DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 2.19

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Two

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar

(The Rise and Fall of Empires)

 

 

Review

Previously, Nebuchadnezzar dumfounded the Chaldeans by his requirement to reveal his strange dream and its interpretation. The incompetent wise men asserted that no other world ruler would demand such a request. Assuming they were stalling, he issued an edict: If the dream was disclosed and its interpretation deciphered they would reap great rewards, but if not, they faced execution.

 

Meanwhile, the king's executioner, Arioch, approached Daniel and informed him of the dilemma. At Daniel’s request, Arioch arranged a meeting between him and the king. After receiving an extension of time, Daniel returned home and called for a prayer meeting with his three associates. In prayer, they petitioned God to reveal the dream, and that they, along with the wise men, should not perish.

 

 

(Verse 19)

 

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of Heaven.

 

The Dream Revealed to Daniel

Based on the prayer of Daniel and his cohorts, two reciprocal actions transpire in the middle of the night:

1. God made known to Daniel what the king had requested

a.  God reveals His truths through visions and dreams:

Numbers 12:6 - And He said, Hear now My words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

 

b.  The distinction between a vision and a dream is by definition:

i. A Dream – In a dream, the recipient is asleep while receiving a revelation. For example, During his dream (called Jacob’s ladder), God revealed to Jacob that all the nations of the world would be blessed (cf. Genesis 28:10-17)

 

ii. A Vision – In a vision, the recipient is awake while receiving a revelation. For example, God revealed His covenant to Abram through a vision:

Genesis 15:1 - After these things the Word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

 

2. Daniel kneeled and blessed the God of Heaven

Secondly, Daniel acknowledged God and gave Him all the glory. He followed God’s simple format written in a Psalm:

Psalm 50:15 - And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.

 

Then Daniel blessed the God of Heaven

Blessings

There exist two types of blessings germane to the sovereignty of God:

1. When God bestows blessings on someone or something

The recipient of God's blessing receives the fullness of life. For instance, in the Garden, when He created sea life, creatures of the air, and the first man and woman, the blessing provided prosperity or abundance (cf. Genesis 1:22, 28).

 

2. When man blesses God through worship or prayer

Contrariwise, by pronouncing a blessing upon God, one is esteeming Him with strong affection and gratitude for all His benefits. God is also being acknowledged as the giver of the fullness of life (cf. Psalm 103). 

 

When Daniel blesses God, he is acknowledging God as the One by not only answering his and his three friend's prayers but also endowing them with special abilities to endure diversities (cf. Daniel 1:17).

   

Additionally, notice Daniel specifically blesses the God of Heaven, namely because the heathen Babylonian gods do not come from Heaven.

 

 

Daniel’s psalm of praise and thanksgiving are notated in the successive verses…

(Verse 20)

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His:

(Verse 21)

And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

(Verse 22)

He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him.

 

Prayer of the Prophet

One of the major themes throughout the book of Daniel is his prayer life. Daniel was a man of prayer, purpose, and courage. Although not recorded, it is obvious from the context he prayed with his three companions (cf. 2:17-18). But now, Daniel launches into a prayer fashioned after some of the Psalms. This is the first documented prayer in the book of Daniel.

 

Being overwhelmed with thanksgiving in his heart, and as a natural part of his life, Daniel blessed God. Even though there is a litany of elements in Daniel’s song, they are shown in two major divisions:

A. Daniel blesses God

In the first half, he humbly exalts God alone above anyone or anything. And, in doing so, Daniel is acknowledging God as the giver of his special abilities.

 

B. Daniel thanks God

In the second half, Daniel humbly thanks God for what He has done for him and his three friends (1:17) through answered prayer.

 

 

Praises

1. Blessed be the name of the God of Israel forever and ever

a. Another rendering is, Praise be the name of God from everlasting to everlasting (cf. Psalm 113:1b-2).

