Burunche’s Blog

Daniel 7:1-14 Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts

(Much of the information for today and tomorrow comes from David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary on Daniel 7. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-7/

Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.

In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. 

Having described most of the important parts of his life, Daniel now goes back to describe several visions that God has given him. This first vision takes place sometime in 553 B.C., the first year when Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, is ruling the Babylonian Empire. This vision begins with a great storm churning up a great sea with strong winds from every direction. The sea is presumably the Mediterranean Sea while the storm indicates a sudden onset of spiritual chaos.

Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.

This vision echoes the first vision God gave Nebuchadnezzar decades earlier. The first beast is like a lion, likely representing the Babylonian Empire. But the lion is humbled by having its eagles’ wings removed, anticipating the conquest of the Babylonian Empire by the Medes and Persians.

Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!”

Many people feel this second beast represents the Medo-Persian Empire, while the three ribs represent their three great military conquests: Babylon, Egypt, and Libya. David Guzik says, “The slow, crushing armies of the Medo-Persian Empire were well known. They simply overwhelmed their opponents with superior size and strength. The Medes and Persians are compared to a bear on account of their cruelty and thirst after blood, a bear being a most voracious and cruel animal.”

 Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.

“The leopard was known for its sudden, unexpected attacks. This one was especially swift (with four wings), and clever (having four heads).

i. Each animal is mighty, but dominates its prey in a different way. “The lion devours, the bear crushes, and the leopard springs upon its prey.” (Strauss)

ii. The leopard represented the Greek Empire. Alexander the Great quickly conquered the civilized world by age 28. “Nothing in the history of the world, was equal to the conquests of Alexander, who ran through all the countries from Illycrium and the Adriatic Sea to the Indian Ocean and the River Ganges; and in twelve years subdued part of Europe, and all Asia.” (Clarke)

iii. After his death his empire was divided into four parts (four heads). Specifically, the four heads were Casander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, who inherited Alexander’s domain after his death.”

Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns.

“The fourth beast was indescribable, and uniquely horrific in its power and conquest.

b. Different… it had ten horns: In the ancient world horns expressed the power and fearsomeness of an animal. This fourth beast was so strong it had ten horns.

i. Different people picture this in different ways. Some suggest that the ten horns were actually two five-pointed antlers, rather than ten separate horns.

ii. In historical fulfillment, the fourth beast represents the Roman Empire, which was the largest, strongest, most unified and enduring of them all.

iii. “There is an unmistakable correspondence between these horns and the ten toes of the dream image (ch. 2), and the mention of iron in the teeth suggests the legs and toes of iron in that image.” (Archer)

As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.

This small horn, obviously a ruler of some kind, forces three other rulers out of power. So far, we don’t know the identity of this ruler; however, at some point in history, it will become obvious.

I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him.

The Almighty God, the Ancient of Days, sits in judgment. The description alone is magnificent. “His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him.” Read this description and ask yourself: When you are praying, are you praying to the Almighty God or to something smaller?  

Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn’s boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer.

When God the Almighty Ruler of the Universe takes His throne in judgment, no evil empire, not even the antichrist, can stand against Him. This fourth beast and all its horns will be completely destroyed. There might be remnants of the other empires that continue for a little while, but only until God chooses to remove them.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

This prophecy is one of the first Old Testament prophecies of the coming of Jesus Christ. The description is wonderful and again is worthy of study and meditation.

Tomorrow we will continue with this vision, but why has God given this vision to Daniel, of all people? God has trusted Daniel because God knows Daniel will transmit the information accurately and honestly. Others might twist the vision or try to put their own spin on it. God trusts Daniel, just as Nebuchadnezzar and Darius the Mede have trusted him.

