Chapter 2
- Nebuchadnezzar's Dream2
- 2nd year of his reign he was troubled by dreams and couldn't sleep
- (google says 604 BC; note he rules from 605 BC - 562 BC as king of Babylon)
- Summoned to tell him what he had dreamed
- M magicians
- E enchanters
- S sorcerers
- A astrologers
- The MESA couldn't tell him the dream and asked him to tell them and they would interpret.
- King firmly replied
- tell me what I dreamed AND interpret it and received gifts, rewards and honor
- OR you will be cut into pieces and your houses turned to rubble
- The MESA asked again
- King replied
- you are trying to gain time
- Tell me or I know you are conspiring to mislead me.
- The Astrologers replied
- No one can do this
- except the gods, and they do not live among humans
- King responded
- Angry & furious
- ordered execution of ALL the wise men of Babylon
- Men were sent to look for Daniel & his friends to put them to death
- ? Was this worded because all the other wise men were already there and they were the only missing ones?
- Arioch goes out to put to death the wise men of Babylon
- He is the commander of the king's guard
- Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact & asked about the decree
- Arioch explained
- Daniel went to the king and asked for time so he could interpret dream
- Daniel
- returned to his house and explained to his 3 friends
- Hananiah
- Mishael
- Azariah
- urged to plead for mercy from God concerning this mystery and that they might not get executed
- During night - God revealed the mystery in a vision
- Daniel praised God and said:
"Praises be to the name of God for ever and ever
wisdom and power are his.
21He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
23I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
- Daniel interprets the Dream
- Daniel went to Arioch and told him not to execute the wise men and to take him to the king so he could interpret the dream for him.
- Arioch takes him to the king
- The king asks Daniel if he can tell him the dream AND interpret it
- Daniel replies:
- No one can explain this mystery BUT
- there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
- God has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come
- Daniel tells the dream.....Your dream and visions are these:
- You were lying there and thinking on things to come and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.
- this mystery has been revealed to me so you can know and understand (not because of me or my wisdom)
- NOTE: I like that Daniel was used because he prayed to God for answers and not because he was such a wise, famous man)
- You saw a large statue
- enormous, dazzling, awesome
- Head of pure gold
- Chest & Arms of Silver
- Belly & Things of Bronze
- Legs of Iron
- Feet of partly iron and partly baked clay
- While watching - a rock was cut out (not by human hands) and it struck the statue on its feet of iron & clay and smashed them
- Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold were broken to pieces -
- like chaff on a threshing floor in summer
- the wind swept them away without a trace
- The rock (that struck the statue) became a huge mountain that filled the whole earth.
- Daniel tells the interpretation
- Gold: You are king of kings
- God has given you dominion, power, might & glory
- God has placed all mankind, animals & birds in your hands
- You rule over them all
- You are the head of gold
- Silver: another king arises
- inferior
- Bronze: a 3rd kingdom arises
- will rule over the whole earth
- Iron: a 4th kingdom
- strong as iron - for it breaks and smashes everything
- it will crush and break all the others
- Clay & Iron: a divided kingdom
- the feet & toes
- some strength of iron
- will be partly strong and partly brittle
- iron not mix with clay just like the people will be a mixture and not remain united
- In the time of those kings
- God will set up a kingdom
- that will never be destroyed
- not be left to another people
- it will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end
- it will endure forever
- "This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands a rock that broke the iron, bronze, clay silver and gold to pieces
- God has shown the king what will take place in the future
- the dream is true
- the interpretation trustworthy
- King Nebuchadnezzar
- fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor
- ordered an offering & incense be presented to him
- told Daniel his God is the God of gods and a revealer of mysteries
- you have revealed this mystery.
- Placed Daniel in a high position, gave gifts
- made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon
- placed him in charge of all its wise men
- At Daniel's request - the king also appointed Shadrach Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon while Daniel stayed on the royal court
Currently Selected:
Daniel 2: NIV
Highlight
Share
Copy
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
No comments:
Post a Comment