[ * HOME * ] [ * UP! * ]
(21 verses): Describing Daniel as a Jewish kid taken by Nevuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to educate him and some others taken with him, in the way of the Babylonians. Daniel distinguished himself as wise and helpful in the court of the Babylonians.
49 verses. King Nevuchadnezzer dreams an unsettling dream, and calls his sorcerers and his astrologers to interpret. As usual they are eager to do so, but the king is apprehensive and says: If you are smart enough to interpret my dream, then you must be smart enough to know what it is without me telling you. They could not, of course, and the king raged and ordered to kill all these fake magicians in the kingdom. An official approached Daniel and his team, refugees from Judea, and Daniel prayed hard to God who revealed the king's dream to him along with its interpretation. Before the king, Daniel laid out both, saying that God will put forth several more kingdoms after this one, followed by the last kingdom that would destroy all the existing kingdoms, while it itself will never be destroyed. Daniel assured the king of the veracity of his dream. King Nevuchadnezzer was impressed, showered Daniel with a torrent of wealth, and power.
33 verses. King Nevuchadnezzer had the fancy to build an impressive image in his kingdom city, most impressive and exceedingly regal. He then commanded all his people to warship that image, or be thrown to the fire. The word went through his kingdom. Some sect in the kingdom, the Kasdians, hateful of the Jews, snitched to the king that they Jews don't obey his order, and rather warship their own God. King Nevuchadnezzer ended up facing three Jewish rebels: Shadrech, Meishach and Aved-Nego. They explained the king they can't obey because they are faitfhful to their God, and then they said something very remarkable: Our God can deliver us from the fire, but even if he does not, we worship him. period . The king, angry ordered the furnace to be set the maximum heat and had the three Jewish rebels thrown to the pit. To his susrprise although they were thrown in bound, they were seen walking unbound inside the fire, untouched by it. The king got them out and declared that anyone who speaks ill about the God of the Jews will be severly punished, since no God can deliver what the God of the Jews delivers. But he stopped short from asking to convert...