The Bible: It's All About Jesus

Daniel

Introduction: Daniel - Anatomy of Salvation

Introduction

When viewing these first six chapters of Daniel as a foreshadowing, it is important to relate meanings to the places and people to the story being told. In this case, the primary setting is Babylon. It's where the Israelites were taken as captives after being cast out of their homeland. Babylon is representative of us --our being-- after the fall. Israel is descriptive of us before the fall and Judah is heaven. The main characters are Nebuchadnezzar --I liken him to our lost soul; Daniel --the Holy Spirit; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah describe Jesus' purpose; Belshazzar --the deeds of our flesh; and Darius --our regenerated soul.

Chapter One: The Story Overview

The chapter starts with God turning Israel and its king Jehoakim over to Nebuchadnezzar --a picture of the fall as recorded in Romans 1 where God turned us over to be controlled by our sinful desires. It introduces a cast of characters that will play essential roles in the rest of the story. And ends with a new king over the country. This first chapter is an overview of what will be seen in the next five.

Chapter Two: Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

During the first year Nebuchadnezzar (our lost human soul) took over command from Jehoiakim (our spirit --which is now separated from God) as king. This is the picture of the fall of mankind. The chapter starts out in Nebuchadnezzar's second year in power when God began his appeal through terrifying dreams and visions. The king wanted to understand what he needed to do to bring peace to his troubled mind. He began by trying all of his familiar ways and then took his first step of faith.

Chapter 3: The Golden Image

"King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon." The image was the most prominent object for miles around. It's a picture of the things that we make important in life. We can turn anything into an idol --even a Christian ministry!

Chapter 4: Humbled and Restored

"King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation." The king told about what God has worked in him --it's his testimony!

Chapter 5: Writing On The Wall

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem... Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way." It's a picture of the flesh being confronted with God Himself writing the Law of Sin and Death on tablets of stone.

Chapter 6: Enter The New King

"It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss." Darius [representing the saved soul] began to take control of the kingdom [our entire being] in an orderly way. Daniel [the Holy Spirit] was given control over a portion of it. That's what happens with us when we begin to trust the Holy Spirit with part of our lives --a significant part-- but it takes time for us to learn how trustworthy He is.

Name Meanings Help to Understand Daniel

When viewing these first six chapters of Daniel as a foreshadowing, it is important to relate meanings to the places and people to the story being told. In this case, the primary setting is Babylon. It's where the Israelites were taken as captives after being cast out of their homeland. Babylon is representative of our being after the fall. Israel is descriptive of us before the fall and Judah is of heaven. The main characters are Nebuchadnezzar --I liken him to our lost soul; Daniel --the Holy Spirit; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah describe Jesus' purpose; Belshazzar --the deeds of our flesh; and Darius --our regenerated soul.

As you read through this story about Daniel, you might want to refer to this list of meanings to help understand the story.

Chapter 1: Story Overview

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. (v. 1)

The third year represents the end of a term; In this case it was the end of Jehoiakim's reign. Although Jehoiakim (portraying our human spirit) was the king of Judah (he was our connection to heaven), he sold himself out to Egypt (our sinful desires) and ordered his people to do whatever the Egyptian pharaoh said. Nebuchadnezzar (representing our fallen human soul) took control of the kingdom (the kingdom is our entire being).

And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. (v. 2)

The results of this horrible sellout are captured in Romans 1:16-32 where it repeated states that God handed us over to our sinful desires because we (each and every one of us) abandoned Him. That Romans passage sums up the fall of mankind.

The treasures (the things meant to be used in worshipping God) of the temple (our body is the temple) were also handed over to use in perverted ways.

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-- young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. (v. 3-4)

The human soul is often described as having three parts: the mind (which does the thinking), the will (which makes the decisions), and the emotions (which experience feelings). Although it's not quite so simply pictured in Daniel, we can use some of those concepts for some of the people in the court.

