Chapter 18 Continued: The implications of the Vision

         No matter how many times Naaman returned to Babylon, its beauty never ceased to amaze him.  Now within the inner wall, the city gates loomed large and magnificent against a deep blue sky.  But for all its beauty and the anticipation of his return to her ramparts, Naaman could not put the worries that crowded his thoughts out of his head.

          Last night at camp, Daniel had told him all that had transpired – of Timnah’s coming to warn him of Hamon’s treachery, of how she had urged him to use the excuse of going into the mountains to pray for Nebuchadnezzar as a ruse to get him out of the city.  And Daniel had told him of the vision he had had of his friends in a fiery furnace.  His own fears of Zedekiah being a weak vassal who would eventually turn against Babylon,  Naaman kept to himself.  But clearly, the omens did not look good.  Not a superstitious man by nature, Naaman concluded this was one of those rare times which he might want to visit a soothsayer and ask the gods what he should do.

          Arriving as they had on the day after the feast of Akitu, the city stood in eerie silence, the residents for the most part sleeping off the effects of the seven day-long festivities.  As a result, the turnout to welcome Naaman’s return was smaller than usual.  Only a ceremonial guard awaited them.  What struck Naaman as extremely odd was the way they acted toward Daniel, the way they looked – No!  Did not look at him, but rather averted their eyes and kept their heads bowed in his presence.  Something had happened, but what?

          “You, there,” Naaman said to the sergeant in charge of the ceremonial guard sent to welcome them home.  “Where is King Nebuchadnezzar?”

          “He is in counsel with Hamon the High Priest.  They are discussing what to do regarding the omen which was seen during the great feast.”

          “What omen?”  Naaman asked, thinking about the vision which Daniel had described to him.  The guard stole a quick glance at Daniel, clearly fearful of answering in the presence of the Hebrew holy man.

          “A great and awesome event occurred while you were gone, Lord Naaman.  It is that about which they speak.  I have been ordered to escort you to the King,” the sergeant hesitated before proceeding, afraid to look at, let alone speak to Daniel.  “King Nebuchadnezzar wishes for the Great Belteshazzar to await him at the temple of Entemenanki.  He will greet you there, and thanks you for your prayers and fasting on his behalf.”

          Naaman looked at Daniel.  “Something has happened because of your vision, Daniel, which has frightened my people terribly.  Go and pray to your god for mercy, for I fear an ill wind blows a storm which will engulf us.  I will go and see what has transpired.”

          “I have no power to see my future, or yours, Naaman, but of this I am certain,” said Daniel.  “No harm will befall me.  Therefore, do not fear for my sake.  Rather, think about what we have spoken in the past.  Our God has brought us to Babylon to be cleansed of our sins.  What is happening now is part of that process.”  Daniel turned aside, and accompanied by Ezekiel and his original escort, proceeded to the temple of Entemenanki.

          Naaman left the rest of his command in the care of his aide-de-camp and allowed the sergeant to lead him to the Court of Nebuchadnezzar.  He thought back to that first time when he had met Daniel and spoken to him; how Daniel had said his God had ordained they would be taken into captivity for seventy years as a punishment for their sins.  Naaman had from the beginning feared that the policy of bringing different conquered peoples to Babylon would affect his people.  Though he liked and respected Daniel, Naaman had increasingly come to fear the power the Hebrews had to influence his own people.  And he knew that part of his fear was based on the fact that he was himself drawn to the idea that only one god, not dozens, held the fate of the world in his hands.  Naaman shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts.  Again, he thought of going to a soothsayer at his earliest convenience.  But for now, he must place his thoughts in order, and prepare to give his report to Nebuchadnezzar.

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.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

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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.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Chapter 18: Surviving the Blazing Furnace

The fire of the furnace leapt nearly fifteen feet into the air.  To the right of the furnace stood the idol of the god Marduk.  In the courtyard before the Isthar Gate, the people danced and sang as the musicians played their instruments.  Looking down on the crowd from atop a raised platform built for the occasion, Nebuchadnezzar sat with his new bride on their couches.  To the king’s right, Hamon had taken his place.  It was his show to preside over, and while he did not have Daniel in his clutches, the Chief Priest took satisfaction in knowing Daniel’s top three advisors would soon depart this world.

          At the king’s command, the furnace had been stoked to an unbearable level for those standing anywhere near it.  Their wrists bound, ankle shackles linked the three Hebrews together as they were dragged through the Ishtar gate into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.  Though they offered no resistance, six soldiers beat them and picked them up to cast them into the furnace.  As one, the three were thrown into the flames.  Like the mouth of a hungry animal, the fire roared, snapping out a tongue of flame.  Two of the soldiers were caught by the fiery eruption, and cried out in agony.  Though more soldiers attempted to extinguish their comrades, the two were burned beyond recognition or hope of survival.

          The music stopped.  The dancers ceased their whirling to watch the death of the two soldiers.  A piercing scream from Nebuchadnezzar’s bride jerked the Chaldeans’ attention back to the furnace, as she grabbed the king and pointed in its direction.

