Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Selections

Chapter Summaries Daniel, 1, 3, 6; Esther 3-8

Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday School Lesson #45

"If I Perish, I Perish" - Esther 4:16

Reference: Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher's Manual, (2001), 2011-15

Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi, (1982), 297-9

The Old Testament Made Easier, Part Three, David J. Ridges

Daniel

            A summary from The Student Manual: "Like many of his brethren the prophets, Daniel was prepared and raised up as a minister to kings and emperors. At the time that Nebuchadnezzar first carried the Jews captive into Babylon (about 605 B.C.), Daniel was chosen as one of the choicest Jewish youths to be taken to Babylon and trained for service in the king’s court. Because of his righteousness and sensitivity to the promptings of the Spirit, he was greatly favored of God. The Lord blessed him with the gift of interpreting dreams and visions. This endowment soon made him an object of greater attention from the emperor, and he was raised to positions that enabled him to spend his life in service to the kings of the land. He became the Lord’s minister to those rulers. He was made chief of the wise men, chancellor of the equivalent of a national university, ruler of all the Hebrew captives, and, as governor of the province of Babylon, one of the chief rulers in both the Babylonian and Persian Empires. Though at times his life was endangered because of the jealousy of evil men, yet he lived so perfectly that the Lord continually protected and preserved him" (p. 297) (Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi, (1982), 297-9).

          

"The purpose of this lesson is to help class members have the courage to live according to gospel standards."

           

Daniel 1 - Daniel  and friends refuses to eat and drink the king's provision

            "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah" Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon conquered Jerusalem (v. 1).   At that time Nebuchadnezzar sought to "bring certain of the children of Israel" who were unblemished, "cunning in knowledge and understanding in science" to Babylon where they would learn the language of the Chaldeans [another name for Babylonians] and serve in the king's palace (vv. 3-4).  Daniel and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were included with these "children of Judah."  And, the prince of the eunuchs [servants in the palace] renamed Daniel and his three friends Belteshazzar, Shaddrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (vv. 6-7).  The king's plan was to nourish those chosen for three years with a daily provision of "meat" [food] and "wine" before "they might stand before the him in his court" (v. 5). 

"It is almost certain that the 'king's meat' included the meat of several different kinds of animals, many of which would have been against the Jews'…law of Moses …and had not been bled before cooking" (Ridges, p. 430).

"But Daniel purposed [committed-footnote 8a] in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine."  Daniel asked the prince of the eunuchs to give him and his friends ten days to prove themselves eating only pulse (foods made of seeds, and grains such as peas, wheat, barley and rye, Student Manual, p. 298), with only water to drink. And the king's servant consented (vv. 8-14).  "And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat."  And Melzar [the eunuch] took away the king's meat and wine for the rest of the Israelite children and gave them pulse (v. 15-16).

            And the Lord blessed the four children with "knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom."  At the end of the time that the king had declared, they were brought before Nebuchadnezzar.  "And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm" (vv. 17-20). 

"The Hebrew word for astrologers and magicians is Ahshaphim, which means an enchanter who uses incantations and who practices hidden arts (see Davidson, Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, pp. li–lii). These people were frequently associated with evil spirits (see Acts 8:9–24). Daniel and his brethren were founded in truth and revelation from God and were thus of much greater wisdom and understanding than the king’s magicians and astrologers" (quoted from the Student Manual, p. 298).

 Daniel 3 - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are cast into the fiery furnace

            Nebuchadnezzar, the king "made an image [a man] of gold whose height was threescore cubits [ninety feet tall, SM p. 299]…and he set it up in the plain of Dura." 

Dura - Easton's Bible Dictionary

"The circle, the plain near Babylon in which Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image, mentioned in Dan. 3:1. The place still retains its ancient name. On one of its many mounds the pedestal of what must have been a colossal statue has been found. It has been supposed to be that of the golden image" (Internet: Biblehub.com).

All the princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, counsellors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered for the dedication of the image.  All were told that when they heard the music, they were to bow down and worship the golden image.  And those who didn't fall down and worship would be "cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace" (vv. 1-6).

