Daniel 1:6-8, 21
Nebuchadnezzar knew how to deal with people; that's how he became conqueror of the known world. He saw Israel as a threat due to their strength. He wanted to beat them by making Babylonians of them. He took the best sampling of the young men from them and tried to give them a taste of the good life. When he decided to change their names, he got very personal in his efforts to change them. Names are important for they reflect the person, the way one thinks about himself or is made to think about himself. He wanted to change their identity in order to instill the Babylonian way of thinking into them. In that day names were purposely given by parents in hopes that the name would shape their lives by training them to be good people and believe in God; it would make them aware of the world they live in and remind them of the kind of person they should be.
These four young Hebrews were probably only teenagers, but they knew what their names meant and so did Nebuchadnezzar. He deliberately wanted to give them "better" names. The devil wants us to play down our own identity as Christians. He tells us to be known by something better–push the name Christian down so that something else is more important. The same tactic the king used is used today.
Daniel means "God is my judge." Daniel acknowledged the God of heaven as the true and living God. He was submitted to him. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to squelch Daniel's belief in this and renamed him Belteshazzar. This name means keeper of wisdom–the wisdom of Baal. Baal was the god of the Babylonians. The king's name meant like Baal. By naming him Belteshazzar he was saying you have a special place with Baal; you are in the palace. He was in effect telling Daniel he was a god and did not need the God he served. He had to acknowledge no one but himself. He didn't need an invisible God. He wanted Daniel to say I am a god too. It's the way the devil flatters us today. He says forget who you are–you are your own god. You are your highest authority. This is the philosophy of the New Age movement and the Eastern religions–exercise the god in you.
Hananiah means "God is gracious (merciful)." This name would have made Hananiah humble himself before God and see his own unworthiness. To the world this is a weakness, but in Christ it is strength. Nebuchadnezzar's philosophy was humility would get you nowhere. Hananiah was given the name Shadrach. This name signified their sun god. The sun represents power for it is the sun that controls much of the earth. With this name Hananaiah would be looked upon as someone in control of things. The king wanted him to say to himself I am in control of all things. This god was right under Baal. There was no need to be humble; just be in control.
Mishael means "who is like God?" It shows an admiration, reverence, and recognition of the identity of God. This let him know that no one is like God. He is to be admired for WHO HE IS. Everybody wants the limelight and glory these days. That is exactly the kind of thinking that the king wanted when he changed Mishael's name to Meshach. This name mans to belong to "Shack" known as Venus by the Greeks. The most beautiful light at night, the symbol of beauty and vanity. It communicated the thought to Mishael that I am to be noticed. I want your attention. Mishael must have been a handsome young man. This would instill the thought that I am good looking, not a plain Hebrew. The devil uses vanity, looks and attractiveness today. It has gone to the extreme with every botox and such treatment there is to make one look better. The king was urging him to be obsessed with himself. You don't need God. See how good you look. This was in order to change Mishael's thinking from how God looked to how he looked.
Azariah means God is my only help. Azariah was saying I depend on God. I am not ashamed. I can't find the help I need in others. I need God. Abednego means the servant of Nego, the god of fire. Nothing is more powerful than fire. You don't need God's help; you can do all things; you don't need to pray; you don't need the temple or Jerusalem. Society teaches so much about self-confidence today–There is no need of anything or anyone–you are powerful.
All these names signify the thinking of Babylon. In the book of Revelation, John says that Babylon rises up–that world system–their way of thinking. It is that way today and has been for years.
The four purposed not to take of the king's meat or names; however Nebuchadnezzar refused to call them by their Hebrew names. The names of the three are well-known and have by tradition been used in this story. But they never accepted those names. Chapter 2 verse 17 shows this by Daniel calling the three by their Hebrew names. We can't help the pressures of the world; society wants to instill its bad influences on us; we may have to put up with it, but we can choose not to be what the world is trying to make us. They lived in Babylon but refused to be Babylonians. They retained their integrity.
Every dream that the king had made him miserable. He turned to Daniel. Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were thrown into the furnace for their refusal to bow to the gods. But the king saw four there for Jesus was with them. The time would come when Nebuchadnezzar would acknowledge the God of the Hebrews. He even passed a law that HE IS THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.
Chapter 1:21 say that Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus. The kings after Nebuchadnezzar called them by their Hebrews names. See 5:13. Belshazzar the king saw the handwriting on the wall. Daniel was brought in to interpret. The king said art thou THAT Daniel? In 6:13 THAT Daniel is used again. When Daniel was thrown in the den of lions, Darius didn't yell down and say Belteshazzar. He said Daniel. Their Babylonian names died with Nebuchadnezzar. King Cyrus finally let the children of Israel go back to their homeland.
Faithfulness to God does pay off. We need to be meek and humble, not ashamed. We must see God's beauty. We must refuse the self-godliness. The kings came and went. Babylon was broken down. They had to let Israel go back to their homeland. It doesn't mater what others think of us; it is what God thinks that matters. Don't give up being a child of THE KING to be a king of nothing.
Babylon is the current Iraq, but isn't Israel about the strongest nation on earth……
Babylon was strong, but the four young Hebrew men drew the line when it came to their spirituality. They didn't carry a sign around saying they were Hebrews; they didn't get militant with the king. They simply maintained who and what God wanted them too be. They did just as they had always done–prayed, eaten, and lived how they were taught. They exemplified the teachings that Jesus would later give–the world will know us by our love. We must continue in his word. We become no different that any other militant group if only in public we shout who we are. The Bible is not up for debate. Just maintain the principles of God; that will be respected.
We are surrounded by the ways of the world and pressured into being more like the world–so, how far have you come along in your thinking? Are you more of a "Babylonian" that you realize?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 