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“Daniel’s Answer to the King” (detail), by Briton Rivière
Worldly power, no matter how impressive or intimidating, is always subordinate to God’s power. That is the main theme of the book of Daniel. Through a series of miraculous experiences, Daniel and his friends demonstrate that faithfulness to God is a surer source of stability and security than trying to appease worldly authorities.
The name Daniel (דָנִיֵּאל) means “God is my judge,” a fitting name for a prophet who continually prioritized his allegiance to God above his allegiance to the king. He and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (better known by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) had been taken captive when the Babylonian Empire conquered the kingdom of Judah. By all appearances, King Nebuchadnezzar had total power over them, which is why each of the following stories is so dramatic:
- Chapter 1 – They refuse to eat the king’s meat and drink the king’s wine. As a result, they are blessed with great knowledge and wisdom.
- Chapter 2 – Daniel interprets a dream the king could no longer remember, a feat beyond the power of his wise men.
- Chapter 3 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are cast into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship an idol. Their lives are miraculously preserved.
- Chapter 4 – Daniel interprets another of Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, and the king acknowledges the supremacy of God.
- Chapter 5 – Nebechadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, sees a hand writing a message on the wall during a feast. Daniel interprets the writing: Belshazzar’s reign is over. That night, Belshazzar is slain, and his empire is conquered by the Persians.
- Chapter 6 – Darius, king of the Persians, throws Daniel into a den of lions, because he has prayed to God contrary to the law. Daniel is miraculously preserved.
Here are some lessons I’ve learned from these chapters:
- Suboptimal circumstances can create glorious opportunities: “With Everlasting Kindness”
- Faith in God can help us avoid being paralyzed by the challenging experiences we face: Every Man’s Heart Shall Melt – 2 Nephi 23:6-8.
- We can trust that all of God’s prophecies will be fulfilled: “That He May Prophesy” – Moroni 10:13.
The other six chapters contain revelations received by Daniel, as well as a prayer of contrition offered by Daniel (in chapter 9).
Daniel’s dreams and visions contain a lot of similar imagery to the visions recorded by John in the book of Revelation. For example, Daniel dreamed that books would be opened at the Final Judgment (Daniel 7:9-10; see also Revelation 20:12). This same imagery also appears in the Book of Mormon. For example, during His ministry on the American continent, Jesus said, “Out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged” (3 Nephi 27:25-26; see also 2 Nephi 29:11).
Blog Posts: November 1-6
God Gave Them Knowledge
It’s tempting to think of physical health, mental/emotional health, and spiritual health as separate categories of well-being, with separate practices required to maintain each. But we know it’s not that simple. All of those categories of health are interconnected. For example, it may be impossible to hear the voice of the Spirit, which speaks to…
We Have Sinned
It’s hard to admit when we’ve done something wrong. It’s so easy to make excuses, to blame other people, or to imagine that our actions have been misinterpreted. It’s so hard to say, “I messed up. I shouldn’t have done that, and I won’t do it again.” That’s why I was impressed when I read…
Joseph, Daniel, and Nephi: Dream-Interpreters
Not all dreams are revelations from God, but some are. Joseph was a dreamer, and he clearly believed that some of his dreams were messages from God. (See Genesis 37:5-11.) Perhaps because of that experience, he was attuned to the dreams of others, and he was able to interpret the cryptic dreams of Pharaoh’s chief…
Writing on the Wall
God communicates with us in many ways. King Nebuchadnezzar received messages in dreams. (See Daniel 2, Daniel 4.) His son Belshazzar received a more dramatic message in a way that he could not ignore. As he hosted a drunken feast and disrespectfully drank from the cups which had been used for sacred ordinances in the…
“Thy Words Were Heard”
Prayer is an act of faith because we don’t see or hear the One we are talking to. When I participate in a conversation, I am constantly monitoring the reaction of the other person to the words I say. I pay attention to their responses, even non-verbal ones, to understand how my words are being…
But If Not…
Faith isn’t faith if it demands specific outcomes. Faith does invite miracles, but it does not guarantee that we will receive the exact miracles we want exactly when we want them. King Nebuchadnezzar was proud of a gold statue, about 90 feet tall, which he had commanded to be built. He wanted everyone in the…
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