Daniel Kneels in Night Prayer of PraiseBible World
2:20Daniel 2:20
Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Daniel blessed God after the secret was revealed to him, acknowledging Him as the source of the wisdom that made the interpretation known and as worthy of praise forever and ever. The blessing gives the glory to God as supreme, the only true and living God, rather than claiming it for himself or crediting the learned men of Babylon. It declares that He governs times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding, reveals deep and secret things beyond human understanding, and knows what is in the darkness while light dwells with Him. Daniel had this wisdom revealed because he kept a living connection with the God of all wisdom through close communion in prayer, the fear of God, and refusal to compromise principle even at great sacrifice. The same intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge is still given to those who place themselves in right relation with Him by diligent effort joined with prayer and faith, and who honor Him before rulers with firm, bold testimony as Daniel did.
Babylonian Court Setting
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, forgot his dream and demanded that his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans both tell the dream and give its interpretation on pain of death. They in terror confessed that no man on earth could do what the king required. Daniel asked the king for time, then made the danger known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah so that they would together desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning the secret, that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon under the hasty death decree. They prayed and fasted together to understand the dream God had given to the king, knowing they owed to God every faculty they possessed and aspiring to prove themselves entirely loyal to Him.
The Spirit of the Lord rested upon them, and the secret with its interpretation was revealed to Daniel in a night vision in answer to that united prayer. What human experts could not disclose, God disclosed, for wisdom and insight come from Him. Thus enabled, Daniel could bring the dream fresh to the king's mind and give its interpretation showing remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history. After God answered by revealing the king's dream, Daniel thanked and praised Him, recognizing that wisdom and power belong to God as their source.
The blessing stands within Daniel's account of Nebuchadnezzar's great image and its interpretation, which reaches to the mingling of iron and clay. That interpretation made clear the significance of the image and helped save the wise men of Babylon from death. Through Daniel that revealed hidden light in holy vision shone beyond his own time and continues to shine through the ages.
The verse belongs to Daniel seeking divine wisdom in the court of a heathen king. There holy angels ministered to him, as one of God's missions of mercy to His children in all ages. It belongs to the time when Daniel made known to Nebuchadnezzar his forgotten dream and its interpretation, many years before the feast of Belshazzar. The queen-mother remembered that act when Belshazzar's wise men could not read the writing on the wall, and Daniel was therefore called to stand before the gorgeous, terror-stricken throng to remind the king of Nebuchadnezzar's sin and fall, reprove him for his own crimes, and read the message from heaven.
Meaning of Blessing
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever because wisdom and might are His was Daniel's response after the secret was revealed to him, acknowledging God as the source of the wisdom that made the interpretation known and as worthy of eternal praise. The praise came after God answered united prayer for mercy by revealing the king's dream in a night vision, and Daniel thanked and praised Him in recognition that wisdom and power belong to God.
The blessing gives glory to God as supreme, the only true and living God, rather than claiming it for Daniel himself or crediting Babylon's learned men. The credit for revealing the king's secret belongs to God, not to human rulers or their learned advisers or the kingdom's wise men, for He is the source of the wisdom and strength shown through those who trust Him and seek His help. To speak this blessing and acknowledge God before the king instead of glorifying human power is faithful stewardship of the Lord's goods that honors His goodness, while failure to acknowledge God as the source of wisdom would be unfaithful stewardship and dishonor to God.
The blessing declares that God governs times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things beyond human understanding, knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. He is light with no darkness at all, so effulgent in glory, and Israel was to represent that great light and be the light of the world, like the sanctuary light kept burning before God that was never to burn dim or go out or become extinct.
God's Sovereign Wisdom
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever because wisdom and might are His, and He deserves eternal praise as the source of true wisdom and strength shown through those who trust Him and seek His help. He governs times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding, and reveals deep and secret things beyond human understanding. Daniel spoke this blessing before Babylon's leaders after God revealed the king's secret, giving the credit for recovering the forgotten dream to God rather than claiming it for himself and rather than crediting human rulers or the kingdom's learned men. Those who thus trust God and seek His help are chosen to represent His kingdom and to make His power and truth known, showing His wisdom and strength as sovereign over earthly kingdoms.
