[Horses whinny]
Previously on The Bible...
The Jewish nation has been forged in faith
by great heroes.
We obey the law! Anything is possible!
[Chanting] Israel!
Israel! Israel!
Abraham proved he was fit to father a nation.
Moses earned his people's freedom from slavery.
Lord!
Follow me!
God is with us!
David delivered the city of Jerusalem.
Israel!
[Shouting]
But then... The Israelites' faith wavered.
God is with me!
Are you with him, lord? Really?
You are our prophet and I am your king.
Kings became tyrants.
Corruption grew.
Now the connection between God and his people
is at breaking point.
You worship foreign idols,
you defile your God!
Everything the Israelites have fought for
is under threat.
Jerusalem's survival depends on a weak new leader.
The city is doomed
if king zedekiah doesn't return to God.
Fire!
Sync & corrections by wilson0804 www.Addic7ed.com
Jerusalem's 21st king - zedekiah,
is caught between the region's superpowers.
He is conspiring with Egypt.
But owes allegiance to Babylon.
News of his betrayal has reached
the babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.
[Chanting] Nebuchadnezzar! Nebuchadnezzar!
We move! Jerusalem!
[Shouting]
Jerusalem!
You know what it means, Jerusalem?
City of peace!
Jerusalem!
Since the time of David,
prophets like Jeremiah have guided their kings.
They are Israel's direct link with God.
But Jeremiah's warnings have gone unheeded.
Now he delivers a final message to zedekiah.
Surrender to Nebuchadnezzar...
Or die.
Faithless people.
No!
Prophet, what is that?
This is you...
If you are wise,
place yourself under the yoke of Babylon...
accept the lord's retribution,
and know that he is being lenient with you.
These are God's words.
Submit to king Nebuchadnezzar.
Bow your head.
You dare tell your king to bow down?
How dare you question a prophet of God?
It is you who offends...
It's you who must change!
Remove him. Traitor!
[Jeremiah] God is bringing disaster from Babylon.
[Chanting] Jerusalem!
To the gates!
The babylonians!
Quick, get inside!
My son!
Father!
You're too late!
[Shouting]
My son!
Stay!
Father!
Stay there!
[Panting] That's it!
Is the city sealed?
Yes, my king.
No one escapes.
It begins.
After 18 months the trapped Israelites
start to starve.
The desperate resort to cannibalism.
[Woman] Get off...
[Man] Get off!
Archers ready!
Take aim.
Fire!
[Whizz of flaming arrows]
[Whine of incoming arrows]
[Screaming]
Put the fire out!
[Distant shouting]
[Rabbi mutters]
[Door opens]
...so sayeth the lord.
Prophet.
Will you not speak for us in our hour of need?
Nothing has changed.
All Jerusalem will burn...
You wrote: "Repent, repent",
"and all will be well, God will save us."
Look out there!
You're too late.
[Distant shouting]
Now! Now!
[Heaving]
And again! Push!
Hold the gates!
Push!
Strike hard!
Stand together!
Strike hard and victory will be ours...
[Shouts]
And whatever's left of Jerusalem...
[Shouting and heaving]
...help yourselves!
[Shouting]
[Horse whinnies]
[Shrieking]
[Woman screams] Not my child.
As Jerusalem is destroyed,
zedekiah and his sons escape through a secret passageway.
Now you must be brave for me.
Can you do that?
Don't worry - we'll be safe.
Quickly. This way.
His people are not so lucky.
[Shouting]
Jerusalem is ours...
[Horse whinnies]
Jerusalem is ours!
Punish them for trying to resist me...
Make them pay!
[Women screaming]
To the temple!
Take everything...
Then burn this temple to the ground.
[Screaming continues]
The temple! The temple's on fire!
Everything we fought for is lost.
Since the time of Abraham
the Jewish people have struggled for this promised land.
[Shouts]
Now the hopes and dreams of generations
are destroyed.
