Around 600 BC, during the reign of Jehoiakim (who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”), Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon invaded Judah and laid siege to Jerusalem. This was, as the prophet Jeremiah reveals, because the Israelites refused to listen to and obey God. Nebuchadnezzar eventually captured King Jehoiakim, robbed the magnificent temple that Solomon had built, and carried the goods back to the temple of his god. Additionally, Nebuchadnezzar ordered his court officials to bring to Babylon select young Israelites “without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand” and otherwise qualified in every way possible to serve in the king’s palace. Among those selected from Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Of course, most of us know the latter three by their Chaldean names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. As recorded in the Book of Daniel, Daniel, Shadrach,...(Read Full Article)