King Nebuchadnezzar was a harsh task master, wasn't he! Can you imagine being threatened with execution unless you could tell someone what they had dreamed last night? Wow! Why would anyone make such a request? Why was this such a huge issue for the king? Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary points out that men with great authority are often disturbed at night with the great burden of cares and responsibility they bear. Their sleep is not restful because of their dreams and worries.
John Gill mentions in his commentary that the punishment of being cut into pieces and having houses turned into piles of rubble was common "when any were found plotting against the government, or guilty of treason." So, my thought is that King Nebuchadnezzar may have had a good idea that the dream was related to the demolition of his personal kingdom. He was rightfully suspicious of the wise men in his kingdom who were known to have insight into the future. He may have been paranoid that these men were plotting against him, and his demand that they tell him the dream was a test of their loyalty to the kingdom.
In verses 10-11, the wise men insulted the king by telling him he didn't have the right to make such a request of them. Oooo, bad move. You don't tell an insecure king that he doesn't have the authority to give orders in his own palace. This forced Nebuchadnezzar to say, "Time's up! Execution is tomorrow."
I don't know why Daniel and his friends were not at the palace to hear the request, yet they were on the execution list. At any rate, I am so proud of Daniel once again for having the nerve to speak to the commander of the king's guard "with wisdom and tact." (vs. 14) Here he was facing a death sentence, and he was able to keep his cool and make negotiations. Then he had the gall to go before the king and ask for more time! Wow! I have always been taught (I guess because of the story of Esther) that the king had to call for you before you could enter his court. Daniel certainly wouldn't have been on the invitation to dinner list. The king was desperate enough for an interpretation that he agreed to Daniel's plea.
Daniel was very wise to get his three friends to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning the mystery. (vs. 18) In times of great need, do you have friends you can call on to pray with you? I couldn't make it without my personal prayer warriors. I feel very fortunate to have prayer partners world wide whom I can call on when I am desperate for a word from God.
"During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision." (vs. 19) Do you find that God often talks to you in the night? Sometimes that is the only time He can get me alone and quiet enough to listen to His voice.
I really like Daniel's prayer of praise in verses 20-23. I also like that Daniel unashamedly gives God the glory in verse 28, "but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." He needed the king to recognize from Whom his wisdom came. This prompted the king to proclaim, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries," after Daniel had interpreted the dream. (vs. 47)
Even though Daniel's interpretation confirmed that Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom would end, the king celebrated because he realized there was not an immediate threat to his reign. He threw a party and lavished gifts and high honors on Daniel and his three friends. Let's be friends like that who encourage one another to serve God by serving others. Let's go glorify God together!
Hi Dana, Did yall get any tornados? I heard Ok. got hit pretty bad last night.
ReplyDeleteLove yall!
Tammy
Is there anyone else who is also reading "What in the World is going on?" We are doing a study right now on this book and our chapter last week was on Daniel 2. The first three kingdoms have come to pass. The forth kingdom is what is coming. Are we ready? Will we stand up when we need to say something for God like Daniel did? Parts of me are scared to death and part of me is so excited I can hardly stand it. We are living in times that I truly believe we are going to see this forth kingdom come about. But we have God's assurance! He has already told us what is going to happen. "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever." Let's be preparing and making ourselves ready for the greatest times we have yet to see!! Thank you, Father, for giving us your assurance!!
ReplyDeleteThe tornadoes were two hours north of us in Edmond and about an hour east of us at Lone Grove. We received a much-needed soaking rain.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, it sounds like your book study is very interesting. Thanks for sharing with us what you are learning! There are many days that I pray for Jesus to come on back. I'm ready to skip to the end if He is!
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