The gap is not the prophets problem; it is ours. 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.. [18] The marriage might be a reference to either of two between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies, the first in c.250 BCE and the second in 193. 2:43 And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. But the interpretation is given through me, not because Im any smarter than anyone else in the country, but so that you will know what it means, so that you will understand what you dreamed. The Revealer of Mysteries showed you what will happen. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. As National Day of Prayer approaches, Pope suggests we spend time with Jesus every evening to reflect on the day. Rom. The interpretation of the events Daniel witnessed in his vision is given in its most concise form in verses 17 and 18: The four beasts were four kings, who will arise from the earth. (5:131) Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall for Belshazzar, A'. 2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the kings presence, saying to him, I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king. 2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation? 2:27 Daniel replied to the king, The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. Both the statue parts (made of different metals) and the beasts represent kings and kingdoms. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. An eleventh king then rises to power, different from the others, replacing three of the previous kings. From Daniel 2:4b to the end of chapter 7, the original text was written in Aramaic (the language of Babylon in that day). The saints should also expect the wicked to prosper, for a season. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a huge tree. It seems safe to assume the interpreter was an angelic being; at least this is the case in chapter 8 (8:15-26). Previously, the king had accused his wise men of stalling for more time. Suddenly, the boasting beast is silenced by death, and his body is cast into the burning fire. You are that head of gold. As the destruction of the last beast and the blaspheming horn came as a complete shock to them, so the Lords coming will catch unbelievers unprepared as well (24:27-39). Note these general observations about our passage before we turn to a more detailed study. Editing is often evident in the Bible (see John 20:30-31; 31:25). [10] The first three verses of chapter 2 and part of verse 4 are in Hebrew. [29] The consensus among scholars is that the four beasts of chapter 7 symbolise the same four world empires. (7) Prophecy is revealed, not to give us the particulars of things to come, but to change our perspective. Prophecy speaks not only of the joys and glories of Gods kingdom to come but of the suffering and tribulation preceding the eternal blessings of the kingdom of God. Leading film production company Cinedigm acquires Dove.org and Christian Cinema. However, the iron and clay feet represent an iron kingdom that will be partly strong and partly brittle. This surprise seems to be over the raw fact of what God would do to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the first ruler of Babylon to have contact with Daniel. Nebuchadnezzars Conversion (4:2837). 8:58; 1 Cor. This description certainly fits the account of Nebuchadnezzars plunge from power and sanity in chapter 4. Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. In Dan. The words of Daniel which applied to the beasts now found application to them. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. There are three main components to the dream. all praise! When we write a letter, we sign it at the bottom. WebThe Dream: Nebuchadnezzar saw a giant image that looked very powerful and shone brightly. The vision plays on before Daniel, almost as though in answer to his desire to know more. Je. [21] An inscription of the historic Babylonian king Nabonidus, for example, tells of a dream he had of his great predecessor Nebuchadnezzar, mentioning a young man who appeared in the dream to reassure him that it was not an evil portent. Indeed, after giving his interpretation, Daniel begs the king to repent of his sins and to show mercy to the poor (cf. [24] Daniel 2:2023 emphasizes the Divine as a repository of wisdom and the controller of the destiny of kings; such hymns and prayers are typical of postexilic biblical narratives. Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). 36 This is the dream. Will of God 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; 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. Second, the prophecies of Daniel are to be understood in the light of the entire Book of Daniel, of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. (6) How important is it for us to identity the kings and the kingdoms mentioned in our text? Covenant (5) What do the four beasts represent? The first thing Daniel does when God reveals the dream is to pray and then bless God. Sign up for the Bible Blender newsletter and receive the latest on science and tech news, new product notifications, exclusive features, and more. Fasting John the Baptist 4:5, 19), and he understood who was in his court (cf. The distance in time of the fulfillment of Daniel 7 said something very important to the captive Jews of Daniels day. Nebuchadnezzar became distressed when he received his first night vision (2:1) because he did understand some of his dream. After the wise (9) The interpretation of Daniels vision comes in two parts, beginning with a general interpretation and then a more specific one based on Daniels questions. He had been charmed, but not changed. Dan. The beast also was given a mans mind. In a similar way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness. Just as the toes of the feet were part ceramic and part iron, it will end up a mixed bag of the breakable and unbreakable. Webweb aug 19 2015 daniel 1 opening activities 1 give kids several old up daniel s interpretation to nebuchadnezzar s dream in daniel 2 32 45 especially because it s written in the first person he dreams about a tree This kings boasting turns to blasphemy. WebWe would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Daniel, a godly prophet and a man of unshakable faith, has been steadfast in his daily walk of fellowship with God throughout the first six chapters of the Book of Daniel. News without bias or noise. The inter-relationship between the prophecies of chapters 2 and 7 is demonstrated on the following page: Deterioration: Gold to iron mixed with clay, Deterioration: Nearly human to blaspheming beast. Their perception is wrong, for suddenly and without warning their day of destruction will come upon them. Daniel 2. 9. Each of the four beasts represent a king and thus a resulting kingdom. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him., 25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means., 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?. Copyright 2021 Bible Blender. 4:1315, 23). [4], The overall theme of the Book of Daniel is God's sovereignty over history. Thirdly (and most importantly), the prophecies of Daniel mean exactly what God says they mean, nothing more and nothing less. (7) No identification is made of the saints as Jews or Gentiles. There seems to be no Jewish nationalistic emphasis here, as there will be later.75. