Mysteries in Babylon

The Greek word "mystery" was associated an initiation into a secret society connected with Pythagoras about 500 B.C.

The story of Daniel takes place about 600 B.C., before Pythagoras, but was written in Hebrew (and Aramaic).

The Greek prefix "μυστηρι-" (mystery) appears 8 times in the LXX (Septuagint), all in Daniel. Daniel is in captivity in Babylon. Interestingly, Babylon is mentioned in connection with "mystery" in Revelation.

The LXX was translated from Hebrew into Greek about 270 B.C. The translators used the Greek word "mystery" to translate the Hebrew word "רזה" (ra-zah) ≈ "secret" . רזה - secret

Read the verses from Daniel below and ask yourself the following. How well does the idea of a secret society with special secret information, as in the Greek word, fit the context of the verse?

Daniel 2:27

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KJV: Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

Hebrew: ענה דניאל קדם מלכא ואמר רזה די מלכא שאל לא חכימין אשפין חרטמין גזרין יכלין להחויה למלכא׃

Greek: και απεκριθη δανιηλ ενωπιον του βασιλεως και λεγει το μυστηριον ο ο βασιλευς επερωτα ουκ εστιν σοφων μαγων επαοιδων γαζαρηνων αναγγειλαι τω βασιλει

Latin: et respondens Danihel coram rege ait mysterium quod rex interrogat sapientes magi et arioli et aruspices non queunt indicare regi

Wycliffe: And Danyel answeride bifore the king, and seide, The priuytee which the kyng axith, wise men, and astronomyens, and dyuynours, and lokeris of auteris, moun not schewe to the kyng.

Luther: Daniel fing an vor dem Könige und sprach: Das verborgene Ding, das der König fordert von den Weisen, Gelehrten, Sternsehern und Wahrsagern, stehet in ihrem Vermögen nicht, dem Könige zu sagen,

The Latin word "magi" ≈ "magi" from which we get the English word "magic".

The modern Greek word "μάγων" (MA-gon) ≈ "magi, wise men" is the source of the term "wise men" or "magi" as in the Christmas carol "We three Kings, of orient are". Daniel was eventually put in charge of the Magi and provided with special prophecies, some written as directed, some not to be written. About 600 years later, it appears that some of those Magi, provided with secret information, made a trip to Judea to see the new-born Messiah.

Wycliffe uses the Middle English word "priuytee" ≈ "private" as in "secret". In modern English, a "privy" was a name for an "outhouse". Daniel continues in the next verse.

It appears that Daniel has been initiated into a special position of knowledge in the Kingdom of God.

Paul will offer more on that special position in the GNT (Greek New Testament).

Daniel 2:28

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KJV: But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

Hebrew: ברם איתי אלה בשמיא גלא רזין והודע למלכא נבוכדנצר מה די להוא באחרית יומיא חלמך וחזוי ראשך על משכבך דנה הוא׃

Greek: αλλ η εστιν θεος εν ουρανω αποκαλυπτων μυστηρια και εγνωρισεν τω βασιλει ναβουχοδονοσορ α δει γενεσθαι επ εσχατων των ημερων το ενυπνιον σου και αι ορασεις της κεφαλης σου επι της κοιτης σου τουτο εστιν

Latin: sed est Deus in caelo revelans mysteria qui indicavit tibi rex Nabuchodonosor quae ventura sunt novissimis temporibus somnium tuum et visiones capitis tui in cubili tuo huiuscemodi sunt

Wycliffe: But God is in heuene, that schewith priuytees, which hath schewid to thee, thou king Nabugodonosor, what thingis schulen come in the laste tymes. Thi dreem and visiouns of thin heed, in thi bed, ben sich.

Luther: sondern Gott vom Himmel, der kann verborgene Dinge offenbaren; der hat dem Könige Nebukadnezar angezeiget, was in künftigen Zeiten geschehen soll.

The ancient Greek word "ενύπνιον" (eh-NEE-pnee-on) ≈ "dream" is the source of the modern Greek word "ύπνος" (EE-pnos) ≈ "sleep" is the source of the English word "hypnosis".

The modern Greek word "όραση" (O-ra-see) ≈ "vision, sight". The modern Greek word "όρος" (O-ros) ≈ "mountain, definition, boundary" is the origin of the English word "horizon".

That revelation, or revealing, by Daniel, later Paul, and then John in Revelation, follows from the Greek word used here.

The modern Greek word "αποκαλυπτική" (a-po-ka-lee-ptee-KEE) ≈ "revelation, revealing" is the bases for the name of the book of Revelation.

