God Gave

God gave the Kingdom of Judah into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar, but He also equipped Daniel for service in the Court of Babylon.

The Book of Daniel presents insights into the future that emphasize the rise and fall of empires. This includes “times of tribulation” when the people of God endure persecution by pagan rulers. The Book also declared that God willed the downfall of the Jewish kingdom. He “gave” the Babylonian king sovereignty over Judah.

This theme occurs several times. God “gives the nations to whomsoever He pleases” despite outward appearances or human expectations. He uses good and bad kings to accomplish His will on behalf of His people. This is part of the age-old controversy between Yahweh and His cosmic enemies.

[Photo by Jerry Zhang on Unsplash]

Babylon is identified as the “Land of Shinar.” This is a verbal link to the “Tower of Babel” incident of Genesis. The Neo-Babylonian Empire had an ancient pedigree. Like his Sumerian forbears, Nebuchadnezzar was determined to unite humanity under one language and government so all men might acknowledge his sovereignty. His actions would reverse God’s judgment on “Shinar” by gathering all nations under his rule.

Thus, representatives from conquered peoples were taken to Babylon to be educated in the Chaldean “language” and wisdom, including Daniel and his three companions from Jerusalem.

Despite the king’s efforts, events moved according to God’s plan. He was Sovereign and ruled over the kingdoms of men. He “gave” Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian throne and dominion over the Kingdom of Judah for His purposes.

• (Daniel 1:1-2) – “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon to Jerusalem and laid siege against it; and the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah and a part of the vessels of the house of God, and he brought them into the land of Shinar into the house of his gods, and the vessels he brought into the treasure-house of his gods.”

The first verse sets the stage: In the “third year of the reign of Jehoiakim,” approximately 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem after defeating Egypt at the Battle of Carchemish. He removed the “vessels” from the Temple and selected men from the royal house to be educated in Babylon for service in his government. The political independence of Judah ceased, the city and Temple were ransacked, and the upper echelons of Judean society were deported to Mesopotamia.

This was in accord with God’s purposes. The Hebrew verb translated as “gave” or ‘nathan’ in the passage is applied several times in the first chapter whenever God arranges events and persons. This theme is reiterated several times in Daniel - (e.g., Daniel 2:20-21, 4:17).

Nebuchadnezzar removed the vessels to the “Land of Shinar.” Like the “Tower of Babel” incident, he attempted to unite all people under one language, but God used the situation to accomplish His plans.

IN THE IMPERIAL COURT

Nebuchadnezzar planned to educate the Jewish exiles in the wisdom, literature, and language of the “Chaldeans” so they would be equipped to serve in his administration. On their arrival, the “king appointed the exiles a daily provision of his food and the wine that he drank to nourish them three years.” This was a great honor, one not to be rejected without paying serious consequences.

Daniel was concerned that consuming the royal provisions would put his ritual purity at risk. The issue was eating food offered to idols. In Babylonian temple rituals, food consumed in the royal court was provided to the Mesopotamian gods in their sanctuaries before being served at the royal table.

However, God “gave” Daniel favor before the “prince of the eunuchs” who granted his request to abstain from the royal provisions for ten days. His positive response to Daniel was due to God’s intervention. He “gave” Daniel “kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.” He also “gave” the exiles “knowledge and prudence in all learning and wisdom,” and Daniel “understanding in all visions and dreams” - (Daniel 1:9-16).

Nebuchadnezzar examined the youths and found they excelled in “every matter of wisdom and understanding… And Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus.” That is, until 538 B.C.  This establishes the length of his “career” - from the third year of King Jehoiakim to the first year of Cyrus the Great – 605 to 538 B.C.

IN REVELATION

In the Book of Revelation, the story of Daniel’s “test” is alluded to in the letters to Pergamos, Thyatira, and Smyrna. In the cities of Asia, believers were being encouraged by false teachers to “eat meat offered to idols.”

Doing so would compromise the Testimony of the Asian churches. However, refusing to participate in the idolatrous practices of their society would expose them to ridicule and persecution - (“The Devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days”).

The Greek verb translated as “try” is the same one used in the Septuagint version of Daniel when the Jewish exiles asked the Eunuch to “try” them for “ten days.” The verbal link is deliberate. Daniel’s exemplary example became the model of perseverance for the “Seven Assemblies of Asia” - (Daniel 1:12-14, Revelation 2:8-10).

Like Daniel, John was exiled for the “Testimony of Jesus.” He was a “fellow participant in the tribulation and the kingdom and the perseverance in Jesus” with the beleaguered congregations of Asia.

Like the Prophet Daniel, God used John to “prophesy to nations and kings,” pronouncing their rise and fall. He also proclaimed the victory of the Kingdom of God and the absolute sovereignty of Jesus Christ over all things - (Revelation 1:9, 10:11).

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SEE ALSO:

• Overview of Daniel - (An introduction to the book of Daniel with a brief overview of how the Book of Revelation applies passages from it)

• Land of Shinar - (The arrogant acts of Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel parallel the incident at the Tower of Babel in Genesis)

• Empires Rise and Fall - (Imperial arrogance is the legacy of the Tower of Babel, humanity’s first but certainly not last attempt to establish the World Empire)