In a former article we noted the test and failure of Babylon's “wise men” when called upon to tell a dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed. Owing to Daniel's courageous faith, the Lord had given him “understanding in all visions and dreams,” and now came his opportunity. He had requested, and been granted, time, on his promise to make known the dream. “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 companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.” Dan. 2:17-19. Daniel, notwithstanding his promise to the king, and his faith that God would help him to reveal the dream, did not assume an air of presumption. He wanted the counsel and the united prayers of his companions in faith, and he wanted them to share in whatever advantage should accrue from the revelation of the king's secret. Hence his desire for time, that they might seek God together. After an earnest expression of praise and thanksgiving to God for the mercy bestowed, Daniel went to Arioch, the king's officer who had been commissioned to destroy all the “wise men,” and asked to be taken before the king. But he first implored the officer not to destroy the wise men of Babylon. When Daniel was ushered into the royal presence, the king asked him if he was able to make known the dream, and the interpretation. This was the same demand that he had made of the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. Daniel replied that these men could not show the king's matter, but he said, “There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.” This was just what he was anxious to know, and God chose the most striking way of impressing an idolatrous king's mind—by presenting in a dream a remarkable image. But Daniel did not proceed with the revelation of the dream until he had again disavowed any wisdom of his own more than other men. Thus he virtually placed himself on a level with the men who had so signally failed to tell the dream, and had brought upon themselves and upon Daniel the sentence of death. Such a spirit of meekness and self-denial, and kind consideration for men who had almost caused him to lose his life, could come only from the Lord Himself. Giving God all the glory for the wisdom necessary to reveal the secrets of the future, Daniel proceeded:— “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 threshing-floors; 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.” Dan. 2:31-35. Daniel did not ask the king if he had given the dream correctly, nor did he wait for him to acknowledge voluntarily that it was correct. He knew it was correct, for God had given it to him in unmistakable vision, in answer to prayer. Without waiting for confirmation, he proceeded to give the interpretation, first reminding Nebuchadnezzar that he had been made a king of kings by the grace of the same God who was now instructing him as to the future. Notwithstanding Daniel's opportunities to seek honor for himself, he was always careful to make prominent the glory and power of the God of heaven. This was the secret of his success; for the Lord says, “Them that honor Me I will honor” (1 Sam. 2:30), and “he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:11. The interpretation of the dream (which will be the theme of another article) was such as to give information on the subject of “what should come to pass hereafter.” The forecast was not at all what Nebuchadnezzar desired, as the after record shows; but he had committed himself in the test given to the “wise men” of Babylon—“tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof.” Daniel had told the dream, and the king's own proposition obliged him to accept the interpretation. The wisdom which Daniel attributed to the God of heaven had been fully substantiated in the telling of the dream, and this was the test which the king had set forth. The triumph of Daniel was the triumph of the God of Israel over the gods of Babylon, whose dwelling the “wise men of Babylon” acknowledged was “not with flesh,” and therefore could not give them any help. The God of Israel does dwell with them that keep His words (John 14:21, 23), and is therefore “a very present help in trouble.” Ps. 46:1; Heb. 4:15, 16. In acknowledgment that the wisdom that was in Daniel had stood the test, the king gave this testimony: “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.” This was Daniel's greatest reward for having withstood the king's test; but, in fulfillment of the king's promise, he received other rewards in material gifts, social honors, and political advancement for himself and his friends. These, however, were merely incidental. He sought first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and these things were added. Matt. 6:33; 1 Kings 3:5-14.