          “Hamon!” Nebuchadnezzar said, his breath coming in ragged gasps.  “Were not three men thrown into the furnace?”

          Unable to take his eyes from the furnace and its contents, Hamon answered weakly.  “Yes, O King.”

          “By the gods, I see four men loosed and walking about – and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”  The king looked around him at his people; saw the panic in their eyes.  At the moment that Marduk’s power should be celebrated, the Hebrews instead were making a mockery of his god.  If he did not act quickly, the panic hiding behind the onlookers’ eyes would quickly turn into a riot.  Nebuchadnezzar walked down from the raised platform in the direction of the furnace, and called for the three to come out.  All of the courtesans gathered ‘round the three Hebrews as they emerged from the fire unharmed.  Not only had they not been harmed by the blaze, but their clothing was untouched – not even smelling of smoke!  Yet their bindings were gone, burned off their wrists and ankles.

          “You are free to go,” Nebuchadnezzar said in a hushed voice to the three.  Once they had left, the king grabbed Hamon by the shoulders, a look of fear and desperation in his eyes.  “Now, for the first time, I fear Daniel and those whom he has chosen as his closest advisors.  In the face of our most sacred occasion, his God has made a mockery of us.  We must go and talk.  I need your help in knowing what to do.”

          Hamon was taken aback by Nebuchadnezzar’s reaction.  Surviving the fire had been a cheap magician’s trick.  He didn’t know how the three Hebrews had done it.  That did not matter.  What mattered was that they find a way to seize this opportunity to glorify Nebuchadnezzar, demonstrating that the Hebrews were still servants of Marduk and the other gods of Babylon.

Now, perhaps, he would have a chance to enlist the king’s aide in disposing of Daniel.  Yes!  There was still hope that he could eliminate the one man who stood in his way.  He smiled at the King, and put his arm around Nebuchadnezzar’s shoulder.  Hamon knew just what to do.

          “Come, Nebuchadnezzar, let us go speak in private.  I have a plan.”

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.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

Chapter 17 Cont. The Parade of Idols

          “It will not be long now,” Meshach said to his two friends.  “Look, here comes the barge carrying the statue of the god Anu, father of the Babylonian gods.”  Along with Shadrach and Abednego, Meshach watched as the great idol was brought to shore and off-loaded where Nebuchadnezzar sat at his gold table awaiting its arrival.  The idol had been transported downstream from its shrine.  This was the signal for every temple in Babylon to open.  Out of each shrine all the gods of the city, both great and small, were brought out to join Nebuchadnezzar and Anu as they traveled down the Processional Way to Esgalia.  The mass of priests, idols, officials, scribes and soldiers choked the Sacred Way as they transported the idols.  Behind them, the masses of the people followed, all intoxicated with mystic faith.  Behind them, soldiers herded members of the various exile communities forward.  Because they had been made overseers under the authority of Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego led the procession of the Hebrews toward the ziggurat of Entemenanki, and beyond it, Esgalia, the temple of Marduk.

          With Nebuchadnezzar at the head of the procession, he stopped at the base of Entemenanki.  There, priests brought a white bull to him.  Dazed from a drug so that it would pose no danger to the king, it stood by the altar awaiting its end.  Taking a long gold-hilted knife, Nebuchadnezzar cut its throat.  In a stupor, the bull stood for a few moments as its life’s blood spurted from its jugular before collapsing.  “O divine bull, thou art the shining light which illuminates the darkness!” Nebuchadnezzar intoned.

          The priests took the bull and burned it.  As the flames leaped up to consume the bull’s carcass, white smoke rose into the air.  In unison, the people behind Nebuchadnezzar chanted, as the king cried out, “Come out, Bel-Marduk!  The king awaits you!”

          “This is the moment we have awaited,” Abednego said.  “When the time comes, we must do as Daniel told us and not bow down.”  The other two nodded their assent, and watched.

          In response to Nebuchadnezzar, Hamon recited the last part of the Creation Poem, taking now the voice of Marduk:

If I, your avenger

Must make you live,

Exalt and proclaim my destiny.

Let the word of my mouth, even as yours, establish destinies.

Let all that I do remain unchanged.

          It was now high noon, the sun directly above the temple of Esagila.  Slowly, the gate to the temple swung open, a young nubile priestess strode into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.  Dressed in wedding attire, she would become his wife for the coming year, joining his harem thereafter.  Behind her a fifteen foot statue of the god Marduk was rolled out to greet the king, signaling the god’s resurrection.

          This was the signal to the musicians to strike their cymbals and chimes.  Along the east wall of the ziggurat Entemenanki, thousands of servants in unison lifted placards into place.  When seen from afar, they displayed the symbol of Babylon, a lion with eagle’s wings.  The face on the lion was that of Nebuchadnezzar, their king.  The people bowed down to worship their god-king, who was now the god Marduk incarnate on earth, as Hamon called out:

I will praise his godhead,

Proclaim his might,

Sing his strength,

Celebrate his valor!