Ashpenaz represents our will. He is in charge of the court where business and pleasure take place. (It's our will that decides what we will do to occupy our minds.) He was told to get some of God's finest religious people to be pleasing and serve the king.

The king described which young men thathe wanted in his court. It'salso a picture of what we want to be and how we want others to see us: Good looking, smart, able to communicate with everyone, especially those who are important.

The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. (v. 5)

The king decided what was best for them so that they could best serve him. in the same way, we decide for ourselves what is good for our own spiritual growth. We feed it what we want with our own bread and our own wine so that it will grow into something useful for our own purposes. A common example is when a person attends a church in order to gain friends or business contacts.

Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. (v. 6-7)

The four young men were all from Judah (from heaven). Their Hebrew names have meanings quite pertinent to this story. One of the meanings of Hananiah is "he camped with us." Mishael means "Who and What is God?" And Azariah is "helper or protector from God." I'll refer to these three as God's witnesses because they described the witness Jesus gave about His Father. He came and lived in a human body like us. He told us every thing we needed to know about His Father. And He told about His Spirit, the Comforter-Helper, that He would send back to us.

Each one of them was given a different name that was more familiar to the ways of the king. Since God's ways cannot be understood by the unspiritual or unregenerated mind, we describe God in terms of what we think He should be and do.

Isn't it curious that when we were little children, we learned the Babylonian names for these three men rather than their given names? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are the names we remember so well, even to this day. Maybe that's part of God's plan. We learn the basic story-line of Daniel and his friends through traditional teaching, but the real meaning has to be revealed to us by God. You might reflect on this when you get to the end of the study.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. (v. 8)

Daniel (the Holy Spirit) resolved to not join in our worldly ways. Yet, He didn't make any demands. Instead He asked permission much like is described in the Revelation passage below.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." (v. 9-10)

God gave the official a little faith to try Daniel's ways. Similarly, God has given each one of us enough faith to begin trusting Him. However, like the official, with only a little faith, we remain highly skeptical about trusting someone who is new to us and has ways that are different from our own.

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink." "Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." (v. 11-13)

The guard represents our human emotions. Just as Daniel appealed through the guard to convince the chief official, the Holy Spirit appeals through our emotions (our frustration, depression, desperation) to convince our will that He is trustworthy.

Ten days are like ten tests for Daniel and his friends to determine their reliability. Those ten tests could well represent the Ten Commandments. They are tests that we know we can't pass and they are perfect for us to test God's holiness.

So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. (v. 14-16)

Not only did it test them, but it also showed them to be better than the other young men. Comparing Daniel and his three friends to the others is much like testing our own spiritual ways. Is it better to have an intimate relationship with Jesus or to follow religious traditions?

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (v. 17)

Although the king decided to train these men in his ways, God trained them in His ways. Nebuchadnezzar contributed nothing to what they were and did.

At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. (v. 19-20)

Of course, God's ways always surpass mans' ways. As we go through life and experience that Jesus' testimony about His Father is true, we trust Him more and more.

And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. (v. 21)

Remaining until the reign of King Cyrus is representative of the Holy Spirit remaining with us until Jesus reigns in us!

This verse explains the purpose of the chapter as it relates to our parallel story "Daniel, an Anatomy of Salvation." This first chapter is an overview of the rest of our story --which is more detailed in chapters two through six.

Chapter 2: Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. (v. 1)

God had taken command of Jerusalem from Jehoiakim because of his evil behavior and given it to Nebuchadnezzar. That was a picture of the fall of mankind. It's when we became separated from God and He handed us (our spiritual beings) over to our sinful desires.

This chapter starts out in Nebuchadnezzar's second year in power and it's where we see God using dreams to show him where his evil ways were leading.

There are some passages in Job that demonstrate how God used dreams and visions to get a person's attention in order to save him from the pit.

A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it. Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake. (Job 4:12-14)

When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. (Job 7:13-15)

So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means." (v. 2-3)

The king wanted to understand what he needed to do to bring peace to his troubled mind. So he tried all of his familiar ways –the magicians, enchanters, etc.

