What happened to Nebuchadnezzar one night? Daniel 2:1 What did Nebuchadnezzar ask his wise men the
next morning? Daniel 2:2-4
To tell him what he had
NOTE: These Babylonian wise men professed to be
interpreters of dreams; thus the king was not making an unusual
request. It was something that they were accustomed to doing.
What was different about the King's request
to interpret the dream this time? Daniel 2:5
Tell me what my dream
NOTE: Nebuchadnezzar could not remember the
dream.
Were the Babylonian wise men able to
interpret the dream? Daniel 2:6-11
NOTE: The wise men of Babylon were totally
discredited. They were unable to reveal the king's dream. If the king
could have recalled the dream, they could have devised some
interpretation. They professed to have supernatural power, but when
they could not reveal the dream to the king, they showed clearly that
they had no super-natural power at all.
In his wrath, what was Nebuchadnezzar's
command concerning all of the wise men of Babylon? Daniel 2:12, 13
He ordered the
NOTE: In his rage, Nebuchadnezzar commanded all
to be slain, even the wise men who were not present. Daniel, as a
recently graduated wise man, evidently was not in this first audience
before the king. But the death decree included him.
DANIEL'S
RESPONSE When Daniel learned about the death decree,
what request did he make of the king? Daniel 2:14-16 Having been granted his request, what did
Daniel do? Daniel 2:17, 18
He
NOTE: Daniel and his friends went to the one
Source they knew that had the answer to the king's dream -- they went
in prayer to the God of heaven.
When did God reveal the dream to Daniel? Daniel 2:19 As Daniel blessed and praised God for
revealing the dream to him, he enumerated seven things the dream tells
about the God of heaven. List those seven things: Daniel 2:21, 22
He changes He He gives And He reveals He And light
NOTE: This is the essence of what the prophecy
of Daniel 2 reveals. God is in control of the events of human history.
The rise and fall of empires appear as if happening by the will of men,
but Daniel 2 reveals to us very clearly that God is behind all human
events. Nothing happens that God is not already aware of and has not
allowed. How comforting it is to know that God still is in control of
the events of the earth. Sometimes we may not understand what is
happening in our world today, but Daniel tells us clearly that God is
in control.
What request did Daniel make of Arioch? Daniel 2:24, 25 To whom does Daniel give the credit for being
able to interpret the dream to Nebuchadnezzar? Daniel 2:26-30
There is a God in
NOTE: None of the other wise men could reveal
the dream. Only Daniel could. Yet Daniel does not claim superior
intellect of wisdom. He clearly gives the credit to the One who
revealed the dream to him -- the God of heaven.
THE DREAM What did Daniel say the king saw in his
dream? Daniel 2:31 List the various elements that make up the
statue. Daniel 2:32, 33
The head of Chest and arms of Belly and thighs of Legs of Feet of
What did the stone "cut out without hands" do
to the statue? Daniel 2:34, 35 What did the stone become? Daniel 2:35
A huge
NOTE: Nebuchadnezzar was obviously sitting on
the edge of his seat. Daniel had clearly revealed to him the dream that
God had given him. Now he anxiously wondered what the dream meant.
Who now gives the interpretation of the dream
to Nebuchadnezzar? Daniel 2:36, 45
Daniel and
NOTE: Daniel could only give the interpretation
that God had revealed to him in vision, and we will do well to take it
just as He gave it. The best way to interpret the Bible, and the best
way to interpret the prophecies, is to let the Bible, itself, explain
the symbols.
What does the head of gold represent? Daniel 2:37, 38
kingdom.
NOTE: The king was regarded as the titular head
of the state. That is why Nebuchadnezzar represented Babylon, the
empire that began the prophecy. Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom ruled the
world from 606-538 B.C. as one of the mightiest empires of antiquity,
one that could aptly be described as the head of gold.
Notice that the prophecy begins in Daniel's
time.
Was Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom to last forever?
Daniel 2:39
NOTE: Succeeding kingdoms would be inferior to
Babylon, but they would rule in their turn. Babylon would not last
forever.
Just as silver is inferior to gold, so the
kingdom that followed Babylon was inferior to her. In 538 B.C. the
kingdom of Medo-Persia came on the scene of action. The Medo-Persian
kingdom was not inferior in power, for it conquered Babylon. It was not
inferior in extent, but rather in wealth, luxury, and magnificence.