 

b. For centuries the name of God, Jehovah, was so revered the Israelites dared not speak the name of God. Instead, they used a Tetragrammaton (a word reduced to four letters without vowels as a scriptural name for God), i.e., YWHW, later Yahweh.

 

c. The name of God embodies all that God is

Psalm 113:2 - Blessed be the name of the LORD from

 this time forth and for evermore.

 

d. Compare: In the New Testament economy, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name” (cf. Matthew 6:9).

 

So, Daniel, deeply embedded in the Scriptures, joyfully acknowledged, and gave God a personal hymn of praise. 

 

2. Blessed be the God of Heaven for wisdom and might are His

Secondly, Daniel praised God for His wisdom and might    (power).

a.  He is the God of wisdom. And, wisdom is having the ability to apply biblical truth to trial situations in life. As such:

Proverbs 2:6 - For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

 

b.  God is a God of might

As an attribute of His being, He is an omnipotent (all-powerful) God who has unlimited, infinite power. He is called El Shaddai - The Almighty God.

Genesis 17:1 - And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect.

 

3. Blessed be God for changing times and seasons

    a. Times is defined as an epoch of time as in several years, whereas seasons, on the other hand, is the length of time within a year.

 

    b. This is an attribute showing God’s sovereignty

Some examples include:

Genesis 1:14 - And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

 

4. Blessed be God for removing and ordaining kings

a. Christians are to obey the will of God in connection with His plan of government:

Psalm 75:7 - But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.

 

Romans 13:1 - Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and He puts these rulers in their places of power. (CEV)

        

5. Blessed be God for giving wisdom to the wise

The God of wisdom disseminates wisdom to the wise. In His act of worship, Daniel blessed God for doing so. Job acknowledged:

Job 12:13a - With Him is wisdom and strength

   

6. Blessed be God for giving knowledge to those who have an understanding

a. God is praised for giving knowledge to the discerning by their desire to know what is concealed, profound, and unsearchable.

Job 12:13b - He hath counsel and understanding.

 

7. Blessed be God for revealing deep and secret things

       a. It is through God's omniscience He reveals:

Job 12:22a - He discovereth deep things out of darkness.

 

b. Nothing is hidden from God. The book of Hebrews explains His comprehension:

Hebrews 4:13 - Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

 

Paul further explains:

2 Corinthians 2:14 - But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

d.  God is also ready to reveal deep mysteries to His faithful children:

Deuteronomy 29:29 - The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law.

 

8. Blessed be God for knowing what is in the darkness

God is omniscient (all-knowing); therefore, He knows that which dwells in darkness.

Psalm 139:12 - Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.

 

9. Blessed be God for the light that dwells with Him

Psalm 36:9 - For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.

 

1 Timothy 6:16a - Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.

 

 

Notice: Daniel gives more blessings to God than he does thanksgiving.

 

 

After praising and giving God all the glory, Daniel now continues with the second portion of his worship song - Thanksgiving…

(Verse 23)

 

I thank Thee, and praise Thee, O thou God of my fathers, Who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of Thee: for Thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

 

Thanksgiving of the Prophet

10. I thank and praise the God of my fathers

a. For giving him wisdom and might

b. For answering the prayers they sought

       c. For revealing the king's dream

 

This portion (one verse) of Daniel's thanksgiving and praise is attributed to the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Hence, as a result of answered prayer, Daniel gives Him all the glory, acknowledges, and thanks God as the source of all blessings – A significant lesson for today.

 

The interaction between Arioch, the king’s captain of the guard, and Nebuchadnezzar will display God's power through the courage and boldness of Daniel. This is discussed next in Daniel 2.24.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the difference between visions and dreams?

2. What is one of the main characteristics of Daniel’s life?

3. How is Daniel’s prayer similar to the Lord’s Prayer?

4. Is Daniel's prayer a psalm or his thoughts?

5. How did God bless Daniel?

6. For what reasons does Daniel thank God?

7. What is the purpose of blessing God?

 

 

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