Because of the various conquests of the Assyrians and Babylonians, the people of Samaria, Judea, indeed all the tribes of Israel had, over time, been scattered throughout the nations. Though once only those living in Judah were called Jews, the term was now used by their oppressors to describe all Israelites.
Among the exiles who were now living in Babylonia a man named Ezekiel began to receive visions from God. These in turn he shared among the Hebrews who were willing to listen, saying, “I saw heaven above me, sparkling like crystal. I saw angels there, beautiful and strange. They glowed like burning coals. They moved like flashes of lightning. The sound of their wings was like a roaring waterfall, like a mighty army marching, like the voice of God. Then I heard a voice above me. I saw a throne made of lapis lazuli and upon it a figure of glowing light whose radiance was like a rainbow after a storm. This was the glory of God and I fell facedown when I saw it.
“God said to me, ‘Stand up and let me speak with you. When a watchman on the walls sees an impending attack he blows his horn to warn the entire city. If they hear the trumpet, but do not listen, and they are killed, their deaths are on their own heads. So I am making you, Ezekiel, a watchman. Believe me when I tell you that the death of the wicked brings me no joy. I would rather they listen to my warning and be saved. A once righteous person who turns to evil will not be saved because of their past. Likewise, an evil man who repents will no longer be condemned.
’So I am sending you to a people who have rebelled against me, from before I freed them from the Egyptians, while they wandered in the desert, when they conquered land I had promised them, when they lived under the judges, when they raised up earthly kings for themselves, until this very day. They are stubborn, but whether they listen to you or not, they will know, when you speak, that a prophet has been among them. Don’t be afraid of them, though they are like thorns and scorpions. Speak my words to them. Eat what I give you to eat.’ Then God gave me a scroll full of lament and I ate the words of mourning and woe and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
”We were a nation chosen by God, yet we rejected God’s laws more than any other nation around us, indeed, our wickedness was greater even than theirs. Our people worshipped idols and defiled the temple of God. This is why God was against us, why we died by disease, or starvation or the sword. Indeed, even after Samaria fell, Jerusalem continued to defy God and became even worse than them. This is why we have become a warning and an object of horror to all the nations. ”But some of us were spared and are now scattered. In our exile we must, and will, remember how egregiously we have grieved Yahweh, and repent.
“To those of you who will listen, God says to you, ‘the day your nation was founded you were like an unwashed newborn who was thrown out into an empty field and despised by all. There you grew up like a wildling. But when I saw you I made a covenant with you and you were mine. I bathed you and gave you an embroidered dress of the finest linen. I showered you with jewels and gave you a crown for your head. I fed you with bread made from honey, olive oil, and the finest flour. You became beautiful and rose up like a queen. You bore me children and soon your fame spread among the nations.
But you took all of these gifts, along with our children, and you gave them away to idols. Your wicked desires were insatiable, even shocking your enemies. You unfaithful wife. You prefered strangers to your own husband. But I showed them all who you really were and you were humiliated before them. Then I handed you over to them and they attacked you like an angry mob and burned your house down. Then my anger faded. Yet I still remember the covenant I made with you when you were young and the day is coming when I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. But the crown of Judah will not be restored until the coming of the king to whom it rightly belongs.
’To the false shepherds who think only about themselves. You clothe yourself in wool and dine on choice lamb, but you do not care for the flock. You do not heal the sick, bandage the wounded, or search for the lost. You have led them with brutality so now they have scattered, to be devoured by wild animals. So I say that you are shepherds no more. I will rescue my flock so that you can no longer feed upon them.
’To the false prophets who listen only to your own voice and have seen nothing. You are like jackals prowling around city ruins. You ensnare people like birds with your lies. My hand is against you and you will not return to your land. But I will rescue my people from your lies so that they will know that I am their God.’
God then showed me a valley filled with dessicated bones and asked, ‘Can these bones live?’
‘You alone know, God,’ I replied.
“God then said to the bones, ‘I will restore your flesh, breath air into your lungs, and you will live so that you may know that I am God.’ Then the bones rattled and came together, bone by bone. Their flesh was restored and breath entered them. Standing before me now was a vast army and God said to me, ‘These bones are my people. They believe their hope has dried up and that they have been cut off from me. Tell them that I will bring them from out of their graves and restore them to life so that they will once again believe in me.
‘Tell them I say that I will bring you back from the nations where you have been scattered and give you back your land. I will give you a new spirit, an undivided heart, and you will rid the land of idols. You will obey my laws. You will again be my people and I will again be your God. The ground will once more abundantly grow your crops; your cities will be rebuilt and reinhabited; my temple will be restored and I will be there among you forever.
‘It is not for your sake that I am doing these things, but to prove my holiness, both to you and, indeed, all the nations who have forgotten me. The branches of Israel, which were separated so long ago will be rejoined. They will, once more, be one nation, with one king, from David’s house, who will reign forever.’” And unlike their ancestors, the people heeded these prophecies and began to turn back to Yahweh.
