Daniel

The Dream

Daniel 2:1-3

The dream that creates the dilemma happened in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.  The 'second year' presents a problem, if these young men were in 3 years of schooling after captivity.  The schedule was three years (1:5); they entered service when their time was complete (1:18).  We would presume that to be three years.  Walvoord places the timeline like this (The John Walvoord Prophecy Commentaries):

• May-June 605_B.C. 
  • Babylonian victory over the Egyptians at Carchemish
• June-August 605_B.C. 
  • Surrender of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, and Daniel and companions taken captive.
• September 7, 605_B.C. 
  • Nebuchadnezzar, the general of the army, made king over Babylon after the death of his father, Nabopolassar.
• Sept 7, 605_B.C. to April 1, 604_B.C. 
  • Nebuchadnezzar's ascension year as king, and first year of Daniel's training. 
• April 2, 604_B.C. to March 21, 603_B.C. 
  • First year of reign of Nebuchadnezzar, second year of training of Daniel.
• March 22, 603_B.C. to April 9, 602_B.C.
  • Second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, third year of training of Daniel, and the year of Nebuchadneaar's dreams. 

The calendar and dating of the reign of the kings had some special considerations.  A partial year at the beginning of his reign is called the ascension year and was not considered the first year of reign. It was the first full year that counted as first year of reign.  This, in conjunction with their start and length of the year combine to show that this was his second year of reign and Daniels third year of training. 

Nebuchadnezzar 'dreamed dreams'; the Hebrew is plural indicating a set of interrelated dreams or ongoing singular dreams.  God gave this pagan king dreams that caused turmoil deep within him.  The word translated 'mind' is a Hebrew word for spirit.  His spirit was agitated and he couldn't understand why.  It wasn't that he just didn't understand the dream, it was the accompanying agitation.  God used this to create the dilemma wo that Daniel could display God's plan through the mind of this ungodly world leader. 

The summoning of this collection of magicians, sorcerers, astrologers and enchanters was not out of the norm.  These were the priestly class of counselors to the king.  The word for astrologers was Chaldean.  This originally meant Babylonians who spoke Aramaic, this is why the word is somewhat synonymous with Babylonian.  The word later came to mean Babylonians trained in astrology. 

Daniel 2:4-11

Note: from this point to the end of chapter seven the text was written in Aramaic.  This was the international language of the day.  No one knows why this occurred but there are many speculations.  We do know the message coming through the dream went far beyond Babylon in time and geography.

The Dilemma

The normal way of dream interpretation must have been the king telling them the dream and they would put their heads together and come up with an interpretation.  In this agitated state, the king decided this dream would be handled differently.  They had to state the dream and the interpretation; they also got plenty of motivation to do so.  It wasn't their job on the line but the life; they would be cut in pieces and their house destroyed if they failed.  Successfully telling him the dream and interpretation would result in great honor and reward. 

We can only imagine the look on their faces.  After all, they must have long ago convinced the king of their qualifications, powers and insight.  They had previously counseled the king from the stars, the gods, the dead and other means of divination.  They must have become desperate in their attempt to make the king see this differently.  'We're good, but not that good.  No one can do that!' they might have said.  The king suspected them of misleading him, so he was forcing them to do paint this picture without an outline.  These guys found themselves on the tight wire without a net.  They thought maybe since no king had ever asked such a thing, the king would withdraw this impossible demand.  They then provide the perfect set up for the drama about to unfold.  In verse 11 they state that no man can do this and the gods don't live among humans.  This sets up a contrast and opportunity for the Lord to stand apart from all other gods. 

• The Babylonian gods were said to be the gods of heaven, yet they were powerless, seen as distant and incapable of helping.
• Daniel gets to show them Yahweh is near, powerful and reigns supreme.  All others are shown to not be gods at all. 

Daniel is later referred to as having the 'spirit of the holy gods' in him by the Babylonians.  (Daniel 4:8-9)

Daniel 2:12-23

The Drama

The only thing worse than a stubborn king with an unknown dream is an angry, stubborn king with an unknown dream.  (If they were good at predictions, shouldn't they have seen that coming?)  If their outlook was bleak before, its downright dark and foreboding.  As the king became angry at this comment it was determined they would be executed.  God's servants and prophet were among those advisors.  They were also marked for execution. 

Daniel is seen as this man having wisdom, discernment and tact; knowing what to say and when to say it.  The execution was halted by Daniel's words.  Daniel uses his access to the king address the situation.  With a little time, he wanted to interpret this dream.  Daniel shared the predicament with his friends and enlisted their prayer support as they took their case to God.  They were not at the mercy of Nebuchadnezzar or any god or circumstance.  They placed themselves at the mercy of our merciful God.  The others thought they were at the mercy of a powerless god.  In the midst of the drama, the dilemma was resolved. 

Daniel praised God for the revelation.  It doesn't seem the praise was because their life was saved, although that may have been part of it.  The praise focused on God's eternal authority and power as well as sovereignty over the seasons, kings and kingdoms.  There seems to be a joy of being able to impart this dream in serving the Lord.   See also Ps 113:1-2 and 103:1-2.

Daniel praised God because:

• He changes
• He deposes
• He gives
• He reveals
• He knows

The same things are true today, in our dilemma and drama. 

Daniel 2:24-35

Daniel must have really had a sense of being in God's grip; he willingly sought out his executioner.  Arioch could have just as easily executed him as to listen to his questions.  But the idea of bringing the king someone who could solve his problem was appealing to Arioch.  When Daniel was taken before the king, Arioch announces he found someone to interpret the dream.  There must have been a tense moment for Arioch and Daniel when Daniel said no man could interpret a dream.  The other wise men already had stated the same thing.  Daniel differed in that he said there is 'a God' that can interpret the dream and he had spoken to him.

Daniel doesn't exalt himself in any way for having this information.  In fact, he exalts the king, stating that God revealed the future to him.   The 'gods' were powerless and useless, there is but one God who is the 'revealer of mysteries.  Daniel humbly adds that he only came by the info to explain meaning.  The information was given to the King, not Daniel. The king must have been pleased to know the God of Israel gave this information to him alone.  We know that our Sovereign Lord used sleeplessness of a king to reveal this prophecy and document it for all time.  This is the divine providence of God. 

Daniel went on to describe the dream.  He saw a great statue that was beyond anything ordinary in size and stature.  It struck fear and awe in Daniel. 

• The head was pure gold
• The chest and arms silver
• The belly and thighs were bronze
• The legs were iron
• The feet were partly clay, partly iron

As the king saw this statue in his dream, a rock was cut out (of a larger rock).  This wasn't a stone cut by human hands though.  This rock struck the statue at the feet.  The entire statue was broken to pieces and blew away like chaff in the wind.  No trace was left.  The rock then became a huge mountain filling the earth. 

Daniel 2:36-45

The Divine

Nebuchadnezzar must have been impressed, no one could guess such a thing.  At this point, the king was listening intently to what Daniel said, he had earned the king's attention.  Without hesitation, Daniel moves to the dream interpretation as if it were a matter of fact.  He said 'we' will interpret, implying his friends stand with him.  Daniel offered to Nebuchadnezzar the fact that he was the king of kings, and he was the greatest of earthly kings at that time.  But there was one greater, the God of heaven gave the king his kingdom.  Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold on the statue.

Nebuchadnezzar may well have wanted to linger here and hear more about his kingdom and being the head of gold, but Daniel moved on by saying 'after you'.  We can only wonder if it dawned on Nebuchadnezzar how quickly he would rise and fall in the grand scheme of things.  His kingdom wouldn't last, he wouldn't last and there would be someone after him. 

This second kingdom would be inferior but it would, nevertheless, rise.  We know this kingdom that came after them was the Medo-Persians led by Cyrus the Great.  These two arms, of two kings, would be the silver kingdom.  Being silver, it was of lower worth, but stronger; worth less in the market place and the eyes of men but stronger on the battlefield.  While the Persians conquered the world, they didn't bother to conquer Greece. 

Then there would be a third kingdom, one of bronze.  We are only told this kingdom was the bronze kingdom.  This metal, again, is lesser value than the previous, but stronger; worth even less in the market place and eyes of men, but stronger on the battlefield.  This was Greece, led by Alexander the Great who invaded and conquered Persia in 334_B.C.

