Dan 2:1-30 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Dan 2:31-49 — Daniel Interprets the Dream and is Promoted
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Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream and Interpretation provides an amazing example of how God uses crazy circumstances to advance his kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar has some dream that troubles him and he demands an interpretation, but more than that, he requires these “wise” people to tell him what he dreamt. “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” (Daniel 2:11). Daniel and his friends “plead for mercy from the God of heaven” (2:17) and God reveals the mystery to Daniel, so he tells the executioner, “I will interpret his dream for him” (2:24).
I would love to have an ounce of Daniel’s faith and confidence as he is portrayed here. Standing before the king, he answers the question, “Are you able to tell me what I saw…?” with an incredible response: “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about” (2:26-27). I like to think Daniel paused here, took a breath, adjusted his coat and tie, looked around as silence fell over the enchanters, magicians and diviners that are about to be executed. Wait for it…come on Daniel…that’s not what the king wants to hear! “but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (2:27b). Thank you Daniel, now you better be right!
Even more than faith and confidence, Daniel’s incredible humility is demonstrated, “this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so Your Majesty may know the interpretation…” (2:30). God is using Nebuchadnezzar to teach his remnant a lesson and drive them to repentance. This is just the beginning of the Babylonian Exile, God’s not ready to release his people, it’s only the second year (2:1).
The dream itself is very interesting, especially, “But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth” (2:35b). This rock, “cut out of the mountain, but not by human hands” (2:45) “will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end” (2:44). Here Daniel fast-forwards to Revelation 21:1, “a new heaven and a new earth;” the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ, will crush all those before and they will be swept away “without leaving a trace” (2:35).
As I linger on these thoughts for a few minutes, I’m awestruck by our God, how he uses extremely stressful situations for his purposes. Daniel’s complete confidence in the Lord, his humility, his faith along with his three amigos, results in rapid promotion above those who grew up under Nebuchadnezzar.
Lord give me confidence and humility to do the work you have before me this day, full of the knowledge that the Rock will become a huge mountain and we will rejoice as one huge chorus before your throne. Amen!