Time of "The Tribulation The Great", v. 1
The two resurrections, v. 2, 3
God's final message to Daniel, v. 4-13
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Historical Background of Daniel
By Bob Conway
[Editor] I have included Mr. Conway’s work on the Historical Background of Daniel because of the extensive research that he has done on it. Please see his bibliography at the end of this section and you will see what I mean. He has drawn from many different sources and has documented it. You may check the authenticy yourself with his resources.
The Time of Daniel
The sixth and fifth centuries B.C. was an active period in the ancient world. It was a time when some of the great religions of the world were being formed. Probably the first Persian king to recognize
Zoroastrianism, the religion proposed by Zoroaster, was Darius I. [Editor’s Note: Please see Appendix One for a study on the subject.] Confucius in China and Buddha in India were establishing the religions to be known ultimately by their names. While all of this was taking place, Judaism was emerging among the Jews held captive in Babylon.
In the eighth century B.C., Yahweh had employed the Assyrian Empire to
judge the northern kingdom of Israel. Near the close of the seventh century B.C., He raised up a new empire to judge the southern kingdom
of Judah. In 626 B.C. Nabopolassar, a Chaldean, rebelled against Assyria and established the Neo-Babylonian Empire. In 612, along with Cyaxares
the Mede and the king of the Scythians, Nabopolassar destroyed the city
of Nineveh. In 605, the Neo-Babylonian Empire was challenged by the Egyptians under the leadership of Pharaoh Necho, but the forces of Egypt were decisively defeated in the Battle of Carchemish by
Nabopolassar’s son and successor, Nebuchadnezzar (605-562).
Jehoiakim, King of Judah, whom Necho had placed upon the throne of Judah (2 Kings 23:34), became the vassal of Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:1), who now occupied Palestine. Nebuchadnezzar deported hostages of
the royal family and nobility to Babylon; among those deported were Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
Nebuchadnezzar’s great empire did not survive long after the death of its great king. The Neo-Babylonian Empire lasted for about seventy years after the first deportation from Judah in 605. On the 15th of Tishri of 539 B.C. (the Feast of Tabernacles on Israel’s calendar), the great empire fell, without a battle, to the Medes and Persians. It had served its ordained purpose.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire
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Ten Babylonian Dynasties stretch from Neo-Babylonia back to about 2230 B.C. Many kings of the first nine dynasties are unnamed. From time to time, the flow of these dynasties was interrupted by foreign powers. For instance, Assyrian kings often ruled over Babylon and the two powers were in conflict with one another for centuries.
Daniel lived during the last and greatest of the Babylonian dynasties, which ran from 625 to 539 B.C., a period of eighty-seven years. The seven kings of this tenth and final dynasty of Babylon were:
Nabopolassar, founder of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Reigned 21 years
from 625-605 B.C.
Nebuchadnezzar, the greatest of earthly kings. Reigned 43 years from 605-561 B.C.
Evil-Merodach, who was kind to Jehoiachin. Reigned 2 years from 561-
559 B.C.
Neriglissar, murderer of Evil-Merodach. Reigned 3-4 years from 559-556
B.C.
Labashi-Marduk, murdered by conspirators. Reigned 9 months in 555
B.C.
Nabonidus, who lived in his royal palace at Tema. Reigned 16 years from
555-539 B.C.
Belshazzar, governor of Babylon in Nabonidus’ absence. Reigned 14
years from 553-539 B.C.
Nebuchadnezzar maintained his country’s supreme position until he died. He was proficient in warfare, as well as being an active and successful builder. Architecture and literature flourished during his reign.
In absolute power and grandeur, Nebuchadnezzar ranks supreme until Christ reigns on His throne in Jerusalem. This preeminence was revealed
by God in the king’s dream of the enormous, dazzling statue, which depicted the king as the “head of gold.” Daniel interpreted
Nebuchadnezzar’s place in history, saying, “You, O king, are the king of kings” (Daniel 2:37-38).
Nebuchadnezzar lived in a time of advancement. Observing the sky in the
interest of astrology led to undreamed of advances. The astrologers were able to predict eclipses of the sun and moon. In the Babylonian school of Astronomy, about 750 B.C., observations of the heavenly bodies were recorded. Their studies continued without interruption for over 350
years, the longest series of astronomical observations ever made. The accuracy of their reckoning exceeded that of European astronomers until
well into the 18th century.
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In contrast to Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonidus, the last of the Babylonian rulers, neglected the empire for digging in ruins. He may well have been the first archaeologist in the world. He caused ruined shrines and temples to be excavated and old inscriptions to be deciphered and translated. However, his absence from the city and throne opened the way for the demise of the empire.
The Babylonian Empire had been raised up as the instrument of God’s punishment of Judah. The empire would fall unexpectedly in one night.
Babylon would be held accountable for the way it mistreated the apple of God’s eye during its destruction of Jerusalem. Once Babylon served God’s purpose, Isaiah 12:19-22 would be fulfilled:
"Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there. But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. Hyenas will howl in her strongholds, jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged."
The pomp and glory, the power and might of Babylon that “has sinned against the LORD” would be short-lived (Jeremiah 50:10-16). The lofty walls of the city, and its high towers, had been reflected in its waters for a short time. Today, the mighty Euphrates River turns its back on the site of the city; it has chosen a new bed. The little Arab settlement of
“Babil” preserves in its name the memory of the proud city—but it lies some miles north of the ruins.
Ironically, by the time Daniel wrote his prophecy, Jerusalem lay in ruins.
The Israelites were broken up and scattered everywhere throughout the
“Fertile Crescent.” Consequently, the book of Daniel was written to offer hope in the midst of despair.
The message of Daniel is that four empires will rise and fall. And yet God’s people will not disappear, but will be preserved for a new millennium—“when the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people” (Daniel 2:44).
The Babylonian Exile
There were two great watersheds in the history of Israel. The first was the Babylonian exile consisting of the four deportations of 605, 597, 586, and 581 B.C., marked by the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in
586 B.C. The second was the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem and its 17
Temple, and the Diaspora that accompanied the nation’s rejection of Jesus Christ. Out of the first Judaism was born; Zionism rose from the
second.
Apart from the prophetic books of the Bible, the Scriptures reveal little of the exile itself. The prophets Isaiah (distant) and Jeremiah (near) predicted the exile. Daniel and Ezekiel were written during the exile. The postexilic books of Nehemiah and Ezra focused on the return of the Jews
and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The Chronicler, writing after the exile, sketched the source, cause and consequence of the exile.
The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on
his dwelling-place. But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and spared neither young man nor young woman, old man or aged. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the LORD'S temple and
the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God's temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and
destroyed everything of value there.
He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom
of Persia came to power. The land enjoyed its Sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah (2 Chronicles 36:15-21).
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in 588 B.C., and destroyed the city
in the summer of 586 B.C. The city of God, along with Solomon’s magnificent Temple, was turned to burnt rubble. With the state
destroyed, its cultic religion suspended, and the remnant exiled, history within Judah ceased for the next fifty years.
In 701 B.C., the Assyrian Sennacherib claimed to have deported 200,150
people from the northern kingdom of Israel. Only the choicest of Judah’s political, ecclesiastical, and intellectual leadership were selected for deportation to Babylonia. A small country like Judah would not have had
many educated and skilled citizens. For the three deportations, the number of 4,600 captives is recorded in Jeremiah 52:28-30. In 2 Kings 24:14-16, a higher number of 10,000 is given, which includes officials, 18
fighting men, craftsmen and artists. It is conjectured that only adult males were included in Jeremiah’s number.
Only a remnant of Judah was not killed and only the poorest people of the land were left behind. Unlike the Assyrians of the eighth century, Nebuchadnezzar did not import foreigners into the Promised Land. This
was a significant benefit to Judah since it eliminated the danger of intermarriage with heathen Gentiles, a development which had become a
reality in the North.
The exiles settled in villages and rural areas near the city of Babylon and lived normal lives. Many were content and became integrated into society as they found opportunities to get ahead.
Since the moving from place to place by individuals was dangerous, merchants traveled in caravans or by ship. Without government support
and protection, the Jews were in Babylonia for the duration that God had ordained.
Back in Palestine, the prophet Jeremiah kept in touch with exiles by writing letters to them from 598 to 586. Ezekiel, both a priest and a prophet, ministered to the exiles in Babylonia, while Daniel, a statesman and a prophet, served the kings of two empires in the city of Babylon.
The City of Babylon
The name “Babylon” (Babel) is derived from (balal), which denotes
“confusion (by mixing)” in Genesis 11:9. The city of Babylon was one of
great wealth and magnificence. It was the center of a vast empire, which included all of Mesopotamia and the highlands beyond, as well as Syria
and Palestine. The city was built on the monotonous plains, along the banks of the Euphrates River.
Ancient writers describe it as a city surrounded by four walls, each fifteen miles in length. Twenty-four streets ran north and south, and the same number east and west. Each street terminated at one of the one hundred gates in the inner walls. Hence, the city was made up of more
than six hundred square blocks. It is said that in the center of each square there was a garden.
Two lines of walls protected the city. A twenty-four-foot wide roadway was between the walls. The inner walls were twelve feet thick, reinforced with towers at sixty-foot intervals. These walls ran three and one-half miles along the north, east and south sides of the city, with the Euphrates River guarding the west side. Similar walls enclosed the suburbs. The outer walls measured twenty-five feet high and eleven feet
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thick. They enclosed a triangular area occupied by suburbs and another
royal palace. Their length was slightly over five miles. Outside the walls, a moat of 262 broad feet gave added protection. The walls were decorated with images of magical animals molded in relief in the brickwork. The animals were glazed yellow and brown against a blue background. For details, maps and pictures of Babylon see ISBE, 1:349-355; ZPEB, 1:439-448.
According to the Esagil Tablet, the city walls enclosed a huge, seven-stage ziggurat, which rose to the height of 650 feet. The city of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar’s reign reached the pinnacle of world power, displaying vulgar materialism in its political and religious systems, which were enlarged considerably through the king’s conquests.
Babylonian merchants controlled all the trade that flowed across western Asia from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. Nebuchadnezzar spent the tolls of this trade, the tributes of these subjects, and the taxes of his people, in beautifying his capital and assuaging the hunger of the priests. “Is not this the great Babylon that I built?” He resisted the temptation to be merely a conqueror; he sallied forth occasionally to teach his subjects the virtues of submission, but for the most part he stayed at home, making Babylon the unrivaled capital of the Near East,
the largest and most magnificent metropolis of the ancient world.
Nabopolassar had laid plans for the reconstruction of the city.
Nebuchadnezzar used his long reign of forty-three years to carry them to completion. Herodotus, who saw Babylon a century and a half later, described it as “standing in a spacious plain,“ and surrounded by a wall fifty-six miles in length, so broad that a four-horse chariot could be driven along the top, and enclosing an area of some two hundred square
miles. Through the center of the town ran the palm-fringed Euphrates, busy with commerce and spanned by a handsome bridge. Practically all
the better buildings were of brick, for stone was rare in Mesopotamia; but the bricks were often faced with enameled tiles of brilliant blue, yellow or white, adorned with animal and other figures in glazed relief, which remain to this day supreme in their kind. Nearly all the bricks so far recovered from the site of Babylon bear the proud inscription: “I am Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon” (The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage, 1:224).
This grandiose assertion is echoed by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:30:
"He said, 'Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?'"
The ruins of Babylon reveal the grounds for the king’s boast. The city contained many elaborate and expensive buildings. In addition, to relieve 20
the homesickness of his wife for her native hills, Nebuchadnezzar constructed, at tremendous expense, the famous hanging gardens.
In 539 B.C., the city of Babylon was captured without a battle by Medo-
Persia. Persia used the city as an administrative center. Desiring independence, the Babylonians revolted against Persia in 522, 521 and 482 B.C. The last revolt, during the reign of Xerxes, ended with the destruction and desolation of the magnificent city. Yahweh had executed
His promise. Because of the LORD's anger she will not be inhabited but
will be completely desolate. All who pass Babylon will be horrified and scoff because of all her wounds (Jeremiah 50:13).
The Religious Crisis
Daniel was taken as a captive to this magnificent city in the first deportation in 605 B.C. Some Israelites were deported elsewhere. The elderly Jeremiah, along with fellow citizens, were forced to go to Taphanhes (Daphnae), Egypt (Jeremiah 43:7). The exiles that went to Egypt fared well. They were hospitably received and apparently
prospered, though they probably lived in segregation within its large cities. Interestingly, Yahweh advised the exiles to make the best of their situation.
"Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.
Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
(Jeremiah 29:5-7)
Compared to the Israelites’ poor little country of Palestine, Babylonia was a big, rich and prosperous country. Here the exiles found an advanced culture, big business and materialistic splendor. For a long time, Babylon had been a center of trade. Ezekiel referred to it as “a land of merchants” and “a city of traders” (Ezekiel 17:4). The agricultural people of Palestine were introduced to a new way of life.
Life for the Hebrew exiles was comparatively pleasant—very different from their ancestors’ life in Egypt. They maintained some of their own institutions, enjoyed freedom of movement as well as employment
opportunities, and lived on fertile land. Still the captivity was intended as a punishment from God. The emotional trauma of being uprooted from their homes, and the humiliation of being forced to endure captivity, would have been felt most keenly at the beginning of the exile. At the end, relatively few Israelites desired to return to their homeland.
