How Daniel Interpreted Dreams

Last week I read about Joseph of Egypt's interpretation of dreams. I learned that he looked at symbolism with spiritual eyes, and relied on the power of God rather than of men or devils. This week I read about Daniel-- specifically his interpretation of two dreams of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel's behavior in both instances is similar.
In the first passage, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, but forgot what he had dreamed. He commanded all of his magicians to not only interpret his dream, but remember it for him (or die!). None of his magicians were able to. In order to save the lives of himself, his friends and the magicians, Daniel offered to discover and interpret the king's dream.
The night before he met with the king, Daniel prayed. Interestingly, he didn't only pray alone, but also with his friends. After praying, he slept and received the king's dream in a dream himself:
"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. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."
In the morning, he went to the king and interpreted the dream. Before offering the interpretation, however, he acknowledged the source of his interpretation to the king and the wise men:
"The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets…"
He also explained the reason why the secret was revealed:
"But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart."
Daniel then explained that the dream represented the kingdoms of the earth. At the last days, the great and the lesser kingdoms would all be swept away by the power of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar accepted his interpretation and praised Daniel.
The second dream Nebuchadnezzar had (of the tree) had similar lessons. Daniel's example of interpretation in both instances taught key lessons that are applicable as we strive to interpret dreams. Daniel remained humble through the whole process. He acknowledged that he had no power to know the dream, let alone interpret it. He gave thanks to God. He directed others to know God. We need to strive for this same humility and gratitude.
He also had righteous intentions. Rather than idly wondering about the dream, he wanted to save his life and the lives of his friends. As we seek revelation, it's important to examine our intentions: do we seek revelation to sate curiosity, or for real improvement?
Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dreams without fear. In the first dream, he prophesied of the downfall of the king's empire. In the second, he prophesied that the king would become mad. Yet he spoke boldly. The Spirit of the Lord spoke to him, and he believed.

As we humbly seek to receive revelation for righteous purposes, without fear of persecution, the Lord will make his mysteries known.

The great image from Nebuchadnezzar's dream