Daniel and His Friends Pray for the DreamBible World
2:19Daniel 2:19
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
After Daniel and his companions asked for mercy from the God of heaven so they would not perish, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, both the forgotten dream together with its interpretation, and Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven with his companions in thanks for answered prayer. An angry, hasty death decree had threatened Daniel and his companions with all the wise men of Babylon, and the revealing of the dream and its meaning saved their lives and spared the astrologers, soothsayers and wise men as well. Where magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans had no light and could not recover the dream, God alone gave light, exposing the limits of human wisdom so that His superior wisdom might be recognized. His blessing declares that wisdom and might belong to God, who changes times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise, reveals deep and secret things, and knows what is in the darkness where light dwells with Him. The second chapter thus gives a prophecy of successive kingdoms fulfilled with wonderful exactness, which testifies to the inspiration of the Scriptures and can be understood even by children as showing that the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Dream Crisis and Deliverance
Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a remarkable dream whose details he could not recall after waking, a forgotten dream that no one could recover for him. When the angry, hasty death decree went forth, Daniel first answered the captain of the guard with counsel and wisdom and asked why the decree was so hasty, then went to the king in faith to request time with the promise to show the interpretation, then went to his house to make the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah that they should seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning the secret. The verse belongs to the account of the great image and its interpretation, connected with the mingling of iron and clay.
The decree threatened Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, and God answered united prayer and fasting for mercy by revealing in a night vision the lost dream together with its interpretation so they would not perish. That gift of wisdom to understand and interpret the king's dream saved their own lives when they were facing execution and spared also the lives of the king's astrologers, soothsayers, and wise men. Through Daniel God thus revealed the meaning of the king's dream, made the significance of the image plain, and turned aside death from the wise men.
Daniel's making known of the forgotten dream and its interpretation took place many years before Belshazzar's feast and was still remembered when the wise men of Babylon could not read the writing on the wall. It was the queen-mother who recalled that former disclosure when the later crisis exposed the helplessness of Babylon's sages.
Prayer Answered in Vision
Daniel and his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah desired mercies of the God of heaven concerning the king's secret so that they would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, and God answered their united prayer for mercy and wisdom by revealing the secret to Daniel in a night vision. What was revealed was both the lost, forgotten dream of Nebuchadnezzar together with its interpretation and meaning, enabling Daniel to recount the dream and give its interpretation disclosing remarkable events in prophetic history. In this God honored those who had honored Him, and Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven, gathered his companions to thank Him, and offered praise because their prayers had been heard and answered.
Their seeking was united prayer and fasting together for understanding, and the Lord heard their cries and gave Daniel wisdom to understand and interpret the dream God had given to the king. By that mercy their own lives were saved, and the lives of the king's astrologers, soothsayers, and wise men were spared as well.
The help was sent by a holy angel on a mission of mercy to minister to a child of God, giving Daniel divine wisdom while he was seeking it in the court of a heathen king. This is one instance proving that in all ages God sends His holy angels to minister to His people, His children in need.
The revelation came because Daniel was in close, living connection with the God of all wisdom, had understanding in all visions and dreams, and feared Him, for the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
Blessing and Glory to God
After Daniel and his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah desired mercies of the God of heaven concerning the king's secret so they would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, God answered their united prayer for mercy and wisdom by revealing the secret to Daniel in a night vision. When the hidden matter with its interpretation was thus made known, Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven, gathered his companions to thank Him, and offered praise because their prayers had been heard and answered. The revelation rewarded close application under God's training, for while the students diligently sought knowledge the Lord gave them heavenly wisdom that served them when brought into strait places, though He will not supply deficiencies that come from mental and spiritual indolence. In this God's servants could trust Him as their ever-present help, and He honored those who honored Him. Daniel looked directly to God for wisdom, received the heavenly revelation, and responded by blessing God.
His blessing declares, blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings, He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things, He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. Daniel gave glory to God for the knowledge and understanding by which he acted, for they were gifts from God and not grounds for self-exaltation. The great light thus revealed was to be represented to the world by Israel.
Prophecy Fulfilled and Understood
The night revelation enabled Daniel to bring the forgotten dream fresh to Nebuchadnezzar's mind, to recount it fully and to give its interpretation. That interpretation disclosed remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history. The spirit of prophetic power came upon him so that, while instructed by men in court life, he was taught by God to read the mysteries of future ages. By this he was enabled to tell the people what the dream meant. Through the dream and its interpretation God revealed heavenly glory to the Hebrew captives who depended on Him in exile, rather than to those captivated by Babylon's splendor.
The second chapter gives a prophecy of successive kingdoms fulfilled with wonderful exactness, as shown by the record of ancient history and confirmed by historical records. That exact fulfillment testifies to the inspiration of the Scriptures and anchors faith amid rationalism and skepticism. It helped lead Gaussen from skepticism to faith and leads to positive faith.
The chapter is not a mystery that cannot be understood but can be understood and explained even by children. Its study shows that the coming of the Lord is at hand, a solemn and important truth to be brought before the people. The hidden light and truth revealed to Daniel was concealed from other people. It made him a witness for God in Babylon and has continued to shine through the ages to the end of time.
Human Limits, Divine Wisdom
The secret was made known in a night vision after Daniel had asked the king for time and had told Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning it, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Daniel and his fellows for this work. God alone gives light where the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans had no light and could not tell the dream. By that gift Daniel was enabled to bring the forgotten dream fresh to Nebuchadnezzar's mind and to give its interpretation, setting forth the remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history.
God first exposed the inability of the Babylonian wise men to recover the forgotten dream. In this He showed the limits of human and scientific wisdom, in order that the superior wisdom of His worshipers and the divine knowledge of eternity might be recognized. So heavenly glory was revealed through the dream and its interpretation to the Hebrew captives who depended on Him in exile, rather than to those captivated by Babylon's splendor.
When the king could get no help from his wise men he turned to Daniel for an account of the forgotten dream and its interpretation, and Daniel and his companions sought the Lord in prayer until God revealed to them both the dream and its meaning. God communed with Daniel and his companions and gave intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge, with power that prevails. Daniel received that wisdom and understanding because he placed himself in right relation with God, and the same is given to all who stand where Daniel stood and strive to obtain a knowledge of God. Wherever Christians are they may hold communion with God and enjoy the intelligence of sanctified science, and their minds may be strengthened even as Daniel's was.
That close application of the Hebrew students under God's training was richly rewarded, for while they made diligent effort to secure knowledge the Lord gave them heavenly wisdom. That knowledge served them when brought into strait places and made them ten times better than the magicians and astrologers. It also made them able to give a reason for the hope within them.
Faithfulness Rewarded for Today
The night vision was given as reward for close application under divine training, for while the Hebrew students made diligent effort to secure knowledge the Lord gave them heavenly wisdom that served them when brought into strait places. That wisdom came after Daniel with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah desired mercies of the God of heaven concerning the secret so they would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, and Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven when the secret was revealed. Close living connection with God joined with such diligence is richly rewarded, but deficiencies that come from mental and spiritual indolence are not supplied.
The revelation came because Daniel clung to God with unwavering trust and held to religious principle even at great sacrifice. By triumphing over the lust of the flesh and refusing to compromise by eating and drinking as the Babylonians did, he kept his connection with Heaven unbroken, where one wrong step would have led to others until the connection was severed and he was borne away by temptation. Because of that faithfulness the spirit of prophetic power came upon him, so that while he was instructed by men in the duties of court life he was taught by God to read the mysteries of future ages. Wisdom is given to those who are faithful and humble and realize their dependence on Him to whom they must render account for mental and physical endowments. Daniel looked to God for wisdom, received wisdom from Him, and then put into exercise every power and ability God had given him until he became a trusted man in the kingdom of Babylon.
God's servants could trust Him as their ever-present help in danger, and He honored those who honored Him when He revealed the king's secret and its meaning to Daniel. He unites His power with human effort and elevates the humblest soul that trusts in Him. The God who ruled in Babylon is the same God who rules now, and He will be honored among His people when they are pure, divested of self, steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in His work. Daniel's history is given for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, showing that human agents must exercise their faculties to acquire knowledge, become deep-thinking men, and glorify the God of heaven as supreme.
Standing where Daniel stood by right relation to God brings progressive education, and progressive education means progressive sanctification. God communed with Daniel and his companions and gave intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge, with prevailing power, and the same is given to all who stand where Daniel stood and strive to obtain a knowledge of God. Such sanctification prepares God's faithful ones to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. Daniel's example is a model for all who need wisdom to serve God, for God gives an understanding heart to those who seek wisdom from above with true contrition. His servants are not to merge individual judgment in any institution or council of men, but are to look directly to God as Daniel did, asking Him for wisdom to know how to invest entrusted means and meet need in destitute places. Close connection with God through prayer equips a person to meet demanding responsibilities and fulfill studies under God's care. Truly receiving light from God like Daniel gives freedom to speak in a most decided manner before intelligent minds, while to express personal opinion just as freely without actually receiving it is presumption and is not safe for connection with God's institutions.