[Shouting fades]
King Nebuchadnezzar's babylonian army
ransacks Jerusalem.
[Shouting]
The Jewish people flee for their lives.
Among them, a young nobleman called Daniel.
This way, Daniel.
Help us, lord!
It's locked!
Daniel, get behind me.
[Banging on door]
[Unsheathing swords]
Wait!
They look valuable.
Take them alive.
Azariah...
No!
Daniel... Daniel!
Azariah!
No, we're people of God.
Stay together.
Azariah.
[Gasps]
Find zedekiah.
Find his family.
Yes, sir.
There's a price for betrayal.
[Eagle cries]
Don't worry, my boys. We're safe now.
Zedekiah!
Come, come here.
Please...
Leave them please...
Dear God!
Dear God, no! Leave them, please.
King zedekiah!
Shh, shh.
No! Please... please, no.
Please! Dear God.
Dear God, spare them, please!
[Screams]
A pity!
The last thing you'll ever see.
[Shrieks]
Bring him.
[Distant shouting]
The Jewish people are forced into exile.
A 500 mile journey east to Babylon.
Move! Move!
Move!
Jeremiah is one of the few to escape.
He heads to Egypt never to return.
The people have lost their prophet,
their city,
and their king.
You there! On your feet!
All right, lift!
Come on!
The Jewish nation needs a different kind of leader
to survive in Babylon.
A man like Daniel.
Daniel has visionary powers
and is forced to work in Nebuchadnezzar's court.
Has no one anything to tell me?
Can you not even describe my dream?
Silence is no answer!
You're supposed to be 'wise men'...
'Sorcerers', 'seers'...
So what do you see?
Sire...
Forgive me.
No one here can read your mind...
Then what use are any of you?
...but my God can.
He has shown me your dream.
Then you will be able to tell it to me...
Every detail.
You saw a giant statue of a man.
Its head made of gold.
Then a giant stone struck the statue,
smashing it to pieces...
I know that much!
What does it mean?
The statue represents the empires
that will follow yours.
Yours is the greatest - the head of gold.
And the stone that destroys the statue?
That is the kingdom of God.
In the future God will reign over all the world...
Forever.
Destroyed by God.
Yes, sire.
What's your name?
Daniel.
You're a brave man, Daniel.
I value that.
You will serve me.
Will we ever return to Jerusalem?
Jeremiah promised that...
That one day we would.
And in the meantime, what do we do?
Just bow our heads and serve this monster?
I can't do it anymore.
Think about our people, azariah.
As long as we're in the king's court, we can help them.
Imprisoned or dead, we can't.
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed God's temple,
forced us into exile...
My name is azariah, 'he who is helped by God'...
Well I call upon God to help me now!
Don't do this, he'll kill you.
[♪ Choral song accompanied by rhythmic drumming]
I cannot.
I will not worship that.
Now!
[♪ Fanfare]
[Azariah] With all our hearts we follow you...
Bow your heads!
[Azariah] We seek your presence...
With all my heart I follow you.
I fear you.
I seek your presence.
Bring them!
[Daniel] Oh my friends,
your faith will be tested now.
Daniel!
What's wrong with them?
Why would your friends not bow to me?
I assure you, sire, they will serve you faithfully
all their lives, as I will but...
But?
But they will only worship God.
I will make them bow.
[Azariah] We follow you, we fear you, we seek your presence...
[Continues praying]
You.
When we wish to bend something that is hard and unyielding,
what do we do with it?
We put it into the fire.
Majesty...
Take him.
We fear you, and we seek your presence.
Burn them!
Majesty, no!
Burn them!
[Nebuchadnezzar] Bring me wood...
Bring oil...
Please save me!
[Nebuchadnezzar] Fire...
Bring me fire!
[Azariah] Hear my prayer, oh lord. Hear my cry.
The cords of death entangle me,
the anguish of the grave consumes me.
Do not ignore my tears.
I'm overcome by sorrow.
I call upon the name of the lord...
