Day 258: Daniel 4-6

(The previous post covered Nebuchadnezzar's growth to the point he declared God the Most High above other gods...however, Nebuchadnezzar still saw himself above God.)

Daniel 4
¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.

(Nebuchadnezzar was telling this story in flashback.)

² It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me.
³ How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

(Nebuchadnezzar was making doctrinal statements.)

⁴ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
⁵ I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
⁶ Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
⁷ Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

(The king went to other "wise men" besides Daniel. It appeared Nebuchadnezzar was avoiding God by not talking to Daniel.)

⁸ But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying,

(Nebuchadnezzar still claimed another "god" as his god.)

⁹ O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

(Nebuchadnezzar knew that the Spirit was in Daniel.)

(Verses 10-18: the dream of the tree.)

¹⁰ Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great.
¹¹ The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.
¹² The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it.
¹³ I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven.

(The "watcher" was an angel.)

¹⁴ He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.
¹⁵ Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
¹⁶ let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

(Notice, the heart of a man would be changed to a beast's heart. "Seven times" was equal to seven years.)

¹⁷ The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men.

(The why behind the dream.)

¹⁸ This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

(Nebuchadnezzar had faith in Daniel.)

(Verses 19-26: the interpretation of this dream.)

¹⁹ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken dumb for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries.

(Daniel thought deeply for awhile. The KJV translated this as Daniel being "astonied for one hour.")

²⁰ The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
²¹ whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation:
²² it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

(The tree was Nebuchadnezzar.)

²³ And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
²⁴ this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
²⁵ that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

(Nebuchadnezzar needed to realize that God was above him or he was going to be like a beast.)

²⁶ And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

(After the seven years he would get his kingdom back.)

²⁷ Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

(Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what to do to put off judgment. Notice, one of the ways was to show mercy to the poor, which was one of the causes of judgment against Sodom according to Ezekiel 16.)

²⁸ All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
²⁹ At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.

(Nebuchadnezzar went twelve months without judgment.)

³⁰ The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?

(The king stated his will that he was supreme over all, including God.)

³¹ While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee:

(The moment the king stated his will, God judged him...for his benefit and according to the dream God gave to Nebuchadnezzar.)

³² and thou shalt be driven from men; and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
³³ The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

(Some think that Nebuchadnezzar's condition was what is called Lycanthropy. This condition is a delusion in which one imagines one's self to be a wolf or other wild animal. Animal thinking was without understanding. Nebuchadnezzar lacked understanding.)

³⁴ And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
³⁵ And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
³⁶ At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me.

(Nebuchadnezzar stated that his understanding had returned to him after the seven years. He recognized that God was supreme over all.)

³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

(Nebuchadnezzar became a believer. Now we see the first four chapters of the Book of Daniel actually documented the growth of the first heathen king over Israel. In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites asked God for a king so they could be like the heathen nations. Their first king was Saul. He was a king that appeared to be powerful, was given a new heart, but chose to be lukewarm and ended up apart from God. Nebuchadnezzar also appeared to be powerful, however, he was anything but lukewarm, received a beast's heart, and ended up a believer. The next chapter covered the second heathen king over Israel.)




Daniel 5
¹ Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

(Belshazzar was actually Nebuchadnezzar's grandson. Belshazzar had a co-regent with his father.)

² Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink therefrom.

(Belshazzar wanted to use the temple's vessels to drink out of. Father in this verse meant "forefather.")

³ Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.
⁴ They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

(They praised other gods. This was a statement of their will. Also, they knew the process Nebuchadnezzar went through to become a believer. They knew the power of Jehovah. How long would it take God to judge them?)

⁵ In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

(The same hour, a hand wrote against the wall.)

⁶ Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

(Belshazzar was so scared he "soiled" himself.)

⁷ The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
⁸ Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
⁹ Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

(There was another problem and Daniel was not immediately brought in. Verse 7 mentioned the person able to interpret the inscription being the "third ruler in the kingdom." This was because of the co-regent (vs. 1). There were two kings (Belshazzar and his father) during this time period and the "third ruler" would be the next available spot.)

¹⁰ Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spake and said, O king, live forever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed.
¹¹ There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

(The queen's and the king's lords told the king about Daniel.)

¹² forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

(The cause was an excellent spirit (1st command). The queen called him Daniel, his Hebrew name.)

¹³ Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

(The king also called him Daniel.)

¹⁴ I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in thee.
¹⁵ And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.
¹⁶ But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and dissolve doubts; now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

(The king appealed to Daniel through HAVE, through physical possessions.)

¹⁷ Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

(Daniel was not motivated by physical things. A prophet did not seek personal gain.)

¹⁸ O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:
¹⁹ and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.
²⁰ But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
²¹ and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts', and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will.
²² And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this,

(Belshazzar should have known better. Notice, the problem was Belshazzar had not humbled his heart.)

