Hearts broken by sin; no hope at all anymore,
Our God has forgotten us because of what we’ve done. But suddenly God spoke, and hope began again,
A New Covenant He’ll bring, a brand new life will come.
I grew up with the Law always pointing at my failures,
I knew nothing could be done to please this God of mine.
I forever stumbled, cursing all my pain and sorrow,
Knowing not even one of my tribe could fully walk the line.
As I grew, I grew to know my father hated me,
Drunk with wine and screaming in the night,
How could I turn out anything but evil?
Pounding his fists into me; bathing me with fright.
I hated my father for all he did to me,
Blamed him for everything as I started drinking, too,
He died one night while staggering somewhere
And filled me with the only joy I knew.
Now as I sit and ponder all I’m hearing
Of what our God will someday really do
I realize the sun will rise tomorrow
And I will still be a lone and grieving Jew.
How wretched this life is, so full of nothing
That a human would ever want or ever need,
How unfulfilling is the Law of God,
A Law I cannot, will not, ever heed.
I hear of love, and laugh to mock it,
We do not love each other, nor could He
Truly love us as His people, sinning people,
People who create our own deep agony.
This promise though DOES intrigue me,
What can it mean that God will write on human hearts?
What instrument could ever write like that?
Would it not kill a man even as He starts?
This mind of mine so muddled and confused now,
In a drunken stupor, who could change it?
Could it be transformed and made like God’s mind?
What miracle of God could rearrange it?
Could I really laugh and not moan on forever,
Joyfully live and not desire to die?
Could I dance with happiness and praise Him,
He who made the sun and moon and sky?
Could I love and care about my family?
Could I forgive my father for all he did?
Could I face the fact that what I’m doing
May not be happening because I was his kid?
Could I long to pray and talk straight to God
And believe He hears all the words I say?
Could I want to remember all His teachings
And gladly with my whole heart obey?
Could I trade this drink that is killing me
This wine that never satisfies my thirst,
For some new wine that really whacks me
And makes me want to always put God first?
I dream of such a day, but I’m still here,
Knowing this dream is for another time,
I will be gone long before it happens,
I wish it would come tomorrow, that would be sublime.
But when this miracle time occurs
And God does release this day for all mankind
What will the people do with all His blessings?
Will they be different from me and not stay blind?
Will they thank God every single morning
Because they really love Him with their hearts?
Will they listen and give their ears to hear Him,
And live in faith, quenching all hell’s darts?
Will they share Him with all strangers til there are none,
And realize how truly blessed they are?
Or will they find themselves so busy with their blessings
That they yawn in God’s face because He’s gone so far
As to loose them from these shackles binding me here
To this time, only wishing I was there
To share in a New Covenant celebration
With these people in love with God everywhere.
I plead with them that when it happens
And their lives aren’t at all like mine (so much at war),
To remember how I wished I could be there with them
And know my sins will never be remembered anymore.
But I live and die Old Covenant
Breaking the Law and knowing that I fail,
I have no hope to ever know His promise
And must live forever locked inside this jail
Of my own making,
though I quickly blame my father’s flaw,
And the calendar that shows me I am living
At the wrong time, in the wrong place, under the Law.
2. Briefly describe the character traits of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. How would their modern-day counterparts minister in various spheres of influence today/
SHADRACH
I love God with my heart and soul,
Serving Him is my full goal,
To put Him first, to follow Him,
Because He’s filled me to the brim.
With the Holy Spirit I’m overflown
And only live to make Christ known.
I read in the headlines this very day
That my Bible I’m to put away
Or burn it, destroying all the pages
That were written by the Rock of Ages.
How foolish man is to think he’ll stand
And be the ruler of this land
When he defies the laws of God.
I really think that it is odd
The government would go so far
As to completely forget just who we are.
From Mayflower on God’s been with us
And blessed America, “In God We Trust”
Is more than a motto, more than a saying,
We trust Him and should be obeying
HIS laws, not man’s that contradict
And disagree with God in sad conflict.
So, I Shad, do solemnly vow
To enter politics and do it now
And soon I’ll change the laws of man
To agree with God, I really can,
With God’s power win each election
And give our country new direction.