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In spite of their comfortable life in Babylon, the Israelites questioned God’s justice (Ezekiel 18:2, 25). Through tears, they cried out for mercy (Psalm 74), but could see no end to their fate because their ears and hearts were shut to God’s prophets, especially to Jeremiah.
This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place (Jeremiah 29:10).
Wholesale loss of faith threatened the exiles. Compared to the
undreamed of wealth and power around them and the magnificent
temples of the pagan gods, what advantage did the worship of Yahweh have to offer? Besides, had not Yahweh failed to protect them from Nebuchadnezzar and his gods? Israel’s faith was on trial for its life!
For many, life in Babylonia was not difficult; they grew wealthy and amalgamated with society as evidenced by archeological discoveries.
Excavations at Nippur (a great mercantile center) which was situated on
the great canal (Kebar River) unearthed a large number of tablets containing business transactions, which included the names of many Jews.
The exile was a time, not only of humiliation and sorrow, but also of radical changes in nearly every area of life for the Israelites. Many were from the southern kingdom of Judah and they adopted the nickname
“Jews.”
On the other hand, the hard core exiles remained sojourners in a strange land. They were filled with bitter hatred for those who had brought them to Babylon and longed for faraway Zion (Psalm 137). Clans and families
lived together and the elders of Judah continued to be recognized. Hence, a national sense of pride was kept burning.
Daniel and his three friends illustrated what it meant to be in the world, but not of the world. They made the most of their situation, never compromising their faith in Yahweh while under the subtle and
tenacious influences of Babylon. These four men were shining lights in a dark world; they were living examples that called for no compromise.
Another shining light was the prophet Ezekiel. He was God’s messenger
among the captives, rebuking them for sin and comforting them with promises of deliverance. His preaching made them realize their captivity was in no way the result of any limitation in God’s power to protect them, but it was solely a punishment permitted by Him for their sin.
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The seventy years of humiliation during their exile had some obviously beneficial results in the life of the Jews.
1.
They were thoroughly cured of idolatry.
2.
The synagogue came into existence.
3.
They did a great deal of collecting of their literature during this time.
4.
Religion became distinctly more spiritual and personal for them
since they could not observe the elaborate ceremonies connected
with the Temple.
5.
The Law of Moses took on new significance in the fire of trials.
6.
They became a people more genuinely united in ideals and
purpose.
7.
They came to a new understanding and appreciation of their
destiny as a nation.
Ironically, Yahweh’s people had been swallowed by a great fish and they
found themselves in the very belly of idolatry. To cure the Israelites of idolatry, God gave them a bellyful of it! And it worked! The Israelites, who came to Babylon as idolaters, returned to their homeland as Jews, having been cleansed of idolatry. Undoubtedly, the prophet’s great polemic (Isaiah 40-48) against apostatizing offered comfort to the sojourners.
The people would not be spit out upon the land until the Promised Land
had enjoyed its Sabbath rests and the remnant had a change of heart concerning who actually rules history. That was the resounding message
given by the two exilic prophets Ezekiel and Daniel, and was typified by the prophet Jonah.
Babylon was the cradle of false religion, with Satan working behind the
scenes. False religion first appeared with the tower of Babel, on the plain of Shinar (Babylonia). It was man’s first attempt to establish a central, one-world government without God as its king. The Chaldean Mysteries
can be traced to the days of Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod, who lived a
few centuries after the Flood. By the time of the exile, these mysteries permeated most areas of life. See Alexander Hislop’s The Two Babylons for the extent that the Chaldean mysteries saturated the ancient world.
The Neo-Babylonian age may be properly designated as a religious age.
In our culture, we cannot begin to fathom the intensity, depth, and importance that religion played in the lives of the people in the Ancient Near East. There were four-thousand gods in the Babylonian pantheon.
These gods went through many changes in name, function and
prominence through wars and mystical events.
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The city of Babylon was a scene of idolatry. Inscriptions tell us there were 58 temples, 55 shrines dedicated to Marduk, 300 shrines for celestial divinities, 180 altars for the goddess Ishtar, 180 altars to the gods Negral and Adad, and 12 other altars to various deities (Babylon and the Bible, 53).
Entrance into the city of Babylon was through eight gates, each named
for a deity. The Ishtar gate opened onto the Procession Way, which led to the great temple of Marduk. The gate’s walls were decorated with enameled bricks portraying 120 lions, representing Ishtar, and 575
dragons, representing Marduk, and numerous bulls, representing Bel or
Enlil (Wycliffe Historical Geography of the Bible Lands, 31). The cover photo of a winged-lion from the Ishtar Gate is an example of the enameled bricks.
A diagram, appearing in Alan Millard’s Treasures from Bible Times (Lion
Publishing Corp, 1985), shows nine gates passing through three sets of
walls that open into the city. These gates are the Ishtar, Sin, Marduk, Zababa, Enlil, Urash, Shamash, Adad, and Lugalgirra. Each gate was named for a deity. Archeologists have excavated four of the gates. It should be noted that descriptions of the city sometimes disagree.
During the exile, the most important gods and goddesses in the Babylonian pantheon were:
•
Marduk, the patron deity of the city of Babylon
•
Ishtar, the goddess of fertility and battle
•
Sin, the moon god
•
Nimurta, the god of hunting and warfare
•
Shamash, the sun god
•
Adad, a storm god
•
Enlil, the god of the wind and sky.
•
Urash, the god of the city of Dilbat
The thousands of gods in the pantheon were not worshiped in the same
way, nor did they possess the same power. Marduk reigned as the supreme god in the pantheon, making Babylon’s polytheism somewhat monotheistic as gods were identified as Marduk. This hypothesis is apparent from the following extract from the “Monotheist Tablet.”
•
Ninib is Marduk of the garden (or strength).
•
Nergal is Marduk of war.
•
Zagag is Marduk of battle.
•
Enlil is Marduk of lordship and dominion.
•
Nebo is Marduk of trading.
•
Sin is Marduk the illuminator of the night.
•
Shamash is Marduk of righteousness.
•
Rimmon is Marduk of rain.
(In and Around the Book of Daniel, 96).
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Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt the temple, known as Esagila, for Marduk. It was the most important building in the city. In addition, the king’s palace was a palace of heaven and earth, a palace of the lordship, a palace that was built to honor Marduk, where all deities came and paid
homage.
The most important religious and political celebration in Babylon was Akitu, the New Year Festival. The chief figure in these rites was Marduk.
Akitu provided an occasion for the annual re-investiture of the king as well as the symbolic reenactment of the creation of the world and the fixing of destinies for the coming year.
An excavated prayer of Nebuchadnezzar reveals the king’s faith in Marduk prior to his encountering the Most High.
To Merodach (Marduk) my lord I prayed, I lifted up my hands: ‘O lord merodach (Marduk), wisest of the gods, mighty prince, thou it was that
createst me, with sovereignty over multitudes of people that didst invest me.
Like dear life I love thy exalted lodging place: in no place have I made a town more glorious than thy city of Babylon.
According as I love the fear of thy divinity, and seek after thy lordship, favourably regard the lifting up of my hands, hear my supplication!
I verily am the maintaining king, that maketh glad thine heart, the energetic servant, that maintaineth thy entire town. (In and Around the
Book of Daniel, 97)
Other excavated inscriptions by Nebuchadnezzar, however, show that he
saw himself as totally controlling his god Marduk. He believed that he could change the mind of his god by offering sacrifices of meat, fruit and vegetables to Marduk. Hence, his own fate was self-determined. Yet, the
king said he organized his armies because “he trusted in the power of Nebo and Marduk.” He neglected no opportunity to exalt Marduk above
all other gods (ANET, 307). Consequently, Nebuchadnezzar should be viewed as having monotheistic tendencies when interpreting the events surrounding him in the book of Daniel.
From birth to death, the life of the Babylonian citizen was governed by religious conceptions and practices. Babylonians believed the future could be controlled and predicted. Everything that happened was a result of cause-and-effect relationships. Many things relating to life could be ascertained by observing the course of events, though the courses of events were in the hands of the gods. To the contrary, the very events 25
The Book of Daniel
and prophecies of the book of Daniel are a polemic against Babylon, the
great prostitute of religion. Consequently, his book clarifies Yahweh’s sovereignty in the affairs of humanity, not the pantheon of Babylon.
Background of Chapter One
In 722 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians. A century later, three powers beat the war drums to gain supremacy in the
Middle East. In 616, Napolassar, king of Babylon, invaded Assyria. With
the help of the Medes, he besieged Nineveh in 612. In 610, the fall of Haran to Babylon prompted Egypt and Assyria to join forces. In 609, Pharaoh Necho marched north and Josiah, king of Judah, was killed attempting to block his way at Megiddo, resulting in Necho’s domination
of Palestine and Syria. In Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah delivered God’s decree.
Therefore the LORD Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened
to my words, I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” declares the LORD, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,
for their guilt,” declares the LORD, “and will make it desolate for ever”
(Jeremiah 25:8-12).
In December 604 B.C., Jehoiakim had cut to pieces Jeremiah’s prophetic
scroll (Jeremiah 36:9-32), including this prophecy of the seventy-year captivity under Babylon. One can rip and tear prophecy from the pages
of Scripture, but it changes nothing. Judah’s days were numbered.
By 607 B.C., the young and energetic Babylonian crown prince,
Nebuchadnezzar, had begun his attempt to dislodge the Egyptians and 26
The Book of Daniel
Syria. Napolassar lay sick in Babylon when his son Nebuchadnezzar led
a surprise attack against Pharaoh Necho and the Egyptian Army at Carchemish. Routing the Egyptians, the Babylonian crowned prince
pursued them through Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine and stopped to besiege Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Yahweh gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hands.
Background of Chapter Two
THE CHRONOLOGICAL PUZZLE. This chapter opens with a
chronological puzzle. Daniel was carried to Babylon in 605 B.C., received three years of training, interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the second year of the king’s reign (602 B.C.), and is promoted to a high position. An inspired writer of Daniel’s ability would not make such an obvious contradiction. What happened to the third year?
In their second year of exile (603 B.C.), Daniel and his three friends were examined by Nebuchadnezzar and they entered the king’s service. It is reasonable they completed their academic training ahead of schedule since they were ten times better than were their teachers in every matter of wisdom and understanding. Another solution to this chronological puzzle is that the youths were taken captive in August 605 B.C., but Nebuchadnezzar did not begin his first official year as king of Babylon until the first of Nisan in the following spring (April 4, 604).
Consequently, the youths completed their third year just before Nisan 602, which would still have been the second official year of
Nebuchadnezzar (ending April 9, 602).
THE SWITCH OF LANGUAGES. Among the most spectacular discoveries
in the Dead Sea Scrolls is the transition in the book of Daniel from Hebrew to Aramaic and then back again to Hebrew. This section (Daniel
2:4b-7:28) was written in Aramaic, whereas the rest of the book was written in Hebrew. Since the Aramaic section covers the “times of the Gentiles,” Daniel wrote in the international language so his message could not be missed by the Gentiles of that time.
There are three periods of Aramaic: Old Aramaic (10th-7th centuries B.C.), Official or Imperial Aramaic (6th-4th centuries B.C.), and Western and Eastern Aramaic (3rd century B.C. forward). Aramaic was the language spoken by the Jews coming out of captivity. The Levities had to translate and interpret the Hebrew Scriptures in order for the people to 27
understand what was being read (Nehemiah 8:8). In Jesus’ day, the Jews
spoke both Aramaic and Greek.
In the Aramaic section, an amazing revelation of world history is set forth from the time of Daniel until the second coming of Christ. In particular, the imagery in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream reveals the empires that arise during this period of history. In the Hebrew section, Daniel 9:24-27
provides the outline of Israel’s future during the “times of the Gentiles.”
The Aftermaths of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
In our day, dreams are usually attributed to physical, emotional and psychological causes. Yet, dreams given by God in order to reveal the future were nothing new in history as can be seen with Abimelech (Genesis 20:3), Jacob (Genesis 28:13), Joseph (Genesis 37:5), Pharaoh (Genesis 44:1, 25), and Gideon (Judges 7:13-15).
The time was ripe for God to reveal the future. His people were captives in a foreign land. The captives and Nebuchadnezzar were faced with an
inescapable question, “Who really controls the present and the future—
Marduk or Yahweh?” The king was about to find out what Paul declared
six centuries later.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the
whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him
and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from
each one of us (Acts 17:26-27).
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is like a skeleton to which one attaches the tendons and flesh of Biblical prophecy. Many prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah are brought together in the book of Daniel. The subsequent visions and dreams in Daniel add many details. In addition, the book of
Revelation completes the image and God’s forecast of history. Therefore, God gave to Nebuchadnezzar the dream of dreams! God’s plan for the times of the Gentiles are encoded in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and decoded in Daniel’s interpretation of it.
The boundaries of the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian and Roman empires increased in land mass in proportion to their representation on
the image as shown on the following four maps.
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The Book of Daniel
29
The Book of Daniel
Background of Chapter Three
The Greek Septuagint of the Old Testament (LXX), translated around the
third century B.C., places chapter three in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, which corresponds with his final siege of Jerusalem during the years of 587-586 B.C.