²³ but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines, have drunk wine from them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.

(The cause of judgment against Belshazzar was pride.)

²⁴ Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

(The effect was the writing on the wall.)

²⁵ And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
²⁶ This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end;
²⁷ TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
²⁸ PERES; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

(The writing and the interpretation:
-MENE (mercy was over),
-TEKEL (Justice was determined),
-PERES (judgment was proclaimed).

This meant: "God's mercy was over, the amount of punishment (Justice) had been determined, and the form of punishment (judgment) was pronounced.")

²⁹ Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

(Belshazzar promoted Daniel.)

³⁰ In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.

(That night, Belshazzar was slain.)

³¹ And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

(The Medes took over ("silver" from Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2). We have seen the second heathen king over Israel was lukewarm: he had information from Nebuchadnezzar's experiences. He had a prideful heart. He refused to state his will and once he did, God judged him. The second king of Israel was David. David was a man after God's own Heart. David had a humble heart. David constantly stated his will and repaired every time he was judged. David's response to God's perceiving on him was to grow and feel encouragement. So far, the first two Israelite kings were exactly the opposite of the respective first two heathen kings over Israel. Solomon was the third king of Israel. Next we will look at the third heathen king over Israel.)




Daniel 6
¹ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

(At the beginning of the Book of Esther, Mordecai was the cousin of Esther and taken captive with Jehoiachin, king of Judah, by Nebuchadnezzar. This was eleven years before the final captivity of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem. Mordecai was second in Ahasuerus' kingdom, while Daniel was second under Nebuchadnezzar. In the previous chapter, it looked as if Daniel had lost his position under Belshazzar. In Daniel 9, we will see Darius the Mede is the son of Ahasuerus...and Esther!)

² and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have no damage.

(Daniel was the ruler of Darius' satraps (princes). Darius was administrating.)

³ Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

(Daniel was preferred because of the excellent spirit in him (5:12), so much that Darius thought to put Daniel over the "whole realm." Esther was the mother of Darius and Darius was a believer. If you want the explanation, click the "Esther" link.)

⁴ Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
⁵ Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

(The other presidents and princes were jealous of Daniel. Daniel was attacked because of his faith in God. This was the only thing they knew to, or could, use against him.)

⁶ Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
⁷ All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

(Daniel did not agree to this. It said "all" of them agreed in verse 7, the presidents lied.)

⁸ Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
⁹ Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.

(Darius trusted them and took their advice. In Esther 3:9-11, we saw Darius' father blindly trusted Haman in the same way as what was recorded here.)

¹⁰ And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

(Daniel intentionally violated the law of the Medes and Persians.)

¹¹ Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

(The men went looking for Daniel. They knew he would be breaking the law.)

¹² Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's interdict: Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
¹³ Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the interdict that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

(The men accused Daniel to Darius.)

¹⁴ Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him.

(Darius knew this was his fault and not Daniel's. Darius tried to do everything not to put Daniel in the lion's den.)

¹⁵ Then these men assembled together unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

(The men confronted the king.)

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

(Darius kept the law but had faith and knew that Daniel did not deserve this. Notice, Darius also believed in the power of Jehovah.)

¹⁷ And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.

(Darius fasted through the night and did not sleep. Remember, Darius could not pray, otherwise he would be breaking his own law. Darius took responsibility for his decision.)

¹⁹ Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

(As soon as he legally could, Darius went to the lion's den.)

²⁰ And when he came near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice; the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
²¹ Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
²² My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
²³ Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.

(Because of Daniel's trust/faith in God, an angel shut the mouths of the lions.)

²⁴ And the king commanded, and they brought those men that had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

(Darius judged the liars, their children, and their wives.)

²⁵ Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.
²⁶ I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, And his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

(Darius declared the God of Daniel as supreme.)

²⁷ He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

(The third king of Israel was Solomon. Solomon was lukewarm. He was given warnings from God and refused to take down the high places. The Book of Ecclesiastes showed that once he did not get the one excellent woman he wanted as the Queen of his queens (Song of Solomon), his attitude took a turn for the worse and he violated the four causes of judgment from Ezekiel 16. Solomon wanted all the authority of being king without any of the responsibility. We saw Solomon finished apart from God. In this chapter, we saw the third "heathen" king over Israel took responsibility for his decisions. He was not lukewarm. Darius a believer. Clearly, the first three Israelite kings were each the opposite of the respective first three heathen kings over Israel.)

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

(Daniel prospered through Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus. Cyrus was the king we saw in Ezra 1 that gave the decree to build the temple.)

(This post covered the conclusion of Part I of the Book of Daniel, interactions with the kings. Next we will begin Part II: Prophecy.)

Day 259