May 7: HOPE IN THE ONE WHO HOLDS ETERNITY
To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. Daniel 1:7
Who is in charge of renaming Daniel and his three friends? It is the chief of the eunuchs, who is called Ashpenaz (v.3) by the writer (that would be Daniel). The changing of names of the conquered by the conquerors is part of the plan to indoctrinate with Babylonian philosophy as well as mark them as adopted members of the Babylonian court.
Daniel’s new name, Belteshazzar, was a reference to the main Babylonian god, Marduk, also known as Bel (or Baal). The entire name meant “god protect the life of the king”, a pagan prayer of sorts; and quite a contrast with God is my Judge. An interesting detail is that the name is feminized by adding te in the middle. This is a cruel reference to the fact that Daniel had been castrated. Satan’s idea of “gender confusion” is nothing new; he pushes against every foundational aspect of God’s word, including: So God made man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27).
Hananiah’s new name, Shadrach, is thought to mean “Command of Aku”, supposedly placing him and his God—the true, gracious God—under the authority of Aku, the moon god. This god was credited with kindness and grace, but was also believed to have uncontrollable rage and an angry dark side. Some scholars believe the full meaning of the name Shadrach to be: “I am fearful under Aku’s command” (see 2 Kings 17:32-41).
Mishael’s new name, Meshach, means “Who is like Aku”. This name is a direct confrontation to his Hebrew name which means Who is like God or Who belongs to God.
Azariah’s new name, Abed-Nego, means “servant of Nebo”. This god was the son of Marduk, the main Babylonian god, and was the giver of cuneiform writing. He was associated with wisdom, learning, and prophecy, as well as being responsible for inscribing the fates of individuals on the “Tablet of Destinies”. This was clearly a confrontation to Azariah’s faith and hope for the future based on the proven record of the LORD’s divine help in the past.
Like a back-handed compliment, these names showing the adoption of the Hebrews into the royal Babylonian court were also intended to undermine the beautiful meanings of their original names and the confidence in the one true God that accompanies those names. These young men exerted a conscious effort to hold on to the character that their loving parents had hoped for in naming them when they were born. Symbolic of the entire world today, Babylon was a system under Satan’s control, trying to cause Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to forget their relationships with God. Strung together, these names remind each of us that God is my Judge and He is the true Source of grace. Who is like [the true] God who has helped me in the past? Therefore, our hope for the future rests entirely upon Him.
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches… He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. Psalms 63:6; 111:4
Dig deeper: Deuteronomy 4:19; 8:11; 2 Kings 17:38; 21:3,5; Jeremiah 1:5; Acts 7:42; Revelation 13:4; 18:2-5