The key word of chapter three is “worship,” occurring ten times (5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 28). Worship is not incidental; it is fundamental 30
in the events of this chapter. Here state and religion merge, with terrifying results.
At verse 23, the Septuagint (LXX) inserts sixty-eight extra verses, which are understood to be apocryphal. This appendix includes: (1) a prayer of Azariah; (2) an added heating of the furnace followed by the Angel of the LORD putting out the fire; (3) and a song of praise by the three Jews for their deliverance.
At the time of this chapter, Nebuchadnezzar had hardened his own heart
towards Yahweh, but God responded differently to the Babylonian king than He did to the Egyptian Pharaoh, whose heart He hardened (Exodus
8:32; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:8). Yahweh was determined to reveal
to this pagan monarch that He is the God of heaven.
Chapter 1 teaches the king: there is a God in heaven, who makes four teenagers physically and mentally superior.
Chapter 2 teaches the king: there is a God in heaven, who gives dreams
and reveals their interpretations, and controls history.
Chapter 3 teaches the king: there is a God in heaven, who works miracles on behalf of His people who obey God rather than men.
Moreover, God’s dealings with Nebuchadnezzar affected Daniel and his three friends.
Chapter 1 involves the test of the unclean foods.
Chapter 2 involves the test of the unfair decree.
Chapter 3 involves the test of bow or burn.
In the first three chapters, it becomes obvious that God works for good in diverse ways in the very same events. While God used these events to test the youths, He also used these events to forecast the future.
In these chapters, Yahweh interacts in the affairs of men for His glory without violating man’s free will. Of their own free will, Daniel and His friends made God-centered choices, which resulted in Yahweh acting on
their behalf, and their being elevated to high positions in accordance with God’s purposes. This is the best way to understand the sovereignty
of God.
Background of Chapter Four
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The Book of Daniel
There is a common thread running through the first four chapters of Daniel. Throughout the events of these chapters, God is revealing to King Nebuchadnezzar His existence and sovereignty.
In Chapter 1, the king learns of a God in heaven who makes four teenagers physically and mentally superior.
In Chapter 2, the king learns of a God in heaven who gives dreams and
reveals their interpretation and overrules history.
In Chapter 3, the king learns of a God in heaven who works miracles on
behalf of His people, who trust and obey Him rather than men.
In Chapter 4, the king learns of a God in heaven who humbles the proud
and saves the humble person who calls on Him.
People have favorite Bible chapters and characters. For this writer, Nebuchadnezzar and his testimony ranks among the top. It is the climax
of one of the greatest love stories ever penned—telling how God demonstrated His love toward a sinner until he became a saint.
One can write four little words over this chapter: “The Love of God.” For God saves the King! Nebuchadnezzar might have been on the mind of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-45:
You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Few Jews would have prayed “God Save the King!” or even said those words on behalf of King Nebuchadnezzar, especially, in light of the events of the summer of 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar’s army had destroyed
Jerusalem and the Temple, leaving the Holy City as burnt rubble.
Undoubtedly, the faithful remnant had had a bellyful of
Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon by now. Their noses had been rubbed in idolatry. Their hatred of the Gentiles grew so great; they would not even eat with them after the exile.
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The Book of Daniel
To the Jew, this king was a vile pagan—one’s worst nightmare! They would have liked to cast him into the fiery furnace. To God, this proud shepherd was a lost sheep that was perishing. Unquestionably, Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah would have been praying for the king so things would go well for their people (Jeremiah 29:7). God answered someone’s
prayers!
Nebuchadnezzar’s last recorded words in Scripture summarize chapter four: “And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
Background of Chapter Five
Most likely affected by his father’s conversion, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Amel-Marduk (known in the Bible as Evil-Merodach) showed kindness to
the Judean king Jehoiachin, who had been imprisoned by
Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:27-30). This kindness could be an
indication that Evil-Merodach had been converted. This action may have
led to his being killed by Neriglissar, his brother-in law, in 559 B.C.
Neriglissar’s biblical name is Nergal-sharezer, the official under Nebuchadnezzar, who apparently was involved in helping release
Jeremiah from prison (Jeremiah 39:3, 13). Time had not been good to Neriglissar; instead of ascending in virtue, he descended.
After the death of Evil-Merodach, war broke out between Babylon and the Medes and Persians. Neriglissar ascended to the throne of Babylon,
reigned for about four years, and died in battle in 556 B.C. Then his son, Labashi-Marduk, having reigned for less than a year, was beaten to death by conspirators and the throne was seized by Nabonidus, who reigned from 555 B.C. to the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C.
In a libel known as The Verse Account of Nabonidus, the king is accused
of being a madman, a liar boasting of victories he had never won, and a
heretic who blasphemed Marduk and worshiped the deity Sin. Because of
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his lengthy excavations in search of written documents, Nabonidus has been called “the Royal Archaeologist.” While he devoted himself to excavating ruins, his own realm was falling into ruins.
In contrast to Nabonidus stands Cyrus II, who ascended the Persian throne in 559 B.C. He lacked neither ambition nor intelligence.
The Persians were an Indo-European speaking people, who had entered
Iran from the north at the end of the second millennium—at the same time as the Medes, who were closely related to the Persians. By the time of Cyrus II, the Persians had reversed the role of being a vassal of the Medes. In 550 B.C., Cyrus II became ruler of both the Persian and Media
kingdoms (Ancient Iraq, 352-354).
When Nabonidus captured Tema, the oasis city which lies south of Edom
in Arabia, he set up his palace there. While Nabonidus was establishing
a new military and commercial fortress at Tema, Belshazzar was left in full control of the army of Babylon from at least 553 to 539 B.C. Because of this, the famous Nabonidus Chronicle inferred correctly that the
“crown prince” (obviously Belshazzar) was regarded as “king.” In A.D.
1919 and 1924, oaths were found between Nabonidus and Belshazzar entrusting the kingship in Babylon to Belshazzar while Nabonidus reigned from Arabia.
The liberal scholarship that denied the historicity of major portions of Daniel had been wrong. Daniel is solidly grounded upon historical realities. Only a person writing from this period could have known correctly this detail about these two rulers. All should take to heart Jesus’ rebuke of Cleopas and the other traveler on the road to Emmaus,
“How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25).
The main character of this chapter is Belshazzar, the son of Nabonidus
and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. There is no word in Aramaic for grandfather. So the word “father” is often used of ancestors.
This chapter covers the last night of the Babylonian Empire. The date is the fifteenth of Tishri (October 12/13) 539 B.C. On Israel’s calendar, it is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which typifies the Millennial Kingdom. The prophet Jeremiah had predicted this time would come.
All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him (Jeremiah 27:7).
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The Book of Daniel
This chapter is similar to the book of Esther. It begins with a great banquet; the queen plays an important role in the outcome; then it ends
with the villain killed and its hero rewarded.
The most dramatic moments in this chapter are the supernatural
appearance of the fingers of a human hand, writing on the wall, and Daniel’s interpretation of the cryptic writing.
Chapter one and chapter five are contrasts. In chapter one, there is restraint in eating and the drinking of wine; Daniel is on the rise in the Babylonian empire. In chapter five, there is no restraint in feasting and the drinking of wine; Belshazzar falls with the Babylonian empire.
Background of Chapter Six
Darius, son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom (Daniel 9:1). This Xerxes should not be confused with the Persian ruler in the time of Esther. It was common for rulers to have two names in Ancient Near Eastern history. Daniel 6:28 may be translated: “So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, even the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” Some scholars, therefore, believe Cyrus is Darius. Darius could have been a localized name for Cyrus. It also is possible that Darius is a title since at least five Persian kings are called by that name.
The Nabonidus Chronicle states that Cyrus made Gubaru (Gobryas)
governor over Babylonia and Gubaru installed sub-governors in Babylon.
Darius did not conquer Babylon, but was placed in power by Cyrus the
Persian, and therefore was a subordinate to Cyrus. Another possibility is that Gubaru was both governor of Gutium, who conquered Babylon, and
the man Cyrus appointed to rule over Babylon. “Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at age sixty-two,” and “was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom” (Daniel 9:1) fits the circumstances.
Gubaru is frequently mentioned in cuneiform documents during the subsequent fourteen years as “Governor of Babylon and the Region 35
The Book of Daniel
Beyond the River,” a description indicating the entire Fertile Crescent.
The designation of “king” is accurate since the term was used of any ruler with this much power.
Recent archeological discoveries and inscriptions from Babylon and Persia confirm that the former empire used fire for their executions and the latter empire used lions, just as recorded by Daniel. Only a writer from those times would have known these two distinct methods of execution. The liberal critics, who assigned this book to the second century B.C., are mistaken again.
Chapter six of Daniel is like the book of Jonah. Both men are preserved and delivered by God from the jaws of death. Both men are a prophetic
preview of Christ.
The flow of this chapter is: (1) Daniel is despised; (2) Darius is deceived, distressed, delighted; (3) Deceivers are destroyed; and (4) Daniel prospered.
Chapter seven begins the second part of the book and is a flashback.
The dream and visions, which Daniel had in one night during the first year (553 B.C.) of King Belshazzar’s reign, are recorded here. From this point forward, apocalyptic genre expands and narrative dwindles. Thus,
the prophet’s visions are dominated by symbols and images that forecast
the future.
In this chapter, Daniel was about seventy years old and apparently was
no longer an active official of Belshazzar’s court. The king might have retired the interpreter of dreams and visions, but not God! In this second part of the book, Daniel’s dream and visions arise from his profound experiences with the supernatural that leave the prophet shaken.
Chronologically, this dream and the visions occur between chapters four
and five.
This chapter will end the Aramaic section. It is linguistically joined to what has proceeded, and logically related to what follows. It is the heart of the book of Daniel. Here Daniel introduces two coming princes: “The Little Horn” and “The Son of Man.” He presents a panorama of history 36
from Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom to Messiah’s kingdom, along with a vision that takes place at the throne in heaven.
Daniel’s dream and his visions of four beasts fill in the sketch of prophetic history, which had been revealed in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image. Each of the four beasts corresponds to the four parts of that image.
The vision in heaven unveils the King of the everlasting kingdom. With phenomenal accuracy, the dream and visions cover the “times of the Gentiles” until Christ’s kingdom fills the whole earth. Like the books of Kings record history from man’s perspective and the books of Chronicles
record history from God’s perspective, chapter two depicts world dominion from man’s perspective and chapter seven from the divine view.
Man sees the kingdoms of the world as great human nobility, which is symbolized by the image of the dream of dreams. On the other hand, God
sees the kingdoms of the world as wild and brutal beasts, which crush and devour humanity. While deterioration in the quality of the kingdoms
is depicted in the metals of the image, there is a heightened degree of terror and fright depicted in each successive beast.
The chronological order of the chapters of the book of Daniel is 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 5, 9, 6, 10, 11, and12.
The time of the vision in this chapter was the third year of the reign of Belshazzar (551 B.C.), twelve years before the fall of Babylon. Daniel was about seventy years old that year. In 539 B.C., Daniel could interpret the handwriting on the wall because he already knew the future course of the world empires. But, there is much for the prophet and his readers to learn of the future. The vision in this chapter reveals details about the rulers of the Medo-Persian and Greek empires.
This chapter begins with a switch from Aramaic back to Hebrew, indicating that Israel is back in the prophetic picture and is the intended audience for the last five chapters of this book. These five chapters are intended to show Israel its place in prophetic history and to prepare the Jews for the terrible persecutions that lie ahead. The bad news is that persecution is coming, but the good news is that it will end at God’s set time.
Chapter eight elaborates and expands certain features of the dream and visions in chapter seven. Chapter seven was a sweep of history, while chapter eight deals with specifics of the second and third kingdoms, focusing on another “little horn” who foreshadows the Antichrist.
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The Book of Daniel
Here Daniel becomes a time traveler. He is projected into the future and to a different location, somewhat like the prophet Ezekiel and the apostle John.
This chapter contains a vision, apocalyptic symbolism, history told in veiled terms, angels, persecution, prediction, and the interpretation of the vision. It has three parts:
1. A vision of a ram and a goat (1-12)
2. An introduction of heavenly interpreters (13-19)
3. An interpretation of the vision (20-27)
Nabonidus’ policy toward Cyrus was friendly and cooperative until the Persian merger with the Medes. Then Nabonidus made secret overtures with Lydia and Egypt, hoping to forge a triple alliance against the dangerous and aggressive Cyrus the Great. The great sea is churning; a
new world empire is coming out of the sea.
Sixty-six years have passed since Daniel had been exiled. The prophet is about eighty years old in 539 B.C. The golden empire has been replaced
by the silver empire of Medo-Persia. Nebuchadnezzar’s own dream of having his empire continue forever, as seen in his golden image, has fallen by the wayside.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image, Daniel’s dream of the four beasts and his vision of a ram and a goat point to an extended period before Israel takes its coveted place in the world. Consequently, the purpose of this chapter is to elaborate on the predictions of chapters seven and eight, as well as to reveal God’s timetable for His future dealings with Israel.
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The Book of Daniel
There is no symbolic imagery in this chapter. The archangel Gabriel may
have actually come to Daniel and presented his most important message
with a vision. Gabriel outlines the future in terms of time as it relates to the coming of two prominent princes and an abomination that causes desolation. This chapter is a significant part of the framework or skeleton upon which all prophecy is built or fleshed out during the times of the Gentiles.
