n the reign of
Jehoiakim, the Jews were taken into captivity to Babylon, the youth
Daniel went with them, while the old prophet Jeremiah was left behind.
Daniel was chosen, with three companions, to be educated at the court
of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. They were taught the Chaldean
language and the sciences, and the king was delighted with their
progress.

An opportunity soon came for Daniel to be of service to his royal
patron. Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream, which none of his
magicians could interpret, because, unfortunately, he had forgotten
it. In his anger that no one could supply the lost memory, he
commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. But Daniel prayed to
God that the secret might be revealed to him.

His prayers were answered, and he related to the king not only just
what the dream was, but the full meaning of it:[27] "Thou, O king,
sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness
was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver,
his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of
iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out
without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron
and clay, and brake them to pieces.... And the stone that smote the
image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."

[Footnote 27: Daniel, chapter ii. verses 31-35.]

In Daniel's interpretation the different portions of the image
represented the different kingdoms which should follow, one after
another, in the future. The stone which brake the image in pieces
referred to the final kingdom which the God of heaven shall set up,
"which shall never be destroyed," but which shall stand forever.

From this time forth Daniel became a seer. He had many wonderful
visions in the night, and interpreted them with reference to future
historical events. He was also a statesman, the king having made him
governor of the province as a reward for his services. In later years
he acted as viceroy at a time when the king was insane.

In the reign of Nebuchadnezzar's successor, Belshazzar, Daniel was
again called into service as a seer. One night, during a great feast,
a mysterious hand appeared to write some inscription on the wall, and
Daniel alone could interpret it. The message was ominous, but the
prophet spoke out boldly. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARS