THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON

“Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency.” Isaiah 13:19. PROLI 59.1

AT the time when the book of Daniel opens, the Jewish nation was subject to the Babylonians, and many of the Jews were in Babylon. A few years before (about 610 B.C.), the king of Egypt had deposed Jehoahaz, king of Judah, and placed Eliakim, whom he named Jehoiakim, on the throne. 2 Chronicles 36:2-4. In the third year of his reign (Daniel 1:1) Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The city was taken, Jehoiakim was bound with fetters, and some of the vessels of the house of God (2 Chronicles 36:7; Daniel 1:2) were carried to Babylon. Some of the people, also, among whom were Daniel and his fellows, were carried to Babylon at this time. Daniel 1:3-7. Jehoiakim, however, was allowed to remain in Jerusalem, where he reigned eight years longer. 2 Chronicles 36:5. He was then succeeded by Jehoiachin, his son, who, after a reign of three months, was taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. 2 Chronicles 36:9, 10. With him were also taken all the royal family, the wealthy people, and the artisans, so that only the poorest people of the land were left in Judah. 2 Kings 24:8-16. This was about B.C. 599. Nebuchadnezzar then placed Mattaniah on the throne of Judah, and changed his name to Zedekiah. After a few years’ reign Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, who again came to Jerusalem, and in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign (about B.C. 588) he succeeded in capturing the city. Zedekiah was carried to Babylon, and with him all the people who had before been left, and the walls and palaces of Jerusalem were burned to the ground. 2 Chronicles 36:11-21. This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah (chap. 17:27), and completed the overthrow of the Jewish nation. PROLI 59.2

It will be well to notice at this point the fulfillment of a prophecy concerning Zedekiah. The prophet Ezekiel, who was then in Babylon, was directed to bring his stuff out of his house, in the day-time, in the presence of the people, and to dig through the wall and carry his stuff through at evening, covering his face at the same time, so that he should not see the ground. Ezekiel 12:3-6. Then he was directed to say to the people of Israel:— PROLI 60.1

“I am your sign; like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them; they shall remove and go into captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth; they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby; he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.” Ezekiel 12:11-13. PROLI 60.2

Four years afterward, Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem and besieged it. For nearly two years the siege was carried on, until “the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden (now the Chaldees were against the city round about); and the king went the way toward the plain. And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army were scattered from him. So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.” 2 Kings 25:3-7. Thus was Ezekiel’s prophecy literally fulfilled, and Jerusalem was left in ruins. PROLI 60.3

Among the Jews who were carried to Babylon at the first siege of Jerusalem, was Daniel, who was of the royal line. (See Daniel 1:3-6.) He and his fellows were chosen to go through a three years’ course of study and training, in order that they might be fitted to fill offices of trust in the Babylonian kingdom. They were chosen because of their superior mental ability (Daniel 1:4); and so rapidly did they improve that at the end of the three years, when they went before Nebuchadnezzar to be examined, “in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all PROLI 60.4

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