study of daniel 2: dream—image seen by nebuchadnezzar

Study of Daniel 2: Dream—Image Seen by

Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 2:1

“Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign,

Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep

left him.”

2nd Year of Nebuchadnezzar’s Reign

“Then the king gave the command to call the

magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So

they came and stood before the king.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Decree

Daniel 2:2

“And the king said to them, ‘I have had a

dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the

dream.’”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Daniel 2:3

“Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in

Aramaic, ‘O king, live forever! Tell your

servants the dream, and we will give the

interpretation.’”

Daniel 2:4


“The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, ‘My decision is firm: if you do not make known

the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut

in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.’”

Daniel 2:5


Jewish Time

• Samaria was besieged from the fourth till the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign. He was taken at the end of three years (2 Kings 18:9,10).

• The third year of the captives’ training would have occurred in the second year of the king’s reign.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream

• Time frame: Second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign

• The king had “dreams”

• He was troubled and his sleep went from him.

• He summoned all his wise men.– Astrologers– Magicians– Sorcerers– Chaldeans

• Entire staff of wise men brought before Nebuchadnezzar to interpret his dream

• The word “Chaldeans” is used in a special restricted sense to apply to “wise men.” These men were not part of an ethnic group.

• All four classes worked together in order to tell the king the dream and its meaning.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Counselors

King’s Demand

• Tell the dream—and its meaning!

• He knew the dream—but he wanted additional assurance of the ability of the “wise men” to tell its true meaning!

• Magic, of course, cannot interpret TRUTH!

• Wise men insist that the king “tell them the dream;” then, they will interpret.

King’s Consequences

• His mind is made up, and the command has gone forth from him—the decree is sealed!

• Nebuchadnezzar has determined to punish the wise men if they don’t tell him the dream.

• They will be cut in pieces and their houses will be ash heaps!

“However, if you tell the dream and its

interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts,

rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the

dream and its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:6

Reward Promised

“They answered again and said, ‘Let the king

tell his servants the dream, and we will give

its interpretation.’”

Daniel 2:7

Insist on Him Telling the Dream

“The king answered and said, ‘I know for

certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is

firm.’”

Daniel 2:8

Stalling for Time

“If you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have

agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the

dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:9

Punishment Is Certain

Material Wealth Promised

• Nebuchadnezzar also promised material wealth for the one who could tell both the dream and its meaning.

• The wise men desperately wanted to “interpret” the dream—but they must first be TOLD its contents.

• Men cannot do what is impossible.

• God is showing the foolishness of human wisdom!

Stalling for Time

• The wise men pled with the king to tell them the dream.

• “Buying time;” hoping to figure out a way to escape the problem

• The king is determined to carry out this punishment if his demands are not meant.

• The wise men hope he will drop the matter.

“The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, ‘There is not a man on earth who can tell the

king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician,

astrologer, or Chaldean.’”

Daniel 2:10

Impossible

“It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the

king except the gods, whose dwelling is not

with flesh.”

Daniel 2:11

Impossible

“For this reason the king was angry and

very furious, and gave a command to destroy

all the wise men of Babylon.”

Daniel 2:12

Kill All the Wise Men

Counselors Cannot Do the Impossible!

• The king’s demands cause the wise men to confess their inability to know the dream!

• True—no man on earth could do what the king’s asked.

• According to them, no other ruler ever made such a demand.

• They claimed that only the “gods” who did not dwell with flesh could do what the king was asking.

• The counselors excuse their inability because they are “flesh and blood.”

• King’s anger boils over—death to all wise men in Babylon!

• Counselors, including the Chaldeans, were unable to requite the king’s wrath.

• He refused to accept their excuses!

Counselors Cannot Do the Impossible!

“So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men;

and they sought Daniel and his companions, to

kill them.”

Daniel 2:13

Included Daniel

“Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel

answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone

out to kill the wise men of Babylon.”

Daniel 2:14

Daniel Answers Arioch

“He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain,

‘Why is the decree from the king so urgent?’ Then

Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.”

Daniel 2:15

Daniel Hears the Decree

“So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might

tell the king the interpretation.”

Daniel 2:16

Daniel Asks for Time

Seeking Daniel and His Companions to Kill Them Too!

• Search for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to kill them too!

• Daniel uses wisdom and discernment in talking with Arioch.

• Requests that he be allowed to talk to the king—no rash vow

• It’s time to seek God’s compassion for this problem,• Shows Daniel’s faith—God would not desert them

now!

