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One-sentence summary: Daniel is conspired against and thrown into a den of lions, but the Lord delivers him, and he prospers in Babylon.
The passage begins with Daniel speaking to Nebuchadnezzar and declaring the signs and wonder the Lord has worked for him. He says his kingdom is an everlasting one and that His dominion is from generation to generation. Nebuchadnezzar then tells a story, saying he was at rest in his house and flourishing in his palace when he had a dream which made him afraid and troubled him. He tells how no one could interpret his dream except for Daniel. He acknowledges that in Daniel is the Spirit of the holy God. He refers to him as Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians. Then, he recounts his dream. He was looking, and he saw a tree in the midst of the earth with great height which grew and became strong. Its height reached to the heavens, and everyone on earth could see it. Its leaves were lovely, its fruit abundant, and it had food for all. The beasts found shade under it, and the birds nested in it; all flesh was fed from it. Then, he sees "a watcher, a holy one of heaven" who cries and says, "Chop down the tree, and cut off its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the beasts get out from under it and the birds from its branches.. but leave the stumps in the earth. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from that of a man. Let him be given the heart of a beast. Let seven times pass over him. This decree is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones. In order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whoever He will and sets over it the lowest of men." Nebuchadnezzar says he saw this dream and asks Daniel to tell him the meaning. Dan is astonished, and his thoughts trouble him, but the king tells him not to let the dream or its interpretation trouble him. Daniel answers, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you and its interpretation concern your enemies!" He tells him that the great tree is him, that his greatness has reached to the heavens, and his dominion to the end of the earth. As for the rest, the Lord says that the king will dwell with the beasts of the field, eating grass like oxen, for seven years, until he knows that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he chooses. However, his kingdom will be assured to him once he knows that heaven rules. Daniel encourages him to repent and be righteous and break off his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, saying that perhaps the Lord will lengthen his prosperity. At the end of twelve months, Nebuchadnezzar is walking around the royal palace, and he says, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" Suddenly, a voice comes from heaven, saying, "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom is departed from you, and they will drive you from men, and your dwelling with be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He chooses."And that very hour, the word is fulfilled. After that, Nebuchadnezzar's hair grows out like eagles feathers, and his nails like bird's claws. Nebuchadnezzar continues narrating his story. He says that at the end of that time, he lifted his eyes to heaven, and his understanding returned to him, and he blessed the Most High and praised and honored "Him who lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation." He says the inhabitants of the earth are as nothing, and the Lord does according to His will in heaven and on earth. No one can stop Him or ask Him what He has done. He says that after he praised the Lord, his reason returned to him- his glory, honor, and splendor, and he was restored to his kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to him. Afterward, he honors and extols the King of heaven. He says, "His works are truth, and His ways, justice, and those who walk in pride He is able to put down."
Belshazzar the king makes a great feast for all of his lords and drinks wine in the presence of thousands. He commands that the gold and silver vessels that had been taken by his father Nebuchadnezzar from the temple of God in Jerusalem be brought so that his lords, wives, and concubines might drink from them. They all drink from them and praise the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. That hour, the fingers of a man's hand appear and write on the plaster of the wall of the palace. The king is afraid and troubled, and his knees knock. He cries for the astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. He tells the wisemen of Babylon to read the writing and give its interpretation, and he will make that man the third ruler in the kingdom. None of the wisemen can read or interpret it, and the king is troubled. The queen comes to the banquet and speaks. She tells him not to be troubled, that there is a man in the kingdom who has the Spirit of God in him and who had "the wisdom of the gods" in the days of his father. She tells him how his father made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, since the gifts of "an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, the interpretation of dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas" were found in him. Daniel is brought in before the king. When he is offered gifts for interpreting the words, he says that he not want gifts or a reward, but he will still read the writing and the interpretation. He say the Most High God gave the king's father, Nebuchadnezzar, a kingdom- glory and honor- and all nations trembled before him. He killed whomever he chose and saved whomever he chose. But when he was "hardened with pride," he was removed from his throne, and his glory was taken. He was like the beasts of the field until he knew that "the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men and appoints over it whomever He chooses." Daniel says that although Belshazzar knew all this, he has not humbled his heart, and he has lifted himself up against the Lord of heaven. He says the vessels of the Lord's house have been brought before him, and he drank and praised his false gods. He says "the God who holds [his] breath in His hand and knows all his ways was not glorified" and that the hand and writing are from Him. The writing means: God has numbered Belshazzar's kingdom and finished it, he has been "weighed in the balances and found wanting," and his kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians. Belshazzar commands that Daniel be clothed in purple and a chain of gold be put around his neck, and he is made the third ruler of the kingdom. That very night, Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, is slain, and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom from him.
It pleases King Darius to set over the king satraps and three governors to give account o them, and Daniel is one of them. Dan distinguishes himself above the governors and satraps because an excellent spirit is in him. The king is considering setting him up over the whole realm, and the other men are jealous, so they try to find something against him but can find nothing because he is faithful. They figure out that the only charge they will find will be concerning "the law of His god," so they go to the king and say that they have would like to establish a royal decree that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days except King Darius will be cast into a den of lions. They ask him to sign it so that it cannot be changed, which is according to the law of the Medes and Persians which does not change, and the king signs the decree. After Daniel is made aware, he goes home into his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem, and he kneels three times and prays before God "as was his custom." The men find him praying, so they go before the king and tell him what Daniel has done. They tell him Daniel does not respect him or his petition but prays three times a day. When the king hears these words, he is "displeased with himself and [works' hard to deliver Daniel." The men remind the king that the law of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed, so the king commands that Daniel be cast into a den of lions. The king tells Daniel that his God whom he serves continually will deliver him. Daniel is cast into the den, and a stone is thrown over it. That night, the king fasts in his palace without sleeping. Then, in the morning, he arises and goes in haste to the den. He cries "with a lamenting voice, 'Dan, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?'" Daniel replies, "Oh king , live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him, and also, oh King, I have done no wrong before you." The king is exceedingly glad and commands Daniel be taken out of the den; he is not injured at all "because he believed in his God." The king commands that his accusers be cast into the den along with their children and wives, and the lions break all their bones before they even each the bottom. Then, king Darius writes a decree to all people, nations, and languages in all the earth that in every dominion of his kingdom, men must "tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and steadfast forever. His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth- who has delivered Daniel from the mouth of the lions." And it says Daniel prospers in the reign of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
Our God never changes. Later in the book of Daniel, He is referred to as the Ancient of Days. The same God who delivered Daniel will deliver us who believe in Him.