Daniel 2:1-30
Introduction:
Comment on Workman Presentation
New Series on Daniel
Text: Daniel 2:1-30 *Read as you go through it*
About the book of Daniel:
Daniel is an interesting mix of history and prophecy.
Two common themes in the book are on God’s sovereignty and Daniel and his friends’ refusal to compromise their relationship with God.
Review of Daniel 1:
- Set in the kingdom of Babylon.
- Babylon conquered Jerusalem and took the majority of the inhabitants back to Babylon.
- Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were amongst those taken to Babylon.
- Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, set upon a program to change the thoughts, culture, religion, and lifestyle of Daniel and his friends from being Jewish to being Babylonian.
- Daniel and his friends refused to do things that they deemed harmful to their relationship with God. They would not eat the king’s food, probably because it included things sacrificed to idols and forbidden foods such as pork.
- God was gracious to Daniel and his friends and caused them to increase in weight and health despite their strict vegan diet. The fact they increased in weight on water and fiber reveals it to be a miracle.
- God has big plans for Daniel and his friends. God has acted to put them into a place where they can influence the king.
Theme:
*Read Verses 1-11* – Here Daniel Faces A Life-threatening Test
Nebuchadnezzar must have had a recurring dream. In verse 1 and 2 it states that he had dreams. Verse 3 Nebuchadnezzar states that he had a dream, singular. He then asks various magicians to tell him both the dream and the interpretation.
So, there is one dream, occurring repeatedly. I don’t know if something like that has ever happened to you or not. I’ve had some memorable and troubling dreams, but never the same one over and over again. But to Nebuchadnezzar it must have been obvious that this was a supernatural occurrence and the dream was somehow important.
It was also frightening and bothered him to the point where he could no longer sleep at night.
Nebuchadnezzar is a cranky guy. If you’ve read the book of Daniel before, you’ll know that. And if not, it’ll quickly become apparent as we go through the book.
Nebuchadnezzar, troubling dreams, and lack of sleep are a dangerous mix.
Nebuchadnezzar is not a kind person. Unfortunately for his magicians, he is also reasonably clever. Nebuchadnezzar puzzled out something that a lot of other kings failed to puzzle out – these magicians can say whatever they want to about his dreams, give whatever interpretation they want, and there is no real way to test whether what they are saying is true or not. He knows also that they are in collusion with each other. Agreeing to speak the same made up interpretation in order to give their words more authority and protect themselves from the angry king.
So he comes up with a test. One that can only be passed through supernatural assistance. He tells his magicians that he will not believe their interpretation, unless they tell him the dream. If they can tell Nebuchadnezzar the dream, which only he knows, then that will mean they have the ability to tell its interpretation as well. Failure to do so will be proof to him that they are deceivers and will result in the death penalty for them all.
Nebuchadnezzar is very swift to bring up the death penalty. And not just any death penalty, but death by dismemberment!
The group of magicians, represented by the Chaldeans, protest against Nebuchadnezzar’s request.
That’s not how it’s done! They say. Kings don’t ask that of their magicians because it can’t be done. There is no person on earth who can do as you ask. Only a god could reveal this. We have no power to.
Note: Interesting side note here: In 2:4 we read “the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic.” From that point on, from Daniel 2:4 to the end of Daniel 7, everything is written in Aramaic. The Bible is mostly written in Hebrew and Greek, but Daniel 2:4 to Daniel 7 is written in Aramiac.
When I was at the conference this week, the speaker brought that out and he mentioned that he believes it was because Aramiac was the common tongue at the time of this book’s writing. It was written in Aramaic between chapters 2 to 7 because God was particularly interested in everyone being able to read it, not just the Jews.
Link: Well, surprise, surprise, Nebuchadnezzar does not like that answer at all. It wasn’t filled with the appropriate reverence due to a king. It bordered on a rebuke and insinuation that his request was ignorant, amateur, and a break with proper conduct. When, in fact, he is showing more insight than other kings. Plus, Nebuchadnezzar is cranky because he can’t sleep due to this recurring, and obviously important dream. And so…
*Read Verses 12-16* – Daniel’s Intervention
So the magicians and wise men answer poorly. Nebuchadnezzar is so volatile that a poor answer before him is enough to condemn them all.
If you’ll recall, Daniel and his friends in chapter 1 were trained to be advisors to the king. They are therefore implicated in this whole nasty mess.
The king’s guard is sent out to round up all of the wise men to be killed, and that means Daniel and his companions as well.
I wish I knew the full extent of what Daniel said to Arioch and to the king, but we know from verse 14 that he practiced proper prudence and discretion before this cranky and hostile king, unlike the other wise men.
Link: His request for more time is granted.
Verses 17-23 – God’s Intervention
There is a lot that can be said when you contrast Daniel’s response to the situation with the other wise men. When they heard the news, they were hopeless and faithless. They did not believe it could be done. From their “it’s not going to happen” response to the king, I doubt that they even bothered to pray to their gods about it.
But Daniel and his friends know that their God is the true God of heaven and able to reveal to them both the dream and its interpretation.
And so they seek Him in prayer, and God answers by revealing the matter to Daniel in a vision during the night.
Daniel praises God
20 – Wisdom and power belong to God
21 – God changes the times and the epochs. He changes the seasons of kings and kingdoms. The ways things are going. The Times.
He removes and establishes kings (such as Nebuchadnezzar).
He gives wisdom and knowledge. It comes from him.
22 – He reveals the profound and hidden things.
There is no light without Him. Darkness cannot hide from Him.
23 – God has made the matter known to Daniel.
Verses 24-30 – Daniel Gives Glory to God
27-28 – Daniel takes no credit for the revelation. He gives all glory to God.
29-30 – God wanted Nebuchadnezzar to know this dream. And He wanted it known that the dream came from God and was about God and His kingdom.
Application:
Daniel 2:10-11 There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
Daniel 2:27-28 No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries,
Daniel 2:30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.
Application 1: God is able to do what man cannot. Therefore, like Daniel, when faced with a problem, we should run to God in prayer.
Application 2: God is sovereign. He raises kings up and brings them down. He changes the times and the seasons. Considering that God has promised us eternal life and rest, and He is fundamentally benevolent and good, this should give us rest.
Application 3: Because God is able to do what we cannot, and because God is sovereign, we should give glory to God for the things He has done. It is a mistake to think that your strength or wisdom or gifts or whatever come from you. They are gifts from God.