Marduk the compassionate, the merciful,

To whom it is profitable to turn!

He it is who hearkens to my prayer,

Who grants the favors which appease the hearer!

          Amidst the noise and shouting, Nebuchadnezzar turned with his new queen, the statue of Marduk behind them, to lead the march back across the Processional Way.  Along both sides of the road, as the music played and the priests chanted, all the people bowed down to worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar upon the wall of Etemeniaki.

          All except the three Hebrews.  As Nebuchadnezzar came upon them, he stopped and pointed at them.  “You are servants in the Court of Babylon,” he said.  “I command you to bow down as have all the rest, or die.”

          Shadrach, the eldest of the three, stepped forward to speak for all of them.  “Great Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, what you ask is impossible for us to perform.  Do with us as you will.  Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the furnace you have prepared.  But even if He chooses not to do so, Oh King, know that we can never bow down and serve any image of any god.”  When he had finished, Shadrach stepped back to stand with the others.  They stood in silence, knowing that their actions invited Nebuchadnezzar to order their deaths.

          Finally, Nebuchadnezzar could stand it no longer.  “You will be thrown into the furnace which Hamon has prepared,” he said , his voice trembling with rage.  “Tonight, at the rising of the Full Moon, your charred corpses shall illuminate the feasting that all Babylon shall partake in.”  As a dozen guards knocked the three to the ground to bind and carry them off, Nebuchadnezzar led the Procession of the Gods forward.

achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

 

Chapter17 Cont. The Feast of Akitu

          The feast of Akitu was in its fifth day.  Celebrated in the month the Hebrews called Nisan during the spring equinox, it marked Babylon’s New Year celebration, exalting herself, her riches, her science, her king and her gods.  For the last five days, the city had been engulfed in one unending carnival, interrupted with religious ceremonies conducted by the priests.  All thought of the people’s daily lives had been put aside as the priests focused their attention, between drunken parties, on what the New Year would hold if the city was blessed by Marduk.

           At precisely sunrise of the sixth day, Hamon walked out onto the second level of Esagila.  Raising his arms, he began the Poem of Creation, crying out to Marduk:

“Marduk, unequaled in thy wrath,

Marduk, kind King, Lord of the Lands,

Who makes the Great Gods favorable,

Lord of Kings, Light of Mankind,

Who dost allot portions,

Thou dost control oracles; with thine eyes thou dost give the law.

Lord of the lands of the city of Babylon,

Have mercy on the children of Babylon!

          Behind him, eunuchs purified the sanctuary with water from the Euphrates River.  A chant rose from the lips of the temple priests, who swayed to the rhythmic beat of their words.  The sound reverberated throughout the city, as the population joined in the chant.

          Then, abruptly, the chanting stopped.  Hamon again took up the Narration of the Poem of Creation of the world by the gods:

E-Nu-Ma elis la na-b-usa-ma-mu

When the heaven above was not named,

And the earth below had no name,

And no name was uttered, and no destiny was established,

The gods were created, one after another, and time went by.

Then Tiamat, god of Chaos, mated with her husband Kingu,

Giving birth to unspeakable monsters,

And Kingu led them in an assault on heaven,

Against the army of evil, the gods arrayed themselves,

And Marduk alone was capable of commanding them.”

          At that, the population of the city erupted with shouts of praise.  For if the gods had chosen Marduk, the god of Babylon to be their master, did it not follow that Babylon was called to be the mistress of the world?  After the cheering subsided, Hamon continued the narration, intoning the reply of Marduk to the gods.

If I, your avenger,

Must chain Tiamat and make you live,

Make an assembly; exalt and proclaim my destiny.

And so the gods did as Marduk requested, saying,

We have given thee the kingship over the whole earth.

Let thy destiny be first among the gods,

To destroy and to create.

Speak, and it shall be so.

But cut off the life of Tiamat.

          The pitch of his voice rising, Hamon recounted the slaying of Tiamat, and how Marduk divided her like a fish into two parts, the day and the night, thus creating the world.  He recited the age old story of how Marduk then took the blood of Kingu, the husband of Tiamat, and created Man.  Then came the portion of the story which elicited great cries of grief from the people.

Then Bel-Hittiti, the god of the underworld,

Grew jealous of the glory that was Marduk’s.

And so he came upon our god,

And as he slept, slew Marduk.

            A ripple of cries went forth from the citizens of Babylon at the utterance of this portion of the poem.  Then, with one voice, they cried out:  “Call Marduk back to life!”

achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

Do you have a Bible Study that’s looking for new material?  Consider The Study Guide to the Brotherhood of the Scroll.  You can find it at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz3.html

Chapter 17: Will You Bow Down?

In the first year of the reign of King Zedekiah, the second wave of exiles was taken into Babylon.  In a scheme intended to remove the Lord’s Anointed from the Court of Nebuchadnezzar, Hamon the Shatammu ordered that even the exiles must bow down to the gods of the Babylonians.  Of all the Hebrews exiled in Babylon, only three refused to obey.  Through the faithfulness of a few, the gods of the Babylonians were shamed, and the arrogance of Hamon shaken. 

