“At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.” Daniel 4:8-9
When God is dealing with a person He has a way of hemming him in to move that person to where God wants him. The greatest earthly king ever to live is no exception. God sends him a dream that troubles his soul. Then God shuts the mouths of the Babylonian wise men- no one but God’s messenger will deliver God’s special message to this special king.
At last The king is beside himself. His wise men cannot answer his
question. How long it took him to think of Daniel we don’t know but God turns his heart to this faithful man. (See how God is in control?) This also shows us how sinful men turn to God as a last resort, after all human efforts have failed. This is exactly opposite of how a believer should approach trouble.
Daniel came in before me Daniel is summoned by the king and he is
faithful to respond. He is always under authority.
He who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god King Nebuchadnezzar makes sure we know exactly who the man is who will tell him God’s words. He also makes it clear that he had even named Daniel after his own idol. Before this point Nebuchadnezzar clearly did not believe in the one true God.
And in whom is the spirit of the holy god Nebuchadnezzar shows us the sad state of some men. He is impressed by Daniel’s God. He recognizes He is different but he does not worship Him. The majesty of God is noted but it makes little difference in the life of many, even this king. That will soon change. I told him the dream Nebuchadnezzar gets right to the point. He is troubled by the dream and needs to know what it means.
Saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians Nebuchadnezzar recognizes Daniel as the chief (the highest) of the magicians. This gives us insight into his heart. He went to certain men who could not help him. He does not see God’s hand in their failure. He now simply looks for someone more skilled than they are.
Despite his idols Nebuchadnezzar really worshipped man, himself first. Here he calls another man to help him.
Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you Nebuchadnezzar is not praising the Holy Spirit but instead exalting Daniel as someone who is special because God reveals mysteries to him.
That no mystery is too difficult for you Note the emphasis on the man. The king knows Daniel has some special quality that allows him to understand mysteries that others cannot decipher. The king
acknowledges that these mysteries do not baffle Daniel. We should remember that Daniel told the king in Chapter 2 that there is a God in Heaven who reveals these secrets to him. Daniel gave God the glory.
Tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation We see the kings ‘s ulterior motive. He could care less about the
God who reveals the secrets to Daniel. He is interested in an answer to his dilemma, not in God.
What can we learn? In his testimony the king makes it clear that he was a man who trusted in other men and who seldom thought
about God. King Nebuchadnezzar did not know this verse but Jeremiah describes his situation perfectly. “Thus says the Lord,
’Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord.’”
Relying on man may gain one information but it will never create peace with God. In fact, the pride behind his trust in man is
exactly what God is confronting in the king’s dream. We must remember this in the age we live. God alone is sovereign. God alone is wise. Satan will try to intimidate us to trust in ourselves and in man. He tempts us to walk by sight instead of faith in God. Daniel does not acknowledge the kings flattery, He knows and trusts God who controls the future. So do we. Don’t forget that truth as the world darkens.