He proved that all wisdom and power belong to Him as the living God by giving Daniel and his companions knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom and by giving Daniel understanding in all visions and dreams. He placed them among the great men of Babylon so that those men would become acquainted with the religion of the Hebrews and learn that there is a King above the king of Babylon and that God reigns over all kingdoms. By exposing the Babylonian wise men's inability to recover the forgotten dream, He showed the folly and limits of human wisdom and the superiority of the wisdom He gives to those who worship Him. He revealed heavenly glory to the dependent Hebrew captives in the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, while those charmed by Babylon did not receive that revelation.
The kingdoms and rulers in Daniel's visions show that God alone is great, for He rules over the present, reveals the future, and will establish His everlasting kingdom. He brings rulers down and raises others, and He can humble people in the highest positions and raise humble people from deep humiliation to blessing. He honors those who seek Him sincerely, humble themselves, and exalt Him. Those who resist His purposes, reject His counsel, and refuse to know God and Jesus Christ lose the wisdom they could have used rightly and become unable to know God and Jesus Christ.
Prophecy Exactly Fulfilled
The king of Babylon forgot his dream and demanded that his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans both tell the dream and give its interpretation on pain of death, and in terror they confessed that no man on earth could do it. Daniel asked the king for time and with Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah asked mercies of the God of heaven concerning the secret, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon them and the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. That revelation enabled him to bring the dream fresh to the king's mind and to give its interpretation showing remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history. Daniel 2 contains a prophecy whose fulfillment is seen with remarkable and wonderful exactness in the record of ancient history. This exact fulfillment bears witness to the inspiration of the Scriptures and can anchor faith amid difficulty against rationalism and skepticism.
Receiving Heavenly Wisdom
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever because wisdom and might are His proves Daniel had a living connection with the God of all wisdom through close communion and the fear of God. He had not forgotten God but had placed himself in the channel of light where he could commune with God in prayer, clinging to Him with unwavering trust. He kept that connection with heaven unbroken by refusing to compromise principle even at great sacrifice, remaining true to God's requirements instead of eating and drinking as the Babylonians did. Because of this 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.
God gives that heavenly wisdom to those who fear Him when they also make diligent, thorough effort to gain knowledge and to master difficulties, joined with prayer and faith. He will not supply deficiencies caused by mental and spiritual indolence. Daniel and his companions gave God the glory for abilities and learning gained through faithful use of their powers, while God gave them skill and understanding. Daniel looked to God for wisdom and then put into exercise every power God had given him, and by that faithful use of entrusted gifts he became a trusted man in Babylon. His history in this is left for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wisdom and might belong to God as the donor of every ability and talent, to whom every person must render an account for mental and physical endowments. Divine gifts are therefore not to be used to glorify self nor to be despised as small, but to be prized as His gifts, sacredly consecrated to His glory and traded upon to acquire more. Those who are faithful and humble, realizing their dependence on Him, will receive wisdom from Him as Daniel did. Daniel sought power from God so he could represent truth in righteousness rather than himself, and those who do so are free of pride and self-importance and are filled with God's wisdom.
His example teaches looking to God for wisdom with true contrition to receive an understanding heart. It teaches looking to God for wisdom when making judgments about how to use resources for God's work. It teaches remaining closely connected to God, the source of wisdom, through prayer, so that students can meet their duties and fulfill their studies under God's care. It teaches seeking divine guidance rather than surrendering individual judgment to human councils.
God has the same intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge to give now as He gave to Daniel when a person is placed in right relation with Him. He gives knowledge and skill and strengthens the mind of all who hold communion with Him wherever they are. Standing where Daniel stood brings progressive education, and progressive education means progressive sanctification. Seeking to obtain a knowledge of God brings communion with Him as He communed with Daniel and his companions, and gives prevailing power. Such an education prepares God's faithful ones to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.
