OT # 45
                                                             If I Perish, I Perish
                                                                                              Daniel 1, 3, 6
                                                                                             by Lenet H. Read
(This lesson shows two other signs of the True Israel: 1. One is the Health Law which blesses them and its resultant gift of Revelation. 2. The other is that those who seek to destroy True Israel will themselves be destroyed.) 
I.                    The Book of Daniel is a book of great importance to Latter-day Saints.
    A.     Daniel and his fellows are Israel in exile. Their great longing is to re-establish the Kingdom of God. 
    B.     Daniel’s experiences seeking to come out of exile teaches of the True Israel which is being re-gathered out of latter-day Babylon.

II.                 Daniel’s “Word of Wisdom” shows one more sign of this True Israel.
    A.     The health laws given by the Lord through the centuries are given in wisdom, and will bring physical blessings to the lives of those who hearken. (See Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 89 for Latter-day word of wisdom). 
    B.     More and more studies show Latter-day Saints who obey the Word of Wisdom and Church counsel live longer and happier lives than others.
    (See articles for example: Deseret News, April 14, 2010; Ensign, July 2008.) 
    C. Also, Elder Boyd K. Packer explains, there is a resulting promise of “wisdom” or revelation to the obedient (See November 1979, Ensign, p. 20).
    D. But a significant reality will be to the people as a whole. That Israel, or church, which receives and keeps the Lord’s Health Law will be blessed with bounteous revelation through their prophets to guide them. This is another sign of the True Israel. 
               1. We see this in the Book of Daniel, as he is blessed with many revelations given by Gabriel about the future.
               2. Similarly, the prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continue to be blessed with revelation after revelation, to guide their people through the difficult challenges of the Last Days. 

 III. Daniel’s overcoming the Lions teach of Christ overcoming death (Ch. 6).  Note the parallels.
    A.   Daniel was condemned to die in a tomblike den filled with beasts signifying death.
    B. The den was sealed with a stone.
    C. Yet in the morning Daniel lived, and none of his bones were broken.
    E. His preservation from death was due to his righteousness. “Innocency was found in me… I have done no hurt” (v. 22). (In Jesus’ case, it was also due to the fact He was literally the Son of God).
    F.   Thus, Daniel taught of Christ’s overcoming the jaws of death.

III.               When Daniel’s companions pass harmlessly through fire, it teaches of the True Israel in the Last Days. 
    A.     Daniel’s associates refused to worship false gods.
    B.     Thus they were cast into a fiery furnace.
    C.     But instead, those who sought to destroy them were destroyed by fire.
    D.     The final step of Christ’s deliverance will occur when He returns. 
    E.      Many will seek to destroy the Church and its members.
    F.      When Christ comes, He will send fiery forces, which will destroy the wicked. (See Malachi 4:1 “For, behold the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that he shall leave them neither root nor branch.”
    G.     The event of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego testifies that the righteous will find safety in spite of these terrible destructions.

IV.              The Story of Esther confirms that those who seek to destroy the Lord’s People will themselves be destroyed.
    A.     Point out the similarities between the stories in Daniel and those of Esther: Just as in Daniel, one who was wicked, who sought to destroy someone for worshipping the True God, was eventually himself destroyed. 

VI. Conclusion.
    A.     Point out that this lesson should give us courage to stand for the right, regardless of consequences, trusting that the Lord will bless us.
        1.   There are many stories of faithful saints miraculously preserved from terrible dangers because of faith in and blessings of the Lord.
            a.   Joseph Banks (brother of Elder Ben B. Banks of the Seventy) shared several such true events in his book, A Distant Prayer. This book is about his dangerous flights over Germany in a bomber during World Ward II. Because of his faith, he sustained and eventually became the accepted voice of prayer for his crew, even for one atheist. He also saved all their lives through medical attention given under fire on a horribly crippled plane. He later received one of the U.S. highest awards for his bravery.
             Later, during the 49th flight, their plane was destroyed and he found himself plunging towards the ground, but stuck in a tube. A voice told him how to extract himself. He was the only one of the crew to survive. 
             He was captured, but recounts many remarkable experiences thereafter of how his life was preserved on several occasions.
            One was an amazing recovery from a life-threatening gangrenous infection.
             Another occurred after he and others escaped their captors in Germany, learning they were soon to be turned over to the S.S. for extermination. The escaped prisoners were passing through a German town late at night, single file. Just as he was passing one door, it suddenly opened and out stepped a German soldier. Banks was clearly framed in the light of the door. He still had POW clothing on him which was clearly marked.  The soldier asked him something in German. Brother Banks had no idea what he said, yet, he heard himself answering in German. The soldier replied, “Ja, Ja” and turned and went back into the house.
            When his companions, stunned, asked him what the soldier had said, and what he had replied, Brother Banks had to admit he was clueless. But the Lord had blessed him in that moment with the gift of tongues to save all their lives. 
       B. Stress that these scriptures also contain prophecy. They teach of what will happen at the Lord’s Second Coming. They teach that if we are obedient, something far more wonderful will happen. We will pass through the destructions meant for the wicked, and will be preserved. 
        1.Although it must also be remembered that sometimes even the most righteous are required to pass through the terrors of death. 
        2.In those few cases, the final preservation will be Eternal Life, and far greater blessings beyond the powers of this world.