Series: Resilience
Message: Determination
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 1.

Read: Daniel 1 - As you read in the ESV translation, note 1-3 insights/questions that arise. 

Reflect: Over 100 years have passed since the Northern Kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians. Judah, while independent, was subservient to Assyria. Around 627 Nabopolassar, a Chaldean prince, marched on Babylon and declared himself king. This was the start of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Medes eventually joined the Babylonians in attacking Assyria and Egypt.  In 609, at the battle of Megiddo, Babylon dominated the fertile crescent. It was in this famous battle  that King Josiah died, when he got in the middle of two empires clashing. The kings that followed, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, were all to become vassals of Babylon. Jehoiakim, originally called Eiakim, (renamed by the Pharaoh Neco), at one point tried to burn the scrolls of Jeremiah the prophet (Jer. 36:22-24). He was not a good king his revolts cause more loss for Judah. It was the famous King Hezekiah who instead of giving glory to God for his extended life, showed all the riches and assets of Judah to the princes of Babylon. 

Recalibrate: 

1. When in your life was it good to find out that a decision made at work or school or home was the result of factors out of your control? 
2. Share one life lesson that you have learnt so far. 
3. Print out a map of the fertile crescent and mark the route of the battles. Label Judah, Egypt, Babylon. 
4. What is determination? Look up a dictionary definition and/or share an example. 

Respond: Pray for insight and clarity in your life.

Research: Google - “fertile crescent”, “Chaldean”, “Neo-Babylon Empire”, “Determination”. Read about the battled of Megiddo in 2 Kings 23:29-30 or for the more detailed version 2 Chronicles 35:20-25. What is the connection between Megiddo and Armageddon? What was Jehoiakim’s original name 2 Chronicles 36:2-4?