Daniel 9, Ezra 9 and Nehemiah 9 contain three of the great intercessory prayers of the Scriptures. Here Daniel pours out his heart to God on behalf of Israel. His prayer is one of the most sublime, touching, burning and effective prayers in the Word of God.
The events of chapter nine occur in 539 B.C., the first year of Darius’
reign, when change was the order of the day. How would the change of
empires affect God’s people in captivity? Undoubtedly, the answer to this pressing question prompted Daniel to search the Scriptures for the answer.
Background of Chapter Ten
Chapters 10-12 form a single vision of the Latter Days. Daniel is invigorated in chapter ten; he receives the vision’s predictions in chapter eleven; and responds to them in chapter twelve. These three chapter breaks are somewhat artificial.
The year of this section is 536 B.C. Assuming Daniel was fourteen in 605
B.C., his age was eighty-three years. The statesman had continued in office until the first year of Cyrus (538 B.C.) and then retired (Daniel 1:21). After Cyrus’ decree allowing the Jews to return to Palestine, Daniel’s lofty position in the two empires had served its final purpose.
Nevertheless, as the prophet of God’s plan for the world and His people
Israel, his task was not complete. One more vision was forthcoming!
Israel would get little pleasure from its new freedom under the Persian rulers. Jerusalem and the Temple would be rebuilt in troublesome times.
There is more bad news— “the Greeks are coming!” The Hellenists would
invade Palestine militarily as well as culturally.
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This chapter reveals a great conflict between the forces of good and evil within the spiritual realm. Here is a glimpse of the invisible warfare that is taking place between the organized dominion of darkness and the organized kingdom of light. It is essential to keep in mind that all gods of the nations are idols, and that behind every idol are demons (Psalm 96:5; 1 Corinthians 10:20). Considering the multitude of false gods worshiped
during this period, Satan and his angels were extremely active. Israel’s times of distress, difficulty and suffering center on the great conflict between God and Satan.
At the very sight of the glorious man in Daniel’s vision of 536 B.C., the prophet’s strength is sapped. This vision is breathtaking in many ways.
Daniel required several touches before he was ready to receive the revelation. Three of the five touches received by the prophet are recorded in chapter ten (8:18; 9:21; 10:10, 16, 18). That Daniel is made strong, when weak, foreshadows what God will do for Israel after a time of distress.
Background of Chapter Eleven
The great unseen conflict between the forces of light and darkness introduced in chapter ten supplies the background for chapter eleven.
Israel’s disobedience, rebellion, and immorality have been weighed on the scales of God’s justice, and the nation’s chastisement is chronicled in foreordained history.
Chapter eleven divides easily into two parts: (1) fulfilled prophecies; and (2) yet to be fulfilled prophecies. Verses 1-35 describe the people and events of the first sixty-nine sevens that were revealed in the ninth chapter. Verses 36-45 cover events that take will place during the seventieth seven, including Israel’s tribulation and the reign of the Antichrist.
From our perspective, the first part of this chapter shows history revealing prophecy and the second part shows prophecy revealing
history. For Daniel, the latter was the case for both parts. He died before any of the prophecies in this vision were fulfilled.
Why does the Bible contain so many prophecies? One reason is to show
that God controls history before it ever happens. Among many other reasons, prophecy (1) authenticates God’s Word as Truth; (2)
demonstrates that Yahweh is the Most High God of heaven; (3) validates
that the coming Messiah is Lord and God; and (4) strengthens God’s people for the future.
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Prophetic truth is history written in advance. This chapter is a “light shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19-21). In the first thirty-five verses, there are at least 135 prophecies, which have been literally fulfilled, a fact that can be corroborated by studying the history of this period. Even the liberal critics agree that the book of Daniel accurately details this period. That makes this one of the most unusual and controversial portions of Scripture, not due to any difficulty in understanding the details, but because the details themselves are so accurate. Hence, the liberal critics, who deny that “all Scripture is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), hold that Daniel was written after the fact. Otherwise, they would have to bow to the Most High God who is sovereign over the affairs of men.
The detailed fulfillments of this chapter’s prophecies are covered in many commentaries on Daniel. Not all writers agree, of course, at every point.
The following broad-brush presentation of the events predicted in this chapter has been complied from many of the sources listed at the end of
this book.
“At that time” refers to the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:4-11).
Liberal commentators attempt to place “at that time” in the period beginning with the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, saying there is no
jump from the contemporary scene to some distant future. As previously
demonstrated, there is nothing contemporary to Antiochus in Daniel 11:36-45. Moreover, Jesus saw this time as being distant future, even from His day.
So when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes
desolation”, spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let
no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that
your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now— and never to be equaled again (Matthew 24:15-21).
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects Israel will arise.” In some way, Michael provides the protection necessary for the Israelis to flee to the mountains and desert of Moab and Edom as inferred from Daniel 11:41 and Revelation 12:13-16.
Two-thirds of those in Israel will die during the second half of the seventieth seven (Zechariah 13:8). Evidently, the majority of Israelis will not flee, unlike the Christians living in Jerusalem around A.D. 70, who escaped the ravages of Titus. The surviving one-third of Israel will look 41
on Christ, the One they have pierced, and God will pour out a spirit of grace and supplication on them, and all Israel will be saved (Zechariah 12:10-13:1; Romans 11:26).
Fittingly, Daniel’s last prophetic vision jumps to the end of the Tribulation.
But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in
the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
On the one hand, it is likely that Michael, the great prince and archangel, will be associated with the resurrection of the Israelites in light of Jude 9. On the other hand, the dead in Christ will be resurrected, then those who are alive in Christ will be raptured when the Lord Himself comes down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Do the multitudes, rising to everlasting life, include the Church, OT
saints, and Tribulation saints? Yes! Both the OT and NT saints are in Christ. The whole OT Tabernacle system pointed to Christ. The OT saints
are saved because their sacrifices, which were offered in faith, were completed in Christ on the Cross. In other words, God accepted, as atonement for sin, the blood of animals until Christ became the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 7:27). Scripture is crystal-clear that salvation is in Christ alone.
He is “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.”
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved
(Acts 4:11-12).
Thus, everyone (the saints of all ages) whose name is found written in the book, that is the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 21:27), will be (malat, delivered, saved or preserved).
There are two resurrections according to Jesus: the first unto everlasting life and the second unto shame and everlasting contempt.
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will
rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned (John 5:28-29).
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The first resurrection has at least two stages: (1) Church and OT saints and (2) Tribulation saints at the end of the times of distress. The second resurrection occurs after Christ’s thousand-year reign on earth, and it is unto eternal damnation (Revelation 20:4-15). Again, the name “Daniel”
(God is Judge) connects with his prophecy.
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Who are the wise?
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the
Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30).
The separate blessings of brightness and stars mentioned by Daniel indicate that the resurrected saints will be rewarded according to what they have done (cf. Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-14; 2 Corinthians
5:10). Daniel is like a star; he led two pagan monarchs, Nebuchadnezzar
and Darius the Mede, to righteousness.
What will be Daniel’s reward? His on-the-job training as Prime Minister
of Babylon and Medo-Persia and his faithful service to God suggests that he might be the Prime Minister of the everlasting kingdom. He is the most qualified! In the end, the saints of Israel will be delivered and rewarded. All’s well that ends well!
Decoding Daniel - Bibliography
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Rapids; Baker Book House, 1973.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. DANIEL. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985.
Pettingill, William L. SIMPLE STUDIES IN DANIEL. Wilmington: Just A Word Incorporated, 1933.
Porteous, Norman W. DANIEL: A COMMENTARY. Philadelphia: The
Westminster Press, 1965.
Pritchard, J. B., editor. ANET Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969.
Rawlinson, H. HISTORICAL EVIDENCES OF THE TRUTH OF THE
SCRIPTURAL RECORDS, 1859.
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Rox, George. ANCIENT IRAQ. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1964.
Saunders, Lowell. DANIEL SPEAKS TO TEENS. Denver: Baptist
Publication, 1971.
Showers, Renald E. THE MOST HIGH GOD: A COMMENTARY ON THE
BOOK OF DANIEL. Bellmawr, New Jersey: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc. 1982.
Spence, H. D. M. and Exell, Joseph S. THE PULPIT COMMENTARY:
DANIEL, HOSEA & JOEL. Volume 13. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., reprinted 1983.
Strauss, Lehman. THE PROPHECIES OF DANIEL. Neptune, New Jersey;
Loizeaux Brothers, 1969.
Thomas, D. Winton, Editor. DOCUMENTS FROM OLD TESTAMENT
TIMES. New York: Harpers & Row Publishers, 1958.
Unger, Merrill F. ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE OLD TESTAMENT. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1954.
Unger, Merrill F. UNGER’S COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT:
ISAIAH MALACHI. Volume 2. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981.
Walvoord, John F. MAJOR BIBLE PROPHECIES: 37 CRUCIAL
PROPHECIES THAT AFFECT YOU TODAY. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1991.
Walvoord, John F. DANIEL: KEY TO PROPHETIC REVELATION Chicago:
Moody Press, 1971.
Walvoord, John F. THE PROPHECY KNOWLEDGE HANDBOOK.
Wheaton: Victor Books, 1990.
Wesley, John. JOHN WESLEY’S NOTES ON THE NEW TESATMENT.
Published in 1767: Online Bible Electronic Texts 1997 by Sulu D. Kelley.
Wetzel, R.C. A Chronology of Biblical Christianity. Albany, Oregon: AGES Software, 1997.
Whitcomb, John C. DANIEL. Chicago: Moody Press, 1985.
Willett, Herbert L. DANIEL. In the Abingdon Bible Commentary. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1929.
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Wilson, Robert Dick. STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL. Grand Rapids:
Baker Book House, 1917.
Whiston, William, Translator. THE WORKS OF JOSEPHUS. Peabody,
Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1985.
Wood, Leon. A COMMENTARY ON DANIEL. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1973.
ENCYCLOPEDIAS, DICTIONARIES, LEXICONS
A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, William L.
Holiday, Editor
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature by John McClintock and James Strong.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 1949 and 1999.
Hastings Dictionary of the Bible.
Old Testament Word Studies by William Wilson.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon by Benjamin Davidson.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, General Editor.
The New Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament.
The Revell Bible Dictionary.
The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia, Merrill C. Tenney, General Editor.
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, R. Larid Harris, Editor.
Unger’s Bible Dictionary.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words.
www.decodingdaniel.com
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Bob Conway is a retired pastor of the Church of the United Brethren in
Christ, currently teaching Bible and Theology at Regent College of the Caribbean, who holds a Masters of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary.
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DANIEL - CHAPTER 1
[Culley]
Daniel and his friends found themselves exiled from home as teenagers, captives in the enemy’s court in Bablyon. God had not only allowed Nebuchadnezzer to siege Jerusalem and to overthrow it; He had foretold it through the writings of His prophets, read Jeremiah 25:1-11. They were not unaware of the mmessages of the prophets and submitted themselves to the providential rule of the Lord.
There is a semming discrepancy between Jeremiah 25:1 referring to the four year of Jehoiakim while Daniel 1:1 refers to the third year. This is due to the difference between the Jewish and Bablonian methods of counting the reign of their kings. The Babylonians did count the year of a king’s accession to the throne, but numbered his reign beginning the next year.
God’s hand of providence is far more discernible to the Hebrew Bible reader than in the English versions. This is so because of the difficulty of translating the waw consecutive conjunction into English. This little Hebrew prefix denotes a causal connection between the ideas it joins; the first somehow results in the second. It may be crudely and most literally translated “and as a result,” but is usually translated simply as and, then, so now, or therefore.
If the reader will rephrase the KJV by using the phrase, “and as a result” for each of the following occurrences of the waw consecutive, a greater sense of the divine sovereignty will come to light. Rephrase “and as a result” for and in vs. 1, for And in vs. 2, for And in vs. 3, for Then in vs 7, for But in vs. 8, for Now in vs. 9, for And in vs. 10, for Then in vs. 11, for So in vs. 14, for Thus in vs. 16, for Therefore in v. 19.
A most remarkable evidence of God’s providence is the fact that the victorius King of Babylon left part of the precious vessels of the Temple in Jerusalem, vs. 3. Isaiah had already prophesied that all would be carried into captivity, II Kings 20:16-21, but the Lord was dealing gently with His people, Psalm 103:8, and giving them space for repentance as Jeremiah promised, Jeremiah 18:7, 8. When they rebelled past the point of remedy, Isaiah’s words were fulfilled as noted by II Chronicles 36:17, 18.
God’s hand is seen in the King’s selecting the Hebrew youth to train for service in his court.
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The meaningful names of the Hebrew trainees reveals the unseen hand of God behind their being so named and so reared that they were selected by the pagan king. Daniel means “God is my Judge;” Hananiah means “Grace of the Lord;” Mishael may mean either “who is what God is” or He that is the strong God;” and Azariah means “the Lord helps.” What better theological perspectives could be given to strengthen future exiles?
Their new Babylonian names were cleverly calculated to impart to them the gods and culture of Babylon. Belteshazzar means “Keeper of treasure of Bel”
(a Babylonian god); Shadrack means “Inspiration of the Sun” (worshipped by the Babylonians); Meshack means “the goddess of Sheck” (Babylonian name
for Venus); and Abednego means “Servant of the shinning fire” (a god worshipped by Babylon).
