Day 257 – Reading – Daniel 4 – 6

Read the Scriptures.  Meditate on what the prophet is saying.

Day 257.  Daniel 4. 

This is an interesting chapter. It’s told by Nebuchadnezzar himself.  It’s his “testimony.” He prefaces his story with praise to God, then, after telling the story of his sin of pride and its consequences, he ends the chapter praising the LORD God again.

So far, the Babylonian king has praised Daniel’s God only after seeing a couple of miracles.

1. After Daniel revealed the king’s dream and it’s meaning, Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel, “Truly YOUR God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mystery.”
2. Then, after Daniel’s three friends thrived in the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed, “Blessed be THE GOD OF Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego…..”  “for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”

Now the king praises God for what He has done for him, personally.  “It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done FOR ME.”

And he begins his story …

I was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace, when I saw a dream that made me afraid.

The king tells Belteshazzar (Daniel’s Babylonian name) the dream that scared him, and Daniel tells the meaning.

This is no golden statue with the king as the head.  It’s about a great fallen tree with only a stump left, and a man turned into a beast for seven years.  Daniel tells the king that he is BOTH. And this will happen to the king UNTIL HE KNOWS … that the LORD God is Sovereign over all the earth and the kings that rule there.

Daniel cautioned king Nebuchadnezzar to change his ways, that maybe God would delay the curse.

But no.  A year later, old Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his royal palace…

(Wow, don’t kings get into trouble by doing that! Think of David.)

… and he looked around at the great city of Babylon and said, “Is not THIS great Babylon, which I have built by MY mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of MY majesty?”

While he was speaking these words, a Voice from Heaven threw down that curse. He would become a beast out in the field. He will eat grass like an ox, “UNTIL YOU KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULES THE KINGDOM OF MEN AND GIVES IT TO WHOM HE WILL.”

And for seven years, the great king Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of the dwelling of men and ate grass like an ox. His hair grew as long as eagle feathers, and his nails were like a bird’s claws.   YIKES!!

(Definitely, PRIDE goes before a FALL!)

Then King Nebuchadnezzar resumes his story….

“At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned. I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored Him who lives forever…. for He does according to His will among the host of heaven AND among the inhabitants of the earth. And NONE can stay his hand or ask Him, ‘What have you done?'”

And, when his reason returned to him, so did the glory of his kingdom and his majesty and splendor. His counsellors and lords sought him as before, and his kingdom was established again.

But there was ONE difference.

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the king of heaven, for all His works are right and His ways are just; and those who walk in pride, He is able to humble.”  (Just ask me!)

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Daniel 5.

This chapter takes place OVER 20 YEARS LATER, after King Nebuchadnezzar died.  His grandson, Belshazzar (similar to Daniel’s Babylonian name), is now king.  He has NOT learned the lesson of God’s sovereignty, but is about to.

The armies of the Medo-Persians have Babylon under siege. The Babylonian Empire (like Jerusalem long ago) is about to END.  Belshazzar is holding a great feast as a morale builder for a thousand of his lords (officials).  They are drinking wine as if there is no tomorrow … which there isn’t for them all.

Then, in his debauchery, Belshazzar calls for the holy gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar stole from the Temple of the LORD.  He passes them among all his officials, his wives, and his concubines to drink from. And as they drank from them, Belshazzar praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Immediately, THE FINGERS OF A HUMAN HAND began writing on the plaster of the wall … right in front of the king.  “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.”

The king saw it!  The blood left his face.  His limbs gave way.  His knees knocked together.

‘BRING THE ENCHANTERS AND THE ASTROLOGERS,” he shouted. “I will reward greatly anyone who can read and interpret the writing.  But none could.

Then the queen reminded the king of Daniel, and Belshazzar called for him.

Daniel does not like this king. He doesn’t greet him with the normal “O King live forever.”  Instead, he abruptly says, “I don’t want your gifts. But I WILL read the writing and tell you what it means.”

But first, Daniel reminds him of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and fall and eventual acknowledgment of the LORD Most High, which Belshazzar has NOT done.  Instead, this wicked king has praised false gods, and has not honored “the God in whose hand IS YOUR BREATH.”

“The words on the wall mean that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.  You have been “weighed in the balances” and found wanting.  Your kingdom now is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

THAT VERY NIGHT, October 16, 539 BC, Belshazzar was killed.

And Darius, the Mede, received the kingdom.

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Daniel 6. 

Darius arranged his kingdom, not with lords and wise men, but with three presidents (one was Daniel) and under them, 120 satraps to manage the kingdom, so the king would suffer no loss.

But the two presidents and the satraps were jealous of the Hebrew “exile” and sought ways to trap him and end his life. They convinced the king to make a law that people could only worship HIM for a month. The busy king agreed, not knowing this would endanger his favorite president.

The law went into force. Daniel continued to pray to God three times each day.  The satraps tattled on him.  The king was distressed, but his law was firm, and sadly, he allowed Daniel to be led to the LIONS’ DEN.

“May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” he called after Daniel.  Then the king went into his palace and FASTED all night.

At dawn, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den.  “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions????”

“O king, live forever! 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.”

The king was exceedingly glad.  He took Daniel out, and threw those men who accused him into the den (with their wives and children!).  Before they reached the bottom, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones to pieces (eating them).

And Darius sent out a notice to “all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell on the earth.”  “Peace to you. I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for He is the living God, enduring forever;

His kingdom shall never be destroyed,

And His dominion shall be to the end.

He delivers and rescues;

He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.”

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

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