Soon after Daniel and his companions

entered the service of

the king of Babylon, events

occurred that revealed to

an idolatrous nation the

power and faithfulness of

the God of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar

had a remarkable

dream, by which “his

spirit was troubled, and his

sleep brake from him.” But

although the king’s mind

was deeply impressed, he

found it impossible, when

he awoke, to recall the particulars.

In his perplexity, Nebuchadnezzar

assembled his wise men---

“the magicians, and the astrologers,

and the sorcerers”---

and besought their

help. “I have dreamed a

dream,” he said, “and my

spirit was troubled to know

the dream.” With this statement of his perplexity he

requested them to reveal

to him that which would

bring relief to his mind.

To this the wise men responded,

“O king, live forever: tell

thy servants the dream, and

we will show the interpretation.”

Dissatisfied with their evasive an-

swer, and suspicious because,

despite their pretentious

claims to reveal the

secrets of men, they nevertheless

seemed unwilling

to grant him help, the king

commanded his wise men,

with promises of wealth

and honor on the one hand,

and threats of death on the

other, to tell him not only

the interpretation of the

dream, but the dream itself.

“The thing is gone

from me,” he said; “if ye

will not make known unto

me the dream, with the

interpretation thereof, ye

shall be cut in pieces, and

your houses shall be made

a dunghill. But if ye show

the dream, and the interpretation

thereof, ye shall

receive of me gifts and rewards

and great honor.”

494 Prophets and Kings

Still the wise men returned the

answer, “Let the king tell

his servants the dream, and

we will show the interpretation

of it.”

Nebuchadnezzar, now thoroughly

aroused and angered by the

apparent perfidy of those

in whom he had trusted,

declared: “I know of certainty

that ye would gain

the time, because ye see

the thing is gone from me.

But if ye will not make

known unto me the dream,

there is but one decree for

you: for ye have prepared

lying and corrupt words to

speak before me, till the

time be changed: therefore

tell me the dream, and

I shall know that ye can

show me the interpretation

thereof.”

Filled with fear for the consequences

of their failure,

the magicians endeavored

to show the king that

his request was unreasonable

and his test beyond

that which had ever

been required of any man.

“There is not a man upon

the earth,” they remonstrated,

“that can show

the king’s matter:

therefore there is no king, lord,

nor ruler, that asked such

things at any magician, [493]

or astrologer, or Chaldean.

And it is a rare thing that

the king requireth, and

there is none other that can

show it before the king,

except the gods, whose

dwelling is not with flesh.”

Then “the king was angry and very

furious, and commanded to

destroy all the wise men of

Babylon.”

Among those sought for by the

officers who were preparing

to fulfill the provisions

of the royal decree, were

Daniel and his friends.

When told that according

to the decree they also

must die, “with counsel

and wisdom” Daniel inquired

of Arioch, the captain

of the king’s guard,

“Why is the decree so hasty

from the king?” Arioch

told him the story of the

king’s perplexity over his

remarkable dream, and of

his failure to secure help

from those in whom he

had hitherto placed fullest

confidence. Upon hearing

this, Daniel, taking his

life in his hands, ventured

496 Prophets and Kings

into the king’s presence

and begged that time be

granted, that he might petition

his God to reveal to

him the dream and its interpretation.

To this request the monarch acceded.

“Then Daniel

went to his house, and

made the thing known to

Hananiah, Mishael, and

Azariah, his companions.”

Together they sought for

wisdom from the Source of

light and knowledge. Their

faith was strong in the consciousness

that God had

placed them where they

were, that they were doing

His work and meeting the

demands of duty. In times

of perplexity and danger

they had always turned to

Him for guidance and protection,

and He had proved

an ever-present help. Now

with contrition of heart

they submitted themselves

anew to the Judge of the

earth, pleading that He

would grant them deliverance

in this their time of

special need. And they did

not plead in vain. The God

whom they had honored,

now honored them.