“Then Daniel went to his house, and made

the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and

Azariah, his companions.”

Daniel 2:17

Daniel Tells the Others

“That they might seek mercies from the God of heaven

concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions

might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.”

Daniel 2:18

They Seek God’s Mercy

“Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel

blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:

‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and

might are His.’”

Daniel 2:19, 20

The Dream Is Revealed to Daniel

Daniel Petitions and Praises God

• Friends’ and Daniel’s pleas for mercy• Secret revealed to him in a night vision• Prayer for divine compassion• Prayer of righteous men (James 5:16)• Not the “gods” whom the Babylonians

worship—the one true and living God!• Could not be obtained without divine help!

“And He changes the times and the seasons; He

removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge

to those who have understanding.”

Daniel 2:21

Prayer of Thankfulness

“He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness,

and light dwells with Him.”

Daniel 2:22


“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have

given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You

have made known to us the king's demand.”


Daniel 2:23

Daniel’s Prayer of Thankfulness

• This prayer’s theme is God’s WISDOM and POWER.

• “Blessed be the name of God” stands for His being (Judges

13:17,18).

• Daniel’s Reasons:– Wisdom– Might– Governs all things– Course of history in his hands– Changes times and seasons– Removes and establishes rulers– Reveals the deep secret things– He alone is Light– Deserves all credit and glory!

“Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to

destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: ‘Do not

destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the

king the interpretation.’”

Daniel 2:24

Tells Arioch He’ll Reveal the Dream

“Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said

thus to him, ‘I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the

king the interpretation.’”

Daniel 2:25

The King Is Informed

“The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was

Belteshazzar, ‘Are you able to make known to me the dream

which I have seen, and its interpretation?’”

The King’s Question to Daniel

Daniel 2:26

Daniel Will Give the King His Answer

• Daniel seeks out Arioch

• Stop the killing—I will meet the king’s demands

• Arioch quickly brings Daniel to the king

• Tells the king a “captive of Judah” will reveal the king’s dream and its interpretation

• One question—CAN YOU MAKE THE DREAM AND ITS MEANING KNOWN?

“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, ‘The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the

astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare

to the king.’”

Daniel 2:27

An Impossible Task for Men

“But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He

has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in

the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these.”

Not for God

Daniel 2:28

“As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would

come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made

known to you what will be.”

The Future Made Known

Daniel 2:29

“But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone

living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know

the thoughts of your heart.”

The Future Made Known

Daniel 2:30

Daniel Relies on God

• First shows mankind’s limitations

• Then reveals God’s unlimited power• There is “A God in heaven”

• The dream’s events will happen in “latter days” (Genesis 49:1; Deuteronomy 4:30)

• He makes it clear the dream was made known—not by Daniel’s power, but God’s

• God wanted the interpretation known

• Only supernatural power could achieve this

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great

image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was

awesome.”

Daniel 2:31

The King’s Dream

“This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and

arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,

its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of

clay.”

Daniel 2:32, 33

The Image

“You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on

its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.”

Daniel 2:34

The Image

“Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from

the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that

struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

Daniel 2:35

The Image

“This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of

it before the king.”

Daniel 2:36

The Dream and Image

Daniel Reveals the Dream

• A “Great image”

• A statue in human form (not an idol)

• Since world powers are human in nature, they are essentially one (Acts 17:26).

• Nebuchadnezzar saw the COMPLETE image.

• Mighty and “excellent in brightness”

• Composed of different metals

Image Details Revealed

• The head—”fine gold”

• The breast (chest and arms)—”silver”

• The belly and thighs—”brass”

• The legs—”iron”

• The feet—”partly iron and partly clay”

• “A stone…cut without hands”

• Work of divine origin

• The image—made by hands (humanity)

• The stone—made without hands (deity)

• Stone smote the image upon its feet and broke it into pieces

• Feet vulnerable part—whole image brought down

• Broken pieces like “chaff carried by wind”


• The stone’s destruction of the image is so complete, no place is found for the pieces!

• The stone became a “great mountain” (rock) and filled the whole earth.

• Shows the universality of God’s kingdom

• This kingdom will surpass and replace the other “kingdoms.”

• Is capable of destruction!


“You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom,

power, strength, and glory;and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them

all-you are this head of gold.”