Soon, fantastic tales started spreading among the exiles of four remarkable young men whose hearts belonged to Yahweh alone. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who had been taken from Judah to the capital city of Babylon, were now, under direct orders from King Nebuchadnezzar, being trained in the language and culture of the Babylonians, for three years, with the intent that they be molded into the perfect servants for the king. Ashpenaz, the king’s chief servant, gave them the Babylonian names: Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
They were offered the finest food in the land, the same food the king ate. But much of what the king ate was forbidden according to the laws of Moses, so they requested of Ashpenaz that they be able to eat only vegetables and water because they did not want to make themselves unclean before God. Though Yahweh had led Ashpenaz to take a liking to them, he replied, “I am afraid that if the king sees you looking unhealthy compared to the other servants I am training, he will hold it against me and I will be killed for my perceived failure.”
So they made this bargain, “Allow us to do this for 10 days and then compare us to the others before you make your final decision.” By Yahweh’s blessing, they were noticeably healthier than any of the others when 10 days had passed. So Ashpenaz allowed them to continue with their diet.
When after three years they were presented to Nebuchadnezzar, he found that none of his advisors, the magi, had the wisdom and understanding of these four Jews, so he happily had them enter his service.
Soon after this, the king started having a troubling recurring dream. He summoned all of the magi and demanded they explain the meaning of his dream to him. He told them, “If you do not tell me what I dreamed and then interpret it I will have you killed and your houses destroyed.”
“My Lord, no one on earth could do what you ask, only the gods, and they do not walk among us. No king has ever asked such a thing of the magi.” At this Nebuchadnezzar was furious and he ordered that all of the magi be put to death.
When Daniel heard of the impending execution he sought out the soldier responsible for carrying out the order and asked why the king had done this. After learning of the king’s dream he went before him and asked for time to fulfill the king’s request. He found his friends and together they pleaded with Yahweh for mercy on the magi. That very night, Daniel received the answer he needed.
The next day Daniel was brought before the king, who asked, “Belteshazzar, are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
Daniel replied, “Even though all the knowledge of the magi cannot do this, Yahweh knows the answer. You have dreamt of the future. I have had this mystery revealed to me, not because I am more learned than the magi, but so that you might know that Yahweh is God. You saw a large statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron mixed with clay. You watched as a rock smashed the clay feet and then the rest of the statue, scattering it to the wind until nothing remained. But the rock turned into a mountain that filled the earth.
Now, here is its meaning. You are a king among kings. It is Yahweh who has given you power and authority like no other. You are the head of gold. But your kingdom will one day fall. After you there will be two other kingdoms, the silver of the Persians and the bronze of the Greeks, then a fourth, the iron Romans, who crush all the others, then finally a kingdom divided that will be strong, but brittle, like the iron and clay feet. It will last until the day when Yahweh creates a kingdom that will never be destroyed, that will endure forever and cover the world. This is the rock that became a mountain.”
Then the king fell down before Daniel and honored him saying, “Surely Yahweh is greatest among all gods, a revealer of mysteries, for showing you this.” Then Nebuchadnezzar immediately made Daniel his chief advisor and gave him many gifts, and, at Daniel’s request, gave Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah positions of authority as well.
But as the years passed, the reverence Nebuchadnezzar once had for Yahweh faded from his heart. In that time he commanded that a statue of gold, ninety feet high and 9 feet wide, be made. Upon its completion he summoned the people to a dedication ceremony. There a herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation, this is what you are commanded to do. Whenever you hear the music, you must bow down and worship this statue created by your king Nebuchadnezzar. Whoever disobeys this command will be thrown into a blazing furnace.” The people, fearing for their lives, largely did as they were commanded.
Though they saw Daniel as untouchable because of how much the king favored him, there were some who sought the ruin of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, thinking they might gain power for themselves in the process. They came before the king and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who you honored with positions of authority, disgrace you by ignoring your commands. They refuse to worship our gods and bow to your statue.
Furious with rage, he had the three summoned and asked, “Is it true that you willfully disobey my command? Listen, the music is about to be played again. If you bow down, good, but if you do not I will have you burned alive in my furnace. What god could possibly save you from this?”
They replied, “We do not need to defend ourselves from you. Yahweh can save from us your fires. But even if we knew we would not be saved, we would never bow to your statue or worship your gods.”
As his rage grew hotter, he ordered the furnace be heated seven times greater than it ever had before. The fire was so intense that when the three were bound, the soldiers who cast them into the furnace died soon after from the heat. But when Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace he jumped up in amazement and said, “My orders were for the execution of three men. But look, now I see four. They are walking around unbound and unharmed and the fourth looks like a son of a god.” The king then came as close as he was able to the furnace and yelled, “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, servants of Yahweh, who truly is greater than other gods, come out!”
When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah came out, everyone who saw them were amazed that they were not burned, not even the hairs on their heads or their clothes. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise Yahweh who has saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by sending a spirit to protect them. They defied a king and trusted their God. They were willing to die rather than serve any other. I declare that anyone who speaks against Yahweh will be put to death.”
