1.31.10 // Daniel 2

I. The Problem, Dan 2:1-13
II. The Petition, Dan 2:14-23
A. Before the captain, Dan 2:14-15
B. Before the king, Dan 2:16
C. Before God, Dan 2:17-19a
III. The Praise, Dan 2:19b-23
IV. The Prophecy, Dan 2:24-45
A. The Preamble, Dan 2:24-30
B. The Dream, Dan 2:31-36a
C. The Interpretation, Dan 2:36b-45
V. The Promotion, Dan 2:46-49


I. The Problem, Dan 2:1-13

Verse	Comments
Daniel 2:1	In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign How do we reconcile this phrase with Dan 1:5, 19-20 and Dan 2:48-49? One commentator mentioned that if the book of Daniel was a forgery, the forger would not include difficulties like this! I love this matter of factness about the Word of God. The Bible tells it like it is. Just because we have a difficulty with a verse (due to a lack of historical information) does not automatically translate into a contradiction or that some error exists in the manuscript. This type of attitude is intellectual dishonesty. This is the default mode of error hunters who obviously do not believe in the inerrancy of the Scriptures. Error seekers have no shame. Time and time again the critics have been put to silence on a supposed error upon a new historical discovery validating the biblical texts. Do you think this discredits them or makes them feel ashamed? No, there is no apology nor damage to their professional career. They just creep on to the next supposed error, making a public splash of it. Their search for the holy grail is compulsive, “I know there is an error somewhere in the Bible, and I want to be the one who discovers the skeptic’s chalice so I can make a name for myself.” So much ado is made over Dan 2:1, in the second year. If you do any research into this passage you will discover like I had that people are divided on how to reconcile this second year of Neb’s reign with the three years of training in Dan 1:5. Conclusions are varied: (1) There is a contradiction, (2) boys were still in training at time of the dream, and (3) boys finished training before the dream. Due to my prejudice of the inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16-17), and the Bible’s batting average of 1000 for accuracy, view #1 is untenable. View #2 is possible, but the response of Neb on the interview (Dan 1:20) and Neb’s response to the interpretation of his dream by Daniel (Dan 2:46-49) would appear to be forced if they both happened at the same time. Dan 1:18 takes place obviously after their training has concluded, and between the interview and the dream, they were assigned to the Chaldean court as freshmen wise men in service to the king. Dan 2:1 immediately follows the sequence of events, I believe. The contention is that you cannot make three years of training fit in with the dream in the second year of Neb’s reign. So either they graduated earlier than expected (they were ten times better [Dan 1:20] and probably learned ten times quicker!) or was still in school when the dream happened. By the way these different views are still maintained for no one is thoroughly convinced their view is incorrect! Don’t you just love academia! Keep in mind that the difficulty of this passage in no way discredits the Scriptures; we just don’t have all the facts at our disposal. I have this predisposition to believe that all the facts line up because God superintended the writing of it. This is always the best vantage point to be at as a believer. Please indulge me to run a little further with this. As you study the Scriptures, when you delve into good scholarly works, you will invariably see where great men of God are in disagreement on an interpretation of a passage like the one in Dan 2:1, for instance. They both cannot be right! Now, we are not talking about disagreeing on major doctrines pertaining to orthodoxy. There may be a host of reasons that make up the differences in opinion, and that is what it really is, a human opinion. Now it may be a learned opinion, but when two Th.D.’s (plus or minus a Ph.D., D.D., D.Litt., D.Min., et cetera) are in disagreement about this verse, they both cannot be right! That means one of the learned men is wrong! This doesn’t make him a heretic as in the Dan 2:1 situation; it only means his conclusions are wrong based on a lack of information or his interpretation of the data available is incorrect. Have you ever been proven wrong about something? As a layman (I hate that term, but it is convenient for my purpose here) I have to read, study, and pray about a passage; then I consult various translations, concordances, Hebrew and Greek lexicons, the various types of commentaries (devotional, applicational, expository, and exegetical via book or internet or software) and attempt to decipher and digest all of this. This normally leads to banging my head against the wall, walking away then go back at it in pursuit of the truth. It is nothing short of a prayerful struggle as I battle against the weakness of the flesh, the sunshine outside, and the lack of God’s people hungering and thirsting after the truth. Try writing all of that down and making it coherent for anyone who cares to read the Sunday Recaps. If learned men can be wrong what does that say for us laymen? You, the reader, have to engage the truth like the Bereans who refused to take Paul at his words. What did they do? They searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so [What things? That Paul’s Jesus was the Christ according to the Scriptures] (Acts 17:11). They “Searched the Scriptures!”That’s almost cutting against the grain of “hearing only” believers whenever they are around to hear. “Faith comes by hearing, brother, God be thanked that He didn’t say anything about faith comes by searching or studying!” Ever read 2 Tim 2:15 (diligent also can be translated study, KJV)? How do we really grow in grace as commanded by Peter in 2 Pet 3:18 anyway? Obtaining knowledge of our Lord comes from the Bible. Hearing and experiencing are things God uses for our maturity but these must be subject and subordinate to learning the Word of God through applying mental muscle called by a lost art form – studying . There is no substitute for reading and studying the Word, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Rom 15:4). Learning encompasses more than listening and experiencing. We all wrestle with being busy, but a man will do whatever is the priority of his heart, right or wrong. Mark it down; our priority will precede busy. Busy is an acronym for the world’s philosophy – Best U Serve Yourself. Listen, wasn’t it Jesus who said, when you know the truth, the truth shall set you free (Jn 8:32)? Maybe if we seek Him with all our heart that we can unload 95% of the baggage that comes into our lives due to a lack of Bible study, reading, and obeying God; remember what Billy Graham had said in an earlier study we did, paraphrasing, “95% of all our troubles and be traced back to a lack of Bible study and reading.” Beloved, we need to move beyond the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) to KWJWD (Know What Jesus Would Do)! We don’t need to wait until we are up to our necks deep in stuff before we ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?! Maybe Jesus would have never gotten into that situation in the first place! Read Joshua 1:8. What did God tell Joshua to do? This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, [for what purpose, for a future purpose] that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, not play catch up with WWJD! Hmm. We can’t observe to do what we don’t know! This is so axiomatic I almost refrained from writing it. Forest Gump said it best, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Another way of saying it is this – “Spiritually stupid is as spiritually stupid does.” What is the benefit of studying? So you and I won’t be stupefied by a situation but successful in overcoming it! God goes on to say to Joshua, For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. The best advice I could give us is this - KWJWD! This way we can know how to be culturally relevant without becoming spiritually irrelevant in an everchanging world. Success follows (Josh 1:8). Okay, I have really gone down a rabbit trail; sometimes I get a hare…. Back to Neb. Okay, the question remains, can we reconcile the three years of training with the second year reign of Neb? Yes, there is a feasibility of reconciliation. It has to do with the accession year we talked about last week. According to Babylonian reckoning, a king’s first reign begins on the first day of the new year regardless when he became king. History has Neb taking over the Babylonian empire as sole monarch in September of 605 B.C with the death of his father Nabopolassar. Neb probably shared a co-regency with his father (debatable) for Daniel refers to Nebuchadnezzar as king of Babylon (Dan 1:1), but Neb’s father was still alive when Neb besieged Jerusalem in the summer of 605 B.C after his victory at Carchemish in the same year. All of Neb’s time spent as “co-ruler” was attributed to his father’s reign. Neb’s first year as a sole monarch started ticking on the first day of the new year (Mar/Apr) in 604 B.C., and his second year would start (Mar/Apr) in 603 B.C., and his third year would begin on in (Mar/Apr) of 602 B.C. The training of the four Hebrew boys was begun as soon as they arrived in Babylon. Their training period had nothing to do with the accession thing. So Neb’s second year of reign was from (Mar/Apr) 603 B.C to (Mar/Apr) 602 B.C. So, if Dan and friends started in the summer of 605 B.C., they could have completed their training just short of three years before Neb’s third year began in (Mar/Apr) 602 B.C. It is possible that the training for three years was a rounding; technically, the training could have been less than three years. Let’s don’t open up another can of worms. Anyway, there you have a layman’s look. Regardless of our viewpoint, the narrative happened just like Daniel said; Daniel was under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit when he penned this book (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:19-20). The statements made by Daniel are accurate and true. Whether we can get our ducks in a row in relieving us of the difficulty of the timelines to our personal satisfaction is irrelevant. You either believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, or you do not. It would be nice to know, but wouldn’t it be nice to know about a lot of things! Thank God the validity of something isn’t predicated on our understanding. Nebuchadnezzar had dreams Note that the word, dreams, is plural. It doesn’t say how long he had been having a recurrence of the same dream, but one thing is for sure, his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. As we will soon see, when the king is troubled, the realm is troubled, particularly the city of Babylon. This says something about proximity, doesn't it! These dreams were from God (cf. Dan 2:28). But the dream was political in nature, not spiritual (cf. 1 Cor 2:14).
