B. The Promotion (vv. 48-49)
“Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.”
Daniel was promoted to prime minister of the Babylonian Empire. When Daniel received his new position, he had his three friends raised into strategic places to be used by God. Some have denied the authenticity of the book of Daniel on the basis that kings don’t bow to their captives. But kings do bow to God. The book of Daniel is the Word of God revealed to Daniel, and Nebuchadnezzar knew it.
Conclusion
The book of Daniel gives us an important principle: you never have to scheme to acquire the position or ministry you desire. Simply obey God. He will open doors and use you in a way far beyond what you ever dreamed (Eph. 3:20-21). Daniel simply obeyed God in every situation He took him through. Daniel became the prime minister of Babylon because God put him there. Since he didn’t put himself there, he didn’t have to worry about staying there. God would keep Daniel there until he had served His purpose. Don’t seek to promote yourself; let God direct your path as you obey His will.
Focusing on the Facts
1. According to Psalm 137, how did the captives of Babylon feel about Jerusalem (see p. 1)?
2.What is the first apparent mention of Jerusalem in the Bible (see p. 1)?
3.What is significant about a particular mountain near the ancient city in the days of Abraham (see p. 1)?
4.What did Jerusalem become under David (see p. 2)?
5.Why did God allow Jerusalem to be destroyed and its people taken into captivity (see p. 2)?
6.What were Nebuchadnezzar’s two objectives in destroying Jerusalem (see p. 3)?
7.What period began at the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (see p. 3)?
8.According to Jesus, how long will Jerusalem remain desolate (Matt. 23:37-39; see p. 3)?
9.When did the Jewish people finally regain control of Jerusalem (see p. 4)?
10.Why have the times of the Gentiles not yet ended (see p. 4)?
11. What do amillennial scholars believe regarding the kingdom of Christ (see p. 6)?
12.What do the kings of verse 44 seem to refer to (see p. 6)?
13.Why is it logical to assume that the final kingdom must be a political and earthly one (see p. 6)?
14.What will the kingdom God establishes be like? Why can’t it be identified with the church (see p. 7)?
15.What identity of Christ in Scripture corresponds with Daniel 2:45 (see pp. 7-8)?
16. What is significant about the great mountain and wind in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (see p. 9)?
17.How was Daniel rewarded for his interpretation (see p. 10)?
Pondering the Principles
1. Many Jewish people made a sad mistake by retaining their love for Jerusalem without continuing to love God. Christians are no different. Revelation 2 records a rebuke of the church at Ephesus, which had left its first love–Jesus Christ (v. 4). Evaluate your own spiritual life. Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness and seek to know Christ intimately? Have you retired from seeking to please God and be an imitator of Christ? Be refreshed by Paul’s zeal to “win Christ” by reading Philippians 3:4-14.
2.It is well known that those who seek success must learn to pay the price. However in the the spiritual realm we often fail to implement that same principle, expecting immediate success without sacrifice and struggle. But such success does not exist. Consider Daniel’s promotion granted to him by God. What price did he pay? Consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as recorded in Luke 22:41-44. What attitude did He manifest in the struggle He had with going to the cross? What happened as a result in verse 43? The principle of submission before success is a paradox. If you find yourself saying, “Help me through, Lord, and then I’ll obey” you have reversed God’s order for success. Identify areas in your own life where there is a lack of success or accomplishment. If you find those areas are rooted in a lack of submission to God’s revealed will and the subjective leading of His Spirit, commit yourself to obeying God first and trusting Him with the results.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
