Nabucco

Chapter 21: The Judeans' Hero

Ezekiel opened his eyes.

Daniel was thunderstruck by what he'd just heard.

"So," said Ezekiel quietly, "that is why I am never plagued by doubt, and why it's simply not possible for me to give in to earthly powers. After seeing Adonai's celestial kingdom with my own eyes, there is no going back. Earthly tyrants -Judean or Chaldean- appear in a different perspective. I don't think it's because of any great virtue on my part; you'd do the same if you'd seen what I have seen".

"To be honest, I consider Nebuchadnezzar to be a more reasonable ruler than Zedekiah. Moreover Zedekiah knew the Law and should have known better. I've never met Nebuchadnezzar though, you have."

"He is reasonable, that's true" conceded Daniel, "He even seems curious about our people and our beliefs."

Ezekiel paused for a moment.

"You know what was odd about the visions I had of the celestial throne?"

Daniel, shook his head to acknowledge the question but couldn't possibly guess where Ezekiel was headed with it.

"The heavenly throne was here, in Babylon, not above the Temple in Jerusalem where I would have expected it."

Daniel didn't react to this last, the implication was too obscure for the moment. Ezekiel didn't pursue it.

For the rest of New Year's Day Daniel walked along the Kebar alone, contemplating all that he had seen and been told. He immersed himself in the river and floated on his back, looking up at the sky and imagining the scene Ezekiel had described which was there but beyond his seeing.

Yesterday he had accepted a temporary tattoo of the Babylonian dragon deity from a teenage girl. She had made the dragon to appear less fearsome and more cartoonish. He looked at it again, seeing it in the cold light of day as a representation of an idol rather than just as a striking image. He washed it off in the river.

On returning to the Tel he made his way back to Ezekiel's dwelling.

"I returned to thank you for your advice" said Daniel.

"I don't remember giving any" said Ezekiel.

Daniel was surprised to realise that this was true.

"No I guess not ... well what you said helped me a great deal."

Ezekiel gave him a smile. He then got up from his chair. Without actually asking Daniel what he intended to do, he opened a small chest and took out two items. The first was a scroll of parchment with Hebrew writing. The second was a simple metal cylinder.

"Here. I think you will need this more than me."

"This is a letter of encouragement that Jeremiah sent to us. It gave me great comfort. Why don't you carry it now? It will help you when you are far from our people."

He rolled up the scroll and placed it in the cylinder, which he then placed on a chain for Daniel to wear around his neck.

"You will be alone and it will not be easy."

Daniel nodded.

He returned down the hill. Miriam was waiting to see him.

"You look a bit lost Daniel. Why don't you come and enjoy the festival?"

Together, they went and participated in the feasting and dancing to mark the New Year.

Daniel was pressed on where he and his cousins had been since they departed for the tournament, so he shared the story about his victory in the rowing races, of being co-opted into the King's service, and his life in the palace. The story was a sensation, particularly the part where he bested Babylon's finest champions in the contest.

"I have to return" he told Miriam, privately.

"Yes ... I hope Ezekiel was able to help you with your struggle"

"Yes. A great help. You also were very helpful in passing word to me."

"Ahh that was nothing" said Miriam, unsure how to accept the compliment and embarassed.

"When will you go?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Tomorrow morning"

The next day Daniel awoke and prepared to make his way to the River. As he emerged into the light he was surprised to see a large crowd had gathered to see him off. He was, at first, baffled but then remembered the reactions to his retelling of the tournament. He had become the Judeans' unofficial ambassador to the Palace.

Out of nowhere, Ahu-bani appeared. He had decided to hijack this moment and put his own spin on it.

"You see, people of Tel Abib?" he began in his loudest public speaking voice.

"The fine youth Daniel shows you can be a good Judean while contributing to the glory of Babylon as a loyal servant of the King."

"He should be an example to all of you."

This was clearly not how most people saw it. They were just enjoying Daniel's success vicariously; proud that one of their own had represented them and had made it big. Loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar was an idea with no supporters.

Daniel, for his part, was somewhat annoyed by Ahu-bani's attempt to poison the well and undermine the message of his task before he had even begun it.

And yet, he also realised that there was a kernel of truth to it. He was loyal to his duties at the Palace. How could this be? First Ezekiel and now the assembled community wanted him to defend Judean beliefs before Nebuchadnezzar yet, at the same time, you could also say that he was the person who had been more transitioned to Chaldean ways than anyone, living in Babylon for months, speaking Akkadian, and even going by the Akkadian name Belteshazzar. He felt like a phoney.

The contradiction of these two realities continued to agitate within him as he rode the barge back to Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar awaited his return.

Daniel returned to Babylon with a growing sense of dread, not knowing how soon or in what way his fidelity to the Law would next be tested. Ezekiel never mentioned this but Zedekiah was restrained by the fact that the people of Jerusalem knew Ezekiel was a good man, which stayed Zedekiah's hand in dealing with him. Nebuchadnezzar faced no such restraints; if anything, his court found Daniel's elevation irksome and would be happy to see him punished for any insubordination. He faced an extremely precarious situation and had no idea how he was going to navigate it.