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Ezekiel and Daniel: Babylonian Crisis

  1. Lesson One
    Ezekiel's Prophetic Word (Ezekiel 1–24)
    19 Activities
    |
    2 Assessments
  2. Lesson Two
    Ezekiel: Israel's Shame and Restoration (Ezekiel 25–39)
    22 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  3. Lesson Three
    Ezekiel's Distinctive Message (Ezekiel 40–48)
    24 Activities
    |
    2 Assessments
  4. Lesson Four
    Daniel: Dreams and Prophecies (Daniel 1–3, 9–12)
    18 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    Daniel: Kings and Kingdoms (Daniel 4–8)
    18 Activities
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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The symbolic acts of biblical prophets might seem strange or convoluted to our modern sensibilities, but they are not unusual in an ancient context. Symbolic actions say things dramatically and memorably. An Akkadian letter dated around 1770 BC describes the symbolic action of a prophet at the city of Mari, an ancient city in modern day Syria.

A prophet of Dagan came to me and spoke as follows: This is what he said: “Verily what shall I eat what belongs to Zimri-Lim? Give me one lamb and I shall eat it!” I gave him one lamb and he devoured it raw in front of the city gate. He assembled the elders in front of the gate of Saggaratum and said: “A devouring will take place!”

By eating the lamb raw, the prophet of Dagan (a fertility god common in many ancient Near Eastern cultures) was telling the people that his god was going to devour everything that belonged to Zimri-Lim, the king of Mari.

These symbolic actions create memorable scenes that carry a deeper message. Of course, they also have the potential of being misunderstood. Onlookers could see the prophet of Dagan eating raw lamb and think he was insane, just like they could see Ezekiel climbing through a hole in the wall and think that he was a thief or vandal. In this case, even the confusion over what was happening could have the effect of getting peoples’ attention and prompting them to ask what was happening. This kind of curiosity can keep an audience engaged until a message is understood. And once understood, the scene and its meaning would not soon be forgotten.

Source: Christopher Hays, Hidden Riches, 2014, pp. 239-240. The Akkadian letter ARM 26 206 (=A. 3893).