Daniel 2:2	Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. Neb calls everyone who might be able to reveal to him his dream. Each group possessed a specialty but many of their disciplines crisscrossed. Magicians (Same word used in Gen 41:24 when Pharaoh couldn’t find any magician to tell him his dream, so he called Joseph. The magicians could not reverse the plagues in Moses’ day before the Pharaoh). These were scholars and fortune tellers of the occult, having knowledge of astrology or divination. They were advisors and counselors of the kings. Astrologers This word is only found in the book of Daniel (Dan 2:2; 5:11). These are the enchanters, conjurers of spirits, necromancers, or astro-logers (Zodi). They were stargazers and astrologist, similar to those who produce horoscopes today. It refers to people with occult knowledge in the practice of divination. Sorcerers One who practices magic or sorcery. It is translated witch (Deut 18:10, KJV) and witchcraft (2 Chr 33:6). These are the spiritualist, enchanters, mediums that talk with the dead. Chaldeans This was the gentile name of the inhabitants of Babylon located in southern Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River approximately 50 miles south of modern Baghdad, Iraq. Here it refers to a technical group of people who were knowledgeable in the arts and science of Chaldea. They were the wise men often consulted by kings and leaders for advice. They were magicians and professional astrologers (cf. Dan 2:10 where the Chaldeans made a distinction between the magicians and astrologers and themselves). They were the voice box of this pack of phonies; Neb’s dialogue was with the Chaldeans (cf. Dan 2:4, 5, 10). Neb assembled his whole brain trust to see if any of his spiritual advisors collectively might be able to tell him his dream. Apparently, there were distinctions between the groups but each seemed to share interdisciplines. The one thing they all shared in common was their involvement with demons or fallen angels (their gods). So they came and stood before the king. This was probably the last time these particular men stood before Neb (cf. Dan 2:5, 12-13). These may have been the senior members of their respective groups. Apparently, Daniel and company were not present with them at this time being neophytes. Neb wanted to bring in the heavy weights of the various sects. The gravest of situations demands the senior advisors.
Daniel 2:3	Dream Note this is singular but in Dan 2:1 there were dreams. There was but one dream, a singular theme that kept recurring. He didn’t ask his hodgepodge of spiritual advisors for an interpretation. He wanted them to tell him what the dream was! It is very possible that Neb couldn’t remember his dream completely (perhaps only in bits and pieces) though it was recurring. He was anxious and was in no mood for games. They may have been briefed before the meeting with the king that he was losing sleep because of a dream. So they approached the king with great confidence that they would have an interpretation. They never thought that the king would ever ask them what the dream was about or if that thought had ever occurred to the king. They were scripted in interpretation of dreams, not mind reading. But if they could reveal secrets in the future, Neb might have reasoned why shouldn’t my advisors be able to reveal the secrets of the past. Whether or not he remembered his dream, he was in a foul mood and the expectation remained the same – “tell me my dream.” This posed a huge problem for the wise men. Commentators are divided on whether Nebuchadnezzar remembered or forgotten his dream.
Daniel 2:4	Then the Chaldeans spoke This group was taking the lead. Aramaic (Daniel wrote in the Syrian tongue in Dan 2:4b-7:28, referring to the Gentile nations. Dan 1:1 - 2:4a; and chapters 8 – 12 were written in Hebrew in reference to Israel. O king, live forever This is the normal salutation before the king. Ironically, their lives were about to come to an abrupt end! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation. This is how it has always been with them. You tell me the dream; we give you the interpretation. They probably had access to a virtual library of scrolls on dreams and their interpretations, similar to lawyers having access to endless volumes of legal precedents. This dream case is totally without precedent! God is going to reveal to Neb the utter inadequacy of his Babylonian gods and those who rely on them.
Daniel 2:5	If you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins (Dan 2:5, ESV). Forget the protocol, give me what I want. Neb has the authority to make this a reality. These charlatans have been with his father and him as Babylon ascended to a world power. “We got history” is inconsequential; their future, as well as their families, is in jeopardy. In fact the whole religious network in Babylon is in peril of losing their lives. This type of threat is not uncommon with the ancient eastern monarchs. They are confronted with an either/or, do or die situation.