The Chronicles of Belteshazzar

 Chapter 17

          She had to find Daniel.  The consequences of her not finding him would mean Hamon would indeed triumph.  Already, Nebuchadnezzar had entered the city gates with his second wave of exiles.  Timnah smiled to herself, seeing full well the irony in her attempting to save the life of this Hebrew.  If Naaman were back from Jerusalem, she would have encouraged him to talk to the Zalakka instead.  Daniel had been nowhere to be seen as Nebuchadnezzar led his army and captives back into the city.  In speaking to several who knew his habits, Timnah had chosen the one spot where Daniel might go to be able to pray and watch the entire city at the same time.  Fortunately, she was in good enough physical shape to make the journey without too much loss of time.  As she reached the sixth stage of Entemenanki, she hoped Dagon would find favor in her.  If Daniel were not to be found in his prayer chamber, she did not know where she would look next.

           She came to the door of the shrine to Daniel’s God.  Pausing to look at the gold relief design, Timnah studied the picture contained therein – a ram with its horns locked in the branches of a thorn bush.  She made a mental note to ask Daniel what it meant when the time was right.  As quickly as the urge to wonder about the design had come, it left.  Timnah turned to the job at hand and, pulling the handle, opened the door.  To her relief, she found Daniel, on his knees, praying. 

           “Daniel,” she said softly, not wanting to interrupt him.  While the two had met on social occasions, they had rarely spoken to one another.  Though the circumstances and their lack of familiarity made what Timnah had to do doubly difficult, she could not retreat now from the urgency to act.  “You are in great danger.  Please, you must come with me and do as I say.”

           Daniel turned and looked up at the woman, recognizing her face, though searching his memory momentarily to recall her name.  “You are Timnah, yes?  What in the world …”

           “Yes, I am Timnah,” she said cutting him off.  “I have come to get you – you must leave with me now.”

           Daniel shook his head.  “No, that’s not possible.  I’m sure what ever it is, it can wait,” he replied.

           “We do not have time to debate.  Your life is in danger.  You can remain here and die, or you can come with me and live.  Which will it be?”  Timnah stood in the doorway, hands balled into fists buried into her hips. 

           Daniel, realizing the woman meant business, rose and rolled up his prayer mat, sticking it in a corner of the shrine.  Pushing the door shut behind them and locking it, Daniel began to follow her down the levels of the ziggurat.  As they spiraled down the levels of the structure, Daniel finally broke the silence.  “It must be something of grave importance to cause the Queen of Ashkelon to come and rescue me from an as yet unexplained threat.  Before I go any further with you, you will have to tell me what danger it is I face.”

           Timnah, walking slightly ahead of him, stopped and turned to face Daniel.  “In two days, the New Year festival celebration begins.  Always before, all of the exile groups were required to remain in their quarters while the Chaldeans celebrated the rebirth of Marduk.  However, Hamon intends to request of Nebuchadnezzar that all the exiles be present at the time of the Poem of Creation ceremony.  When all the Chaldeans bow down and worship their king as the risen Marduk, Hamon will require all the exile peoples to bow down and worship too.”

           “But I could never do that!”  Daniel said, shocked that after three years in Babylon, he and his fellow Hebrews might be required to partake of this annual ritual. 

           “And that is exactly what Hamon expects,” Timnah said tersely.  “Your failure to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar will force the king to order your execution!  It is why you must go to Nebuchadnezzar now, before Hamon has a chance to make his wishes known to the king, to request leave to go up into the mountains.  Tell him you want to go away to pray for him and for Babylon.  Only if you are not here during the New Year’s celebration will you be safe.”  Timnah grabbed his hand and began to walk at a near jog, dragging Daniel along.

           Recovering from being pulled off balance, he quickly fell into step beside her, asking, “But what of the other Hebrews?  What of my friends?  What shall become of them?”

           Timnah turned and looked into Daniel’s eyes, an evil grin forming on the corners of her mouth.  “You will just have to trust your god to protect them, won’t you?”  Even while she was helping this one Hebrew, she took sadistic pleasure in lashing him with her cutting words.  Daniel lowered his gaze to the ground, concentrating on the task at hand. 

 Jumping in at the middle?  Go into the achieves at http://wisejargon.wordpress.com/2008/10/and go back to October, 2008 to find the Prologue.