Oh, and about my Bible, I’ll read it more,
To stop bad laws AND the devil’s roar.
And if I’m arrested and thrown into jail?
Angels themselves will work out bail!
MESHACH
The theatre bright with glittering lights
Attracts the crowd that comes these nights
To see the star of film and stage
He truly is the latest rage,
Handsome, worldly, deeply skilled,
I went to his dressing room, then my nose filled
With an odor of drugs all through the air
And on his table a pistol there.
Not a prop or a fake, but a real gun
And he looked at me asking “Are you the one,
Meshach, my friend, who believes in Jesus?”
I said, “Yes I am, and if it pleases
You to know Him, too,
I’ll share the King of Kings with you.”
But immediately he picked the gun off his table
Pointing it at me saying “You won’t be able
To tell me about him, for you’ll be dead
With a nasty bullet hole
Through your head!
My mother tried to reach me with that Jesus’ stuff
That’s why I treated her cold and rough
And made her cry, then left the city
Where she went to church. It was such a pity
To see how much she loved the Lord.
All I know is, I was bored.
Do you see them applaud at the end of the show?
Crowds don’t ever want me to see me go.
They love me and that’s all I need
So right now I’m going to make you bleed!”
He pulled the trigger, there was a clicking sound,
A horrified stare while the gun hit the ground
And he screamed, “Who are you?” to the angel who stood
Behind me, The angel was so bright and good,
Just looking at him, you could tell he was kind,
My actor friend thought he’d lost his mind.
The angel said to the actor, “Christ died for you.
Your mother’s prayers will save you, too.
Get down on your knees and pray with Meshach
And that dreadful pain of loneliness will never come back.
You’ll cold turkey the drugs and find a wife
And you’ll know happiness for the rest of your life.
Or pick up that gun and shoot again,
At Meshach who is your closest friend.
He’ll not die, but you will tonight,
Pray or die, I’ve brought you the light.”
His eyes were huge and fixed and staring
At the angel now, gone was his daring,
He got down on His knees and cried as he prayed
For the Lord to come in to him. He hadn’t delayed.
He was born again through his mother’s prayers
And God sent that angel because He cares
About the actor, about me, and about you, too,
If you don’t know the Lord, now you know what to do.
ABEDNEGO
Can you imagine having a name like “Abednego?”
It’s worse than Sue I want you to know.
Every time in school I told someone my name
They laughed and laughed, I felt really lame.
But God was with me, He was my strength,
And always I’d go to any length
To please my Lord and do what He said.
So “Valedictorian” my diploma read.
I entered into business and very soon
My income climbed and reached the moon.
I mean I made money, my bank account soared,
A Lexis, a Lear jet, a mansion, the Lord
O.K.’d every investment, saying “No” at times
He kept me honest and away from all crimes,
Until one day it all could have gone
When a dishonest businessman stood on my lawn
And told me how I could triple my cash,
All I needed to do was use a newsflash
Of a man who owned a business like mine
“He’s your rival,” he sneered, “not your Valentine!
Just publish this picture, smear him real good,
And he’ll lose all his customers,” and I knew he would.
“Think how rich you’ll be then when they all come to you
Publish this picture. That’s just what to do.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” I smiled at this crook
And he gave me the coldest, dirtiest look.
“Why not, Abednego, you have every right.”
“I’ll tell you why not. I couldn’t sleep at night
Knowing I’d ruined a human Christ died for,
And that’s EVERY man.” The wretched man swore.
“You’re a fool, a Christian, you think Christ saves.
There’s no other explanation to why a man behaves
Like an idiot, the way you’re doing now.
Well, I’ve tried to help you but I can’t show you how
To totally destroy your competition
Which should certainly be your main ambition.”
I smiled and tried to make him see
If I was poor and had no key
To car or plane or my huge home
I’d do the same, I wouldn’t roam
From what God says in His Bible clear,
In a world like this it keeps me from all fear.
“Fool!” the wretched man sneered as he walked to his car
You Christians are imbeciles, you go way too far
In following your absolutely invisible King
As if HE gave you everything.
