Daniel has just explained to the king that he had dreamed of a statue, and that the statue's varied composition represented the future kingdoms of the world, that would all be done away when the Eternal Kingdom will come to this Earth.
This so impressed the king, that he did the only thing he could:
(46) Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel,
The king recognized that this God was not like any of the idols he had ever known, and was overcome with awe that Daniel would let this God work through him this way.
and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense.
The offering or oblation is the word maccekah, which is used only here in the whole Old Testament, and refers to a "pouring over" or "pouring out," like a libation as to a deity.
And the incense is also connected to worship of a deity. King Nebuchadnezzar is overcome by this revelation, and is responding in the only way he knows, how he has honored his idols.
He doesn't know how else to act toward Daniel, who is representing this great God that he's never known before.
(47) The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery."
This shows that the king was honoring Daniel's God by these offerings of oblation and incense, acknowledging that this God is greater than all the other idols that he's known, and has political authority over all earthly rulers.
(48) Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
This means that Daniel and his friends were coming to the end of their schooling, or may have even just passed their Final Exam (1: 18-21), but still not actually assigned their full duties, but had "entered the king's personal service.""It should be noted that the Babylonian method of accession-year dating made 602 B. C. (the spring of 602) the end of Nebuchadnezzar's second regnal year, even though he may have captured Daniel and his three companions in the Palestinian campaign of 605 and had them enrolled in the Royal Academy before that year was out. Thus 602 would have been their third year of schooling, even though it was [considered] his second full year of reign." -- Gleason L. Archer, Jr: The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, Volume 7, pages 41-42.
Now, since Daniel had so decisively proved himself a true prophet with access to the great God he worshiped, it was only logical for Nebuchadnezzar to put him in charge of all the diviners at the court of Babylon. Hence he officially became "ruler" or "appointed one" over the whole bureau of "wise men."
The king also fulfilled his original promise (in 2: 6) and loaded him with gifts and royal honors.
Then he went on, and even appointed Daniel civil governor of the entire capital province of Babylon; a post of highest importance in the political structure. This was indeed noteworthy, as normally this would be reserved for a Chaldean nobleman, a member of the Master Race, like Nebuchadnezzar. For a Jew who had been captured as a slave to be so honored was unprecedented, and shows how deeply his intelligence and integrity had impressed the king.
(49) And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king's court.
Daniel's loyalty to his friends was shown by his request that they too be given high appointments. This was a wise move, for it also strengthened Daniel's hand to have his three trusted friends help him in his administrative duties.
God had placed Daniel in this place at this time for His purposes. God wanted to use Daniel to show Nebuchadnezzar who He is, and there will be other times when God is shown further to him. God is already laying the groundwork at the beginning of their captivity for bringing them back to their own land after the 70 years, just as He had planned.
And Daniel's faith and the faith of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah was strong and was not diminished even through their immersion into this new pagan culture. They got along with their neighbors and coworkers, but we will see, when they could not compromise a basic premise, they stood their ground. But only when it was a foundational principle. They had wisdom and discernment in where they drew the line.
We also, as royal sons and daughters of the King living in the godless and wicked cultures and societies of the world need to have wisdom and discernment to distinguish where to draw our lines, also.
There is so much going on around us all the time, it's easy to pick at and complain about everything we don't approve of, and lose our focus on what's important. We can go along to get along, but we still need to know where to stand our ground.
And where we need to stand our ground, God will be with us, just as He was with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. God is the same God, and His love and care for His own has not changed.
They were willing to give their lives to the fire or the lions rather than give worship to any other god. This was their standard, and should also be ours. But they also got along and went along with whatever other stuff that was going on around them.
When they came down to the wire, they knew God could rescue them, but were in His hand to save them or let them die. We need to have the same mind-set. He also may or may not miraculously save us from the violent deaths others desire for us, as He did them, but whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
O my Father, You are great. You are good. You are the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Your faithfulness does not waver. Your compassion never wanes. Your strength never weakens. Your great Plan of the Ages is marching on, every moment closer to the denouement when our King returns to conquer all His enemies and rule the world with His iron scepter, in absolute righteousness.
O Father, send out Your children as Your messengers and missionaries, to broadcast Your good news to every living creature in all nations. Draw all of Your chosen ones to the birth into Your family, and leave the rest with no excuse for their rebellion.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