Lord save me...
[Screaming]
The lord hears my cry.
The lord receives my prayer...
[Screaming]
My enemies will be daunted;
They will turn back in shame.
[Grunts]
[Nebuchadnezzar] Why do they not burn?
[Daniel] Lord.
[Murmuring]
It's a miracle.
[Grunts]
[Sobs]
[Groans]
[Relieved chuckle]
People of Judah, rise.
God is with us.
He's with us.
God is with us.
The miracle in the fire unites the Jewish people.
Far from allowing their faith to weaken in exile,
they reaffirm their trust in God.
The laws and histories
that Moses received on mount sinai,
are preserved and compiled
with the books of Joshua, Samuel and kings.
Together, they form the heart of the Hebrew Bible.
The Jewish people have their faith,
but they're still prisoners.
And the only man who can set them free
has lost his mind.
So here you are...
Nebuchadnezzar.
The greatest king and lowliest man on God's earth.
See where your pride has brought you?
And us.
You could have set us free.
Now we are as trapped as you.
[Groans]
Shh...
A new king is coming.
Please God, let him deliver us.
[Horses whinnying]
Within a few years of Nebuchadnezzar's death
a massive army approaches Babylon.
Led by Cyrus, king of persia.
Let them know we've arrived.
The babylonians know they don't stand a chance.
They let Cyrus in without a fight.
[Chanting] Cyrus! Cyrus!
Cyrus will set us free if the prophecy is right.
To protect his fellow Jews,
Daniel befriends Cyrus
and continues to interpret dreams.
But what does your dream mean, Daniel?
It's not my dream, sire.
There's a prophet here in Babylon - Isaiah...
he says:
"Here is a king whose right hand I take hold of"
"to subdue nations before him."
"He is Cyrus."
He names you, sire.
It means God is with you.
I think you flatter me.
But no one has ever died of flattery.
Your majesty has done many great things,
as the record will show.
As it should. *** I am Cyrus, king of the world.
Yet he hangs on Daniel's every word
like he's lost the power to think for himself.
Daniel must be removed.
One month without prayer.
Surely only a traitor would object?
I cannot go back on my word.
I promised them freedom to worship.
It is merely a test of their loyalty.
They've had so many rulers,
we wanted to make sure they saw you as the final...
Ultimate 'king of the world'.
[Bashaa] One month without prayer...
It probably sounds reasonable to Cyrus,
but they know we can't comply.
They don't care about the king,
they just want as much power over him as they can get.
Which means they need you out of their way.
It's a trap for all of us. They want us dead.
A whole month. What will you do?
I don't know.
But I do know I can't live long without praying to God.
Save me, o God, by your name...
Have mercy on me...
According to your unfailing love...
Create in me a pure heart, o God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me...
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your holy spirit from me,
but restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
For disobeying Cyrus, Daniel is arrested
and sentenced to death.
Save me, o God, by your name.
Have mercy on me,
according to your unfailing love...
Sire, are you unwell?
I haven't slept.
Please God I'm not too late.
Sire, should I call the physician?
I have wronged my friend.
Open it!
[Lion snores quietly]
Daniel?
God is with you.
Your God is real.
Your God has saved you.
Yes.
I am Cyrus, king of the world, and my judgment is this:
Your people shall return to Jerusalem.
Their God will be pleased, though, sadly...
They no longer have a temple to worship him in.
Throw him in with the lions.
No... no...!
[Door slams shut]
[Screaming, lions roaring]
Do you know what this is?
It's from the temple in Jerusalem.
It's beautiful.
You know, I've never seen it used.
And staying here in Babylon, I suppose now I never will.
But our children will. When they get to Jerusalem.
When the temple is re-built and the nation is restored...
Our struggle is over.
There's something I need to show you.
Come with me.
Look, our people are heading home.
After decades in exile, moving as one,
with hope and purpose.
They've waited so long for this.
But I fear for their future.
I had a dream.
I saw a great beast,
dreadful and terrible and unimaginably strong
it had great iron teeth,
and it devoured the whole world.
But God will not abandon us.
I saw a great new leader in my dream.
There before me was one, like a son of man,
coming with the clouds of heaven.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power.
Nations and men of every language worshiped him.
This isn't the end, azariah... It's the beginning.
The Jewish people will need help to survive what is coming.
Over the next 500 years,
their tiny nation is attacked again and again.
Then they succumb to the might of Rome...
Get in line!
...Roman greed...
Forward!
...Roman law...
...Roman punishment.
Israel suffers like never before.
[Man screams]
Every day, the people pray for a new king David
to lead them to salvation.
Some refuse to wait.
In Jerusalem, a Roman eagle soars
above the Jews' new holy temple.
An abomination to their faith.
Be quick!
It must be removed.
- Guards! - Arrest them!
Hold them off!
Hurry!
[Screams]
Bring them!
The eagle was put on the temple
by the king of the Jews, herod the great.
[Groaning]
A nobleman placed on the throne by the romans.
[Man] Just one more.
[Coughing and spluttering]
[Retching]
There...
Enough! Enough!
Take your butchering hands off me
or I will have them removed!
Ah, the 'bird-men'. Come!
My little rebels who think I am not clean enough
or pure enough, or Jewish enough
for your holy temple!
Well, let me tell you something, I built the holy temple!
I built it!
And if I choose to put a bird on the top
to keep my Roman friends happy, be grateful!
Because if you think that I'm hard to live with,
you should try living with them!
Out!
The Jews long for freedom in their own land.
From the capital Jerusalem
to the provincial backwater of galilee,
the people take comfort in their faith and each other.
[Priest chants Hebrew prayers]
[Joseph] 'Mary, my betrothed,
'you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen,
'and the sweetest smile.'
[chanting of prayers continue]
In the name of herod and Rome - taxes are owed!
- What is this? - We will take this man.
Can't you see you're interrupting the scriptures?
- And you. - No!
This must be a mistake. We're worshiping God here.
Your God, your problem.
Come on!
[Man] This is the house of God!
[Women screaming]
Get back to your father's house, be quick.
[Shouting and screaming]
Get out of my way!
[Joseph] 'Mary...'
give that back!
[Joseph] 'Mary...'
'the lord is with you.
'Don't be afraid.'
you will soon give birth to a son.
He will be the son of the most high.
The holy spirit will move in you.
Don't be afraid.
[Mary] I am the lord's servant.
[Man] The holy one to be born will be called the son of God.
[Joseph] Mary!
Mary?
Tell me what's going on, Mary, please!
Not here!
You're pregnant.
What have you done?
- What on earth have you done? - There's been no one, I swear.
Well, there's been someone, I'm not stupid!
I'm still a virgin.
It's the work of God.
I don't know why I've been chosen,
but I am telling you the truth.
You must believe me.
I thought I knew you.
Please, Joseph.
I need you to be my husband.
I need you to be the father of this child.
The child of God.
Please, my love, please trust me.
Mary, God doesn't do this to people like us.
[Door slams shut]
If this be your work, lord, please help.
Help us...
Joseph, son of David, be at peace.
Take Mary as your wife. She is pure.
The child she carries is from God.
[Wind howls]
[Clamor of voices]
- Jezebel! - Shameless! Shameless whore!
It's not my fault God chose me, I didn't ask for this to happen!
[Man] What does she know about anything?
[Woman] She knows enough to get pregnant.
- Who'll have you now? - [Joseph] I will!
I believe her!
And I will take her as my wife.
If she'll still have me.
Within a few months of marrying,
Joseph and Mary are forced to leave nazareth.
Mary! Are you ready?
Come on.
Rome has ordered a census.
All men must return to the town of their birth.
Joseph takes his new wife to Bethlehem.
A hundred Miles of treacherous open road
with a baby due any day.