Obviously, Daniel is a man of sterling character. Do we meet the Daniel standard? Can we be trusted with responsibility, with power, with money, or with information from God? It’s been said that “Character is what you do when nobody is watching.” May God help us so that we will always strive to meet the Daniel standard, no matter the circumstances and no matter what pressures we might encounter.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, sometimes these visions are frightening; yet, You are the Ancient of Days and nothing is hidden from You. Help us to trust You and to follow Daniel’s example, no matter our circumstances. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 6:1-28 Daniel in the Lions’ Den

Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

Well! It’s a new day in the old Babylonian Empire and Darius the Mede is now in control. As a savvy ruler, Darius divides the kingdom into 120 provinces with a high official over each province. Then Darius appoints Daniel and two others to supervise these administrators. Naturally, Daniel performs admirably, demonstrating God-given ability. Darius is so impressed that he is ready to place Daniel as the Chief Administrator over the entire empire.

The other bureaucrats have been fuming about Daniel for years as he has ascended to increasingly more important positions. If only they can catch Daniel out, they can destroy his career, gaining power for themselves in the process. But “He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.”  There must be a way to bring Daniel down, but HOW?

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” So King Darius signed the law.

Darius might be a savvy ruler, but he also has an ego that won’t quit. When all these leaders come presenting what purports to be a unanimous request that everyone in the kingdom should pray to him for the next thirty days, Darius thinks, “Why not? I AM the supreme ruler.” Blinded by pride, Darius fails to appreciate the schemes underlying this proposal until he has signed this ridiculous request into law. In these days, the law of the Medes and Persians is absolute; once an edict has become law, there are no means for reversal. The scheming administrators are rubbing their hands in glee and dancing little victory dances, for they know that now they can catch Daniel.

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”

“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”

Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

Before going to the king, these plotters meet outside the palace, slapping one another high fives and doing little victory dances. After years of trying, these guys feel they are eliminating this obnoxious Hebrew do-gooder completely! “Okay, Bel-te-shaz-zar! Let’s see how you get out of this one!”

So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

WOW! The king is seriously concerned about Daniel. Not only does Darius refuse all food and drink, but he cannot sleep at all that night.  

Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Notice the king hurries anxiously to the lions’ den. Generally, kings don’t hurry anyplace; they send messengers to investigate and bring them back information while they sit grandly in the palace. And the king is in anguish, another emotion generally foreign to most sovereign rulers.

Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

Notice how graciously Daniel speaks to Darius. Daniel might be tempted to be impertinent; however, he respects Darius’ authority and also reassures Darius that his intentions are honorable.

The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

Again, this is one of the most satisfying conclusions to any Bible story. Not only are the wrong-doers punished, but they and their families are thrown to the lions. The lions are so eager to attack these people that the lions tear them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

What can we gain from this story? First, Daniel has been honoring the Lord for his entire life; he doesn’t simply start at the time of the king’s edict. It is actually Daniel’s practice of routine worship that gives his enemies the idea of twisting it to use against him.  

Next, Daniel persists in prayer and worship, even when Darius issues an edict against such practices. It is of supreme importance that Daniel continue to relate to God, whether he lives or dies.

Daniel maintains his respect for Darius, even when Darius is forced to carry out his own foolish order.

Darius lives to bitterly regret having been manipulated by greedy jealous counselors to have Daniel thrown to the lions.

And finally, when God delivers Daniel from the lions, Darius orders his subjects to worship and fear Daniel’s God. Darius learns much more quickly than Nebuchadnezzar did, for Darius believes this miracle while Nebuchadnezzar had to be humbled for seven years before he acknowledged God as sovereign.

Make no mistake! We can suffer for doing the right thing, and God might or might not deliver us. But we can also trust that the God who shut the lions’ mouths if fully capable of delivering us from any threat.

May God help us to trust Him at all times.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You, even when we are suffering and facing extreme threats to our existence and our ministries. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 5:13-31 Daniel Explains the Writing

So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it. I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means. Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.

“You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message.

“This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian[e] king, was killed. And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

Belshazzar threw a feast for his nobles, trusting in the strong defenses of the city of Babylon. Again, Guzik gives us this information: “Belshazzar was not afraid of the siege surrounding the city. He was confident because of Babylon’s impressive defenses and his vast supplies.

i. Conservative calculations set the dimensions of the ancient city of Babylon like this:

· The outer walls were 17 miles (27 kilometers) long.

