Adventures In Babylon!
>> Ch 1 and 2 <<
The Imposing Dream Image of Empire
• Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.. he carried off to Babylon many of the people, and some of the articles from the temple of God, he took and put in the treasure house of his god. Daniel is drafted into King Nebuchadnezzar’s court (of wise men and astrologers) and becomes known for his insight and wisdom. King Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream so that “his sleep escapes him”. But he can’t even remember the dream, so he calls in the wise men of his court and wants them to not only interpret the dream but tell him what the dream was. They say “Tell us the dream and we’ll interpret”. But the king says tell me the dream or you will all be executed”.
“No one can do such a thing!” they say. Daniel asks the steward what the deal is.. Then he tells him, tell the king not to execute the wise men, there’s a God who can tell you the dream. And he tells his friends also in service to pray, and later in a vision of the night God revealed the dream, and Daniel tells the king the dream and its interpretation.
Ch.2 - You saw, O king, a great statue. This image, was mighty and of exceeding brightness, and it stood before you, and its appearance was frightening [dechal - fearful, dreadful, intimidating]. The head of this image was of shining gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone that had not been formed by human hands struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces, and became like chaff blowing in the wind. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 This was the dream. And now we will tell the king its interpretation.”
37 “You, O king, as a king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, power, might, and glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold [Babylon]. 39 Another kingdom (Media-Persia, the silver) inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze (Greece) which will rule all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom (Rome) strong as iron, because iron breaks and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all the rest. (The two legs of Rome.) 41 And as you saw the feet and toes (an ignored last days empire) partly of potter's clay and partly of iron (west), it shall become a divided kingdom, but with some of the strength of iron still in it.. 42 And as the (ten) toes (seats, divisions, “‘kings’ of the last hour”-Rev.17:12,16) were of iron and of clay, so the kingdom shall be part strong and part broken (broken by the iron?) 43 As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the peoples will mix with one another, but will not hold together any more than iron mixes with clay. 44 But in those days the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or hurt [chabal - to destroy, hurt]. It shall stand forever ..The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
>> Chapter 3 <<
The Fiery Furnace
• King Nebuchadnezzar had a large image made of gold set up on the plain and decrees that all must worship it whenever they hear the call upon any instrument of music to do do so. But Daniel’s three companions are reported for not doing so, furious the King has them thrown into the fiery furnace, but then the king says, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire? Yet I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” ..satraps, prefects, counselors, and magistrates saw that the fire had not had any power over the three. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. (Rev.7:16) 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!”
>> Chapter 4 <<
A Stump In The Field
• King Nebuchadnezzar has another troubling dream ..so he summoned Daniel, and said, “I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, its height was so great it was visible to the end of all the earth. Its beautiful leaves and fruit abundant was food for all. The beasts under its shade and the birds in its branches. But then a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven, proclaiming loudly, ‘Chop down the tree! Leave the stump amid the grass of the field, bound with a band of iron and bronze for seven times”.
“It is you, O king” Daniel said, “who has grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. It shall be for 7 years ..as it was commanded to leave the stump, your kingdom shall be returned to you from the time that you know that Heaven rules”.
At the end of twelve months Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king said, “Is not this great Babylon! Which I have built by my mighty power! As a royal residence, for the glory of my majesty?” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just, and those who walk in arrogance he is able to humble.
>> Chapter 5 <<
The Writing On The Wall
• King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and while they were drinking wine, 2 he ordered that the vessels of gold and silver be brought in that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem so the king and his lords, wives, and concubines might drink from them. 4 And so they drank wine and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. 5 And right then the finger of a hand appeared and it wrote upon the wall in the light of the lampstand. The king saw the hand as it wrote, 6 and his face paled in alarm, and 7 he called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and be the third ruler in the kingdom!”
But no one could, then the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Do not be alarmed. 11 There is a man in your kingdom.. 12 ..let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
…Daniel said, “Oh king let your gifts be for yourself, and give the rewards to another..18 The Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship, greatness, glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that was given to him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whoever he would, he killed, and whoever he would, he kept alive. He raised up, and he brought low, and 20 his heart was lifted up, his spirit was hardened..21 ..Then his mind was made like that of a beast, he was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with dew ..until he knew God Most High rules ..22 And you king Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, though you knew all that, 23 you lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. And you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have used his vessels for praising the gods of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose power is all breath, you have gone out of your way to dishonor. 24 So from his presence came the hand and this writing, 25 Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 ..God has numbered the days of your kingdom, you have been weighed in the balances.. 28 your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave the order, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and proclamation was made that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30 And that very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
>> Chapter 6 <<
Daniel In The Lion’s Den
• Darius set over the kingdom 120 satraps.. 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one.. 3 ..And Daniel became distinguished above the other high officials and the satraps, because of the excellent spirit in him. (Advancement isn’t aLways through conquest, colonizing and extortion/oppression.) And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom! 4 But the high officials and satraps looked to find a ground for complaint against Daniel and they could find none but said, “We shall not find anything against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”
6 So they went by agreement to the king and said, “The king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions! 8 ..Sign the document, that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians..” 10 And although Daniel knew the document had been signed, at his window open toward Jerusalem, he still prayed three times a day to his God, and gave thanks. 11 The officials and satraps went again to the king and said, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, “It stands fast. According to the law of the Medes and Persians, it cannot be broken.” 13 They answered him, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day!”
14 Then the king, was much distressed and set his mind to pardon Daniel, worrying until the sun went down how to rescue him. 15 But the men came again by agreement again, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” 16 So the king commanded, and Daniel was cast into the den of lions. He said to Daniel, “May your God deliver you!” 17 A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own stamp. 18 And his sleep fled him, and 19 at break of day, he went in haste to the den of lions, “O Daniel, servant of the living God! Has your God, whom you always serve, been able to deliver you?” 21 Then Daniel said, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths..” So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions. (“Your doings will return upon your own heads” Obadiah 1:15.) 25 And King Darius wrote a decree to all the peoples, nations, and languages: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree.. in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel (such was the ancient view) for he is the living God, enduring forever, his kingdom will never be destroyed, and his dominion never end. 27 He delivers and rescues, works signs and wonders in heaven and upon earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