Christians may enjoy the same intelligence of sanctified science as Daniel did by placing themselves where God can bless them. This means eating only food that will not cloud the mind, following rules of life that give strength of intellect, and gaining the greatest benefit from study of God's Word, so that they gain clearer comprehension and sounder judgment than worldly wise men. Divine truth carried into daily life makes a person intellectually strong and fruitful to God's glory, proving before the world that those who believe present truth are not narrow-minded people without education, position, or influence. Like Daniel, everyone who believes in Him and lives in communion with Him can show what man may become and what he may do. A person may be instructed by God at every step and receive light from heavenly inspiration.
That same wisdom and power are available to those who rely on Him in practical work. Connection with the Great Physician gives the physician access to heavenly wisdom and resources, enabling greater skill, confidence, and precision than scientific knowledge alone can provide, as Daniel's effectiveness illustrates.
Faithful Witness Today
Daniel's blessing shows faithful recognition of God before kings, princes and statesmen in firm, bold, clear-cut testimony. That open acknowledgment did not lessen his influence but increased it. His example is to be followed by giving direct testimony that cuts to the right and to the left like a sharp two-edged sword. Such appeals are to bring foolish, wandering minds back to God.
Following Daniel means connecting with the Lord and consulting Him as a son consults a wise father. It means trusting and depending on God with perfect assurance. It means committing the keeping of the soul to Him as a faithful Creator.
The God who ruled in Babylon is the same God who rules now. He will unite His power with human effort for anyone who honors Him as Daniel did by giving Him glory for wisdom and might. He will elevate even the humblest soul who trusts in Him. He will be honored among His people when they are pure, divested of self, steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, possessing righteousness, holiness and truth.
Standing before intelligent minds and expressing opinion in a most decided manner with full freedom is right only when the light is truly given by God as it was to Daniel. It is not right when it is mere human opinion put forth as if divinely received.
Daniel blessed God after the secret was revealed to him, acknowledging Him as the source of the wisdom that made the interpretation known and as worthy of praise forever and ever. The blessing gives the glory to God as supreme, the only true and living God, rather than claiming it for himself or crediting the learned men of Babylon. It declares that He governs times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding, reveals deep and secret things beyond human understanding, and knows what is in the darkness while light dwells with Him. Daniel had this wisdom revealed because he kept a living connection with the God of all wisdom through close communion in prayer, the fear of God, and refusal to compromise principle even at great sacrifice. The same intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge is still given to those who place themselves in right relation with Him by diligent effort joined with prayer and faith, and who honor Him before rulers with firm, bold testimony as Daniel did.
Babylonian Court Setting
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, forgot his dream and demanded that his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans both tell the dream and give its interpretation on pain of death. They in terror confessed that no man on earth could do what the king required. Daniel asked the king for time, then made the danger known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah so that they would together desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning the secret, that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon under the hasty death decree. They prayed and fasted together to understand the dream God had given to the king, knowing they owed to God every faculty they possessed and aspiring to prove themselves entirely loyal to Him.
The Spirit of the Lord rested upon them, and the secret with its interpretation was revealed to Daniel in a night vision in answer to that united prayer. What human experts could not disclose, God disclosed, for wisdom and insight come from Him. Thus enabled, Daniel could bring the dream fresh to the king's mind and give its interpretation showing remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history. After God answered by revealing the king's dream, Daniel thanked and praised Him, recognizing that wisdom and power belong to God as their source.
The blessing stands within Daniel's account of Nebuchadnezzar's great image and its interpretation, which reaches to the mingling of iron and clay. That interpretation made clear the significance of the image and helped save the wise men of Babylon from death. Through Daniel that revealed hidden light in holy vision shone beyond his own time and continues to shine through the ages.