The three men lived out the rest of their days in peace, but again as time passed, Nebuchadnezzar forgot his zeal for Yahweh. In that time he had another troubling dream. None of his magicians could interpret it, so again Nebudchadnezzar called for Belteshazzar. In the dream there was an enormous tree in the middle of the land. It seemed to stretch on forever. It was beautiful and full of delicious fruit. All the birds in the sky sheltered in its branches and all the beasts of the ground rested in its shade. Then a messenger came down from the sky and said, “Cut down the tree. Strip its branches, and scatter its fruit, but let the stump and roots remain in the ground. Let the king be drenched with rain and let his mind be made like the animals for seven years.”
Daniel was frightened by the truth of this dream, but, duty-bound, he said, “My lord, if only this dream was intended for one of your enemies. The tree you saw, that is you! You have become great on the earth. But you will be driven away from your people and live among the animals for seven years until, in your heart, you fully acknowledge that Yahweh is the ruler of all the earth and all the kingdoms within it. The command to leave the stump means that you will be restored to your kingdom after seven years. Therefore, my lord, please accept my advice. Turn away from your sin and do what is right. Be kind to those you have oppressed and maybe your prosperity will continue and these things will not come to pass.”
But Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man on earth. In his heart he thought himself an equal to God. Though the words of Daniel troubled him, he would not repent. Exactly one year after Daniel had interpreted his dream Nebuchadnezzar was walking on his roof, congratulating himself for his accomplishments, when Yahweh said to him, “Your royal authority I take from you. You will be driven away from this city and you live like an animal. Seven years will pass until you finally acknowledge that I am God and I have authority over all kingdoms.”
When these words stopped the king immediately lost his sanity. In his madness he was quickly driven out of the city by his own people. He ate grass like an ox, his hair grew until he looked feathered like an eagle, and his nails grew until they looked like claws. After seven years in the wilderness, the feral king’s mind was able to reach out to Yahweh and he was restored. Then Nebudchadnezzar, the greatest king that part of the world had ever known, called out, “The kingdom of Yahweh lasts forever. The rulers of this world are nothing in comparison. No one can withstand the hand of God.”
When he came before his people and they saw that he had recovered he was restored to his former glory, becoming even more powerful than before. But from that day on Nebuchadnezzar praised Yahweh for his justice and holiness.
The years passed and Nebuchadnezzar’s reign in Bablyon came and went, as did the reign of his son Amel-Marduk, who was murdered and supplanted by his own brother-in-law Neriglissar. In turn when Neriglissar’s son Labashi-Marduk became king he was murdered and supplanted by Nabonidus. But Nabonidus was often away from Babylon, so his son, Prince Belshazzar, ruled in his stead. To celebrate his power, he threw a party for thousands of wealthy and important Babylonians. He ordered sacred goblets that had been plundered from the temple in Jerusalem be brought from his treasure trove and used for drinking their wine. As they drank they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Suddenly what appeared to be a human hand materialized in front of them and wrote on the plaster of the palace wall. Belshazzar watched as it wrote, turning pale with fright. He summoned all of his magicians and enchanters and said to them, “whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be made one of the most rich and powerful men in all of Babylon.” But no one could read it or explain what it meant and Belshazzar became even more terrified.
When the queen saw the state he was in she said, “Don’t be frightened. There is an old man in your kingdom, Belteshazzar, who has the spirit of a god in him. In the time of Nebuchadnezzar he was found to have insight greater than any other. He was appointed as chief advisor, being placed even above the magi. Call for him and he will explain this to you.”
Daniel was brought before Belshazzar and offered the same reward if he could read and explain the writing on the wall. Daniel replied, “You can keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will help you. Your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, was the greatest king in the land. Nothing he desired could be kept from him. But when his arrogance grew, Yahweh drove him mad and he lived among the animals for years until he finally acknowledged that God’s power was greater than his. But even though you already know this story, you have not humbled yourself. Instead you have set yourself up as an enemy of Yahweh. You drink out of sacred cups and worship false gods. Therefore Yahweh has written these words against you, ‘mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’ ‘Mene, mene’ means Yahweh is bringing your rule to an end. ‘Tekel’ means you have been judged by Yahweh and you have been found guilty. ‘Parsin’ means that Babylon will fall to the Persians. They lie at your doorstep. Already their empire is mighty and they have set themselves in opposition to you.”
Though Belshazzar clothed Daniel in the finest robes, placed a gold chain around his neck, and declared, in the presence of all, that he was the third highest ruler in the kingdom, Belshazzar could not escape the doom proclaimed by Yahweh. That very night, he was killed by an assassin working for the Persians. THe assassin then opened the gates of Babylon to the Persian army, led by Cyrus, and they conquered the city without a fight. Cyrus then installed one of his generals, who among the Jews was called Darius the Mede, over Babylonia, making them a part of the Persian empire.
Darius quickly understood how valuable Daniel was and appointed him as one of three administrators to govern all of Babylon. Daniel, however, was so exceptional that it was likely Darius would soon leave all of day-to-day concerns of Babylon to his care. Jealous, the other administrators started looking for ways to bring about Daniel’s ruin, but with little success. He was neither corrupt nor negligent in his responsibilities. Knowing they could not catch him doing anything wrong, they came up with a new plan.
