Biblical Methods

Most commentators do not make a connection between chapters 2 and 3. Yet, some reflection should suggest that Daniel is not attempting to write a complete biography of Nebuchadnezzar. Indeed, in all of Nebuchadnezzar's long reign, Daniel selects only three events to tell about the king (one each in chapters 2, 3, and 4). Thus, since Daniel is highly selective in what he says about Nebuchadnezzar, we should give him the benefit of the doubt and allow his selection to make a contribution to his overall theme. In other words, we should see mostly clearly a connection between chapters 2 and 3 if there are any internal clues of such a connection.

A major clue immediately presents itself: in 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar builds an image of gold and in 2:38 Daniel describes the king himself as the head of gold of the image he saw in his dream. In other words, it seems transparent that Daniel is portraying chapter 3 as the king's reaction to the prophecies of chapter two. Now the head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar--and the head was the shortest/smallest part of the statue (assuming the statue was relatively realistic). Further, the chronological sequence that the statue represented moved from top to bottom, from head to toes. Therefore, the conclusion seem evident that Nebuchadnezzar built this statue of himself (not a statue of Marduk, as some have maintained), and he made it entirely out of gold1--from head to toe--in defiance of Daniel's God. He is saying by this statue, in effect, "I will reign forever! And you better bow down and acknowledge this or you will get fired!" In very graphic terms, then, Nebuchadnezzar was attempting to thwart the divine will.

In light of such a possibility, we would have no problem suggesting that this is a political statement, not a religious one--as many commentators have suggested. At the same time, the political statement is a religious one in that by this statement Nebuchadnezzar is declaring that he, not YHWH, is omnipotent! History...