The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

/LWHUDOO\ ´'DQLHO ZDV NLGQDSSHG IURP KLV QREOH IDPLO\ LQ -XGDK DQG GHSRUWHG WR %DE\ORQ to be brainwashed into Babylonian culture for the task of assisting in dealing with the imported -HZV µ 13 He left Jerusalem a young man . . . died in Babylon an old man, his whole life being GHYRWHG WR *RG·V VHUYLFH LQ D GLIILFXOW XQEHOLHYDEO\ FRUUXSW LGRODWURXV HQYLURQPHQW

According to 1:3-4 these Jewish captives had to meet strict qualifications:

´«VRPH RI WKH FKLOGUHQ RI ,VUDHO DQG VRPH RI WKH NLQJ·V GHVFHQGDQWV DQG VRPH RI WKH QREOHV \RXQJ men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge DQG TXLFN WR XQGHUVWDQG ZKR KDG DELOLW\ WR VHUYH LQ WKH NLQJ·V SD lace, and whom they might teach WKH ODQJXDJH DQG OLWHUDWXUH RI WKH &KDOGHDQV µ The young Hebrews immediately faced a radical decision in Babylon. Along with other young men from captured cities, they were enrolled in a three-year training program to receive the best of Babylonian instruction. The difficulty lay in violating the Law of Moses while meeting WKH UHTXLUHPHQWV RI %DE\ORQ 7KHLU VXSHUYLVRU ZDV SUHYDLOHG XSRQ WR ´SOHDVH WHVW \RXU VHUYDQWV for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat DQG ZDWHU WR GULQNµ Probably eating WKH NLQJ·V PHD t entailed eating meat first dedicated to idols, thereby violating the Law of Moses. Given permission to eat as they requested, they proceeded to the head of the class, looking very fit and healthy DQG ZHUH IRXQG WR EH ´WHQ WLPHV EHWWHU WKDQ DOO WKH PDJLFLDQV DQG DVWURORJHUV ZKR ZHUH LQ DOO WKH UHDOPµ Since Daniel and his three friends were in the first deportation, and they had successfully completed the Babylonian training--and Daniel was rocketed (by Divine intervention) into being a leading government official, they probably could exert some influence on the care and placement of the Jewish captives that would be imported in the following years. 14 Imagine the surprise of Ezekiel when he arrived eight years later in the second group of captives from Jerusalem. Here was Daniel, serving God and in the position of highest authority -- already having experienced five years in his work as head of the wise men. Daniel was then about twenty three (having come, some estimate, at fifteen) and Ezekiel was twenty-five (roughly two years apart). 15 Ezekiel was of a priestly line, but not a full-fledged priest, and he had not yet been called to be a prophet. Dan and Zeke will prove to be a dynamic duo!

Seven Miracles in the First Six Chapters

1. 1HEXFKDGQH]]DU·V 'UHDP 5HYHDOHG DQG ,QWHUSUHWHG (2:1-49).

The leader of the known world was greatly agitated because a dream ² which he could not remember! ² troubled his sub-conscious mind. All of the court magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans could not

13 The MacArthur Study Bible, 1225. 14 /HRQ :RRG FRPPHQWV S ³7KH UHVXOW ZDV WKDW WKH FRQGLWLRQV IRU WKH FDSWLYHV SURYHG WR EH UHPDUNDEO\ JRRG 7KH SHRSOH were able to keep their own institutions of prophets and priests (Jer. 29:1). Also, the captives enjoyed freedom in their living conditions: Ezekiel had his own house (Ezek. 8:1) where elders came to visit him. The people were given correspondence privileges with their friends and relatives back in Judah; Jeremiah speaks of such letters (29:25) and he also wrote to the captives in Babylon KLPVHOI )XUWKHU WKH SHRSOH VHHP WR KDYH KDG JRRG HPSOR\PHQW RSSRUWXQLWLHV ´ 15 Ezekiel had a high esteem for Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14, 16, 18, 20).

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