DANIEL: GOD’S FAITHFUL PROPHET CHAPTER 2 NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM AND GOD’S PLAN A. ENIGMA OF THE DREAM BEYOND THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD (1-13) Daniel 2:1 Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. Nebuchadnezzer’s dreams reveal what will happen to those kingdoms and empires controlled by man. They are doomed to a drastic overthrow. God had reasons for revealing to heathen kings the futility of building kingdoms on the principle of, “Might Makes Right.” Their exploitation of the people they conquered was not to go unpunished. Daniel 2:2-3 Nebuchadnezzer seeks to have his dream interpreted. To set his mind at ease, Nebuchadnezzar summons four classes of dream interpreters: scholars, enchanters, sorcerers (astrologers) and Chaldeans. The Chaldeans seem to be the spokesman for the other groups. With the group before him, Nebuchadnezzar tells them he has dreamed a dream. (significant construction: singular) He pleads with them to tell him what the dream means. STARTING AT 2:4 THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF DANIEL IS IN ARAMAIC THROUGH THE END OF CHAPTER 7. Daniel 2:4 The Chaldean spokesmen offer to explain. "O King, live forever!" is an oriental courtesy, almost like our, "Mr. President, sir." They are confident that, given a chance, that they can interpret "Nebuchadnezzar’s" dream. Daniel 2:5-6 Nebuchadnezzar’s threat if they fail, and promise if they tell, his dream. Nebuchadnezzar demands that the Chaldeans reveal both the dream AND its interpretation. Typical challenge of an oriental despot. Daniel 2:7-9 The Chaldeans try to wiggle their way out. They try to "buy time" but the king doesn't buy it. He replies firmly, "I mean business. Speak up or else!" Daniel 2:10-11 The Chaldeans back off. It’s never been done before!" they reason. They don't want to irritate Nebuchadnezzar. They confess that only "the gods" know, admitting it cannot be done by human intellect. Daniel 2:12-13 Nebuchadnezzar doesn't accept their theory. He becomes angry and issues an edict to have ALL the wise men put to death. Even though Daniel and his friends were novices in the trade, they are included. B. DANIEL'S UNDERSTANDING TO INTERPRET (14-23) Daniel 2:14-16 Daniel comes to the rescue. Daniel tells Arioch, the chief executioner, to let him have a chance to explain the dream to Nebuchadnezzar. No doubt the Holy Spirit had prompted Daniel to make such a bold and confident statement. Daniel 2:17-18 Daniel seeks prayer support from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (a.k.a. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah). Inspired as he was to believe that God had called him and his companions for this emergency, Daniel knows the power of prayer. The term "God of the Heavens" is used in opposition to the Babylonian and other views that the influence of the stars, sun, and moon determine man’s destiny. The petition of the prayer is that they not perish. This isn't selfish, but a prayer of necessity to preserve the messianic line from being snuffed out! Daniel 2:19 "Nebuchadnezzar’s" dream is revealed to Daniel. It comes in the form of a "night vision" rather than a dream. Daniel 2:20-23 Daniel's dream. The major theme of the Psalm is God's mighty revelation, which Daniel has just received. Daniel acknowledges that only the true God gives wisdom, controls time, determines who shall rule and who shall be deposed, reveals hidden things, and knows what is in darkness. Daniel 2:22 "And Light dwelleth with Him..." (KJV) Jews interpreted this passage as meaning a reference to the Messiah. He who is to come is indeed the light of the nations, but other passages show the Messiah more clearly. Daniel 2:23 "Thee, God of my fathers..." (KJV) Daniel implies that he is having an experience of God's mercy like that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Daniel also acknowledges the part his friends had in the prayer for which an answer was received in the vision. C. DANIEL'S CALL TO INTERPRET THE DREAM (24-45) Daniel 2:24 Daniel asks for the audience with Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel assures Arioch that he is able to interpret the troubling dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 2:25-26 The great confrontation. Arioch tries to claim credit for having "found" Daniel rather than telling Nebuchadnezzar that Daniel had come to him. He wanted to gain favor in Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes, rather than in the eyes of Daniel’s God. Daniel 2:21-30 Daniel uses the opportunity to give witness to his God. Daniel makes it plain that his God had given him the answer. The parallel of Joseph in Egypt in Genesis 41:16 is worth noting. To rebuke the king for his unjust edict, Daniel asserts that no wise man of any sort, including the astrologers can answer the kinds of questions like those Nebuchadnezzar asked. Daniel 2:31 The dream is told and interpreted. Nebuchadnezzar was gazing at a statue, entranced by the sight and unable to take his eyes off what he saw. The size of the statue was immense. It had extraordinary splendor. Because it was so huge, it was foreboding. Daniel 2:32-33 Significant details. The head was of pure gold. The breastplate and arms were of silver. The abdomen and upper half of the legs were of bronze/brass. The lower half of the legs were iron. The feet were a mixture of iron and clay. Daniel 2:34-35 The statue moves. A stone is cut loose or detached from a mountainside. The stone begins to roll down the mountain. The statue is directly in its path. The stone strikes the statue's feet and they are "demolished,” or crushed. No trace of the statue is found. The stone which wrought this damage grows to gigantic size and becomes a huge mountain, filling the whole earth. Daniel 2:36-38 The dream is interpreted. Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold, meaning "Nebuchadnezzar’s" kingdom. Daniel 2:39 The coming of three kings. The kingdoms that would supersede the Babylonian empire would be "inferior" which doesn't mean lesser in size, but lesser in unity and organization. The Persian Kingdom under Cyrus was a two-part empire consisting of Media and Persia. But the two never fused so thoroughly as to become one undivided whole. Even though Alexander the Great ruled a kingdom over all the ancient world, when he died a great fight for power took place, resulting in divisions. This suggests that the third kingdom might also represent Syria and Egypt, which remained at odds when the last empire (Rome) appeared on the scene. Daniel 2:40-43 The fourth kingdom. The mark of the fourth empire is strength: "strong as iron." This referred not to unity or organization, but to the destructive power this kingdom would possess. Roman legions were noted for their ability to crush all resistance with an iron heel. This fourth empire would be "fragile" because it would lack inner unity. This is symbolized by the mixture of potter's clay and iron. The iron and clay will not fuse. The stone that smites the most vulnerable part of the statue symbolizes the decline of the Roman empire. The reference to the toes, according to many sources, may well refer to the independent kingdoms into which the Roman empire broke up when the disintegration set in. Since ten is the number of totality, the ten toes represent the sum total of these kingdoms. Daniel 2:44-45 The interpretation concluded. The kingdom that shall endure eternally is the kingdom of God. 1. IT SHALL ETERNALLY NOT BE DESTROYED. 2. IT SHALL BE RULED BY THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 3. IT SHALL OVERCOME THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD. 4. IT SHALL STAND FOREVER. Daniel concludes the interpretation by explaining that the stone loosened from the mountainside would have an everlasting effect on the kingdoms of the world. D. RESULTANT GLORY TO GOD & PROMOTION (46-49) Daniel 2:46-49 The results of interpreting the dream. Nebuchadnezzar now reacts to Daniel’s interpretation of his dream. The honors are two-fold: 1. Nebuchadnezzar does what amounts to an act of worship of Daniel. Daniel accepted this as worship to God. 2. Nebuchadnezzar elevates Daniel to prefect of the province of Babylon. Daniel was made "head of all men." This too was an honor not usually bestowed upon foreign men. Daniel also makes a request: that his three friends also receive honored positions. The king is happy to make the friends minor officials in his kingdom. They, too, reap the rewards of faithfulness. .