In today’s section, we read about:
The division of land around the Temple
Daniel and his friends refuse to be defiled by the court food and are vindicated
Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about the statue
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego thrown into the blazing furnace
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a tree and he loses his mind for 7 years
The writing on the wall at Belshazzar’s feast
Daniel remains faithful to God, even though it means he is thrown in to the lions’ den
Daniel’s vision of the four beasts, and the vision of the ram and the goat
Some thoughts that occurred to me today:
You’ll have to excuse the comments today, because I am suffering from a severe case of man flu!
I like the name of the city in 48:35 – “The Lord is there”. That is something that will draw people to it from far and wide.
The names on the gates of the twelve tribes in 48:31-34, cf Rev 21:12
Daniel is willing to stand up for what he knows is right, using to the full, the gifts that God has given him (and his friends). Jeremiah’s prophecy told the exiles to go with the grain of God’s punishment, and accommodate themselves to the Babylonian system. There was therefore no contradiction between serving God, and being part of the establishment in this alien empire.
In chapters 2 and 3, we get a good picture of how capricious Nebuchadnezzar is, not even telling people what the dream is that he wants them to interpret, and flying off the handle when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego won’t kowtow to him, and turning up the heat of the furnace so that the soldiers are burnt to death when they throw the young men in.
Daniel has true humility as well as integrity – 2:30 “it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.”
Daniel 2:44 is a real encouragement of the nature of God’s kingdom which will prevail against all other kingdoms forever - “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.” This is all the more remarkable, coming as it does to Nebuchadnezzar, who was engineering a huge shake up of empires throughout the known world at a time. Nothing in the political order would have seemed settled, yet this other kingdom would endure.
Dan 3:17-18 are some of the greatest verses in the Bible, certainly among the very best responses ever given to someone in authority, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Nebuchadnezzar is such a fascinating character. We have seen how he is a martinet, but also not only was he God’s chosen instrument for shaking up the nations, he also had some amazing encounters with, and insights about God. 4:2-3, “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. / How great are his signs, / how powerful his wonders! / His kingdom will last forever, / his rule through all generations.” 4:17 takes up the refrain from Ezekiel, “it is commanded by the holy ones, / so that everyone may know / that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world.”
I am fascinated by what happened to the empire for the seven years when Nebuchadnezzar was out of his mind. Did it carry on business as normal, as happened more or less under George III, although he was not as mad? It is worth noting that the attack is recorded by Nebuchadnezzar as coming on at the moment when he is boasting over his own power and achievements. At the end, Nebuchadnezzar looks up to heaven and comes to his mind, realising his own status as subservient to God, 4:34-35, “His rule is everlasting, / and his kingdom is eternal. / All the people of the earth / are nothing compared to him. / He does as he pleases / among the angels of heaven / and among the people of the earth. / No one can stop him or say to him, / ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’” Then, the last we hear of this greatest of kings (2:37) is an act of submission in 4:37, “now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honour the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”
I found the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar and his son, Belshazzar revealing. Belshazzar is recorded as turning pale with fright, his knees knocked and his legs gave way beneath him. Daniel’s contempt for him is also marked in 5:17ff. As Daniel points out, Belshazzar knew all about what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar and yet did not humble himself as he should.
Daniel is valued by Darius the Mede who overthrows the unworthy Belshazzar, but this causes jealousy and resentment among other civil servants. They look for anything to use against him, but they can’t find anything – what an amazing testimony after a life in public service under three regimes!!! No wonder Darius is so keen for Daniel to be rescued and takes such bitter revenge on his accusers subsequently. Just as the gentile Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God, so does Darius, 6:26-27, “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. / For he is the living God, / and he will endure forever. / His kingdom will never be destroyed, / and his rule will never end. / He rescues and saves his people; / he performs miraculous signs and wonders / in the heavens and on earth. / He has rescued Daniel / from the power of the lions.”
Then we come to the apocalyptic visions in chs 7 and 8. We can clearly see some of the history of the known world played out – the rise of Alexander, his empire being split into four and then Rome. There are some messianic references as well – the image in 7:9 is like Rev 1:14; 7:13-14, “saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honour, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed”; 7:26-27, “But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” My only question is about 8:26 which says “none of this will happen for a long time”, yet the rise of Alexander was only about 250 years after that, and is 2300 years ago now. How does this square?
The most important points about these two visions seem to me to be (a) that God will establish his kingdom, which will endure for ever, unchallenged, (b) there will be a terrible judgement that ushers in this kingdom, and (c) it was very frightening and unsettling (7:28: 8:27).
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