They went to Darius and said, “We recommend that you make it a law that all of your people are only allowed to pray to you, for you have the authority of a god. If anyone disobeys this law, they must be thrown into a den of lions to be devoured.” With their flattery firmly taking hold of Darius’s heart, their idea soon became law.
And yet, three times a day Daniel opened his upstairs window and prayed in the direction of Jerusalem, giving thanks to Yahweh as he had always done. So the conspirators returned to Darius and said, “Belteshazzar, the exile from Judah, pays no attention to your decree and still prays three times a day to his God.” When he heard this he realized he had been deceived by his advisors and desperately wanted to save Daniel. But his law was irreversible, even by him, and so he gave the order to have Daniel thrown to the lions, saying to him, “May Yahweh, whom you serve, rescue you.” Then a stone was placed over the entrance to the lion’s den. That night, Darius could neither eat nor sleep.
With the sunrise he ran to the lion’s den and called out, “Belteshazzar, has Yahweh rescued you?”
Daniel answered, “Yahweh sent an angel to shut the mouths of lions. They have not hurt me because I am innocent in Yahweh’s sight.” Then Daniel was brought out of the lion’s den and the men who sought his death were killed in his place. Then Darius declared, “Yahweh rules over a never ending kingdom, rescuing and performing miracles. It was Yahweh who rescued Daniel from the lions.” So Yahweh’s name continued to be made known among the exiles and the Babylonians alike.
As he neared the end of his life, Daniel remembered the letter Jeremiah had written to the Jews living in Babylon, which said their exile would last for seventy years. Knowing that this time had almost arrived, Daniel, sitting at the banks of the Tigris river among other exiles, sang this psalm to God:
By the Tigris, we sit and weep when we remember Jerusalem.
Here, on the poplars, we have hung up our harps
For here our captors demanded, “sing us one of the songs of Jerusalem.”
But how can we sings the songs of God while in this foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.
And may my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
If I do not consider Jerusalem my great joy.
Remember, God, what our enemies did the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down,” they cried, “down to its very foundations.”
Babylon, you doomed city,
I celebrate those who have repaid you because of what you have done to us.
Daniel then prayed, “Yahweh, our great and awesome God, we know your covenant of love is everlasting with those who love you. I confess, on behalf of my people, that we have been evil and rebellious and turned away from you and your law. We ignored your warnings, spoken by the prophets. So every punishment that we have received has been earned. We are ashamed of what we have done to you. But we know you are willing to forgive us if we return to you. Out of your righteousness, turn your anger away from Jerusalem, from your people. Look at your desolate temple. See the ruined city which bears your name. We don’t make this request because we are righteous, but because you are merciful. Yahweh, hear and act! God, listen and forgive! Please, do not delay any longer.
While Daniel was still praying an angel appeared before him. He was dressed in linen and wore a belt of fine gold. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like torches, and his voice like a roaring crowd. No one else saw this angel, but terror overwhelmed everyone standing nearby and they fled. Daniel was left alone staring at the angel. His strength left him, his face turned pale as death, and he couldn’t move. When the angel began to speak, Daniel fell to the ground as though in a coma. The angel reached out and brought Daniel, trembling, to his hands and knees and said, “I am Gabriel, the messenger of Yahweh. I have come to speak with you and give you greater understanding of what is to come, for you are highly esteemed in heaven. Now stand up and listen carefully.”
Daniel was unable to reply, so Gabriel touched his lips and Daniel said, “How can I, a mortal, talk with a deathless one like you? My strength is gone. I can barely breathe.”
Gabriel replied, “Peace! Do not be afraid! Be strong! Though the seventy years prophesied by Jeremiah draw to a close I now proclaim to you, seventy “sevens,” of years to atone for your evil, to usher in everlasting righteousness, and to bring fulfillment to the prophecies. From the day the word goes out to restore Jerusalem to the coming of the anointed one and his murder there will be 483 years.
“There will be three more Persians kings after Cyrus, and then a fourth who will be wealthier than all the others. He will stir up his empire against the Greeks, but fail to conquer them. Then a great king will rise up and rule over a powerful empire. But after his death, his empire will not pass to his descendants, but to his generals. The two greatest of these will rule in the north and the south. Though there will be times when they are at peace, they will often struggle for domination over the other until the kingdom of North becomes dominant. In that day, the king of the North will vent his fury against the Jews, corrupt some into abandoning God, and desecrate the temple. Those who still follow Yahweh will resist him until they throw off the yoke of oppression until the day comes when much of the world you know will fall to an even greater power.
“The words I am about to tell you, Daniel, are sealed up, because their time is not yet near. At the very end of days a king will arise who will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself above all gods and say unthinkable things against Yahweh. He will attack the mightiest fortresses and make those who acknowledge him great rulers of the land. At that time, the angel Michael will, once again, arise, for it will be a time of distress not seen since before the dawn of humanity. But everyone whose name is found in Yahweh’s book will be saved. The dead will awake and be judged, some given everlasting life, others never-ending contempt.”
Daniel did not understand these last words so he said, “What will the outcome of all of this be?”
But Gabriel replied, “Be on your way, Daniel, these words are not for you. They have been sealed up until the end of time.” Then Gabriel left Daniel to ponder these words alone. But he would not have to wait long to see this prophecy begin to be fulfilled, for the seventy years of exile were at their end.