· These walls were 22 feet (7 meters) thick and 90 feet (28 meters) high.

· The outer walls also had guard towers another 100 feet (30 meters) high.

· The city gates were made of bronze.

· A system of inner and outer walls and moats made the city very secure.”

But if all these defenses were there, how did the Medes conquer Babylon?

“The ancient Greek historian Herodotus relates that the Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon by diverting the flow of the Euphrates into a nearby swamp. This lowered the level of the river so his troops marched through the water and under the river-gates. They still would not have been able to enter had not the bronze gates of the inner walls been left inexplicably unlocked. This was exactly what God predicted in Isaiah 44:28-45:7 and Jeremiah 51:57-58. God opened the gates of the city of Babylon for Cyrus, and put it in writing 200 years before it happened.

Isaiah 45:1-2 “This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again. This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains.I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.”

Jeremiah 51:57-58 says, “I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her captains, officers, and warriors. They will fall asleep and never wake up again!” says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
“The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled to the ground, and her massive gates will be burned. The builders from many lands have worked in vain, for their work will be destroyed by fire!”

i. “In October 539 BC, Cyrus advanced into lower Mesopotamia and, leaving Babylon till last, conquered and occupied the surrounding territory. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, Nabonidus of Babylon deserted his city, leaving it in the charge of his son Belshazzar… the taking of Babylon was as bloodless and effortless as Daniel 5 implies.” (Motyer, in his commentary on Isaiah)

ii. The fall of mystery Babylon will be like the fall of real Babylon – sudden, sure, and in the midst of her worst blasphemies. “Empires do not stand by human might, man-made machines and missiles. There is not a wall high enough nor thick enough to prevent a nation from falling when God pronounces that nation’s doom.” (Strauss)

Belshazzar was trying to bolster his courage by conducting an orgy and praising useless deities. But when the One True Living God weighed in, none of Babylon’s defenses were sufficient. Today many of us are horrified at Russia’s war against Ukraine; yet, God can still deliver Ukraine if enough of us pray persistently. From Daniel’s youth, he was accustomed to pray several times a day, and he continued that practice until he died. May we consistently and persistently turn to God, confessing, praising, worshiping, and requesting. God has promised to hear us and to answer. It is left to us to obey.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we praise You for Your glorious might and Your power over the affairs of men. Graciously look upon Ukraine and deliver her from this unjust war. Help all of us to continue in prayer, trusting that You are working in ways we neither see nor understand. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 5:1-31 The Writing on the Wall

Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him.

The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”

But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.

But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

Who was Belshazzar? David Guzik in his Enduring Word Commentary gives us the answer: “When we come to Daniel 5, Nebuchadnezzar is no longer the king of Babylon. How did it pass from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar? The ancient historian Berosus gives us the following order of events:

· Nebuchadnezzar died after a 43-year reign.

· His son, Evil-Merodach (described in 2 Kings 25:27-30 and Jeremiah 52:31-34) ruled for only two years when he was assassinated by his brother-in-law Neriglassar, because his rule was arbitrary and licentious.

· Neriglassar (mentioned as Nergalsharezer in Jeremiah 39:3, 13) ruled for four years until he died a natural death.

· His son, Laborosoarchod, only a child and of diminished mental capacity, ruled for only nine months when he was beaten to death by a gang of conspirators.

