DANIEL'S RESPONSE

Daniel 2:14 - 49

Daniel was not around for the ordeal that took place between his highly advanced-in-knowledge staff and the king of Babylon.

Talk about being on the short end of the stick!  Daniel did not even hear that he, his Jewish brothers, and his Babylonian counterparts were sentenced to death until almost the last minute.

Daniel's approach in Scripture is what initially halted a whole cabinet of officials and potential knowledge from certain death.  Verse 14 says,  "Daniel spoke to him [Arioch, commander of the king's guard] with wisdom and tact."

Daniel then "asked the king's officer" (v.15) about Arioch's charge, sought the king's presence and "asked for time" (v.16) so that he may fulfill the desire of the king to both speak the dream and it's interpretation.  Then he got a prayer team organized (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) and asked, actually Daniel instructed his brothers - "plead for mercy from the God of Heaven concerning this mystery" (v.18).  God came through.  He answered their cry.  The dream, once inside the king's head, was now revealed to Daniel's mind and the interpretation as well.

So Daniel seeks an audience with the king and reveals what God has revealed to him.  The result?  You can't fail when God gives you the answer(s).  In addition, to being correct, observe what happened afterward -

"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." (vv. 46-49)

And to think all this started with Daniel's response to a dire situation that he was removed from, relating extremely well with those in authority, not challenging, but asking the right question to the right people in the right positions - "Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact."

How I hope and pray for the same kind of "wisdom and tact" in and out of times of great stress.  What charisma this man had!

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