Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1–2; 2:1) was a powerful king, with a kingdom unrivaled by any other. His empire towered over others the way a king controls his own subjects. Other prophets of that era, such as Ezekiel, use the same "king of kings" phrase in reference to Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 26:7). Through prophets like Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 27:3–7), God warned nations such as Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, that Nebuchadnezzar would subdue them and their nations would serve him. Daniel credits the Lord God's provision for Nebuchadnezzar's status as the world's greatest king. All of this would come about because of God's plan and according to His purpose.

Daniel's description, "the God of heaven," was well known by the Jews. The temple lay in ruins in Daniel's day, and God's presence and authority moved from the ark of the covenant to the heavens. Interestingly, decades later when the Lord moved Cyrus the king of Persia to release Jewish captives to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, the king referred to the Lord as "the God of heaven" (Ezra 1:2).

Daniel 2:31–45 provides both the content and the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream (Daniel 2:1–3). The dream describes what is sometimes called "the latter days" or "the times of the Gentiles." This is part of a section of the book of Daniel recorded in Aramaic (Daniel 2:4—7:28), the common language of Babylon at the time. The image seen in the dream includes a progression of shapes and materials, representing a sequence of kingdoms, their characteristics, and their eventual fates.

King Nebuchadnezzar tests his magicians, demanding they tell him what he has dreamed, rather than merely inventing an interpretation. When they fail, he prepares to execute the entire department of wise men. Daniel promises he can meet the king's request and is given a special vision from God. The king dreamed of a massive statue shattered into powder by a supernatural rock. Daniel accurately describes this and interprets it as a prophecy about kingdoms which would come after Babylon. The king appoints Daniel and his friends to positions of power and influence over Babylon.

Chapter 1 introduced King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Daniel—a captive youth from Jerusalem—and three other Jewish boys. After three years of education, the four Hebrew captives outperformed all the other trainees, even surpassing the wise men in Babylon. In chapter 2, Daniel describes and interprets Nebuchadnezzar's disturbing dream, though the court magicians could not. As a result, the king promotes Daniel and his three friends to high positions over the provinces of Babylon. This sets the stage for a severe test of faith in chapter 3.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.

Accessed 12/21/2024 11:38:37 AM

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