The Abiding Gift of Prophecy

Daniel in Babylon

Therefore among the captives were men and women who were true and loyal. These bore faithful witness for God during the time of their captivity. While light was thus diffused through the dispersion of the captives, there were some whom God placed as His representatives in the national metropolis, even in the very court of the king of Babylon. AGP 145.2

Among these the records give the names of four—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel 1:6. The steadfast loyalty of these men to God was tested to the limit, and they were triumphant. Moreover, of them we read: AGP 145.3

“As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” Daniel 1:17.

Thus these witnesses for Jehovah demonstrated that He is the God who can impart wisdom. Those who served Him were manifestly wiser than the most learned and trained men of Babylon. AGP 145.4

Like the king of Egypt in the days of old, Nebuchadnezzar was given an impressive dream. As the captive Joseph was called before Pharaoh to give the meaning of his dream, so Daniel was brought by a train of circumstances to relate to Nebuchadnezzar not only the interpretation, but the very dream itself. Little did he imagine, as he stood before the monarch and outlined the successive kingdoms of earth that were symbolized by the various parts of the metallic image, the far-reaching influence of that experience. Who can estimate the uncounted thousands AGP 145.5

who have been convicted of the reliability of the prophetic word, as they have noted the exact correspondence of history with its marvelous foretelling by the prophet Daniel as he interpreted the king’s dream? AGP 146.1

The failure of the wise men of Babylon, whom Nebuchadnezzar first called, was due to the fact, as they acknowledged, that no one could interpret the dream except the gods, “whose dwelling is not with flesh.” In contrast to these vain gods of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar was forced to the admission— AGP 146.2

“Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.” Daniel 2:47.

This experience resulted in the appointment of Daniel and his companions to high positions in the kingdom. Daniel “sat in the gate of the king.” God gave him wisdom as a statesman and counselor to Nebuchadnezzar. AGP 146.3