Mary and Joseph are alone against the world.
But others are being drawn towards them.
A prophecy from the time of Moses
predicts the birth of a great king of the Jews
announced in the heavens.
[Thunderclap]
A star shall come out of Jacob
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.
[Joseph] Hold on!
[Mary groans]
[Mary] He's coming now! Joseph, he's coming!
Hold on, I'm going to find somewhere.
Hello?
[Knocking on door]
- Stop! He's coming! - Can anybody help us?
He's coming, Joseph, now!
I'm coming! All right, come on!
Hold on!
Stay with me!
[Servant] Sire, the astrologer, balthazar.
Balthazar. Come.
Wine?
You're very gracious, your majesty. I'd rather not.
I wonder, what can you tell me of the new king?
- King? - Of the Jews, yes.
What news of him?
King of the Jews? Am I missing something?
Did you not come here to see the king of the Jews?
Are you not looking at herod, king of the Jews?
Of course.
Then who is claiming to be king?
No one. He is not born yet.
It is a prophecy, heralded by the star.
Surely your scribes have received the revelation...
Stars? Prophecies?
You interrupt my meal for this?
Now please, if you don't mind...
[Slams down cup]
[Balthazar] Herod knows nothing.
We follow the star.
[Herod] Where is this traitorous prophecy?
Have you found it?
- Ah, here! - Read it!
"Isaiah...
'"Therefore the lord himself will give a sign."
Look, look there!
'"A virgin will conceive and give birth to a son."'
help us, please!
'"He will be called wonderful...'
Mary! I've got you.
'"Counselor...'
help us, please.
'"Mighty God...
'"Everlasting father...
' "Prince of peace."'
[Mary groans]
But I am the one who brings peace!
'Do you think some child could do that?'
is it written where this mighty prince will be born?
[Scribe] Micah says it will be Bethlehem.
Bethlehem...
Bethlehem! Gather the troops!
[Woman] A son!
[Joseph] Our son...
Thanks be to God.
Lady, I believe your son is the promised king of his people.
What is his name?
Jesus.
His name is Jesus.
Mary!
[Echoing cries of babies]
Mary!
[Screams]
[Gasping]
We have to leave. Now.
I can't explain, just trust me.
When herod hears a new king is being born in Bethlehem,
he orders the murder of every infant boy.
Kill any you find!
This way!
[Soldier] Get them all! [Woman] My son!
[Screaming]
[Soldier] Get the boy!
[Screaming]
[Wailing]
The massacre of the innocents.
One child escapes.
Herod will never know that the slaughter in Bethlehem
was for nothing.
He's dying.
His last paranoid act,
the execution of his eldest son for plotting against him.
Father, please!
[Choking]
When herod dies,
the people sense an opportunity to win their freedom.
Israel explodes.
[Screaming and shouting]
But the Roman response is brutal.
The uprising is crushed.
In galilee alone two thousand are crucified.
[Screams of agony]
[Wailing]
[Mary] We're nearly there, Jesus. We're almost home.
[Crows cawing]
Joseph!
[Flies buzzing]
What have they done?
We must trust in God's plan.
As he trusts in us.
Rome has taken direct control of Jerusalem and judea.
Herod's son antipas awaits the arrival
of the fourth Roman governor in twenty years,
the arrogant and ruthless Pontius pilate.
Greetings, prefect.
Welcome to judea.
I hope your time here will be prosperous and peaceful.
I intend to make sure it is.
Orders from Caesar. This dissent must stop.
For pilate and antipas,
any gathering of people is a threat.
Repent and your sins shall be forgiven.
At the river Jordan,
crowds flock to John the baptist.
I baptize you, ready for the new kingdom.
As you are cleansed...
...so all Israel shall be cleansed!
[Man] Are you the messiah?
- You said there was trouble. - In the desert.
The people are flocking to this wild man, John.
They think he's a prophet.
Some even call him the 'messiah'.
Do you truly repent?
God's axe is ready.
