Copyright 2014 Theresa Harvard Johnson
Insight Before the Prophetic Word
In Voices of Christ, we talk extensively about the influence of Babylon on scribal ministry and the arts. The term Babylon as we use it, simply refers to the world system, its deep rooted idolatry and unrelenting thrust to evangelize souls to facilitate blindness.
As a young boy probably around the age of 14, Daniel confronted this obstacle head on. He was taken into captivity in the physical city of Babylon by Ashpenaz, a chief official over the eunuchs who also served as a high ranking Babylonian scribe in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court (Daniel 1:3). Daniel, was an aristocrat, even at that young age – wealthy and educated. More importantly, however, he was (1) fully rooted in his identity in God; (2) knew the Word of God; and (3) he walked in an unshakeable level of wisdom, understanding and discernment. So though Daniel was indeed physically imprisoned by the world system, he existed in total and complete freedom and dominion in God in the Spirit.
If ever there was a young man who was prepared to embrace this kind of captivity, it was Daniel.
We know the story of why Daniel was chosen. However, I want you to take a closer look at what the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar attempted to do to Daniel and the other men from the tribe of Judah immediately after capture.
Daniel 1:4-7 CJB says, “They were to be boys without physical defect, handsome in appearance, versed in all kinds of wisdom, quick to learn, discerning, and having the capacity to serve in the king’s palace; and he was to teach them the language and literature of the Kasdim.”
Here I simply want you to grasp these key points:
- Babylon wants you to serve the world system which is what King Nebuchadnezzar represents here;
- Babylon wants to teach you its language. Linguistics define culture – its attitudes, beliefs, values, history, etc. Scientifically, you can learn a lot about a people group simply by their language primarily because language is “learned” and passed down from generation to generation. Consider Ebonics as a language? What does that culture look like or tell you simply based on the language?
- Babylon wants you to study its literature – which represents the entire spectrum of documentation that defines the core of what that society is built upon. Writings were precious and limited during these times, literature ranged from official documents to creative works. These documents represented an introduction into World System equivalent to our broad educational systems today.
“The king assigned them a daily portion of his own food and the wine he drank, and they were to be cared for in this way for three years. At the end of this time they were to become the king’s attendants.”
In this passage, we can see that while Babylon had a three-year discipleship plan. One in which Daniel and the other young men from Judah would be IMMERSED solely the very best that the world system had to offer them as food and drink. Remember, there is a spiritual bread and wine that we receive from God and a spiritual counterfeit of bread and wine that comes from the world.
Nebuchadnezzar wanted these men to eat and drink from his table, not the Lords table. Then, at the end of this demonic immersion he wanted them fully assimilated into Babylonian society – completely wiping away their Godly identity and belief systems.
“Among these, from the people of Y’hudah, were Dani’el, Hananyah, Misha’el and ‘Azaryah. The chief officer gave them other names – to Dani’el he gave the name Belt’shatzar; to Hananyah, Shadrakh; to Misha’el, Meishakh; and to ‘Azaryah, ‘Aved-N’go.”
The final move by the King in the midst of them was to then TAKE THEIR NAMES AWAY – the one’s God had given them. You know the scripture and the biblical significance of name changing. Babylon wanted to write IT’S NAME upon their foreheads – completely stripping away any resemblance of their former lives.
People of God, THIS is the pattern of the world system that has been operating since the fall of man. It seeks to strip the very identity of God out of man and disconnect him from that eternal, burning connection that longs for him. It seeks to blind men from the reality of who God is! The world system seeks ASSIMILATION.
Back in the day, I was huge fan of Star Trek: Next Generation. In several episodes, Captain John Pickard was assimilated by this entity called a Borg. In this highly prophetic series, he was taken out of his community and placed in a community of strangers. These strangers manipulated his mind until he forgot who he was. Then blindly, he began living his life from that false identity.
This is what is happening today with the people of God WHO ARE NOT AS STRONG AS DANIEL and the other young men! They may look strong, but when believers fall prey to the veil of Babylon it is truly a sign of a “lack of strength, a lack of identity and stability, a lack of a solid root system in God.
People of God, let’s face some truth here. We cannot recognize the Christian literary arena in its set-apart scribal capacity in this hour because it has been deeply assimilated in the world system. We are coming face to face with generations of people who are blind to the manipulation of Nebuchadnezzar’s ungodly legacy in this area.
And God is calling us out and sending us forth!
2 Corinthians 6:17 CJB, “Therefore ADONAI says, Go out from their midst; separate yourselves; don’t even touch what is unclean. Then I myself will receive you. In fact, I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters.’ says ADONAI-Tzva’ot.”
He’s raising up many scribes in this hour who can resist the assimilation, and who in turn can be used to turn our hearts and minds back toward the heart and mind of Christ. Our effectiveness in this scribal army is dependent on this awakening.
Read Part II: The Word of the Lord
