16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

18 urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven

20 and declared: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.

21 He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

22 He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.

46 At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.

47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”

— Daniel 2:16-22; 46-47

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

In the ancient world, dreams were believed to foretell future events. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had a dream that so vexed him that he lost sleep, unable to understand its meaning. He threatened to kill all his magicians and astrologers if none of them could tell and interpret his forgotten dream. In stark contrast to the impetuous nature of a murderous tyrant, Daniel, a humble immigrant servant went into the king and responded to his unreasonable demand with “wisdom and tact” given by God.

Prayer is crucial in any believer’s confrontation of a confounding problem. Daniel’s dependence on God was the key to his success in interpreting king’s dream. First, Daniel asked for time before offering the service of his God-given gift. Next, he transparently shared the predicament with his three friends. They did not try to formulate an escape plan, as we might do. In unity and trust, they took this life-and-death problem through earnest prayer to the only appropriate place: the God of heaven. And then the mystery of king’s dream was revealed to Daniel in a vision. This caused the king to recognize Daniel’s God is the God of gods and Lord of kings.