Just as there were two arms of the image, so this kingdom is made up of
two allies. Led by Cyrus, Medo-Persia conquered Babylon and reduced it
to ruins. Medo-Persia ruled the world from 538 B.C. to 331 B.C.
What metal would represent the kingdom that
would follow Medo-Persia? Daniel 2:39
A third kingdom, one of
NOTE: Even the Medo-Persian kingdom would not
last forever. Alexander the Great led the Greeks to conquer the Medes
and the Persians in the battle of Arbela in 331 B.C.. The kingdom of
Greece, using armament of brass, came upon the scene of action.
What metal represents a fourth kingdom that
should come? Daniel 2:40
NOTE: The kingdom that followed Greece was the
iron kingdom of Rome, which ruled the world from 168 B.C. to A.D. 1798.
The first of this two phase kingdom (two legs, two phases -- this will
become more clear in Daniel 7) was the pagan Roman Empire that
dominated the world when Jesus was born. The first phase ended in 476
as the barbarian tribes swept into Europe. The second Roman power began
in 538 with the defeat of the Ostrogoths. Papal Rome then ruled the
world for 1260 years. Daniel 7 will tell the fascinating story of the
power that saved Rome from the "barbarians."
What kind of kingdom would the last kingdom
be? Daniel 2:41-43
This will be a
NOTE: In 1776, just a few short years before
the fall of Papal Rome, a nation was born. It was the first to be based
on the principles of the division of power (the Administrative,
Legislative and Judiciary branches) and the separation of Church and
State. Freedom is it's strength, democracy can be it weakness. Although
many of the numerous nationalities found in the United States
intermarry, prejudice remains strong.
This kingdom will have two phases (two feet).
The first is the strong defender of freedom and human rights. The
second is as a dictatorial one world Church and State power. This will
become clear when we study Daniel 11 and Revelation 13.
With unerring accuracy Daniel has foretold
world history for 2400 years. The rise and fall of these various
empires -- Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the United States of
America -- are clearly foretold in the Bible. God knows in advance what
is going to happen. He is clearly in control of human events.
Amazingly, God had foretold that there would be
these five world empires and no more. Men have tried to unite Europe
throughout history. Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, the Common Market,
ect. have done their best to unite the world, but these words of the
Bible have stopped each would-be world ruler.
THE STONE
KINGDOM Who will set up the final kingdom? Daniel 2:44
The God of
NOTE: The next great universal kingdom will be
the kingdom of God.
What will God do to the kingdoms of earth
when He sets up His kingdom? Daniel 2:44
It will
NOTE: God's kingdom will not be a takeover of
earthly kingdoms. He will completely consume, destroy and blow away all
the kingdoms of earth. The New Testament says that God will create a
new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1). God's kingdom will be
everlasting.
What is represented by the stone kingdom? Matthew 25:31-34
The kingdom of
NOTE: The Bible declares that when Jesus
returns to earth the second time, He will crush the kingdoms of earth
and establish an everlasting kingdom that shall have no end. All
history is moving toward this climactic conclusion when the Son of God
shall return in majesty to bring in the kingdom of everlasting
righteousness. Nebuchadnezzar may have thought (in chapter 1) that he
had defeated the true God, but very quickly he was shown that God is
ruler over all, that human events are under His control, and that
ultimately God will win the conflict. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece,
Rome, and the United States may have sought to usurp divine authority
and destroy the people of God, but all earthly kingdoms will ultimately
be crushed by the coming of Jesus. Thank God, He will win the great
controversy!
After hearing the interpretation of the
dream, what did Nebuchadnezzar say about Daniel's God? Daniel 2:47
Surely your
NOTE: Having seen that God is in control of
world events, even the heathen Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that
Daniel's God is above all the heathen gods of Babylon.
As a result of their faithfulness, how were
Daniel and his friends promoted by Nebuchadnezzar? Daniel 2:48, 49
Daniel was made ruler over the
NOTE: How quickly the picture has changed! From
apparent defeat, captivity in Babylon, and reeducation into Babylonian
society, Daniel and his friends, because of their faithfulness to God
are elevated to be some of the chief rulers in Babylon. God always
honors our commitment to Him.
God is in full control of earthly events --
even yours?
