Belteshazzar (Daniel the Prophet) Meaning and Usage The name Belteshazzar which means may the Lord protect his life was a name given to Daniel the prophet when he went into exile in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar II one of the most famous Babylonian kings is well known for the conquering of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. God was using Nebuchadnezzar and He had instructed the Jewish people through the prophets not to resist or rebel against Babylon. And in 605 B.C. Judah had become a tribute or vassal state of Babylon, but eight years later in 597 B.C. under king Jehoiachin, Judah rebelled against Babylon in direct disobedience to the commandments of God. Then nine years after that in 588 B.C. Zedekiah ignoring Gods commands once again tried to rebel against Babylon. After which Nebuchadnezzar sacked the city, took the treasures of the Temple and deported the people. It was common practice when a city, or region had a history of rebellion to take the people and deport them to another land and bring other conquered peoples into the land. This was done in an effort to once and for all stop rebellions from rising up. In addition to promote assimilation of the conquered people groups often the kings would take members of the royal family or the best and brightest and induct them into the new kingdom as advisers. This is what happened to Daniel and his three friends who were all very young men. Daniel remained an advisor to both the Babylonian kings and later the Persian kings. God greatly used Daniel during his exile and Daniel rose to great prominence. Moreover it was Daniel who understood Gods word and recognized seventy years later that it was time for the Jewish people to return to Israel so he began praying for their return. We can read about how Daniel was taken to Babylon and renamed in the first chapter of the book of Daniel which tells us the history. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his [Nebuchadnezzar] hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar [Babylon]. Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the kings descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the kings palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. (Daniel 1:2-7)
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 01:43:42 +0000
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