Four Amigos in Babylon

I was pondering what to tell y’all in today’s news, and I realized this post would coincide with our FABULOUS FALL GIVEAWAY in which my writing buddies Tessa Afshar, Connilyn Cossette, and Jill Eileen Smith are teaming up with me to each give away four books to four winners. This whole FOUR thing sort of got stuck in my brain, and I thought you might be interested in hearing a little more detail about how I formed the FOUR boys in my upcoming release, Of Fire and Lions. So, here goes… 

What Scripture Says 

Those of us who grew up going to Sunday school or Vacation Bible Schools have heard the stories of Daniel in the lions’ den and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego since we were old enough to eat solid food. Let’s face it, only David and Goliath beats Daniel on the biblical superhero chart. But casting felt-board, cardboard-cut-out, and coloring-book lessons aside, let’s look at what Scripture has to say about our childhood heroes: 

“Then [Nebuchadnezzar] ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.” Daniel 1:3-7 (emphasis added) 

Here’s a quick list of what I picked out from these verses: 

• Daniel & his 3 friends were either descended from King Jehoiakim (v.1) or noblemen of Judah (royalty and nobility are two separate things—v.3). 
• These boys were hotties! They were smart, understood their times, and ambitious (willing to learn, be trained, and enter King Neb’s govt.—v. 4-5). 
• Their Hebrew names were taken away, and they were given Babylonian names.  

What’s Important? 

The obvious answer to the question in my sub-heading is “Everything! Because it’s in the Bible.” Well, if you were still in Sunday school, I’d give you a gold star. But we’re going a little deeper today. Get out your scuba gear! 😀

The Boy’s Heritage 

The only thing we know for certain is they were all from the tribe of Judah and their fathers (abbas) were either royalty (line of David) or nobility (served in the king’s government). Since neither Scripture nor history gave me any clues, I chose to make Daniel a direct descendant of King Josiah’s oldest son (Johanan). History says Johanan was likely killed in the same battle that claimed King Josiah’s life. 

Now, about the three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaraiah—I made them brothers. And cousins of Daniel’s. The boys’ mother (ima) was a sister to Daniel’s ima, and their abba served the king as a nobleman. This meant the boys were tutored together in the royal court. Remember, this part is fiction.

And here’s a little surprise for you. I decided the youngest brothers, Mishael and Azariah, were twins. Why? Well, because our daughter discovered she was having twins while I was figuring out this plot, and it seemed like a fun idea! 

The Boys’ Character 

Most commentaries I studied placed the boys’ ages somewhere between six and twelve years old. I fiddled with their ages to make them fit the action and dates for the activities they experienced in Babylon (i.e. fiery furnace, governing provinces, etc.). Again, since Scripture is silent on that detail, I used some personal experience (and a little help from my children’s-education-expert hubby) to determine what age was adequate for Ashpenaz to measure their intellect, ability to learn, and work ethic. 

I chose to make Daniel the son of a single mom because the maturity he displayed is that of a young man who had to take on more responsibility than his age normally requires. I suppose all the kids in 6th century BC Palestine were in many ways more mature and “worldly wise” than our 21st century Western civilization kids. It’s easy to imagine that the violence, pagan worship, and cultural demands that swirled around them exceeded a PG rating. But Scripture clearly tells us—these four boys were exceptional even among the best of the best in Jerusalem. 

The Boys’ Names 

When Daniel records the replacing of their Hebrew names with Babylonian ones (vs.5-6), it’s important to remember what a name meant in ancient cultures. It was more than a label on the back of their shirt. It embodied their character.  

But it’s sort of like…which came first…the chicken or the egg? Was Jacob a deceiver because he was named “heel grabber,” which in that culture meant, “he who deceives.” Or was he named Jacob because Yahweh revealed to his ima that he’d grow up to deceive? 

Did King Nebuchadnezzar name Daniel “Belteshazzar” (meaning, Bel protects the king, Bel being a Babylonian god) because he believed this Hebrew boy would someday protect him? I’m guessing he had no idea Daniel, in Hebrew, meant, God is my Judge. Isn’t it ironic that Daniel both protected and judged King Neb. When the king was tormented with nightmares, Daniel brought comfort by interpreting the dream and projected the course of world history (Dan. 2). Years later, Daniel pronounced God’s righteous judgment but also gave the key of Truth that could return Neb to his throne after seven years as a beast in the field (Dan. 4). Protector and Judge.  

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah become Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they entered the king’s service and aren’t mentioned again after their faithful stand at the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:3). Daniel, on the other hand, remains Daniel whether referring to himself or referenced in Ezekiel and Matthew. 

What Do We Learn From the Four Amigos? 

While writing Of Fire and Lions, I spent a lot of time with these four children who were taken from everything familiar into a hostile, foreign culture. A couple years after arriving in Babylon, while the boys were still in training (which included not only literature, geography, and math, but also foreign gods, black arts, and astrology), Daniel heard “through the grapevine” that ALL WISEMEN were to be executed because King Nebuchadnezzar was tormented by a single nightmare than none of the old farts could interpret. Here’s what Daniel, the Hebrew boy named “protector of the King” did: 

“Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.” Daniel 2:17-19 (emphasis added) 

While these four boys were stripped of their Hebrew names, challenged to deny everything they once believed, and indoctrinated into a pagan society, their first response to a life-and-death crisis was to band together and pray to…the God of Israel?  

No. The Yahweh they had known all their lives lived atop the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple. Could He also dwell in Babylon—because He was the One God, the God who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them? 

YES!!! That’s why they prayed to the God of Heaven! 

What powerful evidence of Yahweh’s presence in Babylon with these children. Can you imagine how they felt? Can you imagine their wonder? Their excitement? Their bond…brothers in the faith. In life, in death, and in eternity. I can’t wait to meet them someday! 

Tweet-A-Licious! 

• What bound Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in friendship? Were they related? Find out in today’s post! 
• Why do you think Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego used the title, God of Heaven, when they prayed? I share my idea in today’s post! 
• Find out what’s fact and what’s fiction about Daniel and his friends in my 2019 release, OF FIRE AND LIONS! 

Today’s Question: 

• Was there something you learned today or a concept that was especially interesting or meaningful?