Among the exiles who were now living in Babylonia a man named Ezekiel began to receive visions from God. These in turn he shared among the Hebrews who were willing to listen, saying, “I saw heaven above me, sparkling like crystal. I saw angels there, beautiful and strange. They glowed like burning coals. They moved like flashes of lightning. The sound of their wings was like a roaring waterfall, like a mighty army marching, like the voice of God. Then I heard a voice above me. I saw a throne made of lapis lazuli and upon it a figure of glowing light whose radiance was like a rainbow after a storm. This was the glory of God and I fell facedown when I saw it.
“God said to me, ‘Stand up and let me speak with you. When a watchman on the walls sees an impending attack he blows his horn to warn the entire city. If they hear the trumpet, but do not listen, and they are killed, their deaths are on their own heads. So I am making you, Ezekiel, a watchman. Believe me when I tell you that the death of the wicked brings me no joy. I would rather they listen to my warning and be saved. A once righteous person who turns to evil will not be saved because of their past. Likewise, an evil man who repents will no longer be condemned.
’So I am sending you to a people who have rebelled against me, from before I freed them from the Egyptians, while they wandered in the desert, when they conquered land I had promised them, when they lived under the judges, when they raised up earthly kings for themselves, until this very day. They are stubborn, but whether they listen to you or not, they will know, when you speak, that a prophet has been among them. Don’t be afraid of them, though they are like thorns and scorpions. Speak my words to them. Eat what I give you to eat.’ Then God gave me a scroll full of lament and I ate the words of mourning and woe and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
”We were a nation chosen by God, yet we rejected God’s laws more than any other nation around us, indeed, our wickedness was greater even than theirs. Our people worshipped idols and defiled the temple of God. This is why God was against us, why we died by disease, or starvation or the sword. Indeed, even after Samaria fell, Jerusalem continued to defy God and became even worse than them. This is why we have become a warning and an object of horror to all the nations. ”But some of us were spared and are now scattered. In our exile we must, and will, remember how egregiously we have grieved Yahweh, and repent.
“To those of you who will listen, God says to you, ‘the day your nation was founded you were like an unwashed newborn who was thrown out into an empty field and despised by all. There you grew up like a wildling. But when I saw you I made a covenant with you and you were mine. I bathed you and gave you an embroidered dress of the finest linen. I showered you with jewels and gave you a crown for your head. I fed you with bread made from honey, olive oil, and the finest flour. You became beautiful and rose up like a queen. You bore me children and soon your fame spread among the nations.
But you took all of these gifts, along with our children, and you gave them away to idols. Your wicked desires were insatiable, even shocking your enemies. You unfaithful wife. You prefered strangers to your own husband. But I showed them all who you really were and you were humiliated before them. Then I handed you over to them and they attacked you like an angry mob and burned your house down. Then my anger faded. Yet I still remember the covenant I made with you when you were young and the day is coming when I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. But the crown of Judah will not be restored until the coming of the king to whom it rightly belongs.
’To the false shepherds who think only about themselves. You clothe yourself in wool and dine on choice lamb, but you do not care for the flock. You do not heal the sick, bandage the wounded, or search for the lost. You have led them with brutality so now they have scattered, to be devoured by wild animals. So I say that you are shepherds no more. I will rescue my flock so that you can no longer feed upon them.
’To the false prophets who listen only to your own voice and have seen nothing. You are like jackals prowling around city ruins. You ensnare people like birds with your lies. My hand is against you and you will not return to your land. But I will rescue my people from your lies so that they will know that I am their God.’
God then showed me a valley filled with dessicated bones and asked, ‘Can these bones live?’
‘You alone know, God,’ I replied.
“God then said to the bones, ‘I will restore your flesh, breath air into your lungs, and you will live so that you may know that I am God.’ Then the bones rattled and came together, bone by bone. Their flesh was restored and breath entered them. Standing before me now was a vast army and God said to me, ‘These bones are my people. They believe their hope has dried up and that they have been cut off from me. Tell them that I will bring them from out of their graves and restore them to life so that they will once again believe in me.
‘Tell them I say that I will bring you back from the nations where you have been scattered and give you back your land. I will give you a new spirit, an undivided heart, and you will rid the land of idols. You will obey my laws. You will again be my people and I will again be your God. The ground will once more abundantly grow your crops; your cities will be rebuilt and reinhabited; my temple will be restored and I will be there among you forever.
‘It is not for your sake that I am doing these things, but to prove my holiness, both to you and, indeed, all the nations who have forgotten me. The branches of Israel, which were separated so long ago will be rejoined. They will, once more, be one nation, with one king, from David’s house, who will reign forever.’” And unlike their ancestors, the people heeded these prophecies and began to turn back to Yahweh.
