YAHWEH, THE GOD OF HEAVEN, REIGNS OVER ALL!
Daniel 2:1-49
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Yahweh gets Nebuchadnezzar’s attention through a reoccurring, troubling, dream and Nebuchadnezzar reacts with impatience and anger (Daniel 2:1-13).
A. The second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s actual “full-year” reign would have been between April 603 B.C. and March 602 B.C. (verse 1).
B. The king assembled the experts in sacred writings (magicians), in dead spirits (enchanters), in occult practices (sorcerers), and star readers (astrologers) (verse 2).
C. The king wanted to test the validity of these “experts” by having them tell him his dream and would have them killed if they couldn’t (verses 3-13).
1. Daniel 2:4b through 7:28 is written in Aramaic, the common, “universal” language of the time. The rest of Daniel was written in Hebrew, the language of Israel . Daniel became proficient in both languages (verse 4).
2. The king promises great reward to the one who could tell him his dream and a cruel death to each of these wise men and their families if they can’t (verses 5-9).
3. Another classic battle between the so-called gods of humans and the only God of Heaven (Universe) is going to happen in the pages of Scripture! (verses 10-13, also chapter 1:6, I Kings 18:36,37).
Thought: Where is our focus and mind centered on for the solution to our problems today? Are we reacting with impatience and anger or trust?
II. Yahweh reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel through answered prayer (Daniel 2:14 -23). Daniel’s response is like a sermon=2 0on how believers should handle difficulties.
A. Daniel speaks with a right tone of voice and with wisdom and tact
(verses 14, 15; Proverbs 15:1,2).
B. Daniel asked the king for some more time to accomplish the task. He wanted some time to pray about his situation personally (verse 16).
C. Daniel recruited prayer support from his believing friends and they prayed for specific Yahweh-honoring requests (verses 17, 18).
D. Daniel received the answer and praised God’s name specifically for His power to rule and His wisdom to reveal (verses 19-23).
Thought: Think and pray through these steps and ask Yahweh to make us stronger and more trusting in Jesus name.
III. Daniel explains the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, brings glory to Yahweh, and ends up getting blessed in the process (Daniel 2:24 -40).
A. Daniel makes sure to give the God of Heaven, Yahweh, all the glory and honor for this answered prayer (verses 24-30).
B. He explains to the king that his dream explains what will happen in “days to come,” “latter days” or “the end of days” (verses 28, 29). This term relates to bringing in Messiah’s reign on earth (Gen. 49:1; Deut. 4:30 , 31:29; Isa. 2:2; Ezek. 38:16). It specifically seems to relate to things dealing with the time period between the crucifixion of Christ and Second Coming of Christ in the New Testament, before Christ’s Millenial Reign (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17).
C. The actual dream consists of an enormous, dazzling statue composed of four different metals: A gold head, silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, and iron legs connected to feet of iron and clay. Then a stone made without hands smashes the statue to powder, which is blown away by the wind. The stone then grows and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth (verses 33-35).
D. The interpretation of the dream is found in verses 36-45.
1. The God of Heaven has purposed four kingdoms to rule over and dominate this earth (as of the time of Daniel) before He (the God of Heaven) sets up His own eternal kingdom (verses 36-43).
a. The gold head we know was Babylon which ruled from 605-539 B.C. Isaiah calls it “the golden city”) (Isa. 14:4). It had golden domed temples with its chief god, Bel-Marduk which was made of solid gold.
b. The silver chest and arms we know was Medo-Persia which ruled from 539-331 B.C. It did not have the impressiveness of Babylon and their taxes were paid in silver.
c. The bronze belly and thighs we know was Greece which ruled from 331 B.C. – (approx.) 168 B.C. &nbs p;Greek soldiers wore all bronze armor and were called “brazen coated.”
d. The iron legs best fits the empire of Rome which ruled from ~168 B.C.- 476 A.D. Iron expresses the toughness and fierceness of Rome . They were never overthrown by a fifth empire but were invaded by barbarian northern tribes and divided up into ten tribes which became modern Europe .
2. Eventually the God of Heaven will set up His kingdom that will never be destroyed and will destroy all other kingdoms. This is the stone which was made without the hands of man’s kingdoms because God Himself, Yahweh, will bring it to pass (verses 44-45).
a. Amillenialists (people who do not believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ) say that this was a spirit ual kingdom started by Jesus Christ at His first coming.
b. Premillenialists say that the kingdom was inaugurated by Christ’s first coming but will be literally fulfilled during His second coming (Rev. 19:5).
E. Daniel and his friends are promoted in Babylon (verses 46-49).