Note that the interpretation of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar takes history to the present day and further. Details for another time.

Daniel 4:7

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KJV: Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

Hebrew: באדין עללין חרטמיא אשפיא כשדיא וגזריא וחלמא אמר אנה קדמיהון ופשרה לא מהודעין לי׃

Greek: και εισεπορευοντο οι επαοιδοι μαγοι γαζαρηνοι χαλδαιοι και το ενυπνιον ειπα εγω ενωπιον αυτων και την συγκρισιν αυτου ουκ εγνωρισαν μοι

Latin: tunc ingrediebantur arioli magi Chaldei et aruspices et somnium narravi in conspectu eorum et solutionem eius non indicaverunt mihi

Daniel 4:8

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KJV: But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

Hebrew: ועד אחרין על קדמי דניאל די שמה בלטשאצר כשם אלהי ודי רוח אלהין קדישין בה וחלמא קדמוהי אמרת׃

Greek: εως ου ηλθεν δανιηλ ου το ονομα βαλτασαρ κατα το ονομα του θεου μου ος πνευμα θεου αγιον εν εαυτω εχει και το ενυπνιον ενωπιον αυτου ειπα

Daniel 4:9

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KJV: O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

Hebrew: בלטשאצר רב חרטמיא די אנה ידעת די רוח אלהין קדישין בך וכל רז לא אנס לך חזוי חלמי די חזית ופשרה אמר׃

Greek: βαλτασαρ ο αρχων των επαοιδων ον εγω εγνων οτι πνευμα θεου αγιον εν σοι και παν μυστηριον ουκ αδυνατει σε ακουσον την ορασιν του ενυπνιου ου ειδον και την συγκρισιν αυτου ειπον μοι

Latin: Balthasar princeps ariolorum quem ego scio quod spiritum deorum sanctorum habeas in te et omne sacramentum non est inpossibile tibi visiones somniorum meorum quas vidi et solutionem eorum narra

Spanish: Beltsasar, príncipe de los magos, ya que he entendido que hay en ti espíritu de los dioses santos, y que ningún misterio se te esconde, dime las visiones de mi sueño que he visto, y su interpretación.

Here we see that Daniel was put in charge of the group that included the magi.

Some 50 years later, this will be mentioned again in the episode involving the handwriting on the wall (below).

In Daniel 5:11, the queen tells the king of his father, Nebuchadnezzar, who put Daniel (Belshazzar) in change of the group that included the magi.

Daniel 5:11

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KJV: There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

Hebrew: איתי גבר במלכותך די רוח אלהין קדישין בה וביומי אבוך נהירו ושכלתנו וחכמה כחכמת אלהין השתכחת בה ומלכא נבכדנצר אבוך רב חרטמין אשפין כשדאין גזרין הקימה אבוך מלכא׃

Greek: εστιν ανηρ εν τη βασιλεια σου εν ω πνευμα θεου και εν ταις ημεραις του πατρος σου γρηγορησις και συνεσις ευρεθη εν αυτω και ο βασιλευς ναβουχοδονοσορ ο πατηρ σου αρχοντα επαοιδων μαγων χαλδαιων γαζαρηνων κατεστησεν αυτον

Latin: est vir in regno tuo qui spiritum deorum sanctorum habet in se et in diebus patris tui scientia et sapientia inventae sunt in eo nam et rex Nabuchodonosor pater tuus principem magorum incantatorum Chaldeorum et aruspicum constituit eum pater inquam tuus o rex

Note that in the translations of the LXX, some of the terms for this group are not always in the same order.

Herodotus mentions the magi as a hereditary group whose skills included dream interpretation.

What happens when an outsider is put in charge of a powerful hereditary group who are used to being in control? It appears that the group that had tried the fiery furnace route the first time, which failed, and then, 50 years later, with another king, tried the lion's den route. Neither worked for those who tried that route.

The "deep state" has happened throughout history whenever people and power are combined.

The "mystery" of God is mentioned in Revelation.

Revelation 10:7

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KJV: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Greek: αλλα αλλ εν ταις ημεραις της φωνης του εβδομου αγγελου οταν μελλη σαλπιζειν και τελεσθη ετελεσθη το μυστηριον του θεου ως ευηγγελισεν τοις τους εαυτου δουλοις τοις προφηταις δουλους τους προφητας

Latin: sed in diebus vocis septimi angeli cum coeperit tuba canere et consummabitur mysterium Dei sicut evangelizavit per servos suos prophetas