Soon, fantastic tales started spreading among the exiles of four remarkable young men whose hearts belonged to Yahweh alone. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who had been taken from Judah to the capital city of Babylon, were now, under direct orders from King Nebuchadnezzar, being trained in the language and culture of the Babylonians, for three years, with the intent that they be molded into the perfect servants for the king. Ashpenaz, the king’s chief servant, gave them the Babylonian names: Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
They were offered the finest food in the land, the same food the king ate. But much of what the king ate was forbidden according to the laws of Moses, so they requested of Ashpenaz that they be able to eat only vegetables and water because they did not want to make themselves unclean before God. Though Yahweh had led Ashpenaz to take a liking to them, he replied, “I am afraid that if the king sees you looking unhealthy compared to the other servants I am training, he will hold it against me and I will be killed for my perceived failure.”
So they made this bargain, “Allow us to do this for 10 days and then compare us to the others before you make your final decision.” By Yahweh’s blessing, they were noticeably healthier than any of the others when 10 days had passed. So Ashpenaz allowed them to continue with their diet.
When after three years they were presented to Nebuchadnezzar, he found that none of his advisors, the magi, had the wisdom and understanding of these four Jews, so he happily had them enter his service.
Soon after this, the king started having a troubling recurring dream. He summoned all of the magi and demanded they explain the meaning of his dream to him. He told them, “If you do not tell me what I dreamed and then interpret it I will have you killed and your houses destroyed.”
“My Lord, no one on earth could do what you ask, only the gods, and they do not walk among us. No king has ever asked such a thing of the magi.” At this Nebuchadnezzar was furious and he ordered that all of the magi be put to death.
When Daniel heard of the impending execution he sought out the soldier responsible for carrying out the order and asked why the king had done this. After learning of the king’s dream he went before him and asked for time to fulfill the king’s request. He found his friends and together they pleaded with Yahweh for mercy on the magi. That very night, Daniel received the answer he needed.
The next day Daniel was brought before the king, who asked, “Belteshazzar, are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
Daniel replied, “Even though all the knowledge of the magi cannot do this, Yahweh knows the answer. You have dreamt of the future. I have had this mystery revealed to me, not because I am more learned than the magi, but so that you might know that Yahweh is God. You saw a large statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron mixed with clay. You watched as a rock smashed the clay feet and then the rest of the statue, scattering it to the wind until nothing remained. But the rock turned into a mountain that filled the earth.
Now, here is its meaning. You are a king among kings. It is Yahweh who has given you power and authority like no other. You are the head of gold. But your kingdom will one day fall. After you there will be two other kingdoms, the silver of the Persians and the bronze of the Greeks, then a fourth, the iron Romans, who crush all the others, then finally a kingdom divided that will be strong, but brittle, like the iron and clay feet. It will last until the day when Yahweh creates a kingdom that will never be destroyed, that will endure forever and cover the world. This is the rock that became a mountain.”
Then the king fell down before Daniel and honored him saying, “Surely Yahweh is greatest among all gods, a revealer of mysteries, for showing you this.” Then Nebuchadnezzar immediately made Daniel his chief advisor and gave him many gifts, and, at Daniel’s request, gave Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah positions of authority as well.
But as the years passed, the reverence Nebuchadnezzar once had for Yahweh faded from his heart. In that time he commanded that a statue of gold, ninety feet high and 9 feet wide, be made. Upon its completion he summoned the people to a dedication ceremony. There a herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation, this is what you are commanded to do. Whenever you hear the music, you must bow down and worship this statue created by your king Nebuchadnezzar. Whoever disobeys this command will be thrown into a blazing furnace.” The people, fearing for their lives, largely did as they were commanded.
Though they saw Daniel as untouchable because of how much the king favored him, there were some who sought the ruin of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, thinking they might gain power for themselves in the process. They came before the king and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who you honored with positions of authority, disgrace you by ignoring your commands. They refuse to worship our gods and bow to your statue.
Furious with rage, he had the three summoned and asked, “Is it true that you willfully disobey my command? Listen, the music is about to be played again. If you bow down, good, but if you do not I will have you burned alive in my furnace. What god could possibly save you from this?”
They replied, “We do not need to defend ourselves from you. Yahweh can save from us your fires. But even if we knew we would not be saved, we would never bow to your statue or worship your gods.”
As his rage grew hotter, he ordered the furnace be heated seven times greater than it ever had before. The fire was so intense that when the three were bound, the soldiers who cast them into the furnace died soon after from the heat. But when Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace he jumped up in amazement and said, “My orders were for the execution of three men. But look, now I see four. They are walking around unbound and unharmed and the fourth looks like a son of a god.” The king then came as close as he was able to the furnace and yelled, “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, servants of Yahweh, who truly is greater than other gods, come out!”
When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah came out, everyone who saw them were amazed that they were not burned, not even the hairs on their heads or their clothes. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise Yahweh who has saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by sending a spirit to protect them. They defied a king and trusted their God. They were willing to die rather than serve any other. I declare that anyone who speaks against Yahweh will be put to death.”
The three men lived out the rest of their days in peace, but again as time passed, Nebuchadnezzar forgot his zeal for Yahweh. In that time he had another troubling dream. None of his magicians could interpret it, so again Nebudchadnezzar called for Belteshazzar. In the dream there was an enormous tree in the middle of the land. It seemed to stretch on forever. It was beautiful and full of delicious fruit. All the birds in the sky sheltered in its branches and all the beasts of the ground rested in its shade. Then a messenger came down from the sky and said, “Cut down the tree. Strip its branches, and scatter its fruit, but let the stump and roots remain in the ground. Let the king be drenched with rain and let his mind be made like the animals for seven years.”
