DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 2.24

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

The last segment focused on Daniel’s answered prayer. After he was granted a stay of execution by King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel called a prayer meeting between himself and his three associates, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. As a result of seeking God, by divine revelation, God made known the content and the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to His faithful prophet.

 

Daniel is now prepared to appear before the king. But first, he needed permission from the captain of the king’s guard, Arioch. What transpires next is extraordinary…

 

 

1. The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar (2:1)

2. The Demands of Nebuchadnezzar (2:2-11)

3. The Decree of Nebuchadnezzar (2:12-13)

4. The Decision of Daniel (2:14-23)

5. The Disapproval of Daniel (2:24-30)

(Verse 24)

 

Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

 

Arioch, still under orders from the king to execute all the wise counsel of Babylon, paused and listened to Daniel’s request. In a compassionate, intercessory, and substantiative fashion, Daniel first asked Arioch to spare the lives of wise men. Then, with assuredness, he appealed to Arioch for a meeting with Nebuchadnezzar to reverse the king’s decision of execution and to reveal the interpretation of his dream.

 

Question:

Why was Daniel intent on having the wise men spared?

Answer:

Despite their obvious failure, Daniel allowed the heathen Babylonian counsel to know the one true God and His mighty works. This strategy is better understood through the lives of Paul and Silas:

Acts 16:25-26 - And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake,  so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

This remains a boundless application for a Christian whose company has opposing views.

 

 

(Verse 25)

 

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

 

Arioch hastily brought Daniel into the royal palace before King Nebuchadnezzar. Implying he had diligently sought an interpreter, Arioch attempted to gain the king’s favor by boasting he had discovered a man, amongst the exiled children from the land of Judah. The king was told this man, not only could identify the dream, but also give its interpretation.

 

 

(Verse 26)

 

The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

 

Nebuchadnezzar turned to Daniel who was identified by his Chaldean name – Belteshazzar – the name of the king’s god. Being skeptical, the king, reasserted his request to describe the dream and its interpretation, and at the same time pressed Daniel for confirmation.

 

 

(Verse 27)

 

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king?

 

Fully understanding God’s hand was upon him, Daniel proceeded to answer the king with a provocative question. Daniel queried (most likely to exemplify the point he is about to make in the next verse) why the sages of Babylon were unable to reveal the secret of the dream.

 

 

(Verse 28)

 

But there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these.

 

Standing alone on its merit is the phrase, Daniel spake,

There is a God in Heaven!

And let the Church say…

AMEN.

 

Not willing to gain credit for himself, Daniel humbly and assertively introduced the Revealer of all mysteries – The one true God in Heaven. By glorifying the God of Israel, he brilliantly disavowed the pantheon of useless heathen deities. Additionally, Daniel implied to Nebuchadnezzar that his God was still with the Israelites, even though He permitted them to enter captivity.

 

God in Heaven…maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days

 

The End Times

There are several eschatological (last things) phrases used in Scripture exclusive to end-times.

1. The latter days

In this context, latter days, or future days is a euphemism used in the Old Testament 15 times to designate God’s dealing with the destiny of mankind, extending to the Messianic Kingdom.

 

2. The Times of the Gentiles

Initially, God committed to the government of the world to His chosen people administered through priests, prophets, and godly kings. However, Israel disobeyed God, and He temporarily paused and allowed Gentile nations to dominate Israel until Messiah comes. So, this expression is a period in history that begins with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (605 B.C.) and continues to the end of the Tribulation Period at His Second Coming and final judgment.

Luke 21:24 - And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 

3. The Fullness of the Gentiles

Found only in Romans 11, the fullness of the Gentiles is a biblical mystery dealing with national Israel. It is in the Church Age that the Gospel of salvation is freely preached to blind Israel by the Gentiles. This period ends at the catching up, or rapture of the Church (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Romans 11:25 - For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

 

Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these

Daniel begins to explain to the king what the dream and visions which came to him (conceptions in his head) were all about while he was dreaming, and lying on his bed. Only a powerful ruler would have had this kind of dream, and vision.

 

Recollect: Not only were the dream and visions from God, but also they were important events pertaining to the king's curiosity about his future kingdom, and succeeding empires.

 

 

(Verse 29)

 

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should (shall) come to pass hereafter: and He that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

 

In this parallel passage, Daniel even goes one step further: He reminded Nebuchadnezzar that before he fell asleep, he was thinking. So, the dream was about the future of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom and its outcome.

 

 

(Verse 30)

 

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

 

At the same time, Daniel recounts and reaffirms the mysteries or secrets. He tells the king, not that he was wiser than the other sages or soothsayers, but by the providence of his God, they were divulged. And, like Joseph, Daniel discredits the power of interpreting dreams by dream books, and the wisdom of man (cf. Genesis 40:8; 41:16).

 

Overview

A. Daniel’s character as a man of God is fully displayed:

1. Daniel was a man who walked with God

2. Daniel never compromised his faith

3. Daniel was a man of prayer

4. Daniel gave God the glory for answered prayer

5. Daniel was sensitive to others

6. Daniel utilized his God-given gifts

7. Daniel prepared in his heart to bring honor to God

 

B. Daniel’s character accomplished the following:

1. Daniel made known the things the king dreamed

2. Daniel brought God to the attention of a heathen nation

3. Daniel exposed the inadequacy of false gods

4. Daniel fully honored the name of God

5. Daniel saved his servants who trusted in God

6. Daniel included his friends in God’s blessing

7. Daniel gave glory to God for the revelations

 

One of the most prophetic dreams in the Bible will be revealed in the following study.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. Why were the wise men of Babylon spared?

2. What were the intentions of the captain of the guard?

3. What was Daniel’s Chaldean name?

4. How did Daniel discredit the false gods?

5. How did Daniel credit the one true God?

6. What does the phrase in the latter days mean?

7. What is the predominant characteristic of Daniel?

 

 

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