Daniel 4-6

[wolfpurplemoon]

The king describes the dream he had, and Daniel's interpretation is that it means that the king will be driven out of society and will live with the animals for seven years, which happens and at the end of it he returns to his kingdom and begins to praise God.

The king's son is now king and he sees a hand write on the wall while he is drunk, I think that's an easily explained event... Daniel is asked to interpret the writing and even though he says it means that the king has been found wanting, the king honours Daniel before dying that day.

The men who work with Daniel try to dig up dirt on him but can't find anything to use against him so make the king write a law that forbids the people from worshipping anyone or anything other than the king. Daniel is too devout to stop his praying schedule even for a temporary law that has a penalty of death. But it's OK because God protects Daniel from the lions he is thrown to and the people trying to get him killed are thrown to the lions and killed.

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[zteccc.livejournal.com]

Nebuchadnezzar writes a letter (to his empire) in which he describes another dream. Daniel, after a "don't shoot the messenger" moment, again interprets the dream as a warning that if Nebuchadnezzar doesn't repent his sins, he will suffer a period where he will have to live away from the comforts of the palace while he learns that God is the highest power.
About a year later, Nebuchadnezzar hears a voice from heaven repeating the warning of the dream. Nebuchadnezzar then describes a period where he lived as an animal. Nebuchadnezzar recovers after praying to God and then tells the recipients of his letter (his empire) to praise and worship God.

The book of Daniel, like Jeremiah, is not presented in a chronological fashion. Belshazzar refers to his "father" Nebuchadnezzar, however the term is used figuratively, as Nebuchadnezzar was the "father" of the nation much the way George Washington is referred to as the "father" of the United States. Belshazzar, a later king of Babylon, just before the Persian conquest of Babylon (over 30 years after Daniel starts serving Nebuchadnezzar), is having a feast and after drinking, brings the gold and silver cups from the temple in Jerusalem to drink out of.
A hand was seen writing on the wall of the palace. Apparently, this was a real occurrence, and not a drunken hallucination, because the writing remained on the wall for the king's advisors to see. The advisors couldn't read the writing on the wall. Daniel is called.
Daniel refers to the time that Nebuchadnezzar lived in the field as an animal and learned about God. Belshazzar is full of pride and hasn't learned the lesson that Nebuchadnezzar learned, instead worshiping idols. Daniel then tells Belshazzar that his reign is ending, that Belshazzar is lacking as a king and person, that the Persians and Medes will conquer Babylon. Belshazzar honored Daniel's interpretation, but he was killed that night.

The last verse in chapter 5 refers to Darius, who didn't take the throne until some 18 years later. It is uncertain whether or not there is missing text or whether skipping these years of history is intentional because they show the fulfillment of the prophecy given and to keep the story going as the next chapter refers to Darius as ruler.

Daniel is raised to a high position in Darius' court. Darius makes a law that says that everyone must worship the king (the idea of a "god-king" was common). The penalty for breaking this law was being fed to lions. Daniel wouldn't bow to the king and was thrown to the lions. An angel was sent and the lions were kept from harming Daniel. The king then had those who plotted against Daniel thrown to the lions. Then the king declared that all people should worship God.