The verse belongs to Daniel seeking divine wisdom in the court of a heathen king. There holy angels ministered to him, as one of God's missions of mercy to His children in all ages. It belongs to the time when Daniel made known to Nebuchadnezzar his forgotten dream and its interpretation, many years before the feast of Belshazzar. The queen-mother remembered that act when Belshazzar's wise men could not read the writing on the wall, and Daniel was therefore called to stand before the gorgeous, terror-stricken throng to remind the king of Nebuchadnezzar's sin and fall, reprove him for his own crimes, and read the message from heaven.
Meaning of Blessing
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever because wisdom and might are His was Daniel's response after the secret was revealed to him, acknowledging God as the source of the wisdom that made the interpretation known and as worthy of eternal praise. The praise came after God answered united prayer for mercy by revealing the king's dream in a night vision, and Daniel thanked and praised Him in recognition that wisdom and power belong to God.
The blessing gives glory to God as supreme, the only true and living God, rather than claiming it for Daniel himself or crediting Babylon's learned men. The credit for revealing the king's secret belongs to God, not to human rulers or their learned advisers or the kingdom's wise men, for He is the source of the wisdom and strength shown through those who trust Him and seek His help. To speak this blessing and acknowledge God before the king instead of glorifying human power is faithful stewardship of the Lord's goods that honors His goodness, while failure to acknowledge God as the source of wisdom would be unfaithful stewardship and dishonor to God.
The blessing declares that God governs times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things beyond human understanding, knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. He is light with no darkness at all, so effulgent in glory, and Israel was to represent that great light and be the light of the world, like the sanctuary light kept burning before God that was never to burn dim or go out or become extinct.
God's Sovereign Wisdom
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever because wisdom and might are His, and He deserves eternal praise as the source of true wisdom and strength shown through those who trust Him and seek His help. He governs times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings, gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding, and reveals deep and secret things beyond human understanding. Daniel spoke this blessing before Babylon's leaders after God revealed the king's secret, giving the credit for recovering the forgotten dream to God rather than claiming it for himself and rather than crediting human rulers or the kingdom's learned men. Those who thus trust God and seek His help are chosen to represent His kingdom and to make His power and truth known, showing His wisdom and strength as sovereign over earthly kingdoms.
He proved that all wisdom and power belong to Him as the living God by giving Daniel and his companions knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom and by giving Daniel understanding in all visions and dreams. He placed them among the great men of Babylon so that those men would become acquainted with the religion of the Hebrews and learn that there is a King above the king of Babylon and that God reigns over all kingdoms. By exposing the Babylonian wise men's inability to recover the forgotten dream, He showed the folly and limits of human wisdom and the superiority of the wisdom He gives to those who worship Him. He revealed heavenly glory to the dependent Hebrew captives in the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, while those charmed by Babylon did not receive that revelation.
The kingdoms and rulers in Daniel's visions show that God alone is great, for He rules over the present, reveals the future, and will establish His everlasting kingdom. He brings rulers down and raises others, and He can humble people in the highest positions and raise humble people from deep humiliation to blessing. He honors those who seek Him sincerely, humble themselves, and exalt Him. Those who resist His purposes, reject His counsel, and refuse to know God and Jesus Christ lose the wisdom they could have used rightly and become unable to know God and Jesus Christ.
Prophecy Exactly Fulfilled
The king of Babylon forgot his dream and demanded that his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans both tell the dream and give its interpretation on pain of death, and in terror they confessed that no man on earth could do it. Daniel asked the king for time and with Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah asked mercies of the God of heaven concerning the secret, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon them and the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. That revelation enabled him to bring the dream fresh to the king's mind and to give its interpretation showing remarkable events to transpire in prophetic history. Daniel 2 contains a prophecy whose fulfillment is seen with remarkable and wonderful exactness in the record of ancient history. This exact fulfillment bears witness to the inspiration of the Scriptures and can anchor faith amid difficulty against rationalism and skepticism.
