2:47Daniel 2:47

Nebuchadnezzar demanded his forgotten dream be told without being given it first, his wise men could give no help and stood condemned, but Daniel sought the Lord with his companions and God revealed the secret in a night vision, so the king answered that Daniel's God is truly supreme over all gods and kings and the revealer of secrets.FE 410.1–411.1+4 He spoke in humility and awe, accepting the exact disclosure and interpretation as revelation from God.PK 499.2+2 What matters is that no human wisdom could unfold the mystery, but God could make known hidden things and future events, exalting Himself as the living God above earthly rulers and kingdoms.FE 410.1–411.1+4 Through faithful Daniel God compelled even a heathen ruler and an idolatrous nation to recognize His sovereignty and power.ED 56.1–2+4 That impression awed the king only for a time without cleansing his heart from pride and idolatry, yet the prophecy was fulfilled with wonderful exactness to anchor faith, and it can be understood and explained even by children.PK 503.2+4

The confession belongs to the history of Nebuchadnezzar's forgotten, troubling dream and his encounter with the wise men in Babylon.STE 13.2+3 The king demanded that the wise men tell both the dream and its meaning without being told it first, they could give him no help with his forgotten dream, and they were condemned to death.STE 13.2+2 In the same year Daniel entered the king's service, Daniel asked for time, sought the Lord in prayer with his three companions, and God revealed the dream and its interpretation to them in a night vision.Ms 42, 1904, par. 8–10+1

Because Daniel, enabled by God, disclosed the secret dream and explained it, the king answered that Daniel's God is truly supreme over all gods and kings and is the revealer of secrets and hidden things.FE 410.1–411.1+4 Human wisdom could not disclose the mystery, but God could reveal it through Daniel and thereby make known events in prophetic history.FE 410.1–411.1 The king's words exalted God above earthly rulers and potentates and His kingdom above earthly kingdoms.STE 16.1+2

The king's response was made in humility and awe, accepting the exact disclosure and interpretation as a revelation from God and recognizing the truth of what Daniel told him.PK 499.2+2 He was briefly impressed with awe and fear of God.ST Oct 19, 1882 His own wise men could give him no help, so he turned to Daniel for both the account of the dream and its interpretation, and when they told the king what God had shown them he acknowledged Daniel's God as the true revealer.Ms 42, 1904, par. 8–10

Daniel's rehearsal of the dream and its meaning led the king to revoke the death edict and spare the wise men.Ms 110, 1904, par. 48–49 Daniel's God-given understanding of visions and dreams gave him a prominent place both with the rulers of Babylon and with his own captive people.Ms 110, 1904, par. 48–49 The account revealed the power and faithfulness of Israel's God to an idolatrous nation.PK 491.1 The king's recognition of God as supreme ruler and revealer is linked with the later deliverance of the three men unharmed in the furnace.PK 503

No human wisdom could disclose the mystery, but God could reveal it through Daniel and in doing so unfold mysteries of the future and make known events in prophetic history.FE 410.1–411.1+1 The king's answer exalted God above earthly rulers and potentates and exalted His kingdom above earthly kingdoms.STE 16.1+2 He is a living God, not an image, a King above the king of Babylon who reigns over all kingdoms.Ms 47, 1898, par. 10–13

A heathen ruler was compelled through contact with God's representative and through prophetic revelation to recognize God's sovereignty.ED 56.1–2 God brought Hebrew exiles before rulers, and set Daniel and his companions as statesmen among idolatrous learning and practices and connected with the great men of Babylon, to make the Babylonians acquainted with the Hebrews' religion.DA 28.3+1 By faithful service, by carrying out principles of truth, and by temperance in refusing the meat and wine of the royal table, Daniel brought his faith to the king's attention and honored God.7T 161.1+1 God cooperated with them by giving clear minds, health, strength of thought and memory, knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and to Daniel understanding in all visions and dreams.Ms 47, 1898, par. 10–13

Communion with God strengthens the mind and gives clearer comprehension and sounder judgment than idolatrous learning.Ms 42, 1904, par. 8–10 God's sovereignty as revealer of what is hidden is also seen in His power to save those who trust Him, for as He was with the three Hebrews in the furnace so He will be present with His faithful people in the final time of trouble, sustain them, and protect them through His angels from every power of evil.PK 513.1 The recognition impressed and awed the king only briefly and for a time.PK 503.2+1 It did not cleanse his heart of worldly ambition and self-exaltation, and as prosperity made him proud he ceased honoring God and returned to idol worship with greater zeal.PK 503.2

The confession stands as part of the prophecy of Daniel 2, which includes the mingling of iron and clay.1MR 48 That prophecy has been fulfilled with wonderful exactness as seen in the record of ancient history, giving testimony to the inspiration of the Scriptures and anchoring faith amid skepticism and rationalism.GC88 364.2+1 Through the interpretation of the dream the king learned of the kingdoms foretold in prophecy, showing that the coming of the Lord is at hand, a solemn and important truth to be brought before the people.GC 364.2–3+1

Contrary to the popular belief that the prophecies of Daniel are mysteries that cannot be understood, the prophecy can be understood and explained even by children.GC 364.2–3 Explaining it can lead hearers to recognize God's power and the truth of His word.GC 364.2–3+1