Would you like to read The Brotherhood of the Scroll whenever you want?  Order the ebook at http://www.wisejargon.com/orderpages/orderlantz2.html

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Chapter 16 Continued: Coup

The ziggurat of Entemenanki stretched 300 feet into the air beside the temple of Esagila. Nearly ninety years ago, the Assyrian king Sennacherib had destroyed the temple.  Only recently, Nebuchadnezzar had completed the rebuilding of the temple to Hamon’s specifications.  The Hebrews who had been brought to the land of the Chaldeans spread the rumor amongst themselves that it was indeed the fabled Tower of Babel written of by Moses in the sacred scrolls.  Spiraling up from the base of the structure – itself 300 feet square measuring 1,331 feet in a perfect circle, the ziggurat was built in six reducing stages, the circumference of each stage fifteen percent less than the stage below it.  Atop the sixth level stood a shrine to Marduk which served as a seventh stage.  Just below it, on the sixth level, lay a room within the interior dedicated to the God of Daniel.  The restoration work on the temple nearly completed, the room had been refurbished with fine cedar from Lebanon, gold, silver and precious stones.  All that kept the room from being finished was the presence of some of the vessels of the temple in Jerusalem which Nebuchadnezzar was bringing with him.  Daniel would have his chambers in which to meditate, pray and conduct his astronomical observations.  Only the shrine atop the ziggurat of Entemenanki would be more glorious – or so said the craftsmen.

            But Hamon didn’t think so.  And he was furious.  Since the failure to kill Daniel and usurp the throne several months ago, the chief priest had been forced to lick his wounds and marshal his resources.  Not for the first time, Hamon reflected on how close he had come to having his treachery revealed.  He had arranged for the escape of Reuben, the only person who knew the details of Hamon’s deceit.  Just in time, Hamon had been able to warn the army of Elam that it must withdraw.  He had lost face with that nation, and so could not likely count on their support again in the future.  Hamon’s only solace was the knowledge that the Hebrews had in fact begun to influence the faithful of Marduk with their uncivilized religion, and therein lay the seeds of his revenge.

            In two days, Nebuchadnezzar would arrive from Jerusalem with the gold of that city’s temple, as well as more exiles. Coincidentally, the king would be arriving for the start of the New Year festival of Akitu when Nebuchadnezzar was to be revered as the god Marduk incarnate on earth.  An annual celebration, tradition held that only the Babylonian faithful partook of the religious ceremonies.

            That was about to change.

            Hamon would force all of the exile groups to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar in his role as Marduk, Lord of the Universe.  Their allegiance to Babylon would be tested.  Most importantly, Daniel and his Hebrews would have to acknowledge Marduk was superior to their god.  Not only would the will of the newly arriving exiles be completely crushed, any among Daniel’s  closest followers who didn’t submit would be thrown into a furnace Hamon had ordered built just for this occasion.  He had no doubt that Daniel would refuse to submit.  In the end, the Hebrew would be dead and his god discredited.  That accomplished, Hamon would orchestrate a whispering campaign to lay the blame for the attempted rioting at Daniel’s feet.  Only if Daniel was out of the way would Hamon be able to reassert his influence over Nebuchadnezzar.

            He couldn’t wait for the King to arrive so that he could put his plan into motion. 

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Chapter 16: A King is Crowned

Over ten thousand people crowded into the Court of the Gentiles.  As Troas scanned the crowd, he noted the presence of the Babylonian soldiers at all the key exit points.  On a dais in front of the entrance to the Court of the Women, a small group of dignitaries stood.  Based on the descriptions he had been given, he identified the three who were of greatest interest to him; Naaman, Zedekiah and Jeremiah.  With Reuben close behind, Troas began to work his way through the crowd toward the dais.  To the right of Naaman, a Babylonian Scribe was reading from a scroll.

            “…thus speaks the Sun, Marduk, the Great King of the Gods, Protector of Nebuchadnezzar the Great King of Babylon, favored son of Isthar …”

            The priest droned on, laying out the familiar preamble of the Treaty of Suzerainty – the unilateral treaty made between a great king and his vassal representing a conquered nation.  Now within a few feet of the dais, Troas eyed first Naaman and then Zedekiah.  Perhaps an inch or so taller than himself, Naaman would pose a formidable opponent in battle.  Troas fingered the hilt of his dagger hidden beneath his tunic, absently imagining the matching of their skills in combat.  Zedekiah, though as tall as Naaman, was easily thirty pounds lighter.  His eyes focused down at his feet, clearly uncertain of himself, just as Hananiah had described him.  The Babylonian scribe concluded his remarks, and Troas’s ears perked up as Jeremiah handed a scroll to Zedekiah.  The new king unrolled the scroll and prepared to read from it.

            “I Zedekiah, son of Josiah, in the Line of David, pledge loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.  I renounce the policy of my half-brother Jehoiakim to serve Pharaoh.  Indeed, I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand; His enemies are my enemies.  This I swear as King of Judah.”

            Zedekiah shook as he read, barely audible to those in the crowd closest to him, let alone the crowd of people filling the courtyard.  As far as Troas was concerned, Zedekiah’s comportment spoke louder than the words he had uttered.  Naaman, who had risen to address the crowd, clearly shared that assessment.  He appeared angry over Zedekiah’s lukewarm performance as he prepared to deliver his acceptance of Zedekiah’s pledge of loyalty on behalf of Babylon.

            “If you abide by your oath, may the God of Judah and the Gods of Babylon open the heavens to give rain to your land in season.  May the Gods make you abound in prosperity, and in the offspring of your body.  Furthermore, may the Gods of Judah and Babylon bless the work of your hands,” began Naaman.