This is the only picture that could ruin that man
And now it will fully be my plan
To publish the photo I alone carry
The axe will fall on his neck and won’t tarry.
Then I’m going to get you some way or other
Neither one of you men are my little brother.
I’m off to the press with the only shot
That exists of this man that will turn him to rot.
Beware from now on Abednego,
Your turn is next, I’ll stop your flow.”
“Let me pray for you first before you drive,
If you knew Christ your business would thrive.”
“Hogwash!” he sneered as he got in his car,
But in horror I watched because he didn’t get far.
A screech of brakes too slow to matter
The crash of steel and the awful clatter
“Dead at the scene,” was the doctor’s report.
The newspaper photo said, “A life cut short.”
The photo of my rival burned up in his car,
God knows how to keep man from going too far.
DANIEL
Consult every book, magazine or manual,
And you’ll never find a greater Christian than Daniel.
Like the Daniel whose name is the name of a Book
In the Bible, you’d enjoy taking a look
At the courage, the faith, the true love of the Lord
That this Daniel has, and he carries his sword
Of faith like a knight in shining armor,
I mean he’s a sight, a real charmer.
Well, one day he was deeply engrossed in God’s Word
When a really cute girl said, “That’s so absurd
For you to be wrapped up so tight in that Book
That you haven’t taken a really good look
At me, ‘cause I love you and I want a kiss,
I don’t want to live the rest of my life as a Miss,
So put down that Bible and give me a smack
And you’ll find that I will kiss you right back.
We can go on and on like that for hours,
And when we’re done we’ll need cold showers!”
Now the girl was gorgeous and that’s the truth
Daniel had watched her at a kissing booth.
He’d not kissed her himself but just watched in awe
As guy after guy kissed her and then he saw
Them stagger away in ecstasy
Delerious and happy as can be.
Daniel told her flat out, “No.
You’re too fast for me, I want to go slow.
There’s a lot more I want to happen in my life
Before I find the woman I want for a wife.”
“Well, then quit talking about marriage, let’s make love
That’s what God is, so it comes from above.
He wants you to experience abundant life
You can’t do that without me.” She cut like a knife
At his willpower, because as she drew close
Her perfume got to him, she’d taken a dose
Of it and it smelled so sweet
Daniel was suddenly swept off his feet.
“Pucker up, baby!” the Delilah said,
And Daniel thought, “I wish I was dead.
Because I know this isn’t God’s will for me,
But my sins are forgiven since Christ died on that tree, Whatever I do is washed in Christ’s blood,
Why not make love?” Then came a thud
As Daniel’s Bible hit the ground
And like an alarm clock, that very sound
Got his attention and he suddenly prayed,
“God, help me!” And no time delayed
The strength came from the Lord to resist,
Later Daniel thought, “What if we’d kissed?
How far could temptation have taken me
Away from God’s will and His destiny
That He’d planned for me from before I was born?
Like Sampson, I almost had my hair shorn!”
But the Lord is a mighty help in trouble
He’ll deliver you, and that goes double
For times of temptation that seem really hard
Until He has your angel set a guard.
It was Daniel’s angel that pushed the Book
From his lap that day and made him look
At what almost happened with that pretty girl
Who had his brain in such a whirl.
And to all who think guys like Daniel are geeks,
He’s getting married in seventy weeks
To a Christian lady who in every way
Would blow that other girl away.
They’ll be partners for life, with joy every day,
Following Jesus, together they’ll pray.
And what if he’d instead married that eager youth
He’d have lost her again at a kissing booth!
3. What do you believe Daniel’s 70th week (a final 7 year period) will look like?
Whenever I hear teachers on eschatology
I think to myself, “Yes, that certainly could be.”
Pre, mid or post, when I hear them again
I find myself eagerly shouting “Amen!”
So I’ve decided firmly that I just don’t know
How the end of time will really go.
“Occupy til I come,” is what Jesus said.
So, I’m far too busy to get it into my head
That I have to know all the answers in life
God knows and to me that ends all the strife.