Daniel 2:6	You shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor These guys claimed to know the minds of the gods and a revealer of secrets. All they had to do was tell Neb the dream and the interpretation.
Daniel 2:7	Tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation Did they not hear the words of Neb their king who has power over life and death in Dan 2:5-6?
Daniel 2:8	I know for certain that you would gain time They were trying to buy time to find a way to get out of this conundrum.
Daniel 2:9	There is only one decree for you Do you feel the intensity mounting? Neb was dead serious, and the atmosphere must have been highly charged and a dangerous place to be. The fallen angels behind the scene must have been doing some heavy flapping to resolve this situation. If the fallen angels could have read Neb’s mind they would have and revealed it to the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, or the Chaldeans. They didn’t. To speak lying and corrupt words before me You get the impression that Neb’s wasn’t particularly happy inheriting all of these spiritual advisors from his father, Nabopolassar. He obviously had experienced inconsistencies with these groups in the past or even disagreed with the messengers of the gods. He was well acquainted with their way of doing things. Tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation If they claimed to be able to look into the future, they should be able to see the past; they were, after all, soothsayers on the king’s payroll.
Daniel 2:10	All the Chaldeans could hope for is appealing to logic and common sense. They gave two human explanations. There is not a man on earth They told fed up Neb the truth. Even Daniel didn’t know at this point and even he had to inquire of God (cf. Dan 2:17-19). No king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things Tough break for the groupies! Even appealing to the absence of historical precedent (suggesting that even Nabopolassar his father never asked for such a thing). Ironic that these wise men were dream chasers who served a king being chased by a dream, and they were unable to help him.
Daniel 2:11	Difficult The Chaldeans are astonished by the king’s demand. Difficult is another way of saying to the king, “No can do, Neb!” with deference, of course. No other who can tell it to the king except the gods Wrong answer! They are right but wrong gods! The God of heaven knows (Dan 2:18), but He isn’t going to use these clowns to do it.
Daniel 2:12	For this reason the king was angry and very furious This was the prelude to their death sentence. He could cut costs by cleaning house and that is just what he started doing. Destroy all the wise men of Babylon The problem with this over reaction of “throwing the baby out with the bath water” was that there were four freshmen wise men from Judah considered to be part of the wise men troop who (Daniel and company) were held in high opinion by Neb (Dan 1:19-20) but were fixing to be killed (Dan 2:13b). You think he forgot about them? Babylon probably was limited to the city proper but could have extended to the whole realm theoretically. Do you think Neb is in a good mood? When the king is troubled, the realm is troubled. The great and powerful Nebuchadnezzar cannot get what he wants; and he is taking it out on all the wise men. Why, because he can.
Daniel 2:13	And they began killing the wise men This is always a tragedy of unparalleled magnitude – when a man without the true God in his life dies. There is no remedy after it is said and done. There is no telling how many people these unholy wise men led in darkness to their destruction. He probably had his fill of the wise men inherited from his father. They had been with his father and him with the ascendancy of the Neo-Babylonian empire. Neb could have been thinking these guys are a drain on the royal coffers; if they can’t be there when I really need them what good are they? “Kill em’ all; what good are they!” It wasn’t the smartest thing Neb had ever done for the simple reason that the “10 times better than all the wise men in the realm” were part of the ensemble of wise men of the kingdom. The fantastic four were scheduled to be put to death. Once again we see the principle of Romans 8:28 surfacing on the stage of history; it’s a beautiful thing though not always comfortable; God be praised that He is on the real throne and rules in the affairs of men. They sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them It didn’t matter how much Neb thought of the fantastic four freshmen wise men (cf. Dan 1:19-20) they were targeted for elimination. You get a sense on how vulnerable and precarious it was serving under a man who had the power of life and death in his voice (Dan 5:18-19). Though he was a great military strategist, a warrior, a political master mind, an architect, and a renaissance man, he was pagan, ruthless, and volatile. Death was a simply a matter of doing business, a practical way of cutting to the chase. His name appears 91 times in the OT (NASB), more than any other Gentile king. He was a king of considerable political, military and cultural prowess, and not to be underestimated. Political paranoia comes with the territory, especially when you’re the man, numero uno.