            “But if you break your oath, may both the God of Judah and the Gods of Babylon do the following:  May they bring the King of Babylon to destroy the old and show no favor to the young.  May he bring seige against you so that a great famine will arise.  Then you shall eat the offspring of your own body.  You shall have sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours, for they shall go into captivity.  Then your carcasses shall be food to all the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.  Furthermore, may the God of Judah and the Gods of Babylon smite you with madness, with blindness and with bewilderment of heart.  Thus may the God of Judah and the Gods of Babylon do if you break the oath you have made this day.”

            “I could kill him now,” Reuben whispered into Troas’s ear as Naaman concluded his part of the ceremony.  As the Babylonian captain reached out to place a crown on Zedekiah’s brow, Troas shook his head in response.

            “There is no need,” Troas answered.  “Ithobal of Tyre has agreed to come and pay our new king a visit, once his Babylonian masters are safely away from here.  Between now and then, we will follow Hananiah’s advice and speak with the chief merchants and noble families of Jerusalem.  Zedekiah will yet turn against Nebuchadnezzar, and in so doing, provide the other countries in the region the courage to do so as well.  Come.  We have much work to do.”

            As Troas and Reuben melted back into the crowd, the ceremony came to an end.  It was clear from the mood of the crowd they were pleased the crisis had passed, yet were uneasy with the humiliation of their new king.  Troas smiled as he thought of how he would exploit this fact to the advantage of his masters.

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Chapter 16: Hananiah

The home of the prophet, Hananiah son of Azzur, was a simple one.  The main living area held a fireplace and cooking pot in one corner, next to a table and chair.  Above the mantle of the fireplace, an unblemished sheepskin was tacked to the wall.  At the far end of the room, a hallway led to an alcove where the prophet kept his scrolls.  It was in this room that Hananiah studied his scrolls through the light of the only window in his home at a small table built especially for that purpose.  At the far end of the hall lay his bed chamber, where he kept his prayer mat, upon which he prayed three times daily.

Hananiah was not surprised when the knock came at his door.  Indeed, he had been told to expect these visitors.  That had been two days ago.  They must have arrived the night before, along with the caravan which had escorted Zedekiah into Jerusalem for his coronation this afternoon.  As he reached for the latch to open the door, Hananiah could not decide whether to praise or curse their coming.

Opening the door, sunlight flooded into the living chambers as the sun peaked over the eastern horizon.  Hananiah ushered his guests in and left the door open to take advantage of the sunlight and the gentle breeze.  “May I offer you some bread and water?” he asked his two guests.

Troas looked at Reuben and then back to their host.  “Yes, thank you.  You are most kind.”

After serving his guests, the prophet sat down to join them in their breakfast.  “I was told you  would come, to expect you this morning.  Frankly, I care little for the great power politics being played by Babylon and Egypt.  Jeremiah is right – Judah has sinned, and the Lord is using Babylon as the fire to purify us.  My only wish is to bring that purification to a speedy conclusion.  If God has sent you to do that, so be it.  So, tell me, what is it you seek?”

“To give you hope,” Troas said.  He paused to let his words sink in before proceeding.  “This afternoon, Zedekiah will be made the new king of Judah, and his nephew Coniah will be sent to Babylon where he will join the thousands of Hebrews who were sent into exile over a month ago.  But, while I know things must look bleak from where you sit, let me assure you the tide is indeed turning.”

Troas took a sip of water, and then continued.  “I have just come from Kush, where Pharaoh Hophra has won a glorious victory.  King Nebuchadnezzar had arranged to fund their king, enticing him to wage war against Egypt’s southern boarder.  Not only did Hophra win a decisive victory, but their king, Anlaman, was killed.  We arranged for a supporter of Egypt, his younger brother, Aspelta, to be made regent, and eventually, king.  That will insure Egypt’s southern border will remain calm and secure, allowing Hophra to concentrate on regaining the territory in the Gaza Plain lost to the Chaldeans.”

“That is not all,” Reuben added.  “Several weeks ago, I arrived from Babylon.  As you know, king Jehoiakim commanded that Daniel, who has been aiding Nebuchadnezzar, be killed.  I worked to accomplish this.  Though Naaman, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s palace guard, was responsible for thwarting that attempt, all was not lost.  I learned that Hamon, the Chief Priest, secretly covets Nebuchadnezzar’s throne.  He attempted to manipulate events to his own advantage.  Not only did he provide some assistance in the attempted assassination of Daniel, he is also in league with the nation of Elam.  Had the assassination succeeded, Elam’s army would have taken advantage of the ensuing unrest and invaded.  This is still Hamon’s long term goal, and he will stop at nothing to succeed.  The fact I am even here is proof enough, as it was with his assistance that I escaped to bring news of these events to you.”

“Why would this Hamon help you escape Babylon?”  Hananiah asked.

“He feared, rightly, that if I were captured, I would be tortured until I spoke of his treachery.”