The provisions of the King’s food and wine also posed a problem for them for it was daily dedicated to the gods of Babylon and included some unclean items according to the Law of Moses. Their moral and spiritual convictions were being severely tested; the consequences of their options were most serious and perilous indeed. In such circumstances God’s children must simply dare to be like Daniel, and purpose not to defile themselves with worldly compromise, vs. 8.
Both the hand of God and the wisdom of Daniel are seen in his appeal to the prince in authority over him for a trial diet that would not conflict with their convictions, vs. 9-16.
God’s blessing of those who stand faithful to Him in small concerns is evidenced in the sequel, vs. 17-20. Christ would later phrase the principle for New Testament readers in Luke 16:10-13. 10 He that is faithful in that
which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the
least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful
in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true
riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another
man's, who shall give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can
serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.
[Garner]
DANIEL'S CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON
Verses 1-8:
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1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
Verse 1 relates that in the third year (full year) of the reign of king Jehoiakim of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it; Jer 25:1 lists it as the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, using a part of a fourth year as a basis, whereas Daniel used only the full year, (third). Daniel was in the first deportation of the people of Judah, eight years before Ezekiel, his later contemporary prophet in Babylon. See 2
Kings 24:1, 2 1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim
became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
2 And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians,
and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them
against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his
servants the prophets. (KJV);
2 Chronicles 36:5-7 5 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight
of the LORD his God.
6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to
carry him to Babylon.
7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon,
and put them in his temple at Babylon. (KJV);
Jeremiah 25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in
the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; (KJV);
Jeremiah 52:12-30 12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was
the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of
the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,
13 And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of
Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:
14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake
down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.
15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the
poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those
that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.
16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for
vinedressers and for husbandmen.
17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the
brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all
the brass of them to Babylon.
18 The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons,
and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
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19 And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the
candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that
which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which
king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was
without weight.
21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet
of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was
hollow.
22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits,
with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The
second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates
upon the network were an hundred round about.
24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the
second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
25 He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war;
and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city;
and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and
threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
26 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king
of Babylon to Riblah.
27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of
Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.
28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year
three thousand Jews and three and twenty:
29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem
eight hundred thirty and two persons:
30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the
guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the
persons were four thousand and six hundred. (KJV).
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The Book of Daniel
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The Book of Daniel
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The Book of Daniel
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The Book of Daniel
[Editor’s Note: The source of the above material is unknown.]
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of
the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and
he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Verse 2 adds that the Lord gave or delivered Jehoiakim (king of Judah) into Nebuchadnezzar's hand, along with a part of the sacred vessels of the house of God; Which he carried to the treasurehouse of his god in Shinar, ancient name for Babylon, Genesis 11:2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a
plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. (KJV); Genesis 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king
of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; (KJV); Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again
the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria,
and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar,
and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. (KJV); Zechariah 5:11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it
shall be established, and set there upon her own base. (KJV).
It was an ancient custom for conquering kings to carry expensive vessels of worship, and statutes of gods of conquered nations, and hold them in their own treasure-houses. Note, only a "part" of the vessels were first taken, because it appears that Nebuchadnezzar meant to leave enough in Jerusalem for their bare public worship, while serving as a tribute-paying people to him. Later the remaining vessels were also taken and put in the house of Nebuchadnezzar's gods, then restored under Cyrus, to the house of his god
"Bel", Ezra 1:7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD,
which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the
house of his gods; (KJV).
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring
certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
Verse 3 relates that king Nebuchadnezzar directed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuch-servants (chamberlains) to bring certain of the children of Israel, of the king's seed, and of the princes of those of royal lineage of David in Israel, alive into Babylon to serve him in ruling over their captive people; Such eunuch servitude had been foretold by Isaiah, 2
Kings 20:17,18 17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which
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thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing
shall be left, saith the LORD.
18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take
away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. (KJV); Isaiah 39:7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall
they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. (KJV).
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and
cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to
stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of
the Chaldeans.
Verse 4 further describes the astute qualities of those Hebrews selected for training for service in the palace of the king in Babylon as follows: They were to be: 1) young men without blemish, any deformity or injury from having been crippled, 2) well favored, handsome, suggesting to the orientals an high level of mental powers, 3) and skillful in all wisdom, capable of making decisions,
4) cunning in knowledge, holding capacities of reasoning, not mere parrots or puppets; 5) and understanding science, comprehending matters of mathematics, astronomy, and the sciences of the day;
6) even such as had ability (physical and mental) to stand up credibly in the king's palace; and
7) such as might be taught and learn, in a relatively short time, the learning or (customs and culture), as well as the tongue or language and literature of the Chaldeans.
As Moses was trained in the lore (literature and language) of the Egyptians to his profit,
{Acts 7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty
in words and in deeds. (KJV)}, so Daniel trained in that of the Chaldeans, so that he was familiar with the minds of their mysterious lore, to the effect that he was given a heaven bestowed understanding of dreams and visions, and was able to clothe the interpretations in the understandable language of the Chaldeans, v. 4, 5, 17. From this background the magi, wise men of the east, also seemed to understand. [Editor’s Note: For more information concerning the Magi, please see Appendix Five.]
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine
which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might
stand before the king.
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Verse 5 relates that king Nebuchadnezzar directed that these young Hebrews in training, while pursuing the literature, language, and science of the Chaldeans, should receive a portion of the king's meat or food. The Hebrew language suggests that it was "the delicacies and dainties," very special food that the king ate, not that furnished to his eunuchs! For these young men were being prepared to stand as courtiers, royal princes in captivity, not as eunuchs.
It was an Eastern custom for a king to entertain, with the food of his table, many royal captives, as evil Merodach, king of Babylon entertained Jehoiachim, king of Judah, Jeremiah 52:33,34 33 And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. 34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life. (KJV). Not only was the best of food but also the best of the kind of wine that the king drank provided for them. This was to continue for a period of three years of their training, at which time they were to be graduated for royal palace service in Babylon.
Gold is tried in the fire, as these were.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah:
Verse 6 names four of those young men, who were chosen for training for royal service, from the tribe (royal lineage) of Judah, the most noble tribe of Israel, as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. As Moses was trained in the schools of Pharaoh, at Pharaoh's expense, to become a servant of God, in a foreign, heathen land, so were these.
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the
name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach;
and to Azariah, of Abednego.
Verse 7 explains that to each of these, the prince, or master over the eunuchs, gave Chaldean names, as follows: 1) to Daniel (God my judge) was given the name Belteshazzar which means "the king's leader or attendant" or "Bel's prince;" 2) To Hananiah, whom Jehovah has favored, was given the name Shadrach; 3) To Mishael was given the name Meshach, the goddess of Babylon; and 4) To Azariah, whom God has helped, was given the name Abed-nego, meaning "Servant of Lucifer," god of the shining fire. Thus these four young men were dedicated to idol gods of Babylon, whom they later refused to worship.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of
the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince
of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (KJV)
Verse 8 concludes that Daniel (apparently from the beginning) purposed, or resolved by choice of heart, that he would neither defile nor profane himself, either with the king's meat, (delicacies and dainties), or with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested 58
(made redress of grievance, based on conscience, and the word of his God) that the prince of the eunuchs not require that he defile himself with the wine and food of the Chaldean king, to endorse idolatry. Such was the conviction of the Divine and holy standard of morals and ethics held by Daniel, in a far away land, as a captive, whose life or death was, except for the living God, in the hands of an heathen king.
It can be easily seen that not eating what was provided for them by the king was an important thing for those in the ancient world. These young men had already been brought up well and were, from all evidences, very grounded in their faith. This is not such a deal with us today, but in the ancient world, animal sacrifices were offered to false gods, and then that sacrifice was eaten in honor of the god. This also caused a lot of problems in the church at Corinth. Some of the weaker members were offended by other members who would go to the market place and buy the meat that had been offered to false gods. While it is not readily known, that meat might have been cheaper than meat that had not been offered to the gods. These sacrifices would be made to false gods and then taken and sold in the market place. While it is not evident from the scriptures, it is apparent that this meat was able to be distinguished from meat that had not been offered to idols. To understand this concept, we must place ourselves in these young men’s shoes to understand that to partake of this food would have been to forsake their spiritual upbringing. That is why it was such a big deal with them.
DANIEL'S HISTORY AND TRAINING CONTINUED
DANIEL'S REDRESS OF GRIEVANCE
Verses 9-21
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the
eunuchs.
Verse 9 relates that God had brought Daniel into the favor or good will and love with the prince or master of the eunuchs of Nebuchadnezzar who was in charge of Daniel; as He did Joseph while in prison in Egypt. In like manner God had often protected His people Israel.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath
appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking
than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to
the king.
Verse 10 relates the misgivings and fears that the prince of the eunuchs had toward granting the petition of Daniel, with regards to accepting the food and drink that the king had appointed to him and his Jewish fellow students, v. 5. The prince of the eunuchs imposed the possibility and probability, in his mind, that the king upon reviewing them would see their faces sadder, more pale, or less healthy than other students, and that such 59
might cause him to lose his head, in neglecting to carry out the mandate of the king, a thing that often happened under oriental despots.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Verse 11 gives Daniel's petition for an alternative, as he presented it to Melzar, the steward or chief butler of the eunuchs who had been given special supervision over Daniel, and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaniah, the three Hebrew children, closely associated as student colleagues with Daniel.
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and
water to drink.
Verse 12 asks Melzar, the chief steward over these 4 Hebrew young men, to prove or test these for 10 days, by permitting them to have pulse to eat and water to drink only. The pulse referred to a vegetable diet with no meat, or simply food grown from seeds. Like Moses he chose the afflictions of the children of God for a season above the pleasure of the moment, Hebrews 11:25.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the
children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy
servants.
Verse 13 continues the challenge of Daniel to his stewardmaster, Melzar. His request pressed upon Melzar to grant to him, and his three Hebrew colleagues, their request for a period of ten days, after which he was to look upon them and compare their appearance with that of those who had eaten the king's meat and drank his wine for the same ten day period. Then he concluded that as Melzar saw their appearance, so should he deal with them, a fair and rational request. Such illustrated Deuteronomy 8:3 that "man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord,"
Matthew 4:4.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh
than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should
drink; and gave them pulse.
Verses 14-16 add that Daniel's request was granted, as the four were proved for 10 days.
At the end of that time it is certified that their countenance was fairer and fatter, smoother and firmer in appearance, then all those who ate of the king's meat. Upon such evidence, Melzar the steward took away their portion of the king's meat and wine and provided them pulse or a vegetable food instead, with water to drink. It is always wise to obey the word of God in express matters of morals, ethics, and worship.
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17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and
wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Verse 17 explains that, based on the obedient stand these four Hebrew children took, God gave or doled out to them, knowledge and skill (to quicken them) in all their learning and wisdom, as He did to Bezaleel and Solomon.
And Daniel had, held, or possessed understanding in "all," kinds of visions and dreams, v. 20.
Daniel was blessed for obedience in Babylon, as Joseph had been in Egypt.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the
prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Verse 18 states that at the end of their days of three years of appointed studies, as the king had required, the prince of the eunuchs brought them for review and examination in the presence of King Nebuchadnezzar, v. 5. Not only were Daniel and his three colleagues brought in but also "other youths," as these four were "among them all," v. 3, 19. They "stood" before the king.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
Verse 19 further states that the king communed with them in a very personal way. He was very favorably impressed, even to the extent that he certified that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah should "stand before him," to be honored as princes, to rule with Nebuchadnezzar, in a position near the throne-center of Babylon, confirming the exaltation of those who are humbly obedient.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he
found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his
realm.
Verse 20 adds that, upon quizzing them personally, he found that in all matters of wisdom and understanding "that the king inquired of them," he found them to be ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were located in all his realm of reign. They had the wisdom from above, the per-excellent wisdom, unknown to the unbelievers, whether pauper or potentate.
Those who wrought miracles by magic or trickery could not match God's men.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Verse 21 concludes that Daniel was so blessed that he continued, even unto the first year of King Cyrus, Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of
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the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit
of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and
put it also in writing, saying, (KJV)
He saw the return of the remnant of Judah, when the 70 years of their prophesied captivity was over. He still lived beyond the first year of Cyrus.
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DANIEL - CHAPTER 2
[Culley]
This chapter has rightly been called the ABC of Bible Prophecy. It lays out a prophecy of the history of four universal Gentile Empires through the times of the Gentiles. These four, no more or less, come on the scene in order and exist until the end of the age. Then they are overthrown by Christ at His second coming to establish His everlasting kingdom. Grasp of this framework enables the student of Bible prophecy to better understand and harmonize a great many related prophectic Scriptures.
Verses 1-3 are written Hebrew while from vs. 4 to Chapter 8:1 are, significantly, written in Aramaic for they concern the times of the Gentiles, Luke 21:24. It is helpful to observe and translate the waw consecutive in this chapter also. These are located in the following verses and when read, “and as a result” will illuminate the passage: vs. 2, Then & So; vs. 3, And & and; vs. 4, Then; vs. 12, and; vs. 14, Then; vs. 15, Then; vs. 16, Then; vs 17, Then; vs. 19, Then & Then. So read, some insight into God aloowing Satan to stage his attempt to destroy Daniel in order to spotlight Daniel as His witness is gained.
