You have been defined “king of kings” by the divine prophet, Belteshazzar, (his captive name) better known to us as “Daniel,” who interprets dreams by blessing of “the eternal God.” You’re sitting on top of the world literally.
Daniel explains to King Nebuchadnezzar, who has dominion over the pagan Gentile world. He tells him the future of his kingdom and successive kingdoms by drawing from the king’s dream that you, “O king are a king of kings.” The “image” that Daniel describes to him puts him as the head of gold and therefore, the most valuable metal in the image. He is at the top of the heap, being the head.
He explains the first five kingdoms. He gets to the sixth kingdom, which is the kingdom of the antichrist. The seventh is “the stone,” the return of Christ and the Millennium. As anyone might guess, must be egotistically the happiest. Other materials are digressively of less power and strength.
As we move on into Daniel 3, the visual becomes less abstract and forms a real three-dimensional huge image which the king has built to personify himself in an imagery of realism. The problem with the king is that it appears he doesn’t really understand the gravity of the interpretation of the dream and somewhat takes it lightly by using it as yet another pagan idol among the many other idols that he and his subject’s worship. This image is guessed to be about nine or so feet tall and maybe nine feet wide. Whatever it is, it’s “really big.”
I’m guessing in the king’s mind the image must be huge because he has envisioned himself as being greater than any other person. In other words, “He’s got the big head.” He has allowed himself to become even bigger than he really is and more powerful than he is too.
All that he has it’s not enough. Greed and arrogance, boastfulness have consumed him. Daniel says, “You, O king have power, strength and glory.” In Daniel 2:41-46, the “ten toes” come into the picture. These “ten toes” are kings.
They are part of the succession of kings and during which time the stone comes into the picture. That stone is Jesus Christ cut out of the mountain not made with human hands! Daniel is rewarded for his interpretation of the king’s dream. He was made ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel was loyal to his friends and requested rewards for them, too. They were set over the affairs of the province of Babylon. Daniel got the highest honor and as you will recall that like Mordicai, “sat in the gate of the king.” In that position he could hear about things that were happening in the kingdom of Babylon.
The king, so enamored with himself that he had the dream image constructed and invited all his kingly buddies to celebrate the man-made image to be worshipped. Remember the king had already gotten into and still in trouble with the Almighty God about worshipping idols.
This time he goes over the top. He commissioned building a bigger than life size image to be worshipped. He invited judges, treasurers, lawyers, sheriffs, rulers of Babylon, governors, captains and all high-powered people who he had no doubt put in charge and were indebted to him.
Perhaps, he said, “I made you” and you obey me. So, what he brings in seductive music to put everyone in a trance and lose their minds and emotions in the music. They’re drinking, and women are dancing seductively (that’s me saying that) but what other way to get people going out of their heads as through seductive music, women, alcohol, drink and song.
The crier heralds the cry – “To you it is commanded (Daniel 3:5) O people, nations, and languages, at the sound, (when you hear) of the musical instruments, the harps, flutes, cornets and all kinds of musical instruments fall down and worship the golden image that the king has set up.”
Not everyone would be seduced by the music. The Jews would not do it. They would not worship the false gods nor the king who was among the false, pagan gods. They got thrown into the fiery furnace.
Here’s the irony. It’s the same today. If you don’t do things just the way you are told to do and if the wrong way against our Lord’s way, you may be in a fiery furnace right now.
It’s the way of the system. It’s the way of the world. You may not literally be in a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than ever before. But it’s hot.
Your challenges are great and the only way you can get out is to pray in faith continually to our heavenly Father to be freed out of the fiery circumstance through His grace and mercy and faith that His word stands. His words are infallible. He is changeless.
Thanks for reading! Jeanette Grattan Parker is the founder-superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School, 4514 Crenshaw Boulevard, L.A. 90043, 323-293-9826, www.todaysfreshstart.org, (Ask Dr. Jeanette TM) “Inquiring Minds Want to Know.” All articles are copyright. All rights reserved © Any errors? Please let me know. [email protected]. Join Sundays for music and message at 11:30 a.m. by calling (712) 775-8971, code 266751. References: The Holy Bible. Don’t stop praying and hoping.