Every tree that does not produce good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
All flesh shall see the salvation of God!
[Pilate] 'And what is a messiah?'
[antipas] 'The redeemer of the Jews.'
anointed by God to set them free.
Then you need to keep an eye on your 'messiah'.
[John] There is one to come, greater than me,
who will baptize with fire.
I am just the voice in the wilderness,
preparing the way for the...
[Muttering and whispering]
...lord.
Don't stop.
Surely I need you to baptize me.
John, what you are doing is right.
Baptize me.
After his baptism, Jesus enters the wilderness.
For forty days his spirit is tested,
preparing him for the challenges to come.
[Sobbing]
[Hissing]
[Jesus] Satan...
If you are the 'son of God',
command that this stone becomes bread.
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
[Satan] If God loves you, throw yourself down.
His angels will lift you up in their hands.
How dare you put God to the test!
If you will bow down and worship me,
I will give you the whole world.
[Groaning]
Crucify him!
[Groaning]
Get away from me, Satan.
I worship the lord my God
and serve him only!
Jesus resists Satan's temptations
and prepares to begin his mission.
But it will be without John the baptist.
He has been arrested by antipas.
Come on, scum!
Get in!
Far from the authorities in Jerusalem,
Jesus returns to his home region of galilee,
and heads to the shore of the inland sea.
His mission begins here.
[Deep breathing]
[Clamor of crowds]
Do you need help?
I'm not looking for any help.
And besides, there's nothing to help with.
Hey, what are you doing?
You can't just climb into my boat!
Yeah, you're right. Give me a helping hand.
What do you think you're doing?
We're going fishing.
There are no fish out there this time of day.
In fact, there are no fish out there any time of day.
[Jesus] Peter...
Just give me an hour,
and I will give you a whole new life.
Who says I want one?
I tell you, there's no fish out there.
What am I going to do with you?
You and your dangerous mouth.
Listen.
[Antipas chuckles]
To a seditious fool? I don't think so.
To God's message.
'The kingdom of heaven is near.'
[antipas] 'So you do claim to be the messiah?'
[john] 'No.'
[antipas] 'But you think he's coming.'
[john] 'No.'
he's already here.
He's here.
'Out there.
'Speaking God's truth
'opening the hearts of all men.'
[peter groans]
[Gasping]
How did this happen?
What did you do?
I'm giving you the chance to change your life.
Peter, come with me.
Give up catching fish and I will make you a fisher of men.
What are we going to do?
Change the world.
He will bring a new age of righteousness and justice!
His power will draw all men to a new world! All people!
If you hunger for righteousness,
you will be filled through me.
Whoever believes in me, shall never die.
[Woman] Mary, he's here!
Who?
Jesus, he's back!
[Jesus] Blessed are the poor,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
What are you saying, that you are the messiah?
The chosen one, sent by God? No?
It has begun.
Five thousand came to see him. Five thousand!
Soon we will go to Jerusalem.
It's too dangerous!
The messiah from galilee in Jerusalem at passover,
how timely.
[Nicodemus] What if he comes with thousands of supporters?
The city will already be breaking at the seams
with those arriving for the festival.
King of the Jews! You can lead us like an army.
We're strong enough to beat the romans.
No, this is not the way.
Roman thieves! Let us show them! Roman thieves!
[Shouting]
We must not allow this miracle man, this fraud,
to disrupt passover.
Is it not written,
"my house shall be called a house of prayer!"
There is something unusual about him.
There is nothing unusual about him,
apart from his ability to cause havoc.
[Pilate] 'If the disturbances that took place today
'are repeated tomorrow, I will shut the temple immediately.'
there will be no passover. I will crush any rebellion.
Do I make myself absolutely clear?
This is our last meal together.
One of you here will betray me.
[Judas] What do you want with him?
Judas, just to talk.
[Shouts]
Are you the son of God?
I am.
Sync & corrections by wilson0804 www.Addic7ed.com