That's what happens when God confronts us with the fact that our ways are taking us on a path to hell. He reveals that we have a huge void in our hearts; we are dead in our sins and need Him for new life. Of course we first have to try our familiar substitutes –the things of this world– like buying material things; creating and trying to control relationships with people; drugs and alcohol; and even being religious.

Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it." (v. 4)

The astrologers depict our own attempts to achieve purpose and satisfaction in life. Yet, none of our own ways –distractions, relationships, religion, or anything else– can fill the emptiness within. They are incapable of doing so.

The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me." (v. 5-6)

The emotions shown by the king demonstrates the disappointment, frustration and fear that was left after coming to the realization that there was nothing he could do to bring peace into his heart and mind.

Once more they replied, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it." Then the king answered, "I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me." (v. 7-9)

The king took stock of his resources felling that he should have been able to control the circumstances in his life. Similarly, we try almost everything available when we get to feeling empty, anxious, discontented, or unfulfilled.

The astrologers answered the king, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men." (v. 10-11)

None of those under his command could help the king. That's the way we are. Nothing that we have or try to control, can substitute for the life that God has planned for us. He designed us to be complete –without that emptiness. And completeness can only be realized when we accept His gift of eternal life through Jesus.

This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. (v. 12-13)

The king was ready to give up on everything he had trusted in the past. Hopefully, after enough of our own failures of being self-sufficient –going from disappointment to rejection to depression and even to despair– we can come to the "end of our rope" like this king.

When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. (v. 14)

Daniel intervened when everything else failed. And when we reach our lowest times –when all else fails– that we are able to see that God has been waiting patiently to lift us up from our troubles.

He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. (v. 15-16)

It was through Arioch that Daniel was able to discern the king's troubles. In this parallel story, it's our emotions that show we are "heavy laden and in need of rest" and it's then that God can begin to reason with us –showing us His ways are better than our ways.

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. (v. 17-18)

Daniel and his three friends prayed. In the same way, the Holy Spirit prays for us and reminds us: Jesus lived on this earth as a man so that we can trust Him to know our troubles (that's Hananiah); we can know God through His word (Mishael); and He has given us His Counselor to guide us always (Azariah).

During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." (v. 19-23)

This vision in the night could be considered God's calling –His knocking on the door of Nebuchadnezzar's heart. It's where Daniel was given permission to reveal God's message to the king. likewise, it's where the Holy Spirit begins revealing the truth about God to us!

Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him." Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, "I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means." (v. 24-25)

As we saw earlier, the king had given up all hope in his own resources and abilities much like any person who falls into despair when they can't find any solution to life's problems.

Daniel –made his appeal to Arioch to not give up –He knew of another hope! It is through our emotions (our Arioch) that the Spirit (Daniel) is finally able to get our attention.

The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?" Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these: (v. 26-28)

As a last resort, the king asked Daniel for help. But even then Daniel was not recognized by his real name, rather one invented by the king. Nonetheless, Daniel responded with compassion and told the interpretation that God had given to him.

When we seek God –even when we don't know Him fully– God begins to reveal His message to us and He does it through the Holy Spirit.

"As you were lying there, O king, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. (v. 29-30)

Daniel wanted no special recognition for being able to interpret the vision; he only wanted the king to know God's plan for life. Similarly, the Holy Spirit brings honor and glory to the Father by leading us into the kingdom of God.

"You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. (v. 31-33)

This statue was large, enormous, dazzling, awesome –but the only thing great about it was it's appearance. Notice that the value of the materials decrease in value when progressing from the head of gold to the feet of clay and iron. They also increase in hardness and decrease in their ability to be hammered into a shape. Gold is worth the most and can be formed into very thin leaf. Silver is not nearly as valuable as gold, nor is it as workable. Bronze and iron continue in this pattern. And lastly, baked clay is just common dirt and it's very brittle –easily broken.

