Daniel 2:46-49 (ESV)
[46] Then King
Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that
an offering and incense be offered up to him. [47] The king answered and said
to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of
mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” [48] Then the king
gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. [49]
Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at
the king’s court.
This is not the behavior of a king. In these verses the king fell on
his face and showed honor and respect to Daniel. The word translated “homage”
is sometimes translated worship. It is the same word used in the next chapter
when Daniel’s friends are instructed to worship the golden image. Here is a
king on his face before Daniel. Having someone fall on their face before you in
homage or worship is fitting only for a king or a god, yet the king falls
before Daniel.
The wise men and magicians had told the king that, “The thing that the
king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods,
whose dwelling is not with flesh” (Dan 2:11). Yet here is Daniel, a man who
apparently hears directly from the gods. Or, as Daniel would say, “There is a
God in Heaven who reveals mysteries” (Dan 2:28). God in Heaven is a God who
“changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom
to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Dan 2:21).
We celebrate those words: God is a God who “changes times and seasons,
he removes kings and sets up kings,” (Dan 2:21). We swear that we believe those
words. We cling to those words, yet we often act as though they are not true.
We wring our hands at every election. We are filled with anxiety because of
Muslim immigrants moving to our country. We are dazed with fear because of violence
in our streets. We are an anxious people talking about God, but living as
though he does not exist.
Daniel and his friends watched their homes destroyed, their family and
friends killed, and their temple raided. They were dragged off to a foreign
country where people speak a foreign language and practice foreign customs.
They were threatened, and then trained in a foreign culture. Their names were
changed. Their identity was robbed. Their system of worship was impossible. Yet
they lived as though they truly believed that God is God of gods, and Lord of
kings. We sit in relative peace and prosperity. Even those living in poverty in
America are the envy of much of the world. Still, we wring our hands and live
as though God were dead, all the while singing, “King of kings and Lord of
lords; Glory, Alleluia.” Our words do not match the anxiety of our emotions.
There is a disconnect between our tongue and our heart.
It is convicting that a Babylonian king gets that truth better than we
do. God is working his purpose and will. He sets up kings and brings them down.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that, “There is no authority except from God, and
those that exist have been instituted by God” (Rom 13:1). Daniel understood and
believed that. Daniel’s friends understood and believed that. King
Nebuchadnezzar understood and believed that. Why don’t we?
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