As Reuben told of his escape and the politics within Nebuchadnezzar’s court, Troas could not help but think of Timnah, the young woman whom they had used to strike at Nebuchadnezzar and this Daniel.  They had no word of what had happened to her, but he was sure that she must have been killed, as the evidence led back to her involvement in the plot.  Troas allowed a momentary feeling of remorse for the woman to cross his mind, but it passed quickly.  Such was the nature of his work.  Hananiah’s question brought his attention back to the issues at hand.

“Troas, when you were here last, you spoke with Jehoiakim about Pharaoh’s work to build a canal,” Hananiah was saying.  “You described how Judah would share in the wealth created by trade, and how it would allow Egypt to move its navy into a position to challenge Babylon.  How is the work progressing?”

“The work goes well.  Already, a fourth of the canal is completed.  We wish to increase the pace of work, but frankly, the events here in Jerusalem threaten that.  Tell us, what kind of a man is Zedekiah, and how might we gain his assistance?”

Hananiah took a bite of his bread and washed it down with the last of his water.  Wiping his beard, he answered; “As a young boy, Zedekiah was a student of Jeremiah’s.  After the death of his father, Josiah, Jehoiakim allowed him to be taken to Egypt for a few years and held in exile.  Jehoiakim arranged this with Egypt to make sure there would be no threat to his reign.  In any event, it is assumed Zedekiah will be no friend of Egypt because of this.  It is for those reasons Jeremiah wanted him crowned king.  But know this.  He is a weak man, easily swayed.  Pledge that Egypt will come to defend us when Nebuchadnezzar attacks – and if we pursue this course of action, he will – and I will tell you how to gain his ear and hold it despite what Jeremiah may do.”

From beneath his cloak, Troas removed a small cylinder.  Opening the cap, he removed a parchment sealed with the symbol of Pharaoh Hophra – a cobra.  Troas showed the seal to Hananiah , and then breaking it, unrolled the parchment contained within.  It read:

“Troas of Ionia, servant of Tyre and Egypt, blessed of Osirus, is empowered to speak for Pharaoh to the powers in Jerusalem.  May his words bind Egypt to the pledges he makes.”

Hananiah read the writing of Pharaoh.  Satisfied, he returned the parchment to Troas, who rolled it up and replaced it in its cylinder.

“Jeremiah will press Zedekiah to uphold the Year of Sabbatical.  This is a time, declared in the Law of Moses, that all Hebrew slaves and bond servants be freed.  Those who have not been carried off to Babylon, who hold land and slaves must be organized to resist this.  Have Pharaoh pay those nobles with slaves and bond servants to hire their people to help build the canal.  They will then have a reason to persuade Zedekiah not to listen to Jeremiah.  Eventually, they will be able to convince Zedekiah that it is in Judah’s political and economic interests to resist Nebuchadnezzar.  The priests will stir the people to disregard Jeremiah and urge rebellion against Babylon.  If you do this, then within three years, I believe the Lord will free us from Nebuchadnezzar’s tyranny and return our people.”

“Consider it done,” Troas answered.  Looking out Hananiah’s doorway, he could see it was already midmorning.  The coronation was to take place at noon, and he wanted to be there.  Not only did he wish to take a good look at Judah’s new king so he could report back to King Ithobal of Tyre, Troas also wanted to take the measure of this Naaman of Babylon.

“Hananiah, thank you so much for your hospitality, and your wise counsel,” Troas said.  “Come, Reuben, we must be going to see Zedekiah crowned king.”

“I, too, will go to the coronation, but I will follow on my own,” Hananiah said.  “May the Lord’s grace be upon the both of you, and give you peace.”  Troas and Reuben shook his hand, and then departed.

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Chapter 15 Cont.: Religion and Politics

The camp of Nebuchadnezzar stretched in a semicircle around the outskirts of Jerusalem.  His army had not attacked, yet simply waited as the Hebrews grew increasingly restless.  Unprepared for the coming of the Babylonians, they had not stored up a large supply of food stuffs.  As Ahikam and Jeremiah approached the camp, guards appeared to escort them to their destination.  The two climbed out of Ahikam’s carriage, the driver guiding it to a hitching post to await the return of his passengers.

            At the entrance to the tent, two guards ushered them into the presence of a tall, mighty warrior.  “This is Naaman, Nebuchadnezzar’s Captain of the Guard,” Ahikam said to Jeremiah.  “He has told me of Daniel’s triumphs, and that Daniel has spoken well of you.” 

            Jeremiah was suddenly aware of his own abysmal appearance, and in that instant craved the luxury of a bath and clean clothing.  He would receive neither.

            “So, you are the great Jeremiah!”  Naaman said.  “Come, prophet, King Nebuchadnezzar would see you.”

            Jeremiah lowered his eyes and followed Naaman into the inner recesses of the tent.  He did not know what to expect, but was relieved to learn that he would not be made to wait and guess.  Within the inner chamber of the tent, Nebuchadnezzar and several of his generals waited for them.  Even the king’s parrots, housed in a bird cage in a corner of the tent, fell silent as the man of God entered the room.

