The various articles (7) in this series (Divine influencers in Babylon) are not an exegesis in the entire book of Daniel. It’s simply a focus on certain requirements anyone desiring to influence the Babylon of our day must possess. Our major focus will be on Daniel Chapter 1 verse 4.
Children in whom was no blemish but well favoured and skilful in all wisdom; cunning in knowledge and understanding science; such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. (Daniel 1:4)
In this article, we shall start with understanding the historical background of Judah during the days of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. A good understanding of what Judah was in those days will help our understanding of the scriptural passage we’re considering.
Historical background of Judah in the days of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel
The famous battle of Megiddo was about to go down. It was going to reshape territories by either affirming the supremacy of pharaoh Necho II of Egypt or mark a pivotal moment for the neo-Babylonian empire led by Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabopolassar the king of Babylon.
The Medes and Babylonians had overthrown the Assyrian empire, and Pharaoh Necho needed his allies (albeit weakened) to fight Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel in years to come would describe Nebuchadnezzar as the head of gold (Daniel 2:38).
King Josiah of Judah
There were a few problems though: Necho II needed to form an alliance with another kingdom to stand a chance. But more especially he needed to get to the Euphrates through the kingdom of Judah ruled by king Josiah (2 kings 22- 23:30). So, he sent emissaries to Josiah explaining that he wasn’t coming to fight Judah, but to pass through to the Euphrates.
According to Josephus “Josiah did not admit of this advice of necho, but put himself into a posture to hinder him from his intended march.”
So Josiah refused to allow him passage and rather set his armies in an array against the armies of Necho; conduct that may have had its reason but proved detrimental. I said, “may have had its reason” because according to the Talmud, he adhered to Leviticus 26:6. And that scripture says “neither shall the sword go through your land.”
As Josephus records “for as he was setting his army in array, and rode about in his chariot, from one wing of his army to another, one of the Egyptians shot an arrow at him.” And the Bible records in 2 kings 23:30 that his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo. They brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own sepulchre.
The people mourned for him many days and prophet Jeremiah, according to Josephus, wrote an elegy to lament him.
King Jehoiakim (or Eliakim)’s Reign
Jehoahaz (or Shallum), the younger son of Josiah was enthroned by the Judahites after his father’s death (2 kings 23:31-33). He refused to be subject to Egypt, so Pharaoh Necho deposed him after 3 months and carried him into Egypt where he died.
Pharaoh Necho II installed Jehoiakim (originally Eliakim), the eldest son of Josiah on the throne of Judah. Jehoiakim was the elder brother to Jehoahaz by the father’s side, their mothers being Zebudah and Hamutal respectively (2 Kings 23:34-36; 2 Chronicles 36:1-4).
He continued to pay tributes to Egypt for 3 years. In the 4th year, which was the 1st year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:1-3), Judah, Syria and other countries were made subject to Babylon (Jeremiah 46:1-2). Nebuchadnezzar had defeated Pharaoh Necho II, capturing Syria and Judah which were formerly under Egyptian control.
The 70 years of captivity to Babylon began at this point (Jeremiah 25:1-11). Daniel was taken captive at this time.
Jehoiakim was such an evil king that god literally sought to destroy him; god allowed armies of various nations to come upon him as prophesied by Isaiah ( 2 Kings 20:17; 24:2-4). Not that his younger brother Jehoahaz was any better.
As earlier stated, Jehoiakim served Babylon for 3 years and rebelled (2 Kings 24:1-7). He had thought that upon his rebellion, the Egyptians would join forces with him to fight against Babylon. But he was very wrong because Nebuchadnezzar had blocked the river Euphrates. So, the king of Egypt couldn’t leave his land.
Nebuchadnezzar, being occupied in wars, did not war against Judah immediately. Then in the 11th year of Jehoiakim Babylon again conquered Judah (2 kings 23:36- 24:7). Jehoiakim was brutally killed and commanded to be thrown before the walls without any burial.
King Jehoiachin
Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim) was made king but reigned only 3 months, for nebuchadnezzar then carried him and his mother captive to Babylon. But it didn’t stop here.