Daniel was frightened by the truth of this dream, but, duty-bound, he said, “My lord, if only this dream was intended for one of your enemies. The tree you saw, that is you! You have become great on the earth. But you will be driven away from your people and live among the animals for seven years until, in your heart, you fully acknowledge that Yahweh is the ruler of all the earth and all the kingdoms within it. The command to leave the stump means that you will be restored to your kingdom after seven years. Therefore, my lord, please accept my advice. Turn away from your sin and do what is right. Be kind to those you have oppressed and maybe your prosperity will continue and these things will not come to pass.”
But Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man on earth. In his heart he thought himself an equal to God. Though the words of Daniel troubled him, he would not repent. Exactly one year after Daniel had interpreted his dream Nebuchadnezzar was walking on his roof, congratulating himself for his accomplishments, when Yahweh said to him, “Your royal authority I take from you. You will be driven away from this city and you live like an animal. Seven years will pass until you finally acknowledge that I am God and I have authority over all kingdoms.”
When these words stopped the king immediately lost his sanity. In his madness he was quickly driven out of the city by his own people. He ate grass like an ox, his hair grew until he looked feathered like an eagle, and his nails grew until they looked like claws. After seven years in the wilderness, the feral king’s mind was able to reach out to Yahweh and he was restored. Then Nebudchadnezzar, the greatest king that part of the world had ever known, called out, “The kingdom of Yahweh lasts forever. The rulers of this world are nothing in comparison. No one can withstand the hand of God.”
When he came before his people and they saw that he had recovered he was restored to his former glory, becoming even more powerful than before. But from that day on Nebuchadnezzar praised Yahweh for his justice and holiness.
The years passed and Nebuchadnezzar’s reign in Bablyon came and went, as did the reign of his son Amel-Marduk, who was murdered and supplanted by his own brother-in-law Neriglissar. In turn when Neriglissar’s son Labashi-Marduk became king he was murdered and supplanted by Nabonidus. But Nabonidus was often away from Babylon, so his son, Prince Belshazzar, ruled in his stead. To celebrate his power, he threw a party for thousands of wealthy and important Babylonians. He ordered sacred goblets that had been plundered from the temple in Jerusalem be brought from his treasure trove and used for drinking their wine. As they drank they praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Suddenly what appeared to be a human hand materialized in front of them and wrote on the plaster of the palace wall. Belshazzar watched as it wrote, turning pale with fright. He summoned all of his magicians and enchanters and said to them, “whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be made one of the most rich and powerful men in all of Babylon.” But no one could read it or explain what it meant and Belshazzar became even more terrified.
When the queen saw the state he was in she said, “Don’t be frightened. There is an old man in your kingdom, Belteshazzar, who has the spirit of a god in him. In the time of Nebuchadnezzar he was found to have insight greater than any other. He was appointed as chief advisor, being placed even above the magi. Call for him and he will explain this to you.”
Daniel was brought before Belshazzar and offered the same reward if he could read and explain the writing on the wall. Daniel replied, “You can keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will help you. Your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, was the greatest king in the land. Nothing he desired could be kept from him. But when his arrogance grew, Yahweh drove him mad and he lived among the animals for years until he finally acknowledged that God’s power was greater than his. But even though you already know this story, you have not humbled yourself. Instead you have set yourself up as an enemy of Yahweh. You drink out of sacred cups and worship false gods. Therefore Yahweh has written these words against you, ‘mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’ ‘Mene, mene’ means Yahweh is bringing your rule to an end. ‘Tekel’ means you have been judged by Yahweh and you have been found guilty. ‘Parsin’ means that Babylon will fall to the Persians. They lie at your doorstep. Already their empire is mighty and they have set themselves in opposition to you.”
Though Belshazzar clothed Daniel in the finest robes, placed a gold chain around his neck, and declared, in the presence of all, that he was the third highest ruler in the kingdom, Belshazzar could not escape the doom proclaimed by Yahweh. That very night, he was killed by an assassin working for the Persians. THe assassin then opened the gates of Babylon to the Persian army, led by Cyrus, and they conquered the city without a fight. Cyrus then installed one of his generals, who among the Jews was called Darius the Mede, over Babylonia, making them a part of the Persian empire.
Darius quickly understood how valuable Daniel was and appointed him as one of three administrators to govern all of Babylon. Daniel, however, was so exceptional that it was likely Darius would soon leave all of day-to-day concerns of Babylon to his care. Jealous, the other administrators started looking for ways to bring about Daniel’s ruin, but with little success. He was neither corrupt nor negligent in his responsibilities. Knowing they could not catch him doing anything wrong, they came up with a new plan.
They went to Darius and said, “We recommend that you make it a law that all of your people are only allowed to pray to you, for you have the authority of a god. If anyone disobeys this law, they must be thrown into a den of lions to be devoured.” With their flattery firmly taking hold of Darius’s heart, their idea soon became law.
