6. Shema Yisrael

Time:  622 BC - 605 BC
Place:  Jerusalem

With the rediscovery of the Book of the Law, Josiah and Jeremiah would have instructed the Israelites to the most important verse in the Book of the Law - Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one.

Hebrew:
:שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יהוה אֶחָד

These words express the uncompromising worship of the one true God, Yahweh. Once our focus is on Yahweh God, this verse is immediately followed by the command, "You must love Yahweh God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut 6:5)

At the time, the Israelites had strayed from the one true God and worshipped many idols and gods.  True spiritual revival calls people to return to worship and love the one true God Yahweh with all of their being.

Parents were instructed to impress these commandments onto the hearts of their children. They were to talk about them while sitting at home, walking along the road, lying down and getting up.

It is under this kind of spiritual atmosphere that Daniel lived in his early childhood under Josiah's revival and Jeremiah's preaching.  Jeremiah was a prophet preaching in Jerusalem at that time.  A firm spiritual foundation was laid.  Daniel knew the one true God Yahweh in his heart and to love God with all his being.

Let us also follow the same as we teach our children about the one true God, Yahweh, to worship and to love Yahweh God with all their hearts.

**This video is an excerpt from our Music Drama in Easter Camp 2014**

Dare To Be A Daniel

We are now preparing for the upcoming Easter camp 2014.

Our Homemakers have chosen a theme:  Dare to be a Daniel!

As I was meditating on the life of Daniel, and the situation in which Daniel was in when he was exiled to Babylon, I can picture scenes of Daniel by the River of Babylon.

As a young boy, in his teens, Daniel was taken to Babylon.  He was faithful to God  through the 4 different kings: Nebuchudnezzar, Balshazzar, Darius and Cyrus.

Daniel's faith and testimony was so great that all these 4 reigning kings (Babylon, Medes, Persia) came to recognize that Daniel's God is the God of all gods and Lord of kings (Dan 2:47).  They all came to recognize this One True God that Darius made a decree that all royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for "He is the living God enduring forever." (Dan 6:26)

Our mission too is to make known to the world "this Living God who endures forever".

Daniel was an old man, in his late 80s, under Cyrus reign where he lived to see his dream and vision coming true for the Jews to return to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity in Babylon.

I can envision in my mind Daniel's heart in Babylon in those 70 long years where he prayed and longed for Yahweh's people to return Zion.

Psalm 137

By the waters of Babylon,

    there we sat down and wept,

    when we remembered Zion.

 On the willows there

    we hung up our lyres.

For there our captors

    required of us songs,

and our tormentors, mirth, saying,

    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How shall we sing the Yahweh's song

    in a foreign land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

    let my right hand forget its skill!

Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,

    if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem

    above my highest joy!

Today, our situation is the same.

Singing Yahweh's Song carries Daniel through his 70 humble years of faithful service to God.  

Let Daniel's example inspire us to steadfastly trust in God to fulfill God's mission on this earth.

How shall we sing Yahweh's Song in a foreign land?

Feel free to give your feedback and comments :)