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself.. 20 Daniel answered and said. (Exodus 15:1 15:21). Per Daniels request, the king allows him more time to seek an interpretation of the dream from God. Encouraged to do so, it savagely devours. Burleson, TX 76028. the dates below seem not to fit. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. The Son of man, Jesus Christ, would come to the Ancient of Days [God] with the clouds of heaven. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009. He lavishes gifts on Daniel and makes him chief of all the wise men and ruler over the province of Babylon. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 23 Thus he said: The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. Given Nebuchadnezzars repeated interaction with Daniel and his friends, why do you think he did not become a believer earlier (cf. Q. [28] The concept of four successive world empires is drawn from Greek theories of mythological history, while the symbolism of the four metals is drawn from Persian writings. 2:41 In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Daniel was told that the beasts are kings, but he was not told the identity of any of the kings. When the iniquity of the blasphemous horn reaches full bloom and his appointed time to rule is fulfilled, God will destroy him, casting his body into the fire. (6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. Are we supposed to discover their identity? Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) marks the birth of paper money. Dan. Those who rejected the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of Man, would mourn when they saw Him returning in the clouds: And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). Then the rock initiates destruction that fills the entire earth. Sanctification Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. These kingdoms go from bad to worse. Arrogant, boastful, and even blasphemous kings will reign over the nations, opposing God and oppressing His saints. The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. It will be like the stone cut from the mountain by the invisible hand that crushed the iron, the bronze, the ceramic, the silver, and the gold. Yet, contact with believers alone does not convert. He surpasses those before him by speaking boastfully, then blaspheming, and finally seeking to overthrow Gods order. Parables of Jesus These are the things Daniel sees in the vision. He summons his magicians and astrologers to interpret it, but demands that they first tell 31 Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statuean enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. He also presented an offering and incense to Daniel, most likely indicating that he viewed him as the representative of God (Dan. He has put you in charge of men and women, wild animals and birds, all over the worldyoure the head ruler, you are the head of gold. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. Even the fate of this fourth beast is different than his three predecessors, as his life and his kingdom seem to end at the same moment. From the context, it would seem that Daniels distress is the result of the wickedness and oppression of the world kingdoms which are represented by the beasts, and by the knowledge that the saints will be oppressed and even overcome for a period of time. Let us listen then, and be sober, enduring the sufferings and trials sent our way, looking expectantly and certainly for His kingdom to come. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.. According to verse 1, the written record of the revelation Daniel received in his first night vision is but a summary of the prophecy he received. Daniels response to the vision was far from assuring or calming. Nebuchadnezzar captured Daniel and his buddies Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah when they were very young men (probably mid-teens), and we see glimpses of Daniel working in the palace until hes well over eighty years Chapter 9, on the other hand, has a historical account of Daniels study of Jeremiah and of his prayers of repentance and petition for Israels restoration and return to the land of promise. 5. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others. We will deal with the meaning and application of Daniels vision later on in our questions and answers. Prophecy is not a pep rally, which generates a great burst of short-term enthusiasm but does little to inspire faith and endurance in the midst of suffering. WebThis dream was originally given to Nebuchadnezzar and was interpretedfor him by Daniel duringhis reign. 3640 And now well interpret it for the king. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king., 24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel was one of the many Jews who were taken into captivity by Babylon. We should note Daniels distress in chapter 7 before turning to the other prophecies in Daniel, where we will find that prophecy very often produces distress. However, the Son of Man must first suffer at the hands of men (17:22; 20:18). Also notice that he does not talk about the dream. 2728 Daniel answered the king, No mere human can solve the kings mystery, I dont care who it isno wise man, enchanter, magician, diviner. Unfortunately, the king did not heed the dreams warning, and his kingdom was taken away for a time. 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. His thoughts alarm him, and his face pales. WebIn the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, is troubled by a dream. 4:1927 Daniel gives a clear interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dream. It may have been a physical manifestation, a dream, or merely a thought. 4:5), he knew his future (cf. Now that Daniel has told Nebuchadnezzar the dream he had, he now begins to interpret the dream. God's Sovereignty Dan. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, This man stated, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up and said to Him, Do You make no answer? Our study of this chapter will isolate what troubled Daniel about the future. I am a nurse from the Philippines with two years of experience before I came to New Zealand. In those days, as in our own, there are always those are too quick to conclude that the kingdom of God has come (see Matthew 24:4, 6, 8, 24-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:1ff.). 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. Pope Francis Issues Call for Peace on Anniversary of Russias Invasion of Ukraine. There seems to be a close connection between the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, which is revealed and interpreted in chapter 2, and the vision of Daniel in chapter 7. If not, he could never have become airborne again. 