At least three purposes for giving Nebuchadnezzer the dream and its interpreted revelation by God through His servant Daniel may be noted.
First, it would assure His people of His care for them and of the eventual certain victory of their God over pagan rule. Second, it would instruct Nebuchadnezzar and all other men and rulers, as to God’s sovereignty as the source of their own limited reigns. Third, it would tend to wean Israel from their idolatry and reveal how worthless all the pagan wise men really are.
This chapter stands a monument of witness to God’s ability to write history before it happens: prophecy. About 95% of the events foretold in this chapter have already been fulfilled in order. The remaining prophecy concerns the final phase of Gentile power and the final establishment of the unending kingdom of Christ. It is just as certain that this portion will have a complete historical fulfillment as it is that the initial 95% now stands fulfilled.
THE DREAM OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Verses 1-13: And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
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Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the
sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood
before the king. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit
was troubled to know the dream. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O
king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. The
king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not
make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in
pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the
interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour:
therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. They answered again and
said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because
ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream,
there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak
before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that
ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. The Chaldeans answered before the king,
and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore
there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer,
or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that
can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this
cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men
of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they
sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. (Daniel 2:1-13 KJV)
[Garner]
Verse 1 recounts that in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he dreamed dreams with his spirit, dreams that troubled, frustrated or disturbed him repeatedly, so that he found no rest in efforts to sleep. As chapter one showed God's people in heathen captivity, with a remnant who, like Daniel, were unwilling to pollute themselves or bow to idolatrous practices and found glory and triumph in it, (Sleep is a gift from God, and absence a curse, Psalm 127:2), So chapter two shows how Nebuchadnezzar, at the height of the glory of heathenism, found his glory and that of Babylon fade like a leaf and fall, Daniel 1:21; 5:30, 31.
Note: Three years had passed since Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, but he first ruled as subordinate to his father Nabopolassar, Daniel 1:5, explaining the year of difference. The dream came from God to a heathen, as in Joseph's case down in Egypt, but God used His righteous man to interpret it, for His glory, before the heathen; He was God's vice-gerant; See also v. 37.
Verse 2 recounts that the king sent first for his Chaldean priest-magicians with peculiar dress, representing their heathen gods, that could not see, hear, understand, or speak; A vain source they were of "hoped for" help, as described Psalm 115:4-9. Along with them were called their astrologers and sorcerers, also lying fakes, deluders, and deceivers, empowered by deranged demon powers, as ministers of Satan's deception.
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Verse 3 reports that this "triad" or "triad-band" of do-gooders came to stand dutifully before the king. The king related to them that he had dreamed a dream that troubled him, caused him to be so shook up that he could not sleep. And his spirit was troubled, anxiously troubled, to know exactly what the dream concerned. In the midst of power and grandeur, the mighty are troubled without God.
Verse 4 relates that the triad of pseudo-Chaldean dream interpreters challenged him in the Syriac language, to just relate the dream to them in the best detail he could, and they said,
"we will show the interpretation." The "O, king live forever" phrase was much as that of Bathsheba to David, 1 Kings 1:31.
Verse 5 discloses that the king replied to them "the thing is gone from me." Apparently after a "hassle" from them, as lying deceivers, the king mandated. "If you all do not make known to me, call to my mind what the dream was, and give the meaning of it, you will be cut to pieces and your houses or residences will be made a dunghill,” dumpheap, or rubble, as he cut them in pieces, as Samuel did Agag, 1 Samuel 15:33. From here, through chapter 7, the Chaldean languages portion of Daniel's experience and message to the Gentile powers is given. The remainder of Daniel is in the Hebrew language.
Verse 6 promises that if these pseudo-interpreters of dreams would recall or relate to him the dream that he had had, and interpret it to him, he would give them gifts, rewards, and great honor. He then appealed to them to show him the dream, or describe it vividly, so that he would recognize it; Then give him the meaning of it, to allay or drive away his fears and depression. The term "rewards" means "presents poured out in a lavish manner," Daniel 5:17.
Verse 7 describes the fearful plea of the fraudulent triad of interpreters of dreams. They appealed for a second time for the king to relate to them the dream, then they pledged to interpret it; for they intended to "manufacture a meaning" for the dream; if they could get him to relate it, v. 4.
Verses 8, 9 relate the fury of disgust Nebuchadnezzar had at their evident effort to play for time to "cook up" a meaning for a dream that he had seen, that disturbed him so that he could no longer sleep at night but he could not recall what the dream was. He then demanded for a second time, as politically licensed magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers, that they tell him the dream and give him the interpretation, to drive away his fear and depression, or there was but one decree for each of them. And that was a decree of death; he had already spoken, v. 5. For Nebuchadnezzar plainly charged that if they could not do for him what they had claimed they could do through his empire for others, they would demonstrate that they were fakes, frauds, and lying corrupters, worthy of death; He would not let them go on putting him off, day after day. He simply said, "put up or shut up."
Verse 10 recounts the strong protests of the Chaldean, charlatan magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers, who plied their trade among his kingdom of people. They derided the king for the request and demand he had made of them, which was no greater than they had 65
previously publicly acclaimed that they could do. They told the king that no man on earth could tell or interpret his dream, nor would any king, ruler or lord ask such of any magician; But in this claim they too lied.
Verse 11 continues their practical charge that Nebuchadnezzar had become a "nut,"
mentally deranged person, to require them to recall and interpret the dream that had
"gone from him," v. 5. They contended that the king’s requirement was a "rare thing,"
and only the gods who did not dwell among men or communicate with men might relate and interpret the dream. They simply, under a plea to save their lives, admitted that their gods were lifeless, deaf, dumb, blind and therefore unable to see, hear, or speak; they were empty "quacks".
Verse 12 certifies that because of their concessions of impotency to help the king he was furiously angered and commanded that they all be destroyed throughout Babylon, for surely, if they could not help the king in trouble, they could not help his people.
Verse 13 asserts that the decree went forth that the wise men (of this world) should be slain. For the "wisdom of this world is moronic, in comparison with the wisdom of God,"
1 Corinthians 3:19, 20. Under this decree Daniel and his three comrades, Meshech, Shadrach, and Abednego too were sought out for slaughter, Daniel 1:17-20; But God was with them.
PRAYER FOR WISDOM UNDER PRESSURE
Verses 14-18:
Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's
guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said
to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch
made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he
would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel
went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his
companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this
secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of
Babylon. (Daniel 2:14-18 KJV)
Verse 14 begins Daniel's response to his death sentence that was brought to him by Arioch, captain of the king's guard. His name had been included in the list of all the wise men of Babylon who were to be slain or executed by this captain of the king's executioners, v. 24; Much as that one of Pharaoh.
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Verse 15 relates that Daniel asked Arioch, the king's executioner, for an explanation of why the decree had come so hastily from the king. And Arioch related the whole story to Daniel, a matter about which he had had no previous knowledge. Why, Daniel wanted to know, had he not had an opportunity to confer with His God and the king before he had been sentenced to be executed. His was a reasonable redress of grievance.
Verse 16 certifies that Daniel's inquiry and complaint was carried to the king and the king granted Daniel an interview to hear the king's problem. When he heard it, he assured the king that if he would grant him a reasonable time he would both tell him the dream and give him the meaning thereof in detail. He did not beg the issue, as the fake magicians had done, v. 10.
Verses 17, 18 declare that when king Nebuchadnezzar had granted a hearing, and then a stay of execution for a time to Daniel, he went directly to his three Jewish colleagues, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; And he requested them to pray for Divine mercies from the living God for them, that Daniel might know the vanished dream and unknown meaning of it, so much desired and required by Nebuchadnezzar. They prayed for God to be revealed through Daniel, and in order that they might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. And the "effectual fervent prayer" of those righteous men did avail much, James 5:16.
THE SECRET DREAM REVEALED TO DANIEL
Verses 19-30:
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the
God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and
ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he
removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge
to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth
what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee,
O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made
known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us
the king's matter. Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained
to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the
wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the
interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus
unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the
king the interpretation. The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was
Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and
the interpretation thereof? Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The
secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the
magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that
revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the
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latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for
thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass
hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than
any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and
that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. (Daniel 2:19-30 KJV) Verse 19 declares that then, in response to the prayers of Daniel and his three devout Hebrew colleague friends, God revealed the secret to him in a vision by night, to magnify God, preserve their lives, and to relieve the king of his tormenting sleepless fears, v. 1.
Verse 20 relates that immediately Daniel blessed or praised the God of heaven, the living God, because wisdom and might were inherent in His being; it was a wisdom and power He was willing to grant to those who asked Him for it.
Verse 21 continues to witness that the living God also: 1) repeatedly changes the times and the seasons, 2) He repeatedly removes kings and sets up kings, as set forth Job 12:18; Psalm 75:6,7; Daniel 4:17; and 3) He doles out wisdom to the wise, with knowledge to those who have understanding, or comprehensive ability.
Verse 22 adds that He unveils the deep and secret or covert things, because He knows what is or exists in the darkness; for both it and the light reside or dwell in Him, in the power of His control.
Verse 23 relates Daniel's praise and thanksgiving to God for answering the prayers of him and his three colleague Hebrew brethren in this hour of captivity crisis; He acknowledged that the covenant God of his fathers had disclosed or made known to him, by wisdom and might, in a supernatural way, what he and they had requested of the Lord, regarding the demand of the king against them, that their lives might be spared; Daniel acknowledged that the revelation of the vision which Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten, was now made known to him, by Divine Grace, not for any merit of his own.
Verse 24 discloses that Daniel then went to Arioch, the king's executioner, and interceded to him not to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He too requested that he again have an immediate meeting with the king, assuring that he was now prepared to tell him the dream, giving the meaning of it all, as he pledged, v.16.
Verse 25 recounts that Arioch, captain of the king's executioners, v. 14, carried Daniel with his message to the king, immediately or with haste, without delay. In formal delight, Arioch related to the king that he had found a man of the captives of the Jews who was ready to make known his dream and all he wanted to know about its message.
Verse 26 relates king Nebuchadnezzar's direct inquiry of Daniel to whom he had given the heathen god name of Belteshazzar, god of Bel, whether or not he was now able to relate both his forgotten dream and its interpretation. It required of Daniel an open 68
commitment and testimony of truthfulness, under the blade of the sword; He would witness of the Lord, not himself.
Verse 27 states that without dodging, or evading, or equivocating, Daniel responded that the secret that the king had demanded be told was not, did not exist, in the power of any of the astrologers, magicians, or soothsayers to comprehend; for they had no live God to whom they could resort for any information. And dead, blind, deaf gods can help no one.
Daniel was trained in the "fore" of their gods and knew their vanity, Daniel 1:1-4.
Verse 28 adds that Daniel then declared that there existed a living God, (Elohim) in heaven, who held and revealed or disclosed secrets or concealed things and was making known to Nebuchadnezzar the king things that were to be or exist in the latter days, v. 29, about which he was now prepared to advise him, in a definitive way. The "latter days"
alludes to the end of the Messianic days; he then proceeded to tell Nebuchadnezzar the dream and visions; conceptions he had in his mind in the dream was as follows: Verse 29 explains to the king that the things that came into his mind, while he had lain upon his bed, concerned things that were to occur first, regarding the future of his empire.
And Daniel asserted that what he was about to tell the king did not come from his own mind but as a revelation from the living God. He witnesses by faith. For the relating of the dream, and its meaning, Daniel disavowed any desire for credit.
Verse 30 adds that the relating of the secret that Daniel was to tell to Nebuchadnezzar was not because of any of his own super wisdom that he had any more than any other living person. The revelation of the secret was for the benefit of Nebuchadnezzar who had been so long sleeplessly burdened, that he might know of the true God and his own heart and his future, on which he had been meditating when the dream came before him.
THE DREAM TOLD--RELATED TO THE KING
Verses 31-35:
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness
was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head
was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His
legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut
out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and
brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors;
and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that
smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2:31-35
KJV)
Verse 31 relates that in the vision Nebuchadnezzar had seen a great image, of excelling brightness, that stood up before or confronted Nebuchadnezzar. It was a thing so terrible that he apparently was overcome or passed out in shock. He was frozen with fear when 69
the whole image was blanked from his mind. It was this scene, the "thing that went from him," that had caused him near insanity, with a long depression of sleepless fear, v. 1, 2.
This great image signified world powers, the Gentile governments of the world, in various stages of disarray, from their origin at the tower of Babel, to the return of the Redeemer and the king of Peace to His throne.
Verses 32, 33 describe the colossal image that Nebuchadnezzar saw as consisting of four parts of a human body, as follows:
1. First, the head was of gold (fine gold) symbolizing the embodiment of Gentile world government as then centered in Babylon, the center of the wealth and power of that day, then under Nebuchadnezzar.
2. Second, the upper "torso", part of the body, the breast and the arms were silver, symbolizing the then developing one world Medo-Persian Gentile Empire that was to succeed or overthrow the Babylonian Empire.
3. Third, the lower "torso" of the colossal image, its belly and two thighs of brass were a symbol of the later, but soon to raise, Graeco-Macedonian Gentile Empire. Yet each succeeding Gentile had in it the nature of that first anti-God Gentile government that was organized and the Lord scattered from Babel.
