How did Daniel gain a position of preeminence in Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom?
Daniel gained preeminence by interpreting the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed and lost. The king's magicians could not bring back or explain it, but Daniel, a young Jewish captive trained by the Babylonians for service in the king's kingdom, was brought to that place of preeminence.
Les teaches that Daniel was writing shortly after Nebuchadnezzar besieged and took the Jews captive from Jerusalem and Judea back to Babylon. As a young Jew being trained by the Babylonians for service in the king's kingdom, Daniel was brought to the place of preeminence by interpreting the dream Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed and lost. The king had tried to get his magicians to bring the dream back, but they could not, and Daniel's interpretation brought him to that position. Les also notes that scoffers ridicule the book of Daniel, claiming it was written by an imposter long after the events had happened, rather than by this young Jew writing before they happened.