            When the music sounded the people fell down and worshipped the golden image.  Now, certain Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego of failing to worship the idol, and they were summoned to appear before the king (vv. 8, 13).  Nebuchadnezzar ask them, "do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image?…if ye worship not, ye shall be cast that same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (vv. 14-15).  And they answered, …our god whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King." And they told the king they would not serve his gods, nor worship the golden image, "which thou hast set up" (vv. 17-18).  The king was so full of fury that he commanded the furnace be heated "one seven times more than it was wont to be heated." Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were bound and cast into the furnace.  It was so hot that the men who cast them in were burned up in the flames of the fire (vv. 19-22).

            And the three men "fell down bound" in the midst of the furnace.  And Nebuchadnezzar said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (vv. 23, 25).  Now the king called to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego saying, "ye servants of the most high God, come forth" and they came forth out of the fire.  And everyone saw that the fire had no power on their bodies, nor was their hair singed or their clothing burned (vv. 26-27).  Then the king spoke, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God."  And he sent out a decree "That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces," and their houses destroyed: "because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon" (vv. 28-30).

Daniel 6 - Daniel prays to God and is cast into the lions den

            Darius,  the king, set one hundred and twenty princes over all his kingdom.  And he appointed three presidents "of whom Daniel was first" [one]- footnote 2a] for the princes to give accounts to.  Daniel was preferred by the king over all the presidents and princes because of his excellent "spirit" [Holy Ghost, Light of Christ] "and the king thought to set him over the whole realm" (vv. 1-4).

            Now the presidents and princes sought to find something against Daniel but could not as he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.  Then all the princes, presidents and rulers consulted together and went to the king asking him to establish a royal statute [law], and to make a decree "that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions…and sign the writing that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not."  And King Darius signed the writing and the decree (vv. 4-9).

            Daniel knew of the writing and the decree signed by the king but nevertheless continued to pray three times a day on his knees in his house giving thanks to his God as he did before.  When the men found Daniel praying, they went to inform the king and to remind him of his decree.  And the king was displeased with himself "and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him" but could not.  So the king commanded that they bring Daniel and cast him into the den of lions and he said to him, "Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."  And the king sealed the mouth of the den with a stone so that "the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel" (vv. 10-17).

            The king went to his palace solemnly fasting all the night without sleeping.  In the early morning he hurried to the den of lions and called out to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the lions?" And Daniel replied, "My God hath sent his angel and hath shut the lions mouths, that they have not hurt me" as my God knew I was innocent; "and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt."  The king was "exceedingly glad" and Daniel was taken from the den.  No hurt was found on him, "because he believed in his God" (vv. 18-23).

            King Darius commanded, and those men who accused Daniel were cast into the den of lions along with their children and their wives.  Then he wrote to all people, nations, and languages, and made a decree, "That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.…who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."  And Daniel prospered during the reigns of Darius the Mede, and Cyrus the Persian (vv. 24-28).

“He had served five kings: Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-merodach, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. Few courtiers have had so long a reign, served so many masters without flattering any, been more successful in their management of public affairs, been so useful to the states where they were in office, or have been more owned of God, or have left such an example to posterity.” (Clarke, Commentary, 4:590; quoted in the Student Manual, p. 304.)

The Book of Esther

            "[Esther] contains the history that led to the institution of the Jewish Feast of Purim. The story belongs to the time of the Captivity [in Babylon]. Ahasuerus, king of Persia (most probably Xerxes), had decided to divorce his queen Vashti because she refused to show her beauty to the people and the princes. Esther, adopted daughter of Mordecai the Jew, was chosen as her successor on account of her beauty. Haman, chief man at the king’s court, hated Mordecai and, having cast lots to find a suitable day, obtained a decree to put all Jews to death. Esther, at great personal risk, revealed her own nationality and obtained a reversal of the decree. It was decided that two days of feasting should be annually observed in honor of this deliverance. They were called Purim because of the lot (Pur) that Haman had cast for the destruction of the Jews.

            The book contains no direct reference to God, but He is everywhere taken for granted, as the book infers a providential destiny (Esther 4:13–16) and speaks of fasting for deliverance. There have been doubts at times as to whether it should be admitted to the canon of scripture. But the book has a religious value as containing a most striking illustration of God’s overruling providence in history and as exhibiting a very high type of courage, loyalty, and patriotism" (lds.org/scriptures/study helps/bible dictionary/Esther).