Nebuchadnezzar as recorded in 2 kings 24:10 – 16 also carried all the treasures of the house of God, treasures of the king’s house, and broke Solomon’s vessels of gold that were in the temple. He also carried away all the princes, mighty men of valour, craftsmen and smiths. He left only the poorest alone in the land. All these according to the prophecies of Jeremiah (2 chronicles 36:10; Jeremiah 22:24-30)
Upon his capture, nebuchadnezzar enthroned Mattaniah (renamed Zedekiah) as seen in 2 kings 24:17-18. He was the third son of Josiah, brother to Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin’s father.
Mattahiah repeated the same mistake that Jehoiakim made by trusting in the chariots of Egypt despite the several warnings from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:1-8). He not only ignored the warning but also imprisoned Jeremiah and cast him in a dungeon (Jeremiah 38).
King Zedekiah
Zedekiah’s case was so sad. He maintained the “league of mutual assistance” with Babylon for eight years before breaking it and revolting against Egypt in hopes to defeat Babylon with the assistance of the Egyptians. So, nebuchadnezzar made war with him and captured his fortified cities before heading to Jerusalem to besiege it.
Truly Egypt gathered her army to come to aid Zedekiah but that didn’t help. Recall the prophecy of Isaiah “woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many….” (Isaiah 31:1).
The troops of Babylon left Jerusalem and moved to fight against the armies of Egypt, beating them and driving them out of Syria. As soon as nebuchadnezzar had left Jerusalem, Zedekiah was deceived by his false prophets that told him that Nebuchadnezzar won’t come back. That even those who were in captivity will return and that with the vessels that were carried away with them.
When prophet Jeremiah was asked to speak, he contradicted their predictions. Trust Zedekiah and the rulers to despise the prophecy of a true prophet like Jeremiah, labelling him “one disordered in his senses.”
As Jeremiah made an attempt to return to his hometown, Anathoth, one of the rulers met him and accused him falsely as a saboteur. Jeremiah was accused of attempting to desert the land and move over to the Babylonian camp. He was tormented and tortured as could be seen in Jeremiah chapters 37 and 38.
Nebuchadnezzar returns
In the 9th year of Zedekiah’s reign (9 years 10 months precisely) the Babylonian empire returned to besiege the city of Jerusalem. This time there was no distraction from Egypt, having discomfited them previously. Nebuchadnezzar was determined to take the city no matter how long it’ll take.
In fact, he built towers to repel the soldiers of Judah that were stationed on the walls. He built such forts against Jerusalem roundabout.
Jerusalem resisted for 18 months but when famine began to bite hard, the city had to give in. So, in the 11th year of Zedekiah’s reign, Jerusalem was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah took his family, friends and captains and escaped at night.
But when the Babylonians knew this, they chased after him and captured him. Some of his friends and captains deserted him and fled for their lives.
Nebuchadnezzar killed his children and friends before his face, and plucked out his eyes, bound him with fetters of brass and carried him to Babylon. (2 Chronicles 36:11-21; 2 kings 25:1-). So, Babylon again came against Judah and destroyed the nation and the city of Jerusalem, taking almost all the Jews captive as Jeremiah had rightly prophesied.
Renaming of Daniel and the other captives
We’ve seen that Daniel was carried into captivity during the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim. We’ve also seen that the various empires renamed their captives. We saw it in the change of the names of the kings whether by Pharaoh Necho II or by Nebuchadnezzar.
So, it’s only right that we look at the renaming of Daniel and his friends, as that will help us understand better the spiritual captivity that slaves were also subjected to. It wasn’t just a physical conquest, it was also an attempt to spiritually subject the captives to their gods and mode of worship – something that Daniel rejected vehemently.
The name Daniel means God is my Judge or the judgment of God. But Nebuchadnezzar renamed him Belteshazzar, that is, the prince of Bel – the god of Babylon (Isaiah 46:1; Jeremiah 50:2; 51:44). Seeing how many times (6 in 12 chapters of Daniel) it was explained that his name was changed, it shows that Daniel didn’t like his new name.
Hananiah – gift or grace of the Lord, was renamed Shadrach, command of Aku, Babylon’s moon god.
Mishael – He is the strong God or who is what God is, was renamed Meshach, the goddess of shach, the name under which venus was worshipped.
Azariah – whom Jehovah helps or the Lord is a help, was renamed Abed-nego, servant of Nego or Nebo, the god of science and literature (Isaiah 46:1)
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
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