An Arkie’s Faith The Ishtar Gate

But the wealth and grandeur of Babylon couldn’t convince Daniel to abandon his faith.

Located between the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq, Babylon was made magnificent by King Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th Century BC. He made it one of the wonders of Mesopotamia by building large structures and decorating them with expensive glazed bricks in vibrant blues, reds, and yellows. Ancient texts describe the many splendors of Babylon, which at its time, was the most significant city in the world.

King Nebuchadnezzar II was one of Mesopotamia’s most influential and transformative kings. It was his vision to create a central powerful cosmopolitan city. He beautified Babylon with building projects and art, focusing on intellectual pursuits and enlarging the army and territory.

of the ancient tiles, I am in awe of the fantastic artistry of the Babylonian artisans.

But as incredible as the Processional Way is, when the room opened, and the Ishtar Gate appeared, it took my breath away. The same stunning colors appeared on the walls, but the imposing size and height of the gate were astonishing. Standing before the gate, I could feel its powerful presence at the core of my being. Passages of scripture came to my mind.

When the Babylonian armies surrounded Jerusalem and conquered it, “King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring some of the men of Judah into his palace. He wanted them to be from important families, including the family of the king of Judah.

“King Nebuchadnezzar wanted only young Israelite men who had nothing wrong with them. They were to be handsome and well-educated, capable of learning and understanding, and able to serve in his palace. Ashpenaz was to teach them the language and writings of the Babylonians.

“The king gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day, just like the food he ate. The young men were to be trained for three years, and then they would become servants of the king of Babylon.

“Among those young men were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the people of Judah.” Daniel 1:3-6 (NCV)

I thought of the captive Daniel seeing these gates as he was being marched into the city of Babylon. Babylon was a spectacular city! Nebuchadnezzar oversaw a vast building program and improved the city’s walls, including the Ishtar Gate, raising its magnificence to new heights. When Daniel lived there, it was the largest city in the world, covering over four-square miles with 200,000 people inside its walls.

As Impressive as the city was, Daniel and his Judean friends never abandoned God to worship the grandeur that was Nebuchadnezzar and the city of Babylon. The impressive gate, with its vibrant blue color and jewel-like shine, was integral to the ancient Walls of Babylon. It was considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the World, along with the Hanging Gardens of the city.

His inscription on the Ishtar Gate reads: “I laid the foundation of the gates down to the ground water level and had them built out of pure blue stone. I covered their roofs by laying majestic cedars lengthwise over them. I hung doors of cedar adorned with bronze at all the gate openings. I placed wild bulls and ferocious dragons in the gateways and thus adorned them with luxurious splendor that people might gaze on them in wonder.”

Gentle Reader, no matter how impressive we find any person or thing, they are not worthy of our veneration. Too often, we are more impressed with celebrity and wealth than with our Creator and Savior. The Bible says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 (NKJV) “For where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.”

Matthew 6:21(AMP)

At one time, Babylon was the most fantastic city on earth, but there came a time when it was said, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen! She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens, decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls! In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone.” Revelation 18:2,16-17 (NLT)

Don’t be dazzled by the treasures of this world. “We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.” Hebrews 12:2 (CEV)