We too are under siege and are to consider ourselves as exiles and strangers on this earth because it is not our real home! See Heb 11:8-16.
So like Daniel, in many ways the Christian's life is one of exile, in a world that is by and large set against the ways of God. Revelation chapter 17 speaks of the destruction of the world's false religious system and chapter 18 speaks of the fall of the world's financial system.
The future fall of Babylon is prophesied in Revelation chapter 17 and 18 where these two systems are shown. As a type, Babylon stands for this present world with its false religion and systems. Now Babylon means 'confusion' and traces its roots back to Genesis 11:9 where God confused the people's language at the tower of Babel. In short, pride and worldliness! It is important also that you read Jeremiah 25:4-12 if you are truly interested in the background to how many Israelites, like Daniel, found themselves exiled in Babylon. Why did the Lord allow Judah to be besieged? It can be traced back to the actions of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:12-19 and Isaiah's prophecy. The book starts with Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Judah and Jerusalem. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. Introduction to the siege and exile - then and now!ĭan 1:1-2 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The book itself is well known for its extraordinary prophecies that outline the future gentile world powers, the coming Messiah and the end of this age but it also holds many lessons for living in an age and society that is hostile to belief in the God of Israel. So how did Daniel, a Jewish boy, find himself exiled in Babylon you ask? Well, that is a good question and for those interested in a little bit of history, please check out the third footnote.ĭaniel's life is one of complete abandonment and devotion to the God of Israel. We know from Daniel 10:1 that he was still alive in third year of Cyrus in 536 B.C so he was around 85 at that time. That's good enough for me! Daniel was led into exile as a youth in 605 B.C and most estimates place him at around 16-18 years old at the time. Daniel identifies himself as the author of the book in Daniel 12:4 and Jesus also identified him in Matt 24:15. The book of Daniel was written by, well, Daniel, around 537 B.C. Book of Daniel Bible Study Commentary Chapter 1ĭaniel Chapter 1 Lesson: Stranded in Babylon
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