After Daniel and his companions asked for mercy from the God of heaven so they would not perish, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, both the forgotten dream together with its interpretation, and Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven with his companions in thanks for answered prayer. An angry, hasty death decree had threatened Daniel and his companions with all the wise men of Babylon, and the revealing of the dream and its meaning saved their lives and spared the astrologers, soothsayers and wise men as well. Where magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans had no light and could not recover the dream, God alone gave light, exposing the limits of human wisdom so that His superior wisdom might be recognized. His blessing declares that wisdom and might belong to God, who changes times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise, reveals deep and secret things, and knows what is in the darkness where light dwells with Him. The second chapter thus gives a prophecy of successive kingdoms fulfilled with wonderful exactness, which testifies to the inspiration of the Scriptures and can be understood even by children as showing that the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Dream Crisis and Deliverance
Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a remarkable dream whose details he could not recall after waking, a forgotten dream that no one could recover for him. When the angry, hasty death decree went forth, Daniel first answered the captain of the guard with counsel and wisdom and asked why the decree was so hasty, then went to the king in faith to request time with the promise to show the interpretation, then went to his house to make the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah that they should seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning the secret. The verse belongs to the account of the great image and its interpretation, connected with the mingling of iron and clay.
The decree threatened Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, and God answered united prayer and fasting for mercy by revealing in a night vision the lost dream together with its interpretation so they would not perish. That gift of wisdom to understand and interpret the king's dream saved their own lives when they were facing execution and spared also the lives of the king's astrologers, soothsayers, and wise men. Through Daniel God thus revealed the meaning of the king's dream, made the significance of the image plain, and turned aside death from the wise men.
Daniel's making known of the forgotten dream and its interpretation took place many years before Belshazzar's feast and was still remembered when the wise men of Babylon could not read the writing on the wall. It was the queen-mother who recalled that former disclosure when the later crisis exposed the helplessness of Babylon's sages.
Prayer Answered in Vision
Daniel and his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah desired mercies of the God of heaven concerning the king's secret so that they would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, and God answered their united prayer for mercy and wisdom by revealing the secret to Daniel in a night vision. What was revealed was both the lost, forgotten dream of Nebuchadnezzar together with its interpretation and meaning, enabling Daniel to recount the dream and give its interpretation disclosing remarkable events in prophetic history. In this God honored those who had honored Him, and Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven, gathered his companions to thank Him, and offered praise because their prayers had been heard and answered.
Their seeking was united prayer and fasting together for understanding, and the Lord heard their cries and gave Daniel wisdom to understand and interpret the dream God had given to the king. By that mercy their own lives were saved, and the lives of the king's astrologers, soothsayers, and wise men were spared as well.
The help was sent by a holy angel on a mission of mercy to minister to a child of God, giving Daniel divine wisdom while he was seeking it in the court of a heathen king. This is one instance proving that in all ages God sends His holy angels to minister to His people, His children in need.
The revelation came because Daniel was in close, living connection with the God of all wisdom, had understanding in all visions and dreams, and feared Him, for the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
Blessing and Glory to God
After Daniel and his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah desired mercies of the God of heaven concerning the king's secret so they would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, God answered their united prayer for mercy and wisdom by revealing the secret to Daniel in a night vision. When the hidden matter with its interpretation was thus made known, Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven, gathered his companions to thank Him, and offered praise because their prayers had been heard and answered. The revelation rewarded close application under God's training, for while the students diligently sought knowledge the Lord gave them heavenly wisdom that served them when brought into strait places, though He will not supply deficiencies that come from mental and spiritual indolence. In this God's servants could trust Him as their ever-present help, and He honored those who honored Him. Daniel looked directly to God for wisdom, received the heavenly revelation, and responded by blessing God.
His blessing declares, blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings, He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things, He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. Daniel gave glory to God for the knowledge and understanding by which he acted, for they were gifts from God and not grounds for self-exaltation. The great light thus revealed was to be represented to the world by Israel.
Prophecy Fulfilled and Understood
The night revelation enabled Daniel to bring the forgotten dream fresh to Nebuchadnezzar's mind, to recount it fully and to give its interpretation. That interpretation disclosed remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history. The spirit of prophetic power came upon him so that, while instructed by men in court life, he was taught by God to read the mysteries of future ages. By this he was enabled to tell the people what the dream meant. Through the dream and its interpretation God revealed heavenly glory to the Hebrew captives who depended on Him in exile, rather than to those captivated by Babylon's splendor.
