The Life of DanielSample

To better understand the situation, it’s helpful to know the culture. The Babylonians believed that the gods chose their kings, so the king’s dream was supposed to be a message from the gods for the people and nation. The message was supposed to guide, avoiding the negative outcomes predicted in the dream. That’s why the king felt so strongly about wanting to know what his dream meant. If he couldn’t figure out the dream, he couldn’t take action to react to the message.

Daniel’s interpretation affirmed some of Nebuchadnezzar’s beliefs but contradicted others. Daniel confirmed that God had chosen him but said it was Daniel’s God who had done the choosing, not the Babylonian ones. The king probably enjoyed hearing that he was the greatest of all kings, but not that he would be replaced. Most importantly, God would eventually destroy all human kingdoms and replace them with one created by God that would last forever. Daniel states quite firmly that the things being predicted will happen. There doesn’t seem to be anything the king can do to avoid the outcome.

The king must have had mixed emotions. He has just been told he is nothing compared to Daniel’s God. However, Daniel has revealed to the king in detail precisely what he had dreamed. There was no denying God’s knowledge and power.

The previous readings showed that God was in control of the past and present. Today, we see that God will also be in control in the future. God will not only direct the future, but we will also see the destruction of human kingdoms and the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom.

Takeaway: Regardless of Daniel’s and our current political situation, God is still in charge. When we side with God, we are siding with the winner regarding ultimate power and the story's ending. Like Daniel, we are only experiencing temporary and feeble political powers. We need to stay focused on God’s power.