Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzar. Hananiah’s name was changed to Shadrach. Mishael’s name was changed to Meshach. Azariah’s name was changed to Abenego. During Judah’s time in Babylonian captivity, Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon ordered these name changes in an effort to strip these noble men of their identity as members of the tribe of Judah (Daniel 1:7). Their new names suggested a change in status. Nebuchadnezzar’s ultimate goal was to shift the religious loyalty of Continue Reading
It’s The Fall
When my daughter was a baby, she used to throw herself flat on the floor at the sound of the word “no.” This was an attempt to persuade authority figures to give her her way. It seemed to come out of nowhere! She’d literally fall to the floor, have her fit, then, when she was done, the “no” would still be there waiting for her embrace. In scripture we read about another person who, one day, out of nowhere, just fell. Turns out, his motive was a wee bit different than my daughter's. Mark Continue Reading
The Perks of a Past
I once heard it said that God uses us not despite our past but because of our past. We see this truth all throughout Scripture. Consider Peter. He was very impulsive and always had something to say. Peter is the one who got out of the boat, took his eyes off of Jesus, and began to sink while walking on the water (Matthew 14: 28-30). God used that aspect of Peter’s character to fuel him as he delivered one of the most important and foundational messages in Jerusalem on the Day of Continue Reading