· The conspirators appointed Nabonidus, one of their gang, to be king. He ruled until Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon.

b. Belshazzar the king: For a long time, historians and archaeologists knew that Nabonidus was said to be the last king of Babylon, not Belshazzar (who was Nabonidus’ eldest son). The solution to this so-called discrepancy was apparent when evidence was uncovered indicating not only Belshazzar’s association with Nabonidus on the throne, but also demonstrating that during the last part of his reign Nabonidus lived in Arabia and left the conduct of the Kingdom of Babylon to his eldest son Belshazzar. i. There was no additional mention of Belshazzar, the eldest son and co-regent with Nabonidus, until the Nabonidus Cylinder was discovered in this century. It is now displayed in the British Museum.

ii. According to Babylonian records, Belshazzar became co-regent in the third year of Nabonidus’ reign (553 B.C.) and continued in that capacity till the fall of Babylon (539 B.C.).

iii. It is most likely that at the time of Daniel 5, Nabonidus had gone out to fight the Medo-Persian army and had been already captured. Those armies now surrounded Babylon, and were looking for a way into the strongly defended city.”

 With the Medes surrounding the city, Belshazzar threw a party for his nobles and brought out the vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had looted from the temple in Jerusalem so that his nobles could drink wine from these consecrated objects. Evidently, Belshazzar had already proven himself to be foolish and had refused to learn anything from the sufferings of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar. When Belshazzar desecrated the holy vessels from the temple in Jerusalem by drinking from them and praising demons rather than the One True Living God, he sealed his fate and that of his city.

God proceeded to write a warning with his finger on the wall. It’s possible that the writing was in Hebrew, a language none of the Babylonian magicians and astrologers would have understood. Obviously, the queen mother was not part of the orgy at the palace and she had far more sense than did her son, for she remembered Daniel. It’s also obvious that by this time, Daniel had faded into the background while the Babylonian astrologers and magicians had gained favor, likely because they would tell the king what he wanted to hear.

The story of the handwriting on the wall has passed into common parlance and is now used to indicate a warning that should be obvious to the meanest observer. The spectacle described in this story reminds me of a video I saw years ago about a family who chose to have a “hurricane party,” remaining in their home rather than evacuating from the path of the storm as did their neighbors. Already drunk, the husband insisted that everything would be fine. Sadly, the house was mostly destroyed and the innocent wife, who had pleaded to evacuate, was killed when struck by a falling beam. The last scene of the video showed the husband, now sober, grieving as he realized the results of his poor judgment.

We might read this story and feel complacent or even superior. After all, we would never do such a thing; we would certainly heed God’s warnings. But is that statement true? Through the years, we have watched as people have tried to convince themselves that there were no problems in a situation when major issues were already in abundance. Misplaced loyalties, fear of betrayal, fear of others discovering malfeasance-there are all kinds of reasons why people will steadfastly ignore God’s handwriting on the wall. May we confess our sins regularly, so that when God wants to show us something, we are prepared to receive it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to keep close accounts with You, confessing our sins swiftly so that when You want to tell us something, we will be prepared to receive it. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 4:28-37 The Dream’s Fulfillment

“But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’

“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Well, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream comes true! One fine morning, Nebuchadnezzar is striding around his palace, “‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’”  Oh, Nebuchadnezzar! YOU JUST SAID THE WRONG THING!!!

“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’”

How it happens, we don’t know, but suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar goes crazy and his bewildered advisers can think of nothing to do but drive him out into the wilderness. “He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.”

But God’s timing is perfect, and at the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar regains his sanity and his kingdom.

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Reading this story, we might think of several world rulers to whom we wish something similar would happen. Vladimir Putin is someone who immediately comes to mind, while many of us might nominate several others. But the question for us is this: What does it take for us to recognize that God is sovereign and that we can only be his servants? How many of us secretly feel that we have created our own kingdoms and that we are unassailable?

May God help us, so that we will honor Him in everything we do.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to honor You as our Sovereign Lord and King in everything we do. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 4:1-27 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream about a Tree

King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!

“I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.

“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed. So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant. When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

“I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.

“‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth. The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.

‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches.
But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze
and surrounded by tender grass.

Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field. For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—even to the lowliest of people.”

“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Explains the Dream

“Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’

“Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.

“‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”

“‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.

“‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”

Despite all the miracles Nebuchadnezzar has witnessed, he remains unrepentant and refuses to worship the One True Living God. But God loves Nebuchadnezzar and wants to break that royal pride so that he will realize there is only one God and King and that he is not it. God sends Nebuchadnezzar a frightening dream and the king immediately sends for Daniel to interpret it.

God portrays Nebuchadnezzar as a huge tree whose protection and fruits supplied all the creatures in the world. But a holy messenger commanded the tree to be cut down and the stump to be bound with bands of iron and brass to hold it together. Then God decrees, “Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”

What can Daniel say? The interpretation is frightening; yet, he must give it accurately. “‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.”

All Daniel can do is to beg Nebuchadnezzar:” ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”

We don’t know what Nebuchadnezzar has been doing, but obviously, he has been wicked and has been merciless to the poor. Now God is giving the king a final warning, one that eventually comes true.

This story illustrates Daniel’s courage, for who wants to advise the most powerful ruler of the world that he’s a miserable sinner who is about to suffer for his sins? Why should God warn Nebuchadnezzar in this fashion?

It’s tempting to divide Biblical characters into good guys and bad guys; however, God views people differently than we do. God loves Nebuchadnezzar and wants him to repent and worship Him rather than himself. But God has already demonstrated His power by saving the three young men from a fiery furnace and Nebuchadnezzar has settled for giving a weak warning for people to respect God but not necessarily to worship Him alone. Now it’s time for God to deal directly with Nebuchadnezzar.

The question for us is simple: How much work does it take for God to get OUR attention? How many of us are actually worshiping ourselves, rather than God? Even when we attend worship services, are we actually worshiping God or are we admiring ourselves, our dedication, our performance? May God help us so that we worship Him and Him alone!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to truly worship You and You alone. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 3:19-30 The Blazing Furnace

Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

If you want to really see someone having a major temper tantrum, just cross a world ruler such as Nebuchadnezzar! From infancy, this ruler has been surrounded by yes-men and yes-women who will tell him exactly what he wants to hear. Now these three young men have refused. Nebuchadnezzar orders the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and orders his strongest soldiers to throw the men into the furnace. The fire is so hot that the poor soldiers handling the young men die from the heat while the young men fall fully clothed into the furnace.

But look what happens now! Not only are the three men walking around in the furnace, freed from their bonds as if nothing is happening, but there’s a fourth man with them who “looks like a god.” Many Christians believe that the fourth man is Jesus who accompanies the men to encourage and protect them. Whether this is Jesus or an angel such as Archangel Michael, the Angel of the Israelites, God obviously protects these men. When Nebuchadnezzar calls the men to come out of the furnace, he is shocked to realize that not only are they not burnt, but the fire has not touched them at all; they don’t even smell like smoke.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar stands amazed at the God of these three men and orders his subjects not to speak a word against this God. But Nebuchadnezzar stops short of worshiping God himself, preferring to persist in worshiping his own gods and also worshiping himself. It will take a much bigger cataclysm before Nebuchadnezzar himself worships God.

In the meantime, the scheming astrologers are crest fallen. All their plotting has failed; in fact, these three men are promoted to even more important positions. As these men mutter in a disconsolate group, they wonder, “Can’t a villain ever get a break around here?”  

This part of the story is one of the most satisfying conclusions possible. Not only are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego validated, but they are delivered from the fiery furnace and even promoted to higher positions than they have occupied previously.

What can we learn from this story? When we serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we are serving a God who can deliver, protect, and promote. We might ask why God doesn’t always deliver us, why must we suffer? God wants to perfect us by any means possible. Many times, we only learn spiritual truths through suffering. On the other hand, there have been times when God has miraculously delivered believers. Only God knows what we need the most. In this story, the three young men have done everything they can to serve God faithfully, and they have not compromised. God responds by delivering them. Notice that when God delivers, the young men don’t have singed hair or even smell like smoke. When God delivers, He does a complete job of it.