While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. (v. 34-35)

The rock which came out of nowhere represents Jesus. In Hebrews 6:20-7:3, He is compared to king Melchizedek who had no beginning or end of days and no genealogy to be traced. The rock destroyed and replaced the great statue. The rest is explained later...

"This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. (v. 36-38)

The statue shows us a picture of our inner person –our soul. God has given us dominion (free will) over ourselves as described in Daniel 1:1-2.

The birds might be our purist hopes and dreams; while the beasts would correspond to the earthier things that we think and do.

"After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron for iron breaks and smashes everything and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. (v. 39-43)

The change in kingdoms (rulers) shows a continual decline in the country until it's eventual destruction. The change can also provide insight into the process of our own sanctification. That's what happens as we grow –seeing ourselves from God's point of view. We can have the most noble of goals [golden head]. But they become more and more corrupt (and progressively harder to change) as they are transformed into thoughts (silver chest and arms), plans (bronze belly), attitudes (iron thighs), and finally actions (clay and iron feet).

"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy." (v. 44-45)

This is best explained with these new testament passages.

For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message– which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:6-9)

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:9-16)

The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. (John 3:29-34)

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery." (v. 46-47)

It was at this point when the king –representing our human soul– realized that there was a God more powerful than himself!

Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel's request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. (v. 48-49)

The king began to try out a new way of thinking by making Daniel's ways above his own ways. Even though he was entertaining new ways, he did not fully submit himself –his entire being– to Daniel. This describes our own first step of faith. It's not salvation, but it is a willingness to try letting God take care of our problems.

Chapter 3: The Golden Image

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. (v. 1-3)

The image was the most prominent object for miles around. It's a picture of the things that we make important in life. We can turn anything into an idol --even a Christian ministry!

The king {our human soul] spoke with two groups of people: The astrologers, magicians and enchanters (noted in previous chapters); and the various administrators listed in verse two above. The former represent those ideals and beliefs that we entertain in our souls to attain meaning and purpose to life. The latter represent the methods used to put those ideals and beliefs into practice. In this case, the king focused all of his energy into one this object and it totally consumed him.

When the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (v. 4-7)

In chapter two we saw that the king had given up all hope in life. It showed what we go through in our minds when there appears to be nothing --all that we have and all that we do-- is worth living for. And even after Daniel showed him the solution to his life needs --a parallel to our soul receiving the gospel-- the king still made the image of gold into the most important thing in his life.

Our entire being is pictured here as the kingdom and every part of it had to pay homage to an idol. Through His word, God has shown us that he wants to be a living sacrifice to Him --our being dedicated to Him --not just to something we thing is important.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans  12:1-2)

At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon-Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego-who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." (v. 8-12)

Earlier I mentioned that we can even turn a Christian ministry into an idol. This passage gives insight to this notion.

After hearing about Jesus coming to earth and living among us (our Hananiah), telling us who and what God was (our Mishael) and leaving us with the Spirit (our Azariah), it's common for a new Christian to dedicate his life to what he thinks is desirable to God. It could be going to seminary, striving to be a Sunday school teacher, working in the nursery, being in the choir, or any number of other well intended goals. But God wants our entire being [the kingdom] to be available to Him like in the Romans 12 verses above. Pouring our energies into a ministry can become an idol to God.

And after a while, it might seem that this Christianity thing doesn't really work --burn out occurs. The "ministry" becomes contrary to the simple message that God gave us in the first place: "Accept My Son, He lived with you so you can trust Him. He told you all you need to know about Me. When you receive Him, you will have My Spirit living with you and leading you every moment of every day."

The messenger bearing bad news finally arrived. He came from that first group --the one that offers up an ideal or belief that needs to be followed. God had given the king a warning message previously. Now the messenger had come in as if to say, "The ones that you considered to be representatives from God are now against you!"

Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" (v. 13-15)

The king has put God's witnesses to the challenge. He has effectively told God to bless what he has decided is important. Doesn't that sound a bit like what we do in our religious lives? In opening prayers, we ask God to bless what ever it is we gather for. This would be the pinochle of pride --telling God that He has to agree to it!

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (v. 16-18)

The king [our human soul] was faced with rebellion. Here is a depiction of the choices that God has given us. We can either accept His way to salvation or we can perish after plainly seeing these witnesses. It's like that passage in Deuteronomy where Moses said to the people: "I have set before you life and death; choose life!" God does not bow to man's ways, so we can either accept or reject His.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. (v. 19-23)

Nebuchadnezzar decided to play out this challenge --he tested God's message. As bad as this sounds, it's exactly what we Christians do. We test to see if God is faithful to His word --and not just once! We test Him to the limits and it's in that testing where we find the truth "where sin abounds, grace all the more abounds." (Romans 5:20) We "test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." (v. 24-25)

The result of "testing God's word" while going through the difficult circumstances of life is that we can see the reality of the gospel. By knowing His word, we also get to intimately know His Son. It's those hardships that bring us to a finding what He wants in our lives. And what He wants is a total dependency on Him rather than the things that we think are important. Religious ministries are nothing in comparison to knowing the Son of God!

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. (v. 26-27)

God always shows His word to be faithful. It isn't tainted by our testing. And He doesn't hold it against us either. What we do doesn't affect His message of grace. That's shown in this parallel with the three men going through fire [His witnesses about His gospel and Himself] didn't even a hint of fire or smoke on them or their clothes.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. (v. 28-30)

The result of testing showed the king that God was all that mattered. With Nebuchadnezzar representing our soul, there is a clear picture of what happens when we believe His message and start putting it into action in our life.

Chapter 4: The Humbled and Renewed Man

King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. (v. 1-3)

These are words of a humbled king [the human soul]. They tell about what God has worked in him --it's his testimony as described in Romans 10!

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. (v. 4-7)

Even after the first vision about his kingdom coming to an end --his first encounter with God-- Nebuchadnezzar continued to give lip service to Daniel's God by putting Daniel and friends in charge of only a portion of the kingdom. Being no different from us, he did what he thought was enough to satisfy God. Christian life usually starts off with attempts at performing religious duties: Attending weekly services; repeating memorized prayers; participating in church and community events, etc. But God didn't give up on the king, nor does He give up on us. Through life's circumstances, God continued His appeal --showing Nebuchadnezzar that what he was and what he did were insufficient. In the same way, God knocks on the door of our hearts hoping that we will respond to Him for the answers to life's meaning and purpose.

Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. (v. 8-9)

Did you notice that the king [our soul] finally called him Daniel [the Holy Spirit]? He recognized Daniel for who he really was: A representative from Judah [heaven]! All during the rest of this chapter, Nebuchadnezzar told what brought him to this point --like a flashback in time. That's why he refers to Daniel as he previously knew him --as Belteshazzar.

These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed. (v. 10-12)

The tree is described as being the source of food and shelter for everything in the land. Everything was solely dependent it.

"In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him." (v. 13-16)

Once again there is a "Holy One" coming to destroy the seemingly important things. The tree went from being the most magnificient thing in the land to merely a woodpile. Nothing would come for its shelter or its fruit. Ironically, that which was shelter for the animals would itself become an animal for a period of time.

"The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men. This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you." (v. 17-18)

The king --with his words, but not his heart-- recognized and proclaimed the authority of God over his kingdom and everyone else. Like the previous vision, which also terrified him, nothing brought peace of mind so he asked for Daniel. Similarly, we've all heard about God and even experienced some of His work in our lives, but in times of trouble we return to the familiar things to bring peace and comfort. It's when the old ways fail us that we finally turn to God.

Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!""The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air-- you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth." (v. 19-22)

The first dream was about Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom coming to an end. But this one is about his personal demise. It's one thing to realize that what we do has no lasting significance in this world (that's the whole theme to Ecclesiastes). It's more distressing to know that we ourselves won't even be remembered for long --we just don't make a difference. The tree represents our soul; the birds are our hopes and dreams; and the beasts are our attitudes and actions. Before Jesus, our hopes, dreams; as well as our attitudes and actions are solely dependent on our human abilities.

"You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'"This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. (v. 23-25)

God humbles everyone; some accept Him during their life on earth and others wait until judgement day to bow at His feet. Those who accept Him as Lord in this lifetime reach the conclusion early: Everything that seems important --apart from God-- will be destroyed and only the eternal things are truly valuable. This wilderness experience is nothing different from what we all go through. We learn about God and for some period of time we continue to live as we did before --not understanding the spiritual results of our actions. That's what Jesus meant when He cried out to His Father on the day of His crucifixion, "Forgive them for they don't know what they're doing!"

The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue." All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. (v. 26-28)

The king heard the gospel preached. He knew there were going to be consequences to be paid for his actions. The ball was in the king's court.

Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 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 words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. (v. 29-33)

Very few people take God's word seriously at first. We have to go through hard times to recognize the emptiness and foolishness of self-sufficiency, perceived invincibility, and pride.

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" (v. 34-35)

Finally, True Repentance! It's not the lack of confessions of his wrong doings that kept Nebuchadnezzar from God. It was his attitude: He was his own god --able to decide what was best to control his own kingdom. It's at this point in his life that he acknowledged in his heart and proclaimed with his mouth the sovereignty of the Most High over everything. That's what we do when we surrender to the "Holy One" -- Jesus Christ-- as our King, our Lord, our Redeemer!

At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (v. 36-37)

The tree grew again in glory, being no longer bound. In the passage from Ehpesians below, there is a description of how we are to grow and live as a well rooted tree.

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:10-21)

I hope that is your prayer, too.

Chapter 5: The Writing On The Wall

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. (v. 1-4)

The term father here means predecessor --it could have been his actual father, but for this study either one works equally well. Unlike Nebuchadnezzar [our human soul], this king was interested in the fleshly desires: partying, showing off his authority to the nobles, and his women. Belshazzar represents our human flesh --our corrupt nature that desires the things of this world. Even after the soul is in tune with God's Spirit (Nebuchadnezzar was humbled and acknowledged God), the works of the flesh continue to be disobedient to God.

The goblets Belshazzar had brought to him had been used in the Solomon's temple for praising and worshipping God. Following the parallel here, the New Testament temple is the believer's body and the equivalent to the goblets would be whatever abilities God has given us to praise and worship Him with --our words, songs, compassion for others, etc.

Did you notice that he asked for gold and silver goblets, but only gold ones were brought to him?

All King Solomon's goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's days. (1 King 10:21)

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way. (v. 5-6)

This is a picture of the flesh being confronted with God Himself writing the Law of Sin and Death on tablets of stone. It is terrifying to know that God demands nothing less than perfection --thankfully, that is achieved by salvation through Jesus.

The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction." (Exodus 24:12)

The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers and diviners to be brought and said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled. (v. 7-9)

As we read in previous chapters about the other king, this king appealed to his own "spiritual" resources hoping for a way out. Just as Nebuchadnezzar discovered, there was nothing Belshazzar could find on his own to escape the consequences of his actions.

The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. "O king, live forever!" she said. "Don't be alarmed! Don't look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father-- your father the king, I say-- appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means." So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, "Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? (v. 10-13)

Everything Belshazzar had influence over --his magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners-- could not help him. Once again Daniel [the Holy Spirit] was the only one left to call upon.

As an aside, in foreshadow studies most women represent relationships. And the relationship described by the queen in this passage shows that the king's needs could only be satisfied by Daniel. Each one of us begins life with an emptiness --a set of needs-- that we try to fill by satisfying fleshly desires with things of this world. But that emptiness can only be truly filled by a spiritual relationship with Jesus.

