Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.” Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” Daniel 2:4-7 (NIV).
The comedians who served King Nebuchadnezzar weren’t very smart. Was it that they thought they could bluff their way through interpreting the king’s dreams, or were they afraid to tell him, “sorry, your majesty, but that’s above our pay grade?” Either way, they weren’t very bright.
Think about it: Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that bothered him so much that he called in some of his most trusted advisors, looking for their help. It was the best he could do. He was skeptical that they’d be able to help him, so skeptical that he vowed to either reward or kill them depending on what they say. Perhaps they failed him before; perhaps the toadstools or chicken bones that they ‘consulted’ to divine the future had actually been just mushrooms and bones after all.
Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar already knew they were wasting his time, so he laid down the law before they even spoke. As we’ll see in the days to come, they were playing him, playing word games to try to get the king himself to tell them what to say.
What about now? We live in an age full of breaking news, statistics bent and twisted to prove what is untrue, and skepticism of even the best proven facts. What good is it without God? College professors don’t know any more than Joe on the street. Anyone with an internet connection can post a video blog that interprets the day’s events in any way they please. Nobody really knows.
We don’t sound much different from the court fools of Babylon.
Our problem is the same as theirs: we don’t go to God first. God tells us to come to Him in every matter, for everything. He doesn’t say, “only bring me the big things.” God says “everything” and He means it. Whether it’s your in-most burdens or starting your weed whacker, God tells us to bring all our thoughts, prayers, and actions to Him first. Nebuchadnezzar didn’t know this. His magicians didn’t care. And they hadn’t spoken to Daniel yet. What’s our excuse?
For further reading: Genesis 41:32, Ezra 4:7, Ezra 6:1, Nehemiah 2:3, Daniel 2:8
Lord God, today I pray to bring every matter to You.
This content may not be shared without consent of the owners of aspiringwriterdt.com. Please contact aspiringwriterdt@gmail.com for more information
Practical Proverbs 