Daniel 2:37, 38

Daniel Interprets – Head of Gold

The Head of Gold

• Head of Gold—Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Empire

• Designates the first great representative of world power

• Universal rule—ruling over all

• Animals—absolute as possible

• King stands for kingdom

“But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which

shall rule over all the earth.”

Daniel 2:39

Second and Third Kingdoms

The Inferior One

• Breasts and arms of silver—Medo-Persian Empire

• This one would be inferior

• Lower degree of dignity

• Disunity from within

• More fully explained in later chapters

The Third Kingdom

• Belly and thighs of brass—Grecian Empire

• Only here is it mentioned that this kingdom would rule over the earth

• This kingdom is more fully exposed and clearly identified in latter chapters

“And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as

iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will

break in pieces and crush all the others.”

Daniel 2:40

Fourth Kingdom

“Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall

be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.”

Daniel 2:41

Fourth Kingdom

“And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the

kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.”

Daniel 2:42

Fourth Kingdom

“As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with

clay.”

Daniel 2:43

Fourth Kingdom

The Fourth Kingdom

• Legs and feet of iron—iron mixed with clay—Roman Empire

• Dispensationalists regard this kingdom as the historical Roman Empire—revived and ruling before the “Millennial kingdom on earth.” A false theory

• Strong as iron

• Iron breaks in pieces

• Iron crushes and breaks everything down

• Part of potter clay and iron—shall be divided

• Partly strong; partly broken

• Mixed with miry clay—shall mingle with the seed of men

• Not cleave to one another

• Not joined to one another—iron does not mix with clay

The Fourth Kingdom


IRON

IRON + CLAY

GOLD

SILVER

BRASS


Gold

Silver

Brass

Babylon606 BC – 539 BC

Persia539 BC – 332 BC

Greece332 BC – 68 BC

Daniel 2

Rome68 BC – 476 AD

Iron

Iron + Clay

A sculptural interpretation of the dream at Gilgal Sculpture Garden, Salt Lake City, Utah

“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a

kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all

these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

Daniel 2:44

A Different Kingdom

“Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the

bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold-the great God has made known to the king

what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is

sure.”

A Different Kingdom

Daniel 2:45

The Indestructible Kingdom

• In the days of “these kings” (Rome), the God of heaven will set up a kingdom

• This kingdom will never be destroyed!

• The sovereignty of this kingdom will not be left to another people

• This kingdom shall break in pieces and consume all the other kingdoms

• God’s Kingdom will stand forever

• Under consideration are the four kingdoms mentioned in the dream

• “In the days of those kings” the kingdom of the fourth part of the image

• Each is distinct but in a sense one—all are earthly and material kingdoms

• Medo-Persian conquered and incorporated Babylonian

• Greece did the same with Medo-Persian

• Rome’s rule was far greater than the rule of the other two!


• The image was still standing when the blow was struck and the indestructible kingdom was set up

• Messiah’s kingdom would be set up in that time period

• Since this “other kingdom” is divine (spiritual), its duration is eternal


Two Types of Kingdoms

• Kingdoms of the Image– Human– Temporary– Overcome by succeeding

kingdoms– Defective in power

• Kingdom of God– Divine– Eternal– Unconquerable– Invincible

The Destructive Stone

• It was cut out of the mountain “without hands”

• Shows it’s prepared by God—not men

• Spiritual, not physical!

• Eternal, not temporary

• Broke in pieces the iron, brass, clay, silver and gold

• Completely triumphs over the kingdoms of men!

• Crushing power of the stone

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate

before Daniel, and commanded that they should

present an offering and incense to him.”

Daniel 2:46

The King Praises Daniel

The King Praises Daniel

Daniel 2:47

The king answered Daniel, and said, ‘Truly your God

is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a

revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this

secret.’"

Daniel 2:48

“Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he

made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief

administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.”

The King Rewards Daniel

Daniel 2:49

“Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and

Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat

in the gate of the king.”

The King Rewards Daniel’s Friends

Nebuchadnezzar’s Reaction

• Worships and confesses

• Recognizes supremacy of Daniel’s God

• King’s profession was simply that of a polytheist

• He still did not understand that there is only ONE God—not many

• Daniel’s God is a “revealer of secrets”

• King’s promotion of Daniel

• Way of reward—he had promised earlier

• Chief governor—chief overseer

• “In the gate of the king” a place of political and official importance

• Daniel never sought rewards or asked

• Three companions also placed in prominent positions

Nebuchadnezzar’s Reaction

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