Daniel 2:46-49 God is Exalted

He fell down on his face. Why does he bow before Daniel? Because he doesn’t know God but he does know Daniel knows God and so bows before his representative. He honors Daniel, may even fear him because he knows such a powerful God.

Note also that three times the statement to Daniel is used, v.46, 47, 48

the king prostrated himself to Daniel, 46

The king cried out/answered to Daniel, 47

His action is that he fell down on his face. Why does he bow before Daniel? Because he doesn’t know God but he does know Daniel knows God and so bows before his representative. He honors Daniel, may even fear him because he knows such a powerful God.

the king made great to Daniel, 48

What is being pointed out is the king is focused on the representative of God. So the king bows before him, much as people did when they saw an angel,

This is an amazing step. The King does what all his subjects do before him when they come into his presence.This is what happens when a man, no matter who, encounters the Living God. Now a person might still be recalcitrant toward God, but they still bow before Him. Think of the demons when they encounter Jesus, God in the flesh. They all bow before Him. They recognize that they are in the presence of a higher power. One that can take off their head if he liked. Now the king recognizing something different and even more powerful than him, he falls down upon his own face. Of course the implication is that he falls down before this teenage Jew, the servant of God. That is another point.

When God is for us He makes even our enemies fall down before us. In this case it is Daniel.

In doing so the king acknowledges there is someone greater than he is in his presence. Can you imagine what anyone who is observing this would be thinking and saying. This would spread like wildfire around the kingdom. It would be front page news, ‘twittered’ to death.

In falling down before him, what is he doing?

to Daniel its position in the sentence is one of emphasis.

He paid homage to him. ie. he prostrated himself before him. This was an act of submission. He gave him high honor by doing so. He wouldn’t have done this with just anyone. But the one who could tell him his dream and the interpretation. Well, he recognizes the position of Daniel. He recognizes the power of Daniel. He can identify with that. He knows what to do with that. Daniel is his kind of guy, someone who wields power.

Daniel is singled out as the one to give gifts too, the one who is deserving of honor. Not an honor where he puts him above himself, but one in which he certainly recognizes that he deserves some high gifts. He recognizes his powers and so gives him appropriate gifts.

He commanded

to pour out to him a drink offering

He orders an offering mincha/gift

and incense the idea of soothing aromas be offered.

Ezra 6:10 ESV

that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

in reference to offering pleasing sacrifices to God of Israel as ordered by Darius the king to Tattenai the governor of Israel. It was an offering in hopes that God would look with favor on the life of the king.

there is reference to offering pleasing sacrifices to God of Israel as ordered by Darius the king to Tattenai the governor of Israel. It was an offering in hopes that God would look with favor on the life of the king.

Nebuchadnezzar was doing the same thing here. hoping to have the favor of Daniel’s God by offering an acceptable sacrifice. He already has been shown favor by God -given a dream, its interpretation and a young man to advise him what to do next. Yet, can an unbeliever offer an acceptable sacrifice to God even if he is a powerful king, the one who defeated God’s people. I say that tongue in cheek because we know that the only reason Judah was defeated was because God permitted it in judgment for their disobedience. The difference between the two uses is that in Ezra animals and resources were to be provided to the Jewish priests in order to intercede on King Darius’ behalf. In this instance, King Nebuchadnezzar is ordering the offering of a sacrifice to God on his behalf. It is not that the Jewish priests are given the resources to do so on his behalf.

The answer is no, the only acceptable sacrifice of a pagan to God is that of repentance and a sin offering.

Everyone will bow before God one day. “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.” There are no other lords. Only one. And only one name under heaven whereby a man must be saved.

the king prostrated himself to Daniel, 46

The king cried out/answered to Daniel, 47

the king made great to Daniel, 48

What is being pointed out is the king is focused on the representative of God. So the king bows before him, much as people did when they saw an angel,

II. All will exalt God, v.47

The king also exalts the God of Daniel, v.47

Then we have here the king answered. Daniel didn’t ask a question of the king. Rather this is a second response to Daniel. In this case it is a statement of acknowledgment about Daniel’s God. I don’t think this was a statement of faith, as though the king became a believer or a profession of faith. I think that comes later. But for now he he is simply acknowledging that Daniel’s God is greater than he had ever encountered.

What we know is that God is the one who elevated Daniel to this position. We know that it was God that worked in the king’s heart giving him favor with the king so that he would promote Daniel to this position. Just as He did with Moses, Joseph, David and so on. Anyone He wanted in a position of power over kingdoms and peoples He put in those positions. It is no different with Daniel. What else could be the explanation for the elevation of an alien (foreign, not a Babylonian, but a captured Jew in exile) teenager to the position of power such as this. Especially to be promoted over others in the kings advisors, who have put in their time. yet what Daniel did was save the lives of the very men he was placed over.

This was like how Cornelius treated Peter, ; and the people of lystra treated Paul and Barnabus,

v.47

What must be a bit confounding to him though is how this God who is so great allowed him to defeat him when he took His city and people into captivity. God’s ways are not our ways. They are often mysterious. But as with Joseph God wanted Daniel in Babylon for a reason. And this is how He chose to do it. We ought to consider this idea when we are experiencing something that doesn’t make sense to us or maybe don’t like. God is using those things to accomplish His will in our lives. And remember He always does what is right. We may not understand it, but that is when we trust the one who is All knowing and All powerful and controls all things.

Read what he said about God.

of a truth is a way of saying, truly, surely, certainly, obviously, clearly,

Your God, not his God, he wasn’t making a statement about his faith in God. Rather , he was saying something about Daniel’s God.

three comments about God:

1.God is God of Gods

2.Lord of Kings -the word Lord/mareh is used of both the king and God. The LXX translates with kurios which is also used of God and human lords. The context would dictate who it is referring to.

