Episode #3 of "The Bible" series entitled, "Hope" aired last night on the History Channel and it was finally time for the arrival of Jesus.  

The first hour shows the Jews enslaved again in Babylon captivity under Nebuchadnezzar II, king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who orders the destruction of the first temple.  

A moving scene in the first hour is when Nebuchadnezzar has build a huge golden statue in his image.  He sits on his throne and watches the people of Jews kneel down to the idol.  As the thousands of people bow down, the three men - friends of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Hebraic name: Hananiah, Misha'el, and Azariah), stay standing, refusing to worship another god.  They pray as they stand, knowing that punishment will be awaiting them for disrespecting the king.  Nebuchadnezzar orders them to stand under a covering and be lit on fire.  For many watching who knew the story already, the Lord shows up in the flames and protects the men from being burned.  They come out celebrating and all of the Jewish people witness it first hand and are amazed as the 3 men join Daniel and they walk off rejoicing.  

Fast forward to Cyrus, king of Persia, taking over the people and Daniel befriends the king.  Daniel is thrown into the lion's den by the king later over a law of no prayer to any god for 30 days.  Daniel is not killed by the lions and Daniel's God is able to be worshipped.  
The second hour focusing on the tough situations facing Mary and Joseph, from ridicule of the virgin birth by the people to traveling hundreds of miles back to Bethlehem on a donkey with an extremely pregnant Mary because of the government Census.  Both had been spoken to be angels to keep calm about the birth of Jesus and that this was God's plan.  

As Mary, Joseph and Jesus are heading back to Galilee after Joseph has the dream of Herod killing all male new-borns, there is a scene where they travel past rows of men who have been crucified.  Jesus, only a little boy, looks up and sees the men being crucified and we can only speculate if he was already thinking at that small age that he would bear that same death later in life.  

Fast forward 25 years later, they show John the Baptist baptizing people and Jesus coming to be baptized by him.  Jesus then takes center stage as He is on a mission now to be the revolution the world is waiting for, they just don't know it yet.  The episode closes with Jesus on the boat speaking of changing the world with Peter.