Not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive

Daniel 2:24-49

Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”

The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these:

As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.

The images represent four world empires, beginning in the present and stretching into the future. The two most widely held interpretations are:

Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman:

Babylonian, Persian, Median, and Greek, The first is a better fit with the historical kingdom of God that comes in the Roman period. The second view has the merit that the bulk of Danil 7-12 refers to the Greek period.

Why?

The Lord shows the meaning to Daniel, and Daniel may explain it to King Nebuchadnezzar, it shows only the God in heaven may understand what went through the King. And God has revealed it to Daniel.

Daniel is humble that he does not have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

Daniel also requests the king to appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon to be his helpers as governor of this country. Daniel shared his responsibility to his friend serving the same God. This strategy reduces their burden of them.

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只有神能夠成就大事，我們千萬不要以為自己好，但以理很謙卑！是神願意使用我。當求主使用我們！透過我們好行為，生命的改變彰顯神的榮耀。

最後只有神的國永遠長存！最後的國是羅馬帝國，後來和各民族不相容以致分散不成國，彼此紛爭，如同現在的世界。朝代帝國都會過去。政治意識，黨派都會過去！神權在政權之上。尼布甲尼撒王，居然說你們的神是萬王之王！如果不是對耶和華如此降服，怎能說出這樣子的話。知識、異象之外更重要是認識神自己。尼布甲尼撒王以後把權利分給但以理，一個奴僕，一個被征服者，我們知道神掌權後，我們願意把自己的主權交給主嗎？把一生交給主嗎？但以理是在王的身旁，可以影響國王，帶領他歸向主，他是帶職事奉的典範！

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How?

Daniel is my hero and a good example to learn from his good deeds. What I can do is the favor of the Lord. My God is the God of gods.