Remember what the young men have said in response to Nebuchadnezzar: They are prepared to serve God, believing that He is fully capable of delivering them, but swearing to serve Him, whether or not He delivers them. We must always be prepared for God to accomplish His perfect will, rather than our desires. Many Christian martyrs have died while serving Him, even though they have had effective ministries and are blessing large numbers of people. All we can do is to remain faithful, no matter our circumstances. May God help us, so that we will be willing to live or die for Him.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to remain faithful to You, no matter the circumstances or threats to our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 3:1-18 Gold Statue

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

“But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Well! After these Hebrew upstarts have succeeded in gaining important positions within Nebuchadnezzar’s empire, finally the displaced bureaucrats have an opportunity to get rid of these nuisances. Frankly, these guys don’t care which deity they worship; as far as they’re concerned, whatever Nebuchadnezzar wants, Nebuchadnezzar gets. But this most recent edict of Nebuchadnezzar’s hands these gentlemen a golden opportunity. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have already distinguished themselves by joining Daniel in refusing the king’s rich food, giving them a physical and mental edge over their competitors. This refusal stems from the fact that much of that food has been dedicated to local gods before being brought to Nebuchadnezzar. When Daniel gains favor with Nebuchadnezzar by successfully describing his dream and interpreting it, these three men are also promoted to prominent managerial positions. Those who have been deposed from their positions are fuming and want nothing more than to get rid of these nuisances.

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Nebuchadnezzar flies into a rage, confronting these three men whom he has previously trusted with running the province of Babylon. But the astrologers have appealed to Nebuchadnezzar’s vanity, and he has responded as they have hoped. As Nebuchadnezzar is thundering at these men, the astrologers are likely rubbing their hands in glee.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Notice that these men cover all eventualities. As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are refusing to worship this image, they are avowing that God can rescue them from Nebuchadnezzar. At the same time, the three also avow that they would rather die in the fiery furnace than serving Nebuchadnezzar’s gods or his golden image.

We will take up the rest of the story tomorrow, but the question for us is simple: Whom are we worshiping? Whom will we worship? And how far are we willing to go to serve the One True Living God? In northern Nigeria, in Islamic countries, in North Korea, Christians are dying for their faith. Some of us are scarcely willing to attend church if we become uncomfortable or we have to travel a distance. At this point, we must ask ourselves if we truly worship God or are we merely attending worship services out of habit but not out of commitment? May God help us to remain true to Him, no matter what happens!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You, no matter how difficult things become. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 2:24-49 Daniel Interprets the Dream

Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.”

Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, “I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell the king the meaning of his dream!”

The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”

Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.

“While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen. And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.

“In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight. The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

“That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means. Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.

“But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world. Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron. But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay. This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.”

“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”

Nebuchadnezzar Rewards Daniel

Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”

Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

God has done it! God has given Daniel the dream and its interpretation. Daniel and his friends are saved, as are the rest of the magicians and wise men. Arioch, the commander of the guard, is thrilled, for he had no interest in having to slaughter the magicians and wise men. Now let’s examine the dream.

For reasons known only to God, He has chosen to give this pagan ruler a prophetic dream about his kingdom and the kingdoms to come. In the dream, there is a huge statue of a man with a head of fine gold, a chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, the legs of iron, and the feet a combination of iron and baked clay. A rock Is cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It stikes the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. The whole statue is crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blows them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that has knocked the statue down becomes a great mountain that covers the whole earth.

The head of gold represents the Babylonian kingdom which will last between 609-539 BC. The silver represents the kingdom of Persia, lasting from 539-333 BC. The bronze represents the Greek kingdom from 333-49 BC. The iron and iron plus clay represents the Roman kingdom lasting from 49 BC-33 AD when Jesus is crucified and rises from the dead. Jesus is the stone cut form a mountain without human hands that smashes everything, reducing it to fine dust, while the Kingdom of God covers the entire earth.

Those of you who are history buffs might argue with the dates for the Roman Empire; however, this is a matter of world domination, not simply the existence of a kingdom. We might well ask why there are no more parts to the statue. What about all the other empires that have arisen subsequently? What about the Ottoman Empire for example, or the British Empire? Perhaps the answer is quite simple: The implications of this dream are not merely political but also spiritual. Once Jesus comes, all other kingdoms will eventually be irrelevant and will equally disappear.

