Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Chapter four is the only chapter of the bible written down by someone who wasn’t a Jew (unless we count Job, which was written down by Elihu the Buzite, who was possibly a relative of Job through Abraham’s brother – Genesis 22:21). It was written down by Nebuchadnezzar. It is a record of how he was inspired by Holy Spirit to worship and give glory to the God who had just saved the three good friends of Daniel from a fiery death in a furnace (Daniel 3). They were heartfelt and stuck around long enough to be written down, find their way to Daniel, and be included in his book. But Nebuchadnezzar let himself be distracted from them and found it difficult to maintain this proper attitude toward God. In this chapter he records how God helped him, but then how he exalted himself above God and was humbled – after being warned about it. It is a great lesson to us that interactions with God and hearing from Him is only effective when we listen and obey. In the end, Nebuchadnezzar again acknowledged God and there is no evidence he walked away from it.

Chapter five is about Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson Belshazzar, the son of Evilmerodach (2 Kings 25:27), and his fall. The Persians were trying to take Babylon. They had been under siege for two years, but had twenty years worth of provisions behind their huge and fortified walls. Belshazzar decided to have a party. During that party, he brought out the gold vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. Everyone at the party started using them. In spite of his grandfather coming to know the truth about God (Daniel 4), Belshazzar clearly had not learned the lesson. Suddenly a giant hand appeared out of nowhere and wrote words no one could translate on the wall. Eventually Daniel was called and he translated them, giving their interpretation as God gave it to him. Babylon would fall and fall hard. They had been judged and found wanting. That very night, Darius the Mede took the city and executed Belshazzar.

Chapter six is about the jealousy of Daniel experienced by other rulers of the Persian empire. The king, Darius, appointed one hundred and twenty men to administer the kingdom. Above them were three governors. One of them was Daniel. Daniel proved to be so good at his job that Darius considered making him governor over the governors, a single step below himself (like Joseph was to Pharaoh – Genesis 41:37-44). This made the others jealous and they tried to find something to smear Daniel with, but couldn’t. So they attacked his religion. He prayed daily as an observant Jew. So they flattered Darius into making a law that for thirty days, everyone had to pray to him (Darius) and no one or no other god. He did. Daniel did not change his habits. He was arrested. The punishment was a night in a pit full of hungry lions. In he went, professing (much like his good friends in Daniel 3) that God could save him and that he wasn’t worried. The next morning, the den was opened by Darius, who had spent a sleepless night greatly regretting his law, and there was Daniel. Whole and healthy. Darius, having obeyed his own law, was now free to act. He tossed in the men who had conned him – them, their wives, and their children (Darius was not a merciful guy). They were dead before the seal went back on the den. Darius then proclaimed throughout his kingdom that Daniel’s God was to be respected. Darius declared Yahweh as God over all, THE ruler of creation. He stated that God delivers and rescues those who truly follow Him and that He had supernaturally saved Daniel from the lion’s den. Daniel went on about his life, prospering during Darius the Mede’s reign and the reign of Cyrus the Persian after him.

Summary

Key Players: God, Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius.

Key Verse(s): Daniel 4:34-37; 5:22-31; 6:21-28