IN those days, dreams and their meanings were much thought of, and great kings had their soothsayers and sorcerers, their magicians and astrologers, who were always at hand to explain doubtful or hard questions, and to pretend to look into the future.
Many of them were extremely clever, and from long practice and observation, many of their answers and explanations seemed very plausible.
So when Nebuchadnezzar, the great king, had a perplexing dream, which worried him very much, he sent for these soothsayers and magicians; and they at once, of course, asked what the dream had been, so that they might furnish the interpretation.
But Nebuchadnezzar had to confess, that though the dream troubled him, he could not recall what it was!
So the magicians were greatly alarmed; as they said, no king would ask his magicians to tell the dream, as well as the interpretation!
But the king was angry and furious; and at length sent out an order that all the magicians and soothsayers in Babylon were to be destroyed.
So the decree went out that all the "wise" men, meaning astrologers and soothsayers, were to be slain: and with them, Daniel and his companions would perish!
Then Daniel with gentle wisdom, which God gave him, said to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who was sent out to kill the wise men: "Why is the king's decree so urgent?"
So Arioch explained to Daniel that the king wanted not only the explanation of his dream, but the dream itself! And that the magicians could not tell it.
But Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, and he would show the king the interpretation.
Then he went to his house, and told Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and asked them to pray to God to show them this secret, so that they and all the wise men in Babylon should not perish.
We must pause here for one moment to remember that God gives wonderful answers to "united prayer"! We see it over and over again throughout the Bible; and we see it over and over again in our own experience, when we trust Him!
So Daniel and his companions prayed, and the answer came.
Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a vision in the night.
And what did Daniel do the first thing after he knew the secret?
He blessed the God of Heaven! He thanked Him for giving him wisdom to understand, and that He had made known what they had desired of Him.
Then Daniel went to Arioch, and told him the good news, and he brought him to the king in haste, saying: "I have found a man among the captives of Judah, who will tell you the interpretation!"
So the king said to Daniel: "Can you make known the dream, and the interpretation?"
And Daniel answered: "The secret which the king requires, the astrologers and magicians cannot answer. But there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to King Nebuchadnezzar what shall happen in the latter days."
And then he added: "This secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have . . . but for their sakes who make this interpretation known to the king, and that the king may know the thoughts of his heart."
We see here an evidence of Daniel's humility; no wonder that God could trust him with Vision after Vision about the future, which we read in the later chapters of this wonderful Book of Daniel.
This was the dream, and Daniel told it to the king in words like these—
"The king saw a great Image whose brightness was excellent and his form terrible."
"The head of the Image was of Gold:"
"The breast and arms of Silver:"
"The belly and thighs of Brass:"
"The legs of Iron; and the feet part of Iron and part of Clay."
"The king looked at this Image till a Stone, cut without hands, smote the Image upon his feet, and brake them to pieces. Then the whole Image fell to pieces, and was scattered like chaff before the wind, and the pieces were carried away, so that they could not be found."
"And the Stone which smote the Image became a Great Mountain, and filled the whole earth."
Then Daniel went on to say: "This is the dream—and we will tell the interpretation of it."
"Thou, O King, art this head of gold! And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass. And a fourth kingdom which shall be strong as iron; and the toes of the feet shall be part of iron and part of clay."
"And in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed . . . and it shall stand for ever."
"The great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before Daniel and said: "Your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a Revealer of secrets!"
Then the king gave Daniel great gifts and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
And Daniel asked the king to remember his three companions, and Nebuchadnezzar set Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon.
But Daniel sat in the gate of the king—which was evidently a place of great honour.