The Explanation

King Nebuchadnezzar could not sleep. He had a dream, a scary one, and it would not let him go. He called for his wise men. "Tell me my dream," he said, "and tell me what it means." But nobody could do it. The king got so angry that he gave a terrible order. Kill all the wise men of Babylon. Even Daniel and his three friends, who were wise men too, were in danger.

What did Daniel do? He did not run. He did not panic. He went to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and asked them to pray. They asked God for mercy, that he would show them the secret. And that night, while Daniel slept, God showed him the dream in a vision.

Daniel did not throw a party right away. First he prayed. And in his prayer, he said something wonderful about God: "He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings, and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding." Daniel was saying that God is the one holding everything together. Kings think they are the strongest. But God can lift a king up, and God can take a king down.

What Does This Mean?

Think about it. Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man in the world back then. He could order people killed with one word. But even he could not remember his own dream. Even he needed God.

Daniel's words tell us something big. God is not far away, sitting quietly while kings do whatever they want. God is the one who decides who rules and for how long. He is the one who gives wisdom, real wisdom, to people who need it. Daniel had just asked for that wisdom in prayer, and God had given it to him that same night. Daniel was not smarter than all the wise men of Babylon put together. He just knew where to go for help.

Would you have dared to pray like that, knowing your life was hanging on the answer?

The Common Thread

All through the Bible, we see kings rising and falling. Empires that seemed like they would last forever crumbled to dust. But Daniel says something that points beyond just one king or one kingdom. God is the one who is really in charge, always, no matter which king sits on which throne.

Later in this same chapter, Daniel tells the king about a kingdom that will never be destroyed, one that God himself will set up. That kingdom is the story of Jesus. Kings like Nebuchadnezzar and his empire were mighty for a while, but they fell. Jesus is the King who will never fall, and his kingdom will never end. Daniel's prayer, "he removes kings, and sets up kings," reaches all the way to Jesus, the King above every king.

For You

You are not a king. You will probably never rule Babylon. But you have moments just like Daniel's, where you do not know what to do and you feel afraid. A hard test, a scary dark room, a friend who will not talk to you anymore. What do you do first? Daniel prayed before he did anything else. You can do that too. Before school, before a fight with your brother or sister, before you fall asleep at night, you can ask God for help, just like Daniel did.

Talk About It

Why do you think Daniel prayed first, before trying to solve the problem himself?

Can you think of a time you were scared and needed to ask God, or someone else, for help?

Praying Together

Dear God, you are the one who is really in charge, even over kings. Thank you that you give wisdom when we ask for it. Help us to come to you first, just like Daniel did, when we are scared or do not know what to do. Amen.