4:1927 Daniel gives a clear interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dream. The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. When he came to the Ancient of Days he would be given dominion, and glory, and a Belshazzar came to power several years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar and seems to have turned completely away from the God of Israel. He questioned His disciples so that they could confess that He, the Son of Man, was the Messiah (16:13f.). [9] The tales are in the voice of an anonymous narrator, except for chapter 4 which is in the form of a letter from king Nebuchadnezzar. What we learned from the Asbury Awakening: Attendees reveal surprising lessons during interview with Oregon Faith Report. During times of oppression, it may appear the saints are being defeated and that Gods kingdom is but wishful thinking. Having related the dream, Daniel then interprets it: it concerns four successive kingdoms, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, which will be replaced by the everlasting kingdom of the God of heaven. Law and Gospel 4:89). Print. Dan. 81 See Ezekiel 29:21 for a similar use of the imagery of making a horn grow to describe a kings promotion to power. Where it has not caused distress, it should have. (1) Daniel 7 is the last chapter written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel. 2345 Charles Ave. [21] The secret of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is called a "mystery," a term found in the scrolls from Qumran indicating a secret that can be learned through divine wisdom; appropriately, Daniel receives the divine wisdom as a "vision of the night", a dream. 47 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, along with his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (later named Shadrach, Meshach, and Belshazzars rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. Slavery in the New Testament Bible what the Bible really says about slavery. 13 I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.77 14 And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. World History It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. He was at ease when he received the vision, and then he became fearful, and his mind alarmed him (4:4-5). Dan. Note the term seven times (Dan. [3] Chapter 2 in its present form dates from no earlier than the first decades of the Seleucid Empire (31263 BCE), but its roots may reach back to the Fall of Babylon (539 BCE) and the rise of the Persian Achaemenid Empire (c. 550330 BCE). Seeing this image frightened and bothered him, but a king of his magnitude and The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows. [7], In the ancient world, dreams, especially those of kings, were regarded as portents. This is an accurate telling of the dream, and the interpretation is also accurate., 4647 When Daniel finished, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face in awe before Daniel. Liberals reject all prophecies, because they require a sovereign God and a miraculous revelation of future events. This scene in Daniel is also similar to a prophecy recorded in the Book of Revelation: 4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?. In the Old Testament, the expression son of man was used most frequently in reference to men, who were merely (as opposed to God) human. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. 4:1018 the king describes his dream to Daniel. Arioch informs the king he has found a man among the exiles from Judah who can interpret the kings dream. 45 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 goldthe great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. Four kings will establish four kingdoms, and some of these kingdoms have a number of kings. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. As Daniel continues to watch, someone descends with the clouds of heaven, one like a Son of Man. He is presented to the Ancient of Days, and to Him is given dominion, glory, and the eternal kingdom. 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., 25 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., 26 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?. 2 Daniel said, I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. Nebuchadnezzars polytheist beliefs left room for many gods, including Daniel. Nebuchadnezzars dream is revealed to DanielThe king saw a great image, a stone cut from the mountain without hands destroyed the image, and the stone grew and filled the whole earthThe stone is the latter-day kingdom of God. [22] Giant figures were frequent in ancient dream records, and parallels can be drawn from Greek (Hesiod's Works and Days), Latin (Ovid's Metamorphosis) and the Persian Bahman Yasht. In his night dream, the king saw a gigantic statue made of four metals, from its head of gold to its feet of mingled iron and clay; as he watched, a stone "not cut by human hands" destroyed the statue and became a mountain filling the whole world. The point of this prophecy is not to tell us who future kings will be, but rather what they will be like. Unsubscribe at any time. God grants this king success and his saints suffering, but only for an appointed time. 2:49 And at Daniels request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. He came and said to him, Dont destroy the wise men of Babylon! Spiritual Gifts How interesting! Who is the Son of Man? 34 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. 2:46). The bronze belly and thighs are a ruler that will rule over the entire world. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy., King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered than an offering and incense be presented to him. Both sets of kingdoms are brought to a sudden end and are replaced by an eternal kingdom. And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the kings demand., 24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. Introduction The second and third beasts are briefly described in verses 5 and 6. 35 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. Love of Neighbor What God determined to reveal to Daniel should be enough for us. A keen reader will notice that the value of the metals decreases from head to feet (i.e. Even those portions which we believe have been fulfilled, students of prophecy differ about the way of their fulfillment. NET Bible. The beast was lifted up and made to stand like a man. He only called on him in a moment of sheer panic when no one else could help, and only then because of the recommendation of the queen mother. If, in Gods eyes, a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8), then the coming of our Lord has only been a few days from beginning to end. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 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 allyou are this head of gold. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. The statue has four parts; there are four beasts. The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever. Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. Verses 1-14 contain the vision which God gave to Daniel. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. The prophecy of this chapter is divinely interpreted. Listen and subscribe to The Redeemed Mind Podcast on your favorite podcasting app or website. The emphasis is positive. Just as iron smashes things to bits, breaking and pulverizing, it will bust up the previous kingdoms. According to our text, the prophecies of Daniel 7 will not be fulfilled for a considerable period of time.

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