4. Fourth, the legs of that monstrous image were of iron and its feet were of iron and clay.
It was the last organized one world Gentile Empire, known as the Roman Empire, scattered, in disarray, yet to be regathered in rebellion against God, even as it originated of Babel. This seems to be the most clear or accurate basis for interpreting the mammoth heathen image that God caused to come before this Gentile king for His Hebrew prophet to interpret; As Joseph the Hebrew interpreted dreams for Pharaoh down in Egypt, that came to pass as he interpreted them; so shall this come to pass as "the times of the Gentiles."
Verse 34 explains that as Nebuchadnezzar beheld that colossal image held before him for a frightful moment in his dream, a "stone" was cut out, without hands, human hands, or without human ingenuity, a stone that moved toward and- against the huge four part image, with a mighty smash upon his feet, to obstruct any further movement or development of the image and the powers of her Gentile one world ruling domination or predominant jurisdiction over the earth. When this stone struck the feet of the image, the iron and clay portion, it shattered them, so that the entire image with her metals and parts also crumbled; Such symbolized the power of Jesus Christ that Stone who came to call out and set up His church, from among the Gentiles; The church, though one, is now scattered, as are the Jews, among all nations, till the "times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;"
At the coming and with the ministry of our Lord the fourth phase of a one world organized Gentile Empire began its crumble. Though it will have a temporary reorganization, to which head the Antichrist will come, at the end of the Gentile age. A summary of this prophecy is as follows:
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1. That stone was Jesus Christ, cut out "without hand," human planning and instrumentality, to stand forever, v. 44.
a) In His virgin birth, Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35.
b) As the seed of woman, Genesis 3:16,17; Romans 4:4,5; Luke 1:31-35.
c) As the foundation of redemption and of His church, Acts 4:11,12; 1 Peter 2:8; Matthew 16:18,19; Ephesians 2:20 reads, "Jesus Christ himself being (existing as) the chief corner stone," Romans 9:32,33.
2. That stone smote, broke or disintegrated and scattered the whole image, organized one world Gentile Empire, from the feet upward, causing it to be crumbled and scattered, without a centralized head, as it 1) began from Babel, Genesis 11:1-9, and reappeared in each of the four parts of this image just described, and 2) will be revised by a reintegrated or resurrected as a oneheaded-Gentile world government, at the end of this age, Revelation chapters 13-17.
3. Note this stone broke this whole image, represented in its mixed iron-clay strength Roman Empire form, from the feet upward. This occurred when the stone first came, bringing salvation, calling His church from among the Gentiles, as a people for His name's sake. He then mandated them to go into every nation, dispersed Gentile government, and preach His gospel to every creature, to the end of the Gentile age. While the Jews too are scattered among the scattered Gentile nations, the church is also to be scattered to preach to the Gentiles, to every creature, till the time of both the Gentile one world Empire, and the time of the Jewish dispersion is fulfilled, Luke 21:23. The wise of this age are the "children of light," the church, who understand and look for the coming of Jesus, the true king, near the regathering of Israel and resurrection of a one world Gentile government, headed by the Antichrist.
Verse 35 adds that then, at that point, when the stone struck the feet portion of that monstrous image, organized form of Gentile world powers under one leader, in rebellion against God, the image (organized form) with her gold, silver, brass, iron and clay was scattered over the earth by the impact, influence of that rock or stone Christ Jesus. But the ultimate destruction of Gentile world powers of heathenism will be finally destroyed at the second coming of Jesus, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords; No one-world, Gentile Empire has existed, since shortly after our Lord's first coming. Like chaff in the wind small Gentile governments have risen and fallen; That stone that smote the image did institute a great "kingdom of heaven", as a mustard seed, Matthew 13:31; to become as a mountainous church government, which He built and empowered and sent into all nations, and has borne His message for near 2,000 years, still exists, obediently carrying His message, Matthew 16:18; Acts 28:31; bearing witness to Him, to cover the earth till He comes to subdue it. Then He will set up His earthly government, to subdue yet existing nations, or heathen people and governments, with His church as His queen in that Great Golden era.
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The Book of Daniel
[Editor]
Some images of the statue found on the internet:
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The Book of Daniel
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[Garner]
THE INTERPRETATION OF THE IMAGE--FOUR PARTS
Verses 36-43:
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O
king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and
strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field
and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler
over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom
inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the
earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in
pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in
pieces and
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a
kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of
the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all.
Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third
kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in
pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in
pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron,
the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall
be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves
with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed
with clay.
(KJV)
Verse 36 asserts that this is the body or torso of the dream. Then Daniel modestly asserted that he would gladly tell the interpretation or meaning thereof, especially as it related to Nebuchadnezzar, or in language that Nebuchadnezzar could understand what part applied to him.
Verses 37, 38 are a direct address of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar. In it Daniel explained that Nebuchadnezzar was a "king of kings," to whom the living God had granted a kingdom with: 1) power, and 2) strength, and 3) glory. Wherever men of the human race dwelt, over all the earth; even the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, God had given into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. God had made him ruler over them all, Daniel 74
certified. Then He added, "You are this head of gold," on this monstrous image. You are a cruel steward, king, and ruler of all the people who worship images of lifeless gods.
Nebuchadnezzar's jurisdiction was the first organized one-world-wide-empire. It was soon to fall.
Verse 39 proceeds to describe or interpret that after Nebuchadnezzar, the head of gold kingdom, there should arise another kingdom, a second kingdom of world wide Gentile dominion, inferior to the first of Nebuchadnezzar--this second was that one of silver breast and arms, the Medo-Persian one, v. 32; Daniel 7:5; And yet another, a third kingdom of Gentile world wide dominion, of brass, that too was to "rule over all the earth," the Grecian or Graeco-Macedonian kingdom, v. 32; Daniel 7:6. Note each of these, and the fourth, was and is a pseudo-usurped-kingdom, that disregarded the living God, whose Son is to be the true ruler over all God's earth.
Verse 40 asserts that the meaning of the feet part of this great image represents a fourth and final form of a one-world heathen or Gentile government, originating from the tower of Babel, builders who sought to build a name for themselves, a tower that would reach to the heavens; It was to be a source of their own salvation, be a protection for them. They all and each left God (the living God) out of all their plans, Genesis 11:1-9. So should this fourth one world representative of that tower of Babel, original Gentile Government building concept, go forth strong as iron, but without embracing the living God.
This fourth kingdom (the Roman Empire) was to be a ruthless one, strong, breaking or destroying, and subduing, breaking, and bruising or destroying people, all things in her path, until the stone, cut out without hands, the virgin born one came to strike the feet (the progress) or ongoing of that mighty empire, to break and scatter the one world Gentile government that it espoused.
Though shattered and scattered that fourth empire is to be revived again for total destruction at the coming of our Lord. It is still dispersed through that stone Jesus Christ.
Today His church, called from among the Gentiles, yet sent through the earth, as a witness to all Gentiles, the nations, will one day be an instrument of our Lord in ruling and reigning over all nations.
Verses 41-43 explain that this fourth one world Gentile kingdom was different from the first three parts of the image, designed to symbolize a different lesson, Daniel 7:7, 23.
This lower, last feet-part was formed by a mixture of iron and clay, signifying that when struck by that special stone, the potter's clay and iron toes and feet should be shattered and scattered, divided but not destroyed or totally put out of existence, at the time of the striking, as the first three kingdoms had been. In this fourth kingdom the iron mixed with miry clay or buttle clay, so the kingdom should be partly strong and partly broken. These elements of clay and iron of the fourth kingdom, the Roman Empire, after broken should
"mingle themselves," as small heathen or Gentile governments, "with the seed of men,"
after being broken up as a one world kingdom. But note v. 43 asserts "they shall not cleave" one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. Since shortly after our Lord's first coming that Roman Empire has been broken, scattered, neither a one world 75
government, while scattered and shattered, nor yet completely subdued. Such awaits our Lord's second coming, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords or living Lord overall, all people, all nations and all things.
BEGINNING AND END OF FINAL WORLD EMPIRE
(The Kingdom of Heaven To Supplant It)
Verses 44, 45:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break
in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as
thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake
in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:44-45 KJV)
Verse 44 asserts that "in the days of these kings," those kings who were subjects of the Roman Emperor of the fourth "one world government," when Herod was king in Judea,
"the God of heaven," Jesus Christ Himself, "shall set up a kingdom," "which shall never be destroyed."
Note: God the Father sent two persons from heaven, "to prepare" and to institute, set up, or establish a new order of government, "which should never be destroyed." This alludes to: First, the sending of John the Baptist to prepare a way and a people for the Lord; Second, Jesus who is here called "the God of heaven," did set up, institute, or establish
"the kingdom of heaven," Himself, in person, Matthew ch. 13, referred to as "my church," Matthew 16:18; Which He chose and called, "from among the Gentiles," as a people for "His name's sake."
Of this people, new order of "worship and service," which He called "from among the Gentiles," as cited above, then sent to the Gentiles, as a witness to Him, among all nations; It is called "the kingdom of heaven," set up by Jesus, the God of heaven, more than 30 times by Matthew; The Kingdom of heaven parables of Matthew 13:1-52, all allude to the church that Jesus set up, for which He will one day return. It is asserted, pledged, or covenanted that "It shall never be destroyed."
As a "prepared people" for His church, His name's sake it was composed of saved, and baptized, and committed followers of Him, not of the sum total of the saved, as "the kingdom of heaven" is generally interpreted to be, by Protestants and "protestantbaptists."
Observe that the kingdom that the "God of heaven" was to, and did, "set up", institute, or establish would not only "never be destroyed," but also it was not to be "left to other 76
people," to establish or administer. He did not leave it to be "set up by proxy," on Pentecost; He 1) set it in order, as king; 2) gave it laws to guide it; 3) promised to send the Holy Spirit; His vice-gerent to empower it, and 4) convenanted to be with it to the consummation of the age, among the broken and scattered nations of the Gentiles of the Roman Empire that was to be disintegrated.
As J.R. Graves held, four things only are necessary to the existence and function of a kingdom: 1) a king, 2) subjects, 3) laws, and 4) a territory; Jesus a King established and left such a people, His church, with a world-wide mandate to preach to the scattered Gentiles in all nations, with a pledge to return to and receive her unto Himself, for special honors and service in the golden millennial age when as King of kings and Lord of lords He shall sit on David's throne, establishing His earthly reign over Israel and the Gentile kingdoms, for the "restitution of all things," to the Father.
This first established "Kingdom of heaven," the church, with one province, at Jerusalem, where it was empowered, Acts 2:1-4; was to "break in pieces, and be scattered," was to divide, establishing local witnessing bodies, churches through all nations, as a witness to Jesus, till He returns, after which, under Him, it will consume, (subdue) all these gentle kingdoms, in the millennial era. And it shall stand forever, or exist forever.
Verse 45 summarizes, explaining that as Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel had seen first, the
"stone" (Jesus Christ) "cut out of the mountain without hands," in a supernatural way, even by the virgin birth, as the seed of woman, as prophesied and certified; Second, that as it brake in pieces the monstrous image, from the feet up, causing the Gentile governments from Babel to Rome, the iron, brass, silver, and gold empires to be scattered over all the earth, that the church, "kingdom of heaven" of heaven's origin, with heaven's laws, heaven prepared people, and heaven empowerment, called from all nations, among the Gentiles to preach the gospel, might witness to all nations, among the Gentiles, till the king returns to set up, not the kingdom of heaven, but the Davidic Kingdom, using 1) the church and 2) the 12 apostles in His millennial labors, Luke 22:28-30. Jesus said to this church people, "I appoint to you all a kingdom," present tense, to eat and drink and do my labors, in this age among the Gentiles, and in the millennial era to "sit on twelve thrones,"
with me, adjudicating over the twelve tribes of Israel.
Daniel then concluded to Nebuchadnezzar that "the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure."
Let it be observed that the God of heaven, Jesus Christ, did set up, institute, or establish His kingdom of heaven or church; It has borne His new covenant, ambassadorial message to the scattered nations. Note Protestantism has made "the kingdom of heaven" to mean
"all the saved," a universal church, and too many protestantbaptists have been influenced by it. Let such a position be reexamined, in the light of this passage, as interpreted in contextual setting. For when a major (first premise) is misinterpreted such leads to later perversions, distortions, and misapplications of Divine truth. Much of the universal church heresy originates from a misapplication of this passage of Daniel's prophecy.
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DANIEL PROMOTED
Verses 46-49:
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and
commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. The king
answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a
Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. Then
the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler
over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of
Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the
king. (Daniel 2:46-49 KJV)
Verse 46 relates that Nebuchadnezzar was so emotionally overcome by Daniel's definitive recall, description, and interpretation of the meaning of the dream and monstrous image that came, then went from him, that he fell down to worship Him. He too impulsively commanded those about him that they should offer an oblation sacrifice and incense of sweet odor of worship to Daniel, Ezra 6:10. Though Daniel had already disavowed any personal honor for revealing and interpreting the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, v 27, 28, 30; So shall the world one day fall down to worship the Lord, Philippians 2:10.
