Daniel 5 - 7

Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Belshazzar, throws a feast for his kingdom.  After using the implements from Jerusalem's temple as flatware and stemware for his feast, a hand appears and writes on the banquet house wall, spelling out the doom for the Babylonian kingdom.  That night, Belshazzar is killed and Darius the Mede takes rulership of the kingdom.

With the Medes and Persians in control, Daniel is made one of the leaders in the new government.  His religious practices are not appreciated by his fellow governors; they eventually get legislation passed that made prayer to anyone other than the king a crime punishable by death in the lions' den.  Daniel makes no change in his practice; is thrown to the lions and survives the ordeal.  Darius then makes a decree that prayer is to be offered only to the God that Daniel serves.

Daniel then sees a vision of beasts that corresponds to the kingdoms in Nebuchadnezzar's dreams.  The interpretation and scope of these kingdoms is so vivid that Daniel is greatly disturbed and affected by them.