            “Greetings, prophet of the God of Daniel,” Nebuchadnezzar said.  “We have heard much about you, and have found your words to be most useful.”  Nebuchadnezzar handed Jeremiah the scroll which he and Baruch had worked so hard to reconstruct.  Jeremiah gazed into the young king’s eyes who, unlike his generals here in the tent, was not dressed in the garb of a warrior.  Instead, Nebuchadnezzar wore a sandlewood-colored robe, with a plain circlet of gold around his neck.  “I am told you had no love for your now dead king, that you want his half-brother Zedekiah placed on the throne of Jerusalem in his place.  But I have half a mind to destroy this city instead.  Why should I not?”

            Jeremiah, who had been bent over, looking down at the ground in obeisance to the Babylonian king, now stood to his full height – a good three inches taller than the Babylonian monarch.  In a hoarse but steady voice, Jeremiah responded:  “Ten years ago, as Pharaoh Necho led his army to meet that of your father’s, King Josiah of Judah rode out to challenge the Egyptians at Megiddo.  There, Pharaoh slew Josiah, and placed Jehoiakim on the throne.  From the beginning, Jehoiakim was a pawn of Egypt, sinning against God and man.”

            “But the King of Judah does not represent the Lord or His Temple,” Jeremiah continued.  “You are right, I do wish to see Zedekiah placed on the throne.  You took him into captivity in Babylon, and there God has safely kept him for such a time as this.  The Lord our God has given you His holy city, Jerusalem.  You have not conquered it of your own might.  Its gates have been opened to you.  You may violate her and her sacred Temple, but know this:  A time will come that must inevitably follow – Babylon will be scattered and cast aside in favor of another who will do the Holy One of Israel’s will.  Violate her not, and you will prosper.”  Jeremiah stood still, staring at the young king before him, oblivious to the tension in the room.  From behind the prophet, one of the guards placed his hand on his sword hilt, waiting for Nebuchadnezzar’s order to chop down this insolent, dirty Bedouin.

            Suddenly, from the bird cage in the corner of the tent, the two parrots began to chatter.  “King of Babylon … King of Babylon … King of Babylon,” the two screeched in chorus.  They wailed and squawked, and then in unison said, “Listen!,” and were quiet.

            Jeremiah, who in the confusion had never taken his eyes off of Nebuchadnezzar, said, “Place Zedekiah on the throne to rule as your vassal, and the Lord will bless you.”

            Nebuchadnezzar struggled visibly to control himself.  In the years since his ascendancy to his father’s throne, he had grown increasingly intolerant of those who would stand in his way.  When this prophet’s scroll had come into his possession, he had used it as the propaganda tool he had seen it to be.  Nebuchadnezzar had not expected Jeremiah to defy him in this way.

            Yet Nebuchadnezzar was a religious man.  He saw Marduk as providing him with divine guidance.  While Daniel and this Jeremiah might claim that it was their God which directed his footsteps, he was convinced it was Marduk.  The parrots had spoken at the behest of Marduk – and Nebuchadnezzar would listen.

            But only up to a point.

            “Very well,” Nebuchadnezzar said.  “I will place Zedekiah on the throne of Judah.  But know this:  I will not allow her to go unpunished.  I will take as tribute the gold from your temple.  I will also take with me several thousand Hebrews into exile back to Babylon.  Neither you nor anyone else shall deny me of my destiny.  I will grant you three days to convince Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, to surrender totally.  Then, I will take the vessels of your temple, and leave Naaman behind as regent until Zedekiah arrives and is installed as your new king.  This audience is at an end.”

            Several guards hustled Jeremiah and Ahikam out of the tent.  They walked slowly back to where they had left the carriage.  Only after they had climbed in and the carriage was on its way back to Jerusalem did Ahikam break the silence.  “You did what you could, Jeremiah.  You dissuaded Nebuchadnezzar from burning Jerusalem to the ground.  All is not yet lost.”

            Jeremiah smiled weakly.  “Jehoiakim’s false prophets will claim that the vessels of the Temple will be returned soon.  They are wrong.  If the people listen to these prophets, Nebuchadnezzar will return one last time and destroy the city.  If they are truly prophets and the word of God is with them, then let them now entreat the Lord to not allow the vessels to go to Babylon!”

            Jeremiah and Ahikam rode the rest of the way in silence.  Convincing Coniah to surrender would not be an issue.  But they both knew that some of those going to Babylon would create trouble for Daniel and the Hebrews trying to live peacefully in Babylon.  Jeremiah determined that Ezekiel would be one of those sent in exile to Babylon, along with a letter that he would write to the Hebrews in exile there.  Already familiar with the city because of his last trip, the two agreed Ezekiel would be an ideal spokesman for the Lord to send with these new exiles.

            It would take over over two months for Zedekiah to come to Jerusalem.  Once an exile in Egypt for a brief time after Necho killed Josiah, he seemed the logical choice to succeed Jehoiakim.  Surely he would seek revenge against his former captors?  Though they both hoped for the best, neither voiced their one unspoken fear:  What if Zedekiah, like his half brother, decided to defy Nebuchadnezzar?     

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