The second chapter gives a prophecy of successive kingdoms fulfilled with wonderful exactness, as shown by the record of ancient history and confirmed by historical records. That exact fulfillment testifies to the inspiration of the Scriptures and anchors faith amid rationalism and skepticism. It helped lead Gaussen from skepticism to faith and leads to positive faith.
The chapter is not a mystery that cannot be understood but can be understood and explained even by children. Its study shows that the coming of the Lord is at hand, a solemn and important truth to be brought before the people. The hidden light and truth revealed to Daniel was concealed from other people. It made him a witness for God in Babylon and has continued to shine through the ages to the end of time.
Human Limits, Divine Wisdom
The secret was made known in a night vision after Daniel had asked the king for time and had told Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning it, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Daniel and his fellows for this work. God alone gives light where the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans had no light and could not tell the dream. By that gift Daniel was enabled to bring the forgotten dream fresh to Nebuchadnezzar's mind and to give its interpretation, setting forth the remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history.
God first exposed the inability of the Babylonian wise men to recover the forgotten dream. In this He showed the limits of human and scientific wisdom, in order that the superior wisdom of His worshipers and the divine knowledge of eternity might be recognized. So heavenly glory was revealed through the dream and its interpretation to the Hebrew captives who depended on Him in exile, rather than to those captivated by Babylon's splendor.
When the king could get no help from his wise men he turned to Daniel for an account of the forgotten dream and its interpretation, and Daniel and his companions sought the Lord in prayer until God revealed to them both the dream and its meaning. God communed with Daniel and his companions and gave intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge, with power that prevails. Daniel received that wisdom and understanding because he placed himself in right relation with God, and the same is given to all who stand where Daniel stood and strive to obtain a knowledge of God. Wherever Christians are they may hold communion with God and enjoy the intelligence of sanctified science, and their minds may be strengthened even as Daniel's was.
That close application of the Hebrew students under God's training was richly rewarded, for while they made diligent effort to secure knowledge the Lord gave them heavenly wisdom. That knowledge served them when brought into strait places and made them ten times better than the magicians and astrologers. It also made them able to give a reason for the hope within them.
Faithfulness Rewarded for Today
The night vision was given as reward for close application under divine training, for while the Hebrew students made diligent effort to secure knowledge the Lord gave them heavenly wisdom that served them when brought into strait places. That wisdom came after Daniel with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah desired mercies of the God of heaven concerning the secret so they would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, and Daniel at once blessed the God of heaven when the secret was revealed. Close living connection with God joined with such diligence is richly rewarded, but deficiencies that come from mental and spiritual indolence are not supplied.
The revelation came because Daniel clung to God with unwavering trust and held to religious principle even at great sacrifice. By triumphing over the lust of the flesh and refusing to compromise by eating and drinking as the Babylonians did, he kept his connection with Heaven unbroken, where one wrong step would have led to others until the connection was severed and he was borne away by temptation. Because of that faithfulness the spirit of prophetic power came upon him, so that while he was instructed by men in the duties of court life he was taught by God to read the mysteries of future ages. Wisdom is given to those who are faithful and humble and realize their dependence on Him to whom they must render account for mental and physical endowments. Daniel looked to God for wisdom, received wisdom from Him, and then put into exercise every power and ability God had given him until he became a trusted man in the kingdom of Babylon.
God's servants could trust Him as their ever-present help in danger, and He honored those who honored Him when He revealed the king's secret and its meaning to Daniel. He unites His power with human effort and elevates the humblest soul that trusts in Him. The God who ruled in Babylon is the same God who rules now, and He will be honored among His people when they are pure, divested of self, steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in His work. Daniel's history is given for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, showing that human agents must exercise their faculties to acquire knowledge, become deep-thinking men, and glorify the God of heaven as supreme.
Standing where Daniel stood by right relation to God brings progressive education, and progressive education means progressive sanctification. God communed with Daniel and his companions and gave intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge, with prevailing power, and the same is given to all who stand where Daniel stood and strive to obtain a knowledge of God. Such sanctification prepares God's faithful ones to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. Daniel's example is a model for all who need wisdom to serve God, for God gives an understanding heart to those who seek wisdom from above with true contrition. His servants are not to merge individual judgment in any institution or council of men, but are to look directly to God as Daniel did, asking Him for wisdom to know how to invest entrusted means and meet need in destitute places. Close connection with God through prayer equips a person to meet demanding responsibilities and fulfill studies under God's care. Truly receiving light from God like Daniel gives freedom to speak in a most decided manner before intelligent minds, while to express personal opinion just as freely without actually receiving it is presumption and is not safe for connection with God's institutions.