我的神差遣使者、封住狮子的口、叫狮子不伤我、因我在神面前无辜、我在王面前也没有行过亏损的事。”

??大利乌王非常激动，非常快乐，马上命人将但以理从狮子洞里拉上来。圣经里没有提，孩子们，我相信当大利乌王看到他仍然活着的时候王一定很快乐的拥抱了但以理。王与他的仆人仔细查看但以理，在他的身上找不出一点抓伤的痕迹！漫长的黑夜过去了，忠心的但以理不仅官复原位而且更得王的信任。

??圣经告诉我们王命令将陷害但以理的人连同他们的妻子孩子都扔到狮子洞里去。没有人搭救他们，因为他们不信靠又真又活的神。大利乌王又制定了一条新的法规：“所有的人要在但以理的神面前、战兢恐惧、因为他是永远长存的活神、他的国永不败坏、他的权柄永存无极．”

??挑战：

??如果你已经接受主，神是信实的！他会帮助你做一个忠心的人。在这一周里，不管你是在读经祷告，还是在家里或学校做功课，你能求神帮你更忠心就象但以理一样。当有人威胁你并阻挠你做对的事情时你需要神的帮助。神一定会帮助你更忠心！常常用哥林多前书15：58节来勉励自己。如果你还没有接受耶稣基督做你的救主，要知道，神的话是不更改的。希望你今天就改变你以前的想法来信靠耶稣基督？可以去读一下“怎样成为神的孩子。”