The first two are emphasizing the superlative nature of who God is. There is no God like Him in power or control. He is over all.

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Col. 1:15-

3.Revealer of secrets-the one who reveals secrets or mysteries.

The king singles out Daniel’s God as above all other gods and ruler of kings. While in the kings worldview of the gods of heaven he shows that God is above them because He can reveal hidden things that the gods he was familiar with could not.

Here is the empirical evidence that what the King states is true:

Then he gives the reason he arrived at this belief- Because you were able to reveal this secret. ‘This’ refers to the dream of the king. This is the evidence, the proof that Daniel’s God is above all.

Once again the king lifts up the fact that Daniel’s God is above all.

The king was a polytheist so to add another god to the list, to acknowledge that God of Daniel was over all the gods was not really a statement of salvific belief. He believed in His powers but did not know Him to be the only true God. many today have the same view of God. He has power but they don’t know Him as the only God.

“Yet such an experience is required; for Jesus himself said, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” ().” (Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

1 Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

There is enough evidence to prove God is, and to show that He is over all. The question is not is there proof, but rather do you want to believe it? If you do not want to believe it there will never be enough proof. Jesus put it this way in his story of the rich man and Lazarus, . The rich in hell looked across the gulf to heaven where Abraham was and asked that Lazarus be sent back to his five brothers to warn them not to come to this place of torment, Abraham replied, “if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”

My friend, there is enough evidence. This pagan king acknowledged God. He is close to faith in Him. What about you? Do you believe in God? The demons believe and tremble. You must also see How Holy He is, how wretched you are and repent and cry out for mercy.

III. All who humble themselves will be exalted, v.48, 49

What more do we have? The king not only bows before Daniel and offers him gifts. He not only exalts Daniel’s God, but now

the king elevates Daniel to a position second to him.

He promoted him. ie. he made him great, caused him to be great, the word means to grow tall and large, cf. , referring to a tree and the king.

This was like how Cornelius treated Peter, ; and the people of lystra treated Paul and Barnabus,

Now we have a second time stamp, as in v.46, then the king.

So the king falls down before Daniel, then he exalts God, then he exalts Daniel.

He promoted him. ie. he made him great, caused him to be great, the word means to grow tall and large, cf. , referring to a tree and the king.

In Daniel’s case this was the kings doing, the reward for Daniel revealing the dream.

The following is a further explanation of what is meant by making him great.

-gave him many great gifts

-made him ruler over all the provinces of Babylon

-chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon-He was the kings chief advisor.

In other words, he was second in command of the empire.

We must not forget that while the king was the one facilitating this promotion it was really God who was doing this.

-He is the one who sets up kings and removes them. -

“Jerome points out that Daniel was raised to this great position “to the end that the omnipotence of God might be made known.” (Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

Here is this teenage boy who now becomes Prime minister of this pagan nation. This godly young man now is in a position of great power and leadership. Set up to impact the kingdom for the glory of God. To guide Judah through their 70 years of captivity and bring them safely back to Israel at the end of that time. How can that be?

1 Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

This was like how Cornelius treated Peter, ; and the people of lystra treated Paul and Barnabus, . Like them, Daniel didn’t want worship for himself, but for God. The evidence of this in his character is his first recorded act in power> v.49

v.49

This verse shows us Daniel’s response to his new position. His first act as prime minister of Babylon is to elevate his friends.

he sought from the king: he made a request from the king:

it obviously was that his three friends would also be promoted and share in the elevation of position because that is what happened.

the three were set over the affairs of the province of Babylon.

to administer the affairs of the province.

Then it tells us that Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

This was the court or palace. It meant that he was the one to whom people came for judgments concerning the kingdom. He was the head of the court under the king.

What started out as a possible great tragedy, the death of Daniel and this three friends, was turned by God into a great triumph as he was promoted. All because God revealed to Daniel the dream.

Sounds alot like Joseph’s situation in Egypt.

When you are walking with the Lord you have nothing to fear. You don’t have to seek promotion. Submit yourself before the Lord

Conclusion

three lessons:

God is sovereign over kings and affairs of the earth. “If God does not control our lives—from the actions of kings and others in positions of power to the most minute circumstances—then everything in life is uncertain. We are victims of circumstances, and whatever happens will happen. Que sera, sera! But if God is sovereign, as the Bible declares him to be, and if he is our God—if the promises he makes and the actions he takes are certain of fulfillment—then we can be confident of the future and know that we will be able to live our lives in a way that will please God.”(J. M. Boice, Daniel: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1989), 29)

God is omniscient- He knows all things even the future. Even your future.

kingdoms will rise until the kingdom of God comes Then His kingdom will stand over all for eternity.

1 Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 105). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

So humble yourself before the Lord today. All will bow one day, Exalt HIm as God of Gods and humble yourself and he will exalt you.

ConclusioDT:

What it means to humble yourself before the Lord is to know that God is the God of Heaven and He alone rules in Heaven and upon the earth. He alone controls your life. , , Just as with Daniel you can find comfort in the fact that God knows. Bow before Him, Exalt Him, and He will lift you up.

All will bow before God, v.46 -as the king falls before Daniel

All will exalt God, v.47- because there is ample empirical evidence

All who humble themselves will be exalted, v.48,49 -As the king exalts Daniel, so those who humble themselves before God as he did will be exalted. What this does not mean, what it means

All three of the above are facilitated by the Sovereignty of God.

MT:

Humble yourself before Lord, and He will lift you up.

The purpose of this was so the king would know that God is God of Heaven and He alone rules in Heaven and upon the earth.