Chapter 18 Cont.: Vision of Fire

Daniel loosened his traveling cloak as the midmorning sun warmed his body.  Looking back over his shoulder, he saw a mist still clinging to the mountains from which they had just descended.  In a few hours he and his escort would reach the trade route that, in a day’s ride, would bring them to Babylon.  Two of the ten soldiers escorting him had ridden on ahead to intercept a large caravan they had seen headed their way to learn who they were.  This close to Babylon, it was unlikely they would pose a threat, but his protectors wished to take no chances.  

Daniel rode in silence, paying little attention to those around him, even Ezekiel, who had joined him at the last minute as they departed Babylon.  Daniel had seen his old friend amongst the newly arriving exiles and had taken Ezekiel with him to pray and fast in the foothills of the Zagros mountains.  Daniel’s heart had rejoiced to again see his  friend, to learn of his family and his people.  Yet this had not been a time set aside for celebration, but for fasting, prayer and intercession.  Last night, those prayers had culminated in a vision as clear as the one he had had the night he “saw” Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

       And it had terrified him.  It was as though he had been there, in person, walking around in a fire which burned hotter than the sun itself.  In that fire with him had been Shadrach, Abednego and Meshach.  As hot as the flames had been, they had not been consumed by the blaze.  The vision had ended when the three exited the furnace, and Hamon had left with Nebuchadnezzar to discuss the meaning of it all.  The look on the king’s face showed that he was clearly afraid.  Up until now, Daniel had seen Nebuchadnezzar as one who would lend his protection to Daniel and his people.  Now, he was not so sure.  For the first time in four days, Daniel turned to his friend to share what was in his heart.

           “Daniel, what is it you hope to accomplish?  And what is it you fear?,” Ezekiel asked when his friend had finished describing the vision of the fiery furnace and Nebuchadnezzar’s newfound fear of the Hebrews.

           “Ezekiel, I am convinced God has led our people into exile as a way to refine us, as a way to prepare us for something.  With the exception of Josiah, our kings have led us further and further astray.  By being taken into exile in Babylon, we have been forced to look inward and examine our hearts, to renew our spirits.  I want to accomplish that task, and am convinced you will play a key role in that endeavor.”

           “But, Ezekiel, I fear the implications of my vision.  The Feast of Akitu is a time when the king of Babylon takes on the powers of Marduk.  Nebuchadnezzar could easily view what happened last night as a terrible insult to his god.  If that happens, what is to prevent him from taking revenge on our people?  Should my fears come true, whatever dreams the Lord has in mind for us will die unborn.”

           “But what of the scrolls, Daniel?  You have been here nearly five years and have had time to study them.  You told me yourself Nebuchadnezzar has made available to you his magicians, mathematicians and astronomers.  Have you been able to learn anything?”  Ezekiel asked

           “Oh, there are some things that I have learned,” Daniel replied, not sure what he should reveal of his studies.  In the last two years, the Lord had led him to write out on large pieces of parchment ten-by-ten arrays of the text of the Torah.  Daniel had become convinced that one could find embedded in the sacred scrolls divinely ordained messages by the skipping of equal intervals of letters.  Daniel laid out the text of the Torah in these ten-by-ten arrays so he could eliminate the spaces between the words.  The more he studied in this way, the more he had become convinced of patterns that were hidden therein.  Already, he had found several references to the ninth day of the month of Av, and had begun to develop a theory as to what it meant. 

           The scroll of Isaiah made mention of a conqueror who was to come, one called Cyrus.  Without giving voice to the prophecy, Daniel silently recalled what Isaiah had written:   “Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed:  God shall empower his right hand and he shall crush the strength of mighty kings.  God shall open the gates of Babylon to you; I will shatter the doors of bronze, and cut through their iron bars.  And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.”

           But there was a darker secret which revealed a prophecy that Daniel could not bring himself to share with his friend.  It was a prophecy of judgment which revealed not only that the temple would be destroyed, but also the exact date on which that event would take place.  The thought that these things would happen was too terrifying to think about, let alone discuss with Ezekiel.

           “Yes, there are some things that I have learned, still other things that remain hazy to me.  I cannot discuss them now, but know this:  My vision of last night portends events far beyond what we can now imagine.  We must leave it in God’s hands, knowing He will provide a shepherd who will restore our people at the right time.”

           Their conversation was interrupted by one of their Babylonian escorts, who called for the party to halt.  Out of the west, two horsemen galloped toward them – the scouts who had been sent out earlier to investigate the approaching caravan.  The horses, snorting and shaking their heads, were reined in by their riders.  Before the steeds settled down, the two warriors dismounted and approached, saluting their captain.  “Give me your report!,” he commanded.

           “Lord Naaman himself leads the troop which even now comes our way.  He orders us to join him in his triumphant return to Babylon.”  Turning to Daniel, the scout added, “Lord Naaman expresses his good wishes to you and eagerly anticipates your joining his command.”

           As their party resumed its trek towards Babylon with the intent of joining up with Naaman, Ezekiel turned to Daniel and said, “Now we shall have a rare opportunity to learn what he thinks of Judah’s new king – and what relationship our people can expect to enjoy with Babylon.”

           Daniel nodded his head, and said a prayer for his people.

Have you jumped into the middle of the story and want to “catch up”? Go to achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

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