Friday, January 26, 2007
Daniel
Hi,
A Story from the Bible
Long ago in Babylon, Joakim married Susanna who was very beautiful and God-fearing according to the law of Moses. Joakim was very rich and respected by the Jews and they had recourse to him. There were two elders who were appointed judges. These two judges also frequented the house of Joakim.
Susanna loved to walk in the garden in the afternoon. One day the two judges had not left with the people as usual. When they saw her they began to lust for her.
They turned their mind way from God and also neglected their just judgments, and each one was shameful to tell the other his trouble over his lustful desire. Day by day they watched eagerly for her. One day they left and parted, but both returned; they met, and so admitted their lust. Then they agreed to look for an occasion to meet her alone.
One day, Susanna decided to bathe in the garden; she sent her two maids to fetch oil and soap and to shut the garden doors. They did as she instructed and left by the side gate, all unaware that the judges were hidden inside. As soon as the maids had left, the two old men hurried to her. They said, "The garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you." Being trapped thus, Susanna had two choices, to yield and suffer shame and death or to refuse and fall into their cunning power. She decided that it was better to suffer without guilt than to sin before the Lord; Susanna shrieked.
Thereupon the two judges shouted and one of them ran and opened the garden doors. When the servants came to investigate they heard the judges accusations and were ashamed.
The next day, the two wicked old men came with the people before Joakim and declared their accusations, fully determined to put Susanna to death. When she was brought in she was veiled, but she looked very feminine and beautiful. They ordered her veil removed and feasted on her beauty. All this while her relatives and the onlookers were weeping, while Susanna through her tears looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
Then they laid their hands on her head and narrated, as they had threatened, her infidelity with a young man whom they were unable to apprehend. The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned Susanna to death.
But Susanna cried aloud, "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be; you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me."
The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud, "I will have no part in the death of this woman." All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?" He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O Israelites! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her."
When they reassembled the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age."
So Daniel requested for the two wicked men to be separated. He said to one, "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term, passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, 'The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.' If you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together."
"Under a mastic tree," he answered.
"Your fine lie has cost you your head," said Daniel, "for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from Him and split you in two."
When the other man was brought in Daniel said to him, "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience, this is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together."
"Under an oak tree," he said.
"Your fine lie has cost you your head also," said Daniel, "for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both."
The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those that hope in him. They rose up against the two judges, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. And according to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on Susanna; they put them to death. Innocent blood was thus spared that day.
And from that day onward Daniel was greatly esteemed by the people.
Have a nice day
Ronald
A Story from the Bible
Long ago in Babylon, Joakim married Susanna who was very beautiful and God-fearing according to the law of Moses. Joakim was very rich and respected by the Jews and they had recourse to him. There were two elders who were appointed judges. These two judges also frequented the house of Joakim.
Susanna loved to walk in the garden in the afternoon. One day the two judges had not left with the people as usual. When they saw her they began to lust for her.
They turned their mind way from God and also neglected their just judgments, and each one was shameful to tell the other his trouble over his lustful desire. Day by day they watched eagerly for her. One day they left and parted, but both returned; they met, and so admitted their lust. Then they agreed to look for an occasion to meet her alone.
One day, Susanna decided to bathe in the garden; she sent her two maids to fetch oil and soap and to shut the garden doors. They did as she instructed and left by the side gate, all unaware that the judges were hidden inside. As soon as the maids had left, the two old men hurried to her. They said, "The garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you." Being trapped thus, Susanna had two choices, to yield and suffer shame and death or to refuse and fall into their cunning power. She decided that it was better to suffer without guilt than to sin before the Lord; Susanna shrieked.
Thereupon the two judges shouted and one of them ran and opened the garden doors. When the servants came to investigate they heard the judges accusations and were ashamed.
The next day, the two wicked old men came with the people before Joakim and declared their accusations, fully determined to put Susanna to death. When she was brought in she was veiled, but she looked very feminine and beautiful. They ordered her veil removed and feasted on her beauty. All this while her relatives and the onlookers were weeping, while Susanna through her tears looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
Then they laid their hands on her head and narrated, as they had threatened, her infidelity with a young man whom they were unable to apprehend. The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned Susanna to death.
But Susanna cried aloud, "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be; you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me."
The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud, "I will have no part in the death of this woman." All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?" He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O Israelites! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her."
When they reassembled the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age."
So Daniel requested for the two wicked men to be separated. He said to one, "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term, passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, 'The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.' If you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together."
"Under a mastic tree," he answered.
"Your fine lie has cost you your head," said Daniel, "for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from Him and split you in two."
When the other man was brought in Daniel said to him, "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience, this is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together."
"Under an oak tree," he said.
"Your fine lie has cost you your head also," said Daniel, "for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both."
The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those that hope in him. They rose up against the two judges, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. And according to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on Susanna; they put them to death. Innocent blood was thus spared that day.
And from that day onward Daniel was greatly esteemed by the people.
Have a nice day
Ronald
# posted by chunmu @ 7:00 PM 
