The final two chapters of the historical narrative sees the end of Babylon as an independent kingdom and the rise of the Medes and the Persians. As a major figure in both Babylon and Persia, Daniel interprets the writing on the wall for Belshazzar and survives an attempted assassination via the lion's den.

False prophets were saying that the Babylonian captivity was going to end quickly and that everything would be restored to normal. Jeremiah put on a yoke symbolizing the Babylonian occupation. He spoke both locally and by letter to the exiles in Babylon saying that they should settle down and prepare for a seventy year stay. In being good citizens and seeking to benefit Babylon they would find peace and prosperity for themselves.

In the Luke 12 parable of the rich man whose barns were too small to hold his crops, Y'shua accuses him of covetousness. Why? The man is harvesting his own fields, the crop is his and he owns the barns. On the surface he is not lusting after anyone else's property. He just wants to keep what is his own. What's going on here?

When Daniel's friends remained true to character and to God by refusing to worship the state idol, they were thrown into a furnace. Their salvation from that trial was a witness to Nebuchadnezzar who gave glory to God. Nebuchadnezzar's conversion was later complete when God humbled him for a season, by giving him the mind of a beast.

Among the people who matter in Judah, Jeremiah has been marginalized as a kook. People don't change their ways he gets considerable abuse. In chapter 24 his prophecy from chapter 21 is realized. Those who surrendered to the Babylonians were carried away but they were to live and prosper in exile. Those who listened to the false prophets and remained in Judah died.

In Parsha Re'eh Moses emphasizes over and over that for sacrifice and feasts Israel is to come before God and rejoice because of all the blessings that He has bestowed. This rejoicing is demonstrate a healthy, loving relationship between God and His people. The love of God is unconditional - His blessings are not. Like any good father, God will correct bad behavior. One way He does that is by withdrawing blessings.

Daniel and his companions were Jewish hostages to Babylon before and during the destruction of the first temple by Nebuchadnezzar. In this first vignette involving adherence to the dietary laws and the interpretation of dreams, Daniels character and favor with God are established.

After Jeremiah was let out of the stocks, the king sent to him asking if the Lord would deliver the city from Nebuchadnezzar. God said that He would not and proceeded to lay the blame for the evil that was to befall the city on the dereliction of Israel's shepherds. They had enriched themselves through injustice and had not taught the people to follow the word of the Lord.

All of the words in the Torah translated as 'obey' are variations on 'shema', 'listen'. God explicitly forbids making any sort of image to be used in worship - even worship of Him. Seeing and listening provide two very different levels of understanding. Seeing is superficial and detached from the one being observed. It tells nothing of what's going on inside. Listening, on the other hand, can provide an entirely different level of understanding, since it goes past the superficial and and allows the speaker to expose what's inside.

In both of these two short letters, John speaks of the duty and limits to Christian hospitality. In one he warns against extending hospitality to those who would sow confusion about the identity of Messiah and in the other he commends hospitality to missionaries.