And yet, three times a day Daniel opened his upstairs window and prayed in the direction of Jerusalem, giving thanks to Yahweh as he had always done. So the conspirators returned to Darius and said, “Belteshazzar, the exile from Judah, pays no attention to your decree and still prays three times a day to his God.” When he heard this he realized he had been deceived by his advisors and desperately wanted to save Daniel. But his law was irreversible, even by him, and so he gave the order to have Daniel thrown to the lions, saying to him, “May Yahweh, whom you serve, rescue you.” Then a stone was placed over the entrance to the lion’s den. That night, Darius could neither eat nor sleep.
With the sunrise he ran to the lion’s den and called out, “Belteshazzar, has Yahweh rescued you?”
Daniel answered, “Yahweh sent an angel to shut the mouths of lions. They have not hurt me because I am innocent in Yahweh’s sight.” Then Daniel was brought out of the lion’s den and the men who sought his death were killed in his place. Then Darius declared, “Yahweh rules over a never ending kingdom, rescuing and performing miracles. It was Yahweh who rescued Daniel from the lions.” So Yahweh’s name continued to be made known among the exiles and the Babylonians alike.
As he neared the end of his life, Daniel remembered the letter Jeremiah had written to the Jews living in Babylon, which said their exile would last for seventy years. Knowing that this time had almost arrived, Daniel, sitting at the banks of the Tigris river among other exiles, sang this psalm to God:
By the Tigris, we sit and weep when we remember Jerusalem.
Here, on the poplars, we have hung up our harps
For here our captors demanded, “sing us one of the songs of Jerusalem.”
But how can we sings the songs of God while in this foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.
And may my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
If I do not consider Jerusalem my great joy.
Remember, God, what our enemies did the day Jerusalem fell.
“Tear it down,” they cried, “down to its very foundations.”
Babylon, you doomed city,
I celebrate those who have repaid you because of what you have done to us.
Daniel then prayed, “Yahweh, our great and awesome God, we know your covenant of love is everlasting with those who love you. I confess, on behalf of my people, that we have been evil and rebellious and turned away from you and your law. We ignored your warnings, spoken by the prophets. So every punishment that we have received has been earned. We are ashamed of what we have done to you. But we know you are willing to forgive us if we return to you. Out of your righteousness, turn your anger away from Jerusalem, from your people. Look at your desolate temple. See the ruined city which bears your name. We don’t make this request because we are righteous, but because you are merciful. Yahweh, hear and act! God, listen and forgive! Please, do not delay any longer.
While Daniel was still praying an angel appeared before him. He was dressed in linen and wore a belt of fine gold. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like torches, and his voice like a roaring crowd. No one else saw this angel, but terror overwhelmed everyone standing nearby and they fled. Daniel was left alone staring at the angel. His strength left him, his face turned pale as death, and he couldn’t move. When the angel began to speak, Daniel fell to the ground as though in a coma. The angel reached out and brought Daniel, trembling, to his hands and knees and said, “I am Gabriel, the messenger of Yahweh. I have come to speak with you and give you greater understanding of what is to come, for you are highly esteemed in heaven. Now stand up and listen carefully.”
Daniel was unable to reply, so Gabriel touched his lips and Daniel said, “How can I, a mortal, talk with a deathless one like you? My strength is gone. I can barely breathe.”
Gabriel replied, “Peace! Do not be afraid! Be strong! Though the seventy years prophesied by Jeremiah draw to a close I now proclaim to you, seventy “sevens,” of years to atone for your evil, to usher in everlasting righteousness, and to bring fulfillment to the prophecies. From the day the word goes out to restore Jerusalem to the coming of the anointed one and his murder there will be 483 years.
“There will be three more Persians kings after Cyrus, and then a fourth who will be wealthier than all the others. He will stir up his empire against the Greeks, but fail to conquer them. Then a great king will rise up and rule over a powerful empire. But after his death, his empire will not pass to his descendants, but to his generals. The two greatest of these will rule in the north and the south. Though there will be times when they are at peace, they will often struggle for domination over the other until the kingdom of North becomes dominant. In that day, the king of the North will vent his fury against the Jews, corrupt some into abandoning God, and desecrate the temple. Those who still follow Yahweh will resist him until they throw off the yoke of oppression until the day comes when much of the world you know will fall to an even greater power.
“The words I am about to tell you, Daniel, are sealed up, because their time is not yet near. At the very end of days a king will arise who will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself above all gods and say unthinkable things against Yahweh. He will attack the mightiest fortresses and make those who acknowledge him great rulers of the land. At that time, the angel Michael will, once again, arise, for it will be a time of distress not seen since before the dawn of humanity. But everyone whose name is found in Yahweh’s book will be saved. The dead will awake and be judged, some given everlasting life, others never-ending contempt.”
Daniel did not understand these last words so he said, “What will the outcome of all of this be?”
But Gabriel replied, “Be on your way, Daniel, these words are not for you. They have been sealed up until the end of time.” Then Gabriel left Daniel to ponder these words alone. But he would not have to wait long to see this prophecy begin to be fulfilled, for the seventy years of exile were at their end.
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