From the Teacher's Manual:  "Esther was a Jewish woman who lived shortly after the time of Daniel. After her parents died, she was raised by her cousin Mordecai. Esther was very beautiful, and Ahasuerus, the king of Persia and Media, was so pleased with her beauty that he made her his queen."

Esther risks her life to save her people

            Our story begins in chapter three when King Ahasuerus promotes Hamon chief minister above all other princes in his kingdom.  The king commanded that all his servants bow down and reverence Haman.  When Mordecai met him at the city gate, he did not bow or reverence him.  When the king's servants questioned Mordecai, he told them that he was a Jew.  This caused Haman to be full of wrath [anger] "wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai" (vv. 3:1-6).

            Haman went to the king and said to him, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them."  Haman told the king if he would "let it be written that they may be destroyed" he [Haman] would pay ten thousand talents of silver into the king's treasuries.  So the king's scribes came and it was written as Haman commanded, sealed with the king's ring,  and sent to all the governors and rulers over every province.  It stated that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, all Jews, both young and old, children and women, were to be killed and all their spoil was to be taken (3:7-14).

            In every province where the decree was sent, "there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes." When Mordecai perceived all that was done, he "rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry (4:1-3).

            Now Queen Esther was told of the command and was "exceedingly grieved." She asked Hatach, one of the servants appointed to attend her, to ask Mordecai "what it was and why it was."  And Mordecai told the servant all that had happened.  He gave Hatach a copy of the decree "and [told him] to charge her that she should go in unto the king; to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people."  Esther sent word to Mordecai that all the kingdom knew the law if man or woman went into the court, who was not called by the king, he would be killed except if the king "shall hold out the golden sceptre" that he may live.  And she had not been called unto the king for thirty days. When Mordecai heard Esther's words he answered her: " Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement [HEB relief] and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (4:4-14).

            And Esther answered Mordecai: " Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan [under Cyrus the capital of the Persian Empire, Bible Dictionary] and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai did all that Esther commanded him (4:15-17).

            The scriptures tell us on the third day, Esther dressed in her "royal apparel" and stood in the inner court of the king's house.  The king saw her and he held out the golden sceptre.  She drew near and "touched the top of the sceptre."  Then she invited the king and Haman to a banquet she prepared for him.  At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, "What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to half of the kingdom it shall be performed."  And Esther answered, "If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them and I will do to morrow as the king hath said" (5:1-8).

            Again, Haman saw Mordecai at the king's gate "that he stood not up, nor moved for him."  But Haman restrained himself and returned home happy that the queen invited only him and the king to her banquet. Nevertheless, that day Haman had gallows built so that Mordecai could be hanged before the banquet (5:9-14).

            That night the king could not sleep and commanded that the book of records of the chronicles be read to him.  He found written that the Jew, Mordecai, had once rescued him from a plot to lay hands on the king, Ahasuerus.  And Haman was in the court to request the hanging of Mordecai.  Seeing Haman the king ask him what should be done to the man which he wished to honor.  Haman thinking the honor was to be his, suggested he be given royal clothing and crown along with the royal horse.  And the king ordered Haman to do as he suggested and told him to take the clothing and the horse to Mordecai and bring him through the city streets riding on the royal horse.  Haman mourned that instead of hanging Mordecai he was ordered to honor him (6:1-11).

            On the second day of the banquet the king again ask Esther, "What is thy petition?"  Then she answered, "If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish" (7:3-4).  And the king ask Esther who would dare to do so, and she answered it was Haman.  So they took Haman away and hung him on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai (7:5-10).

            Now Esther asked the king to reverse Haman's plot to kill the Jews and letters were sent throughout the kingdom "…and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language" (8:5-6, 9).

            "And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them" (8:15-17).

           "Purim (Feast of Esther) is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month Adar, or exactly four weeks before Passover. It is held in honor of Esther, a beautiful Jewish queen" (lds.org/ Scriptures/ Study Helps/Bible Dictionary).

The ultimate blessings of courageous obedience

             "Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther, and Mordecai all had the courage to do what was right, even when doing so put their lives at risk." Others from the scriptures who overcame trials with courage and obedience were Sarah, Joseph sold into Egypt, the Savior, Nephi, Alma and Amulek and our own prophet Joseph Smith (see referenced scriptures in the Teacher's Manual).