I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." (v. 14-16)

The king was willing to give Daniel the position of number three in his kingdom. According to the history buffs, Nebuchadnezzar was still alive and number one in command making Belshazzar number two. Daniel [the Holy Spirit] had an important role in the kingdom, but was still under Belshazzar [the flesh].

Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. "O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes. (v. 17-21)

The things that Nebuchadnezzar [our human soul] went through were prideful existence; dreams and visions from God [effectively hearing the gospel]; a rebellious period; a humbling set of experiences and finally a restoration to what God had always wanted for him [received salvation]. Now, aren't those the same things that each of us experience on our way to salvation?

But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. (v. 22-23)

Belshazzar knew what was going to happen --whether it was from what he personally witnessed or hearing what happened to Nebuchadnezzar-- he knew!

Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. "This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. (v. 24-29)

The words written here tell the fate of our flesh --our Belshazzar-- because of sin. It is doomed to destruction.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24)

There is no way for our flesh to be pleasing to God --it must die.

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. (v. 30-31)

This is the beginning of the divided kingdom of the Persians and the Medes.

Chapter 6: The New King

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. (v. 1-2)

Darius [representing the saved soul] began to take control of the kingdom [our entire being] in an orderly way. Daniel [the Holy Spirit] was given control over a portion of it. That's what happens with us as well when we accept Jesus as our savior. We begin to trust the Holy Spirit with part of our lives --a significant part-- but it takes time for us to learn how trustworthy He is.

Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. (v. 3-4)

As Daniel proved himself to be trustworthy, the king wanted to give him more control. But the other two administrators, as well as the 120 satraps, became jealous. There it is --that flesh of ours-- not wanting to completely trust God to be in control of our lives. No matter how faithful we see God is in the various aspects of life, we still have doubts.

Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. (v. 5-7)

This pitting of the king against Daniel is so much like the war between our flesh and the spirit. The arguments at first seem plausible, but inevitably every battle that we go through is about the flesh not submitting to the Holy Spirit. So we test Him over and over. As bad as that seems, it's part of God's plan.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Our going through trials is God's way of making us test Him so that we will realize that He is faithful. It builds our trust --faith-- in Him. One of the old hymns refers to this as "proving Him over and over." All relationships are based on trust and grow over time --by experiencing how trustworthy the other person is.

Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-- in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." So King Darius put the decree in writing. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (v. 8-9)

Daniel wasn't swayed by what people did; he continued doing what was right and true. Similarly, the Holy Spirit in us continues to witness to God's unfailing desire to lead us in paths of righteousness. The Holy Spirit relentlessly intercedes on our behalf to our Father in heaven. The picture here was of Daniel kneeling and seeing through the circumstances to Jerusalem.

Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree stands-- in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." (v. 10-12)

The spiritual battle begins!

Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day." When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. (v. 13-14)

It had become apparent that the king had been duped by those he had trusted. Every one of us puts some trust in the things of this world: people, money, things, position, etc. At some point we become disappointed by them and realize how foolish we were to trust anyone but God.

Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed." So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" (v. 15-16)

As the battle wages on in our minds (that's where every spiritual battle takes place), we cry out for God to win over the things we have poised against Him. We put ourselves right in the center of most of our worst circumstances and then beg Him to get us out. Again, it's part of His glorious plan so that we learn to depend on His perfect love to take care of us each minute of our lives.

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. (v. 17-18)

Daniel was in the lion's den and the stone sealed it shut. It's a parallel of the Holy Spirit battling Satan.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (v. 19-22)

What a statement the Holy Spirit has announced to us: "Live forever Child of God! You are so important to God that He has sent His mighty angels to protect you!"

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. (v. 23-24)

Nothing can defeat us; even in death we are victorious because Jesus died for us and we effectively died with Him so that we live eternally with Him!

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (Romans 6:8-12)

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly! "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (v. 25-28)

King Darius at last was able put Daniel in control. And eventually we submit to control of the Holy Spirit. It doesn't mean that we always do what He shows to be best though.