Aloha Dearest Family,
Today we will be examining Daniel chapter two. This chapter focuses on a dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had and the interpretation of this most impossible dream.
At this point in history, four young captives from Judea - Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - were living in Babylon and were among the wise men of the kingdom. It must be understood that even though they were among the king’s wise men, Daniel and his companions could only hold onto their positions (and hold onto their lives), if they pleased the king. Their lives could be extinguished at any whim of the king. One night King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream and desperately wanted an interpretation of this dream. The problem was that he couldn’t quite recall all of the details of this dream so he called all of the wise men of his kingdom together. After they were assembled, the king asked for an interpretation of his dream. The wise men were more than willing to interpret this dream but King Nebuchadnezzar was about to ask the impossible of these wise men.
This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me. (Daniel 2:5 and following)
The king not only wants the interpretation of the dream, but also the dream itself. The jaws of the wise men must have hit the floor upon hearing the king’s request. They tried to reason with the king and tried to get him to tell his dream to them so they could interpret it for him, but the king refused. He was adamant.
If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.
What would you have said to the king? The wise men told the king how impossible his request was.
The astrologers answered the king, "There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.
To this, King Nebuchadnezzar became enraged.
This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.
As I stated earlier, anyone’s position and lives were in jeopardy at the whim of the king. This is a perfect example. Daniel and his companions were now in grave danger.
Daniel then asks the captain of the guard why the king’s order was so hasty. After discovering the matter more clearly, he goes before the king and asks of him more time and that he would interpret the dream. (Smart move). What Daniel does next stands as a lesson that we can all learn from. They go to God and ask for help. They ask Him to reveal to them the dream so their lives would be spared.
Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
There are many times in all of our lives when we will not know what to do in a certain situation. The good thing is – God does. He wants you to know the score and if we ask Him He can reveal to us the answer. Every solution ever needed by man could easily be supplied by God. He knows everything!
“During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision...” I’m certain they were more than thrilled when God supplied the answer to this mystery. So would I be. These men then praised God and gave him all of their thanks (Daniel 19b-23). Daniel then goes and finds the captain of the guard who immediately brings him before the king. But Daniel makes it clear to the king that the answer was not found in man, but in the God of heaven.
Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.”
Daniel then proceeds to tell the king what the dream was and what the interpretation is. Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream a great image of a man having a head made of gold, a torso made of silver, thighs made of brass, legs of iron and feet made of iron mixed with clay. In Daniel’s interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom represented the head made of gold and each kingdom that came after would be less strong (as gold is stronger than silver, silver is stronger than brass, etc..). God was showing Nebuchadnezzar in a dream the empires that would come to power after his reign, as well as the coming of God’s kingdom that would be made without hands and would turn to ashes the kingdoms of man. Much has been written about the historical significance of each kingdom and their time period and it is not my intention at this time to go into the details of these studies. I would rather focus on what is written in God’s Word regarding how God works with man and helps him in his time of need.
After Daniels interpretation to the king, what was Nebuchadnezzar’s response?
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” (Daniel 2:46 and 47)
After hearing God’s magnificent wisdom regarding this impossible dream, this is really the only appropriate response. Daniel is then promoted to the chief position amongst the wise men and his companions are given positions ruling select provinces in the Babylonian kingdom. God has not changed. God can still prosper those who trust in him today. Now did this experience change King Nebuchadnezzar? No. In the very next chapter he erects a golden image to himself and commands people to bow down to it (for a more detailed study of this chapter, see my sharing entitled “Bow or Burn”).
So what are we are to learn from this chapter? That no matter what circumstance we may find ourselves in, God can provide what we need to be more than conquerors. Whether we need specific wisdom, courage, supernatural strength or much needed finances, God is the supplier. And there are no end to His resources. They are ours if we but ask – and believe. Believe that God is not only “able” to help, but He is “willing” to help as well. We can trust Him because He is our sufficiency.
Love Always, Ray
No comments:
Post a Comment