Receiving Heavenly Wisdom
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever because wisdom and might are His proves Daniel had a living connection with the God of all wisdom through close communion and the fear of God. He had not forgotten God but had placed himself in the channel of light where he could commune with God in prayer, clinging to Him with unwavering trust. He kept that connection with heaven unbroken by refusing to compromise principle even at great sacrifice, remaining true to God's requirements instead of eating and drinking as the Babylonians did. Because of this 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.
God gives that heavenly wisdom to those who fear Him when they also make diligent, thorough effort to gain knowledge and to master difficulties, joined with prayer and faith. He will not supply deficiencies caused by mental and spiritual indolence. Daniel and his companions gave God the glory for abilities and learning gained through faithful use of their powers, while God gave them skill and understanding. Daniel looked to God for wisdom and then put into exercise every power God had given him, and by that faithful use of entrusted gifts he became a trusted man in Babylon. His history in this is left for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wisdom and might belong to God as the donor of every ability and talent, to whom every person must render an account for mental and physical endowments. Divine gifts are therefore not to be used to glorify self nor to be despised as small, but to be prized as His gifts, sacredly consecrated to His glory and traded upon to acquire more. Those who are faithful and humble, realizing their dependence on Him, will receive wisdom from Him as Daniel did. Daniel sought power from God so he could represent truth in righteousness rather than himself, and those who do so are free of pride and self-importance and are filled with God's wisdom.
His example teaches looking to God for wisdom with true contrition to receive an understanding heart. It teaches looking to God for wisdom when making judgments about how to use resources for God's work. It teaches remaining closely connected to God, the source of wisdom, through prayer, so that students can meet their duties and fulfill their studies under God's care. It teaches seeking divine guidance rather than surrendering individual judgment to human councils.
God has the same intelligence and knowledge far above all human knowledge to give now as He gave to Daniel when a person is placed in right relation with Him. He gives knowledge and skill and strengthens the mind of all who hold communion with Him wherever they are. Standing where Daniel stood brings progressive education, and progressive education means progressive sanctification. Seeking to obtain a knowledge of God brings communion with Him as He communed with Daniel and his companions, and gives prevailing power. Such an education prepares God's faithful ones to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.
Christians may enjoy the same intelligence of sanctified science as Daniel did by placing themselves where God can bless them. This means eating only food that will not cloud the mind, following rules of life that give strength of intellect, and gaining the greatest benefit from study of God's Word, so that they gain clearer comprehension and sounder judgment than worldly wise men. Divine truth carried into daily life makes a person intellectually strong and fruitful to God's glory, proving before the world that those who believe present truth are not narrow-minded people without education, position, or influence. Like Daniel, everyone who believes in Him and lives in communion with Him can show what man may become and what he may do. A person may be instructed by God at every step and receive light from heavenly inspiration.
That same wisdom and power are available to those who rely on Him in practical work. Connection with the Great Physician gives the physician access to heavenly wisdom and resources, enabling greater skill, confidence, and precision than scientific knowledge alone can provide, as Daniel's effectiveness illustrates.
Faithful Witness Today
Daniel's blessing shows faithful recognition of God before kings, princes and statesmen in firm, bold, clear-cut testimony. That open acknowledgment did not lessen his influence but increased it. His example is to be followed by giving direct testimony that cuts to the right and to the left like a sharp two-edged sword. Such appeals are to bring foolish, wandering minds back to God.
Following Daniel means connecting with the Lord and consulting Him as a son consults a wise father. It means trusting and depending on God with perfect assurance. It means committing the keeping of the soul to Him as a faithful Creator.
The God who ruled in Babylon is the same God who rules now. He will unite His power with human effort for anyone who honors Him as Daniel did by giving Him glory for wisdom and might. He will elevate even the humblest soul who trusts in Him. He will be honored among His people when they are pure, divested of self, steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, possessing righteousness, holiness and truth.
Standing before intelligent minds and expressing opinion in a most decided manner with full freedom is right only when the light is truly given by God as it was to Daniel. It is not right when it is mere human opinion put forth as if divinely received.