After the death of Alexander the Great, there was no clear successor.  His kingdom was divided into four parts to be ruled by his four generals.  Through rebellions, battles and intrigue, the territories lost identity was as territories of Greece and became Roman provinces.  The Roman Empire of Iron had little value in the market place but it was strong on the battlefield.  Rome was created for war.   They were tough and ruthless, crushing others on the battlefield. 

The toes symbolize either a fifth kingdom or a latter phase of the fourth.  The ten toes seem to indicate some sort of federation or union of ten kings.  The iron mixed with clay is weak.  The iron may be the influence of the old 4^th kingdom mixed with the clay.  It will be disjointed and confusing and won't hold together.  It is while these kings reign that God will set up His kingdom, that will never be destroyed or left desolate to be occupied by others (as Israel currently was).  The kingdom of God would crush all other kingdoms, final and forever.  This destruction would come from this Rock cut from a mountain.  'Not by human hands' implies it was a divinely inspired act.  This Rock is Jesus Christ, however, there are other opinions.  Psalm 2 seems to portray this very picture.

A couple key thoughts should be noted of this statue:

• The kingdoms represent man's finest attempts at ruling himself.  A sovereign king could set up a kingdom without interference.  No political deadlock, no interfering congress…..just the that pesky sinful flesh to ruin it all.
  • In every kingdom, you could document the decline coming from unrighteousness.
    • Spiritual decline, idolatry.  The religious leaders fail.
    • Political decline, the king, princes, presidents are all corrupted by sin, leading to corruption, moral issues, lawlessness in the land.  Self-interest and politics lead to injustice and ethical issues.
    • Social decline, as the leaders go, so go the people.  Yet, the true prophets were the conscious of their respective times. These were men that spoke directly to the leaders and the people of God's ways, His will.  They would call the people to godly order, but they will not listen.  Instead they chose the prophets with a pleasing message, to tickle their ears, to tell them it will all be okay.  
  • Man's failure to rule himself leaves us longing for a perfect King, Priest and Prophet; and He is coming, the Rock that will crush the nations and set up His kingdom.
• The statue descended in value from gold to silver, bronze, iron, iron mixed with clay.   
  • But as the value and magnificence went down, the power increased.  The descending value gave way to ascending strength and value on the battlefield.
  • The great kingdom started with Gold and ended up as dust.
  • While mankind believes it is progressing, the opposite seems to be true as we rush towards the day when the nations will be dashed to dust.
• It might trouble us that God would use the troubled mind of a pagan king to bring forth such a wide-sweeping revelation.  Shouldn't this be left to more holy people, God's people?  It might feel that way to us but God's people rebelled against Him, refused to listen to Him or His prophets. 
  • John Lennon once said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus.  The Babylonians might have thought Nebuchadnezzar was greater than any God or nation.  Yet, the news of him falling prostrate before Daniel would have been big news indeed.  
• None of the kings are the focal point of the vision.  The core idea of the vision is the establishment of the kingdom of God. 
  • The stone is Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:6-8; Matthew 21:42-44) 

Daniel 2:46-49

Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar isn't referred to in majesty or as the king of kings.  The 'Great God' showed the king his place on the statue.  As great as he was in man's eyes, in the end, all his glory would be as dust.  No king would ever bow prostrate before a slave; this feat of interpretation must have struck fear in him as the interpretation brought humility.  Nebuchadnezzar recognized Yahweh as the God of all gods and Lord of all kings as well as the revealer of mysteries. 

Daniel and his friends, the slaves in captivity, the Jews set apart for God, were promoted.  Daniel became ruler of the province of Babylon and in charge of all the wise men.  No doubt these wise men who exercised their various dark crafts thought of themselves as more qualified than Daniel.  By the Lord, though, Daniel did something they couldn't do.  The others became administrators over the province. 

⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord scoffs at them.

⁵ He rebukes them in his anger

and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

⁶ "I have installed my king

on Zion, my holy mountain." (Daniel 2:4-5)

©2018 Doug Ford