Daniel 2:13–21, 26–28a

Bible Studies for Life
Assistant Professor of Religion, Samford University

Pray Fervently

Daniel 2:13–21, 26–28a

The stories preserved in the Book of Daniel were written to give encouragement and instruction to Jews who found themselves subject to the rule of a foreign potentate. A careful reading of these stories suggests the author understood that not all of his hearers would face the same challenges while living in exile. In some cases God’s people would face the terrible dilemma of having to resist or even defy royal decrees that ran contrary to God’s own mandates for His people. The refusal of Daniel and his companions to eat the king’s undoubtedly tasty but certainly non-kosher meat in Daniel 1 fell into this category. Later in the book Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would have to keep faith by refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. Later still Daniel would have to decide how important it was for him to continue to pray each day when the king’s decree outlawed such prayers.

In other cases though the stories preserved in the Book of Daniel appear to have less to do with defiant fidelity to God’s laws and more to do with wise maneuvering through the torturous paths of life as a servant in the royal court. Daniel’s interactions with Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 4 and with Belshazzar in Chapter 5 certainly fall into this category. Daniel 2 presents a similar situation.

When problems arise, take time to seek God. (13–16)

The opening verses of Daniel 2 describe an extraordinary circumstance. Troubled at night by a series of dreams, the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, found himself unable to sleep. His first instinct was to summon his “magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers” to gain some understanding of the importance of his dreams. But here Nebuchadnezzar abandoned the script that would normally have guided the resolution of such a situation. While the Babylonian king summoned the royal counselors for a dream interpretation, he refused to tell them just what the dream had been. Perhaps as a test, perhaps as an indication that the king had been burned by dream interpretations before, Nebuchadnezzar insisted that the royal diviners first discover what the dream had been and then provide its interpretation.

The magicians protested but the king insisted and the punishment he decreed was death. Unfortunately a decree of this sort would ensnare all of the king’s magicians and this included Daniel as well.

Pray persistently while awaiting God’s response. (17–21)

Daniel’s response was to look for wise counsel. He first asked the king’s servant to give him a full accounting of what had transpired and then implored his friends — Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah — to take up the matter in prayer. On a practical level Daniel purposed to act as wisely as possible. On a more important level though Daniel knew the only hope for him and his three friends lay in their utter dependence upon God in prayer.

Acknowledge God as the source of the answer. (26–28a)

It was in a vision at night that Daniel received the explanation of the king’s dream. Daniel could have maneuvered the situation to ensure he received all the credit for the revelation but he did not do that. 

When asked whether he could interpret dreams such as the one Nebuchadnezzar had had, Daniel put his life in jeopardy by replying, “No.” Only God could reveal the king’s dreams, he said. His actions showed that faith and prayer were the first and most important steps in weaving through the maze of the king’s court.