II. The Petition, Dan 2:14-23
A. Before the captain of the king’s guard, Dan 2:14-15

Daniel 2:14

With counsel and wisdom Here you see God working to protect Daniel and his companions. Arioch came to kill Daniel and uses prudence and discernment to stay Arioch’s hand against him, perhaps calming his nerves and adrenaline rush (cf. Prov 15:1). Someone said that a crisis does not make the man but reveals the man. It is also called the ABC's of character. Adversity Breeds Character. If you want to find out what a person is really like, observe them under adversity. Daniels shows prudence and wisdom

Daniel 2:15

Why is the decree from the king so urgent? Arioch informs Daniel what was going down. It is hard to explain the rationale and rashness of irrationalism, except to say, “It is what it is.” “Heard that!” Chaos is unfolding, and God is intervening to bring order and composure by bringing his men in as a witness to the world for His glory.

B. Before the king, Dan 2:16

Daniel 2:16

So Daniel went in Apparently Daniel convinced Arioch to allow him to see Nebuchadnezzar rather than putting him to death. Arioch may have not been to keen on carrying out the king’s orders (cf. Dan 2: 25); he may have had friends or relatives among the wise men, but he would share in the same fate as the wise men if he did not carry out Nebuchadnezzar’s decree. Asked the king The king permitted Daniel to appear before his presence! It could have been because these guys were different than all the other wise men according to his assessment (Dan 1:19-20). He just wants an answer and has nothing to lose by seeing Daniel. It could be his pride kept him from changing his mind, but he allowed Daniel an opportunity to end it. This took a lot of guts to come before the man that ordered the death decree. Daniel had no idea what Neb’s response was going to be. But God gave Daniel a holy boldness to look at the man eye to eye in seeking a solution to this lethal dilemma. To give him time This is the one luxury Neb wouldn’t give his wise men (cf. Dan 2:8-9). Neb gave Daniel a date and time to provide him the information he required; I think Neb got so angry with the Babylonian soothsayers that he had forgotten about Daniel and company until Daniel requested an audience with the king. As leader over a vast empire it is understandable Neb may have overlooked these boys. It is possible that God blocked that option from his mind, too, for God was getting into his head (cf. Dan 2:28)! Make no mistake about Neb, if Daniel is unable to tell him his dream, Daniel is a dead man, too! Can you see God’s providence working! In the midst of crisis, Daniel was a cool, calm, collective, and courageous operator. God’s man is to be cool, calm, collective, and courageous in crisis management. What did Neb have to lose with giving Daniel a little time; in his opinion they were superior to all the wise men (Dan 1:19-20). If Neb put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to death now, he may never find out what was bugging him. Daniel leaves to pray.

C. Before God, Dan 2:17-19a

Daniel 2:17	Made the decision known Arioch made the decision known to Daniel (Dan 2:15) and Daniel is making the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. He informed them about the bumbling reponse of the “wise men,” and that they were all selected for elimination including them. But there is another reason – “I need you to pray.”
Daniel 2:18	That they might seek [cf. Psa 91:15; Prov 8:34-35; Jer 33:3] the mercies [compassion (cf. Psa 40:11; 44:26; 69:16; 89:1; 118:4; 119:77; 136:2, 24] from the God of heaven [title used six times in Daniel 2:18-19, 28, 37, 44; 5:23] concerning this secret [mystery]. They are in the same boat as the wise men in two ways, slated to be killed, and they couldn’t read Neb’s mind either. The significant difference is that they knew Someone who could save them from death and reveal to them the king’s dream! The gods of the Babylonians were impotent. Let’s observe a couple of things here. 1. In crisis prayer (asking God) was at the top of the list of things to do. 2. They recognized their inability to prevent sharing the same fate as the wise man of Babylon. Prayer is about recognizing our inability and acknowledging God’s ability. They were looking for another miracle like the results of the veggies and water diet strategy. 3. They knew the mercy of God and placed their trust and reliance on God’s character. 4. During crisis Daniel sought prayer support from those who loved God (They were all members of the veggie group [Dan 1:16]!). 5. They were thankful and praised God for answered prayer (Dan 2:23). What was the purpose for the prayer meeting? Self-preservation. So that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. You can’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to die because of those clowns either. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were the only genuine, God-approved wise men of the whole bunch. Their colleagues were pagan, charlatans, and very religious. Neb had confessed he never saw any like them among their Jewish peers or even in his whole realm (cf. Dan 1:19-20). They were extraordinary. What made them extradordinary was a desire to please God no matter the cost. This passion coursed through their being.
Daniel 2:19a	Then the secret was revealed to Daniel. Prayer answered! Secret revealed. Revealed is an Aramaic verb meaning to bring over (Ezra 4:10, KJV; deported, NASB), to carry away (as in exile, Ezra 5:12, KJV; deported, NASB), to reveal or uncover (Dan 2:22, 28-29, 47). The only way for man to discover revealed truth is God must bring it to man, deport it from heaven to earth for man; it is called revelation; we call it the Bible now, God’s