September 15: Daniel 4-6

ISeptember 15, Daniel 4-6

Daniel continued…

Daniel 4 starts out with the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s story, and then it is explained. We have already talked about the idolatry of Babylon. Now we get to read about how God humbles the proud and exalts the humble…

Nebuchadnezzar was relaxing at his house and prospering. He had a dream that scared him. He brought before himself all of his cronies to interpret it and none of them could. Finally, he brought in Daniel. He told the dream to Daniel and the dream simply explained: There was a huge tree, big & strong, that grew to the heavens. It was a beautiful tree and many prospered because of it. Then an angel came and chopped down the tree, leaving its stump that was to be bound with iron and bronze. The man was to be wet with dew and he was to eat like a cow (eat grass) - oh yeah, and the man is going to be out of his mind. This was to happen for seven periods of time. Daniel was dismayed over this dream because he was loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. The king however, assured Daniel to just tell him the dream and not be bothered by it. What did the dream mean? “O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules…” Daniel did not hesitate to take an opportunity to help out the king and told him “let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” Repent and come to God Almighty before it is too late!

Well, a year later, the king was praising himself and before he was done talking a voice came from heaven and declared that the dream was to happen now and was immediately fulfilled. He ate grass and became a crazy man in the field. When it was the right time, the king looked to heaven and God gave him his mind back. He praised God as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! God blessed him even more than before and restored his kingdom to him. It must have been incredibly humiliating for Nebuchadnezzar to go from such power to helpless and crazy… But God had a plan, as always!

Daniel 5 We are introduced to Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar (not to be confused with Daniel’s Babylonian name, Belteshazzar). Belshazzar was having a party with all of his leaders, wives and concubines. Drinking wine out of the vessels of gold from God’s temple. They were worshipping the gold and other fine materials. While they were doing this, there was a human hand that began writing on the wall. When they saw it, the king froze and became very unstable. None of the kings magicians could interpret what was written on the wall. The queen remembered Daniel, so they brought him in. Belshazzar promised whoever could interpret the writing on the wall lots of riches and would be 3rd in command in Babylon. Daniel told him to keep the gifts, but interpreted the writing on the wall anyway. Daniel reminded Belshazzar what his dad had gone through and how he was proud and God humbled him and restored him - but the son had followed in his footsteps, except the humbling aspect. Daniel listed out his sins of that night with the party and false worship. He was not humble, even though he knew what his father went through. What was the writing on the wall and what did it mean? “Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” The king gave Daniel all the riches and made him 3rd in the kingdom - but Belshazzar was killed that night! Darius the Mede received the kingdom and was in charge - just like Daniel had just said would happen.

Daniel 6 Oh yes, the very famous story of Daniel & the Lions Den. What does it mean? Well, let’s unfold it a little bit, shall we?  

Daniel was promoted (at about the age of 90) to one of the top positions and was literally in the process of Darius putting him in charge of Babylon - because God’s spirit was upon him. The other leaders were looking for a way to get rid of Daniel, but they could find no wrong in him, so they had to set up a trap for him in “connection with the laws of his God.”  What was their scheme? “…that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.” They knew that Daniel prayed to Yahweh 3 times a day looking out over the city from his window. The king however, did not know that and signed it and made it a law for the next 30 days. Daniel knew about the law that was just put into place, and still went to his room to pray. Daniel went to go give thanks to God and the men were watching him. They went and told the king and the king was distressed over this and tried to find a way to keep Daniel out of the lions den. But, he had made it a law and he had to follow through with it and by law he could not change it even if he wanted to (and he did). Daniel was brought to the lions den and shut in with a huge stone. The king didn't sleep all night in his distress. First thing in the morning, he went to the den of lions and yelled “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” I love that! Daniel’s response is just as epic “My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel was innocent. God protected him. Then the guys that were scheming against Daniel were thrown into the lions den, with their kids and their wives. Their bones were broken and crushed before they hit the ground of the lions den - the lions were held back by God for Daniel and his holiness. Not for the schemers. King Darius made a decree that all his people are to tremble and fear the God of Daniel, Yahweh because He is alive forever and He is a Deliverer and miracle worker. Daniel prospered during the time of king Darius.

To sum it all up: 

• God is God! God will do what He wants for His purposes for His plan. Go with God!
• Do you believe God at His word?
• O (enter your name here), servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from (whatever you are currently going through)? Would people say that about you and see Yahweh living in you that much?