Verse 47 adds that Nebuchadnezzar then testified that Daniel's God was surely, unquestionably, incontestably, of a truth, God of gods, Lord of kings, a revealer (uncoverer and- discloser) of secrets;" At the last the world will acknowledge this, Revelation 17:14; 19:16; Daniel had revealed this secret so thoroughly that Nebuchadnezzar knew that it was of the living God, not "little dead gods" of his heathen empire, that this matter was made known, v. 22.
Verse 48 discloses that as a result of this vision king Nebuchadnezzar gave Daniel many great gifts, such as befit royalty, and made him a great man to be ruler or governor over the whole province of Babylon proper, where Daniel's captive Jewish brethren were being held. In this capacity he was also made chief or administrator over all the governors, over all the wise men and educators of Babylon. Thus Daniel was in a condition to be a helper to, and relieve much oppression over, his own people, as Joseph did down in Egypt before him, as described Genesis 41:1-44.
Verse 49 explains that at the request of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, his colleague Jewish brethren, as a cabinet of advisors and administrators over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel sat or resided as a judge and administrator in the gate of, or entrance of, the palace of the king, where courts of justice and equity were administered. Where Lot was a compromiser, Daniel was inflexible for truth, Genesis 19:1. Such was his elevation, to motivate all believers after him, to be true to the word of God and the God of the word, whatever befalls them and in all circumstances of life.
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DANIEL - CHAPTER 3
[Culley]
Why would a pagan king erect an image of gold? The God given dream and
interpretation had featured the image of a man with a head of gold which represented Nebuchadnezzer and the kingdom of Babylon. But his kingdom
was to be succeeded by the Media-Persian Kingdom, it by the Grecian, and it in turn by the Roman. It could well be that the golden image was the king’s attempt to change the decree of Heaven and extend his kingdom’s life by means of Chaldean VooDoo.
No doubt the image was intended as a state memorial in honor of Nebuchadnezzer and the mighty empire he had built. It was required on penalty of death that this image be worshipped. Dictators have long coveted the worship of their subjects, believing that it would greatly enhance their rule. Commanding worship by no means secures it. The outward signs and rituals may be enforced by punishment sufficient to secure compliance by most men. But even in the act of worship those who are forced into compliance may curse the enforcer and his object of worship in their hearts.
Worship is a voluntary act of man. True worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth.
Since no mention of Daniel or his where abouts is made in this chapter it is assumed that he was either bedfast with an ailment or more likely out of the country on a state mission. In His providence God arranged for the trial of the three Hebrews without the aid of Daniel’s presence.
The three Hebrew youth had grown much through the earlier trials of their faith; being deported to Babylon, standing with Daniel not to be defiled by the King’s food and in praying with Daniel for deliverance from the King’s decree of death to all his wise men because none could tell his dream and its meaning. They witnessed God’s protecting hand and their faith had grown.
THE PRIDE AND FOLLY OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Verses 1-7: Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura,
in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the
princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the
sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image
which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, and
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captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of
the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O
people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and
worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso
falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of
the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the
nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[Garner]
Verse 1 sets forth the fickleness of human nature. Though having declared that Daniel's living God was "King of kings" and "God of lords," Nebuchadnezzar turned 19 years later to make an "image of gold," a monstrous image of himself, with an height of 60
cubits (90 ft.) and a breadth of 6 cubits (9 ft.). It was likely wood overlaid with gold.
Then he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon, just south of the city. It was to symbolize him as the golden head of the first one world Gentile Empire. His confession of God did not keep him from being, continuing as a worshipper of idol gods.
This golden image required self-worship that follows, Daniel 2:38, and appears to be a type of that one day to be demanded of the antichrist, the man of sin.
Verse 2 adds that when the monstrous image of gold (representing Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:38) was set up in the plain of Dura, the king sent out a call for all the puppet-rulers of this Empire to come to the dedication of the god. Special calls went to: 1) the princes, 2) the governors, 3) the captains, 4) the judges, 5) the treasurers, 6) the counselors, 7) the sheriffs, and 8) all the administrative rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image, as the central god of his Empire. From all ruling levels of society the magi were called. It appears that this was an effort to unify all the religions of the earth, and his empire, to worship him, much as the antichrist beast, representing Gentile powers will do.
Verse 3 affirms that all the rulers of the province of Nebuchadnezzar's Empire came at his call, and stood as a mighty conclave, before the monstrous golden image to admire it, do obeisance toward, or worship it. It simply added to the dead gods they already worshipped.
Verses 4, 5 state that an herald cried aloud (with a mighty voice), a decree that all nations, people, and tongues, when they heard the sound or music of the flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of orchestrated music, were to fall down upon their faces, in worship of the monstrous golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had made, as an object of self-deification, Daniel 4:1; 6:25. They were to fall down, not only for worship, but also that any that refused might be detected.
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Verse 6 adds that the decree for dedication not only required that all present fall down to worship, at the sound of the stringed and percussion music, but also announced that any who refused would immediately, the same hour, be carried and cast alive into the fiery furnace, the very kind that had melted the gold for the image of the king that was before them. It was "worship me or die." Such was a common method of punishment in Babylon, Jeremiah 29:22; 2 Samuel 12:31.
Verse 7 asserts that when all who were commanded assembled, as rulers of the nations, practicing worship of many gods anyway, they fell down obediently before the image to worship, at the sound of the symphonic, orchestrated music. It appears that no Jews were present, except the three governors, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, v. 12.
THREE JEWISH COLLEAGUES REFUSE TO WORSHIP THE IMAGE
Verses 8-18: Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the
Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O
king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and
worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he
should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom
thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor
worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage
and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought
these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of
the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall
down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall
be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God
that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered
and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this
matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto
thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou
hast set up.
Verse 8 recounts that certain (a certain blood thirsty king) of the Chaldeans came near or seized and accused the Jews--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, specifically. So jealous were they of the Jews that they wished to tear them limb from limb of their bodies. Why Daniel was not summoned is not clear, but apparently he was not summoned of the king to worship the image.
Verse 9 notes the flattery of the "Jew hating" Chaldeans in their direct address, "O King, live forever;" Their flattery is akin to the cruelty that follows. It is similar to Tertullus'
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flattery of Felix as he prepared to spew forth his condemnation against Paul, before the Roman governor, Acts 24:2, 3.
Verses 10, 11 recount the decree that Nebuchadnezzar had made, as requoted to him by certain ones of his super-sanctified Chaldeans. They were perhaps of those who were jealous of these Jewish colleagues of Daniel and sought occasion to slay them. They reminded him that he had publicly decreed the death of any who did not bow down to worship before the image of gold, at the prescribed sound of music, v. 5-7.
Verses 12 states that these "certain" Chaldeans charged before Nebuchadnezzar that three certain Jewish overseers of his province, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had not obeyed his command, did not serve any of his gods, nor had they worshipped the golden image that he had set up. Thus they suggested such action was a capitol crime, worthy of their being deposed and slain.
Verse 13 relates that this public accusation of these three Jewish confidants or colleagues of Daniel caused King Nebuchadnezzar to go into a rage of fury. Instead of having them immediately executed, as he had done to the fraudulent magi, Daniel 2:1, 2, he had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego brought before him, to hear their testimony and defense, if they had any for their failure to obey the mandate of the king to worship his monstrous image of gold. They were brought there as a challenge to their testimony for their God and their faith.
Verse 14 states that when they were hailed before the king he publicly asked them whether or not they had purposely neglected or refused to worship his gods or worship the image. In spite of his fury, his past good will toward them inclined him to give them another trial or opportunity to worship his gods, bow down to his image. It was a thing the law of their God to whom they were committed forbade.
Verse 15 recounts his second chance offer to save face for themselves and for him. He mandated anew that at the sound of the musical band, symphony, or orchestra of named musical instruments, they were to bow down and worship the monstrous golden image that he had made and set up, v. 1. The pre-announced verdict was that if they did all would be well, but if they did not they would be cast alive into the fiery furnace. Then in sarcasm he asked, like Pharaoh and Sennacherib, "who is that god that will deliver you out of my hand?"
Verse 16 states that Meshech, Shadrach, and Abednego replied to the king, delaying his musical offer, "we are not careful (over sensitive) to respond to you in this matter," this kind of a matter, that affects our spiritual relations with our God! With them this was not a civil but a religious matter of soul and conscience. The path of duty to God was clear to them and they would not pretend to evade it.
Verses 17, 18 conclude their firm testimony in this matter. It was that if Nebuchadnezzar chose to cast them into the fiery furnace they had a living God who was able and would also deliver them out of the fiery furnace; they told the king, "face to face," "we will not 82
serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." To worship these idols was a breach of their own law, which, though their nation had broken, they as a remnant faithfully refused, to break, Exodus 20:3-5; Leviticus 19:4.
PRESERVATION--NO HARM IN THE FURNACE
Verses 19-25: Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was
changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and
commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to
be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because
the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the
fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three
men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in
haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into
the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He
answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they
have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Verse 19 relates the fury, rage, and changed countenance of Nebuchadnezzar toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, because they refused his second chance, v. 14, 15.
Because of their stand for their God, against idols and the image worship that he had decreed, he commanded that the fiery furnace be made seven times hotter than normal for the burning of these three Jewish patriots. Seven is the perfect number. It simply means it was to be heated as hot as possible. Passion overdoes its own end, for the hotter the fire the sooner they would be out of pain, if the Lord did not intercede.
Verse 20 further relates that the most mighty (the strongest) of his armed men were ordered to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the fiery furnace, so that there would be no escape. They vainly thought they would then be rid of them, even as those Jews who sealed the tomb of our Lord.
Verse 21 adds that these three were bound alive in their coats, hose, hats, and their other garments (fully dressed) and cast by these mighty men of Nebuchadnezzar's army into the burning fiery furnace. This should have been the end of them, except their God was their protection.
Verse 22 discloses that because the king's command was so furiously urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, those mighty men of the king's army were slain, burned to death, when they threw Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego headlong into the furnace.
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Verse 23 affirms that these three men, the certain colleague Jews accused by the Chaldeans, v. 8, 12, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego "fell down bound" into the midst (very center) of the high-heated fiery furnace. Such demonstrated the arm or care of the God they trusted, v. 16-18. He protected them through it all, not keeping them out, but protecting them while they were in there, to deliver them.
Verse 24 states that Nebuchadnezzar was suddenly astonished, aghast, upon looking into the fiery furnace, at the door of which his three mighty men of his army had burned to death from the escaping heat, from within the furnace. He arose up in haste and demanded of his counselors "did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"
From the mouths of our Lord's own enemies they truthfully affirmed that this was true, v.
21.
Verse 25 adds that Nebuchadnezzar replied that he saw four men loose, (not bound) walking in the midst of the fire and that they had no hurt, Isaiah 43:2; John 8:36. Their coats, hose, hats, and garments were fit to wear in a royal palace, unharmed by the flames. But Nebuchadnezzar cried that one of the four was of the likeness of the "Son of God." What did he know about the Son of God? Evidently Daniel and these three faithful Jews had so witnessed of Jesus, the Messiah, that his conscience had a perfect vision of that One Who never leaves nor forsakes His own.
THE CONVINCED KING--TWO DECREES
Verse 26-30: Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the
most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and
captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon
whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were
their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar
spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath
sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the
king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god,
except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and
language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because
there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
Verse 26 describes Nebuchadnezzar the king as coming near the mouth or opening of the fiery furnace and calling aloud, addressing the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace by name, as "servants of the most high (Jehovah) God." He called for them to come forth out of the midst of the fire. And they did, well dressed and strong, by Divine, miraculous protection. Note Nebuchadnezzar who had said to Daniel 19 years before this, "your God is a God of gods," a living God over dead gods, Daniel 2:47; had since turned away from 84
that view, having since then destroyed Jerusalem, with no immediate harm coming to him.
Verse 27 adds that the princes, governors, captains, and king's counselors, while assembled, saw these three Jewish young men upon whose bodies the fire had no power; neither burning an hair on their heads, smutting their clothes, nor making any smell or scorch of fire upon them.
Verse 28 expresses a benediction of Nebuchadnezzar toward the living God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; He vowed this God had sent (mandated) his angel (Gabriel) and delivered His servants who trusted in Him as related v. 16-18. He attributed the preservation of the three Hebrew children to the guardian care of the living God, because they refused to worship idol gods.
Verse 29 announces a decree by Nebuchadnezzar that any people, nation, or language which spoke any unbecoming thing against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should be hacked to pieces and their residences made to be a dunghill, totally destroyed. Because there is (exists) no other God, said he, that can deliver or liberate after this sort he had just witnessed.
Verse 30 concludes that then the king promoted or made to prosper Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. And no more is it reported any effort was made to force the Jews to worship idols, of which they had now received their fill of judgment.
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DANIEL - CHAPTER 4
[Culley]
Nebuchadnezzer’s temporary insanity has been denied by unbelieving critics, but is well sustained not only by the Bible, but also by secular historical references. According to Josephus, the Babylonian historian Berosus told of a strange malady suffeed by Nebuchadnezzer before his death.
One remarkable aspect of the chapter is its disclosure of the reality of unseen angelic creatures, The Watchers, who carry on the administration of God’s purposes during this age.
Viewed in light of the scope and termination of Gentile power revealed in chapter two, Nebuchadnezzer’s experience may cast a prophetic shadow of the final humbling of Gentile power at the end of the age….