Why does God give this mighty ruler a vision of empires crumbling and disappearing? God wants Nebuchadnezzar to realize that nothing is permanent, not even Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is amazed at the wisdom Daniel has demonstrated and even bows in worship and commands sacrifices. Nebuchadnezzar praises Daniel’s God and promotes Daniel and his friends; however, there are still more lessons for this proud monarch to learn before he will truly worship God.

For the moment, we can leave Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael rejoicing that God has given Daniel the answers. But there are others in the kingdom who aren’t nearly so happy with this result. Envy and in-fighting among bureaucrats is also as old as humanity. Tomorrow we’ll learn how God has to deliver three believers.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, thank You, that You are a God who knows, who sees, who hears, and who understands. Help us to trust You so that when we are in trouble, we will seek Your solutions and nothing else. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 2:1-23 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn’t sleep. He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, he said, “I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means.”

Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”

But the king said to the astrologers, “I am serious about this. If you don’t tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble! But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!”

They said again, “Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”

The king replied, “I know what you are doing! You’re stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say, ‘If you don’t tell me the dream, you are doomed.’ So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.”

The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.”

The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.

When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.

Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.”

WELL! What good is it being the supreme ruler of the most powerful empire if you can’t get one simple little wish granted? For a long time, Nebuchadnezzar has suspected that his magicians and wise men have been faking things, and now he has proof. One night, Nebuchadnezzar has a very disturbing dream; however, when he wakes up, all he remembers is how frightened he was during the dream. Interpreting a dream is child’s play; after all, there are well-laid down rules for dream interpretations. But if these magicians and wise men are worth anything, they ought to be able to describe the dream as well as interpreting it.

Naturally, the magicians and wise men are terrified! Nobody has ever made such a demand on them before and they have no means of satisfying the king. Not only that, but Nebuchadnezzar is known to fly into a temper over the slightest mishap. Now these poor men who have served the court for years are facing death and destruction not only for themselves but also for their families.

Fortunately, for these men who are shaking in their sandals, Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, decides to start by eliminating the Hebrew advisors. Perhaps Daniel and Arioch have become friends; at any rate, when Arioch arrives, Daniel questions him and then promises to go to the king and plead for more time.

This part of the story is so simply told that we might miss the miracle it conveys. As a supreme ruler, Nebuchadnezzar summons people to the palace; people do not simply drop in to visit Nebuchadnezzar. In the story of Esther, the king extends his scepter to Esther; were the king not to extend the scepter, Esther would have been killed. But Daniel not only goes to the palace but meets with the king and is given more time to solve the problem. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar is feeling the slightest bit sorry he made all those threats and is looking for a face-saving way out. Besides, Nebuchadnezzar still can’t remember the dream and really wants to know both the dream and its interpretation. This Hebrew fellow Daniel seems to have sources of wisdom not available to the Babylonian magicians. Why not give Daniel a chance?

Daniel and his three friends pray earnestly, and that night, God shows Daniel both the dream and the interpretation. “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.”

We will pause the story here, but please study Daniel’s prayer of gratitude to God. “He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.” When the shooting took place at the Catholic school in Minneapolis recently, it was the 44^th school shooting to take place this year in the U.S. Schools are no longer places of refuge.

When terrible things happen, we wonder if God is still on the throne or if He’s gone on vacation. We must remember that terrible things have happened throughout history. Daniel and his friends were in Babylon because the Jews had failed to follow God and God had allowed the Babylonians to conquer them. But God still hears the prayers of believers and he still works through believers. “He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.”

God does not play favorites; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The God who helped Daniel and his friends will also help us when we cry out to Him. Let us worship Him and serve Him faithfully, for He is our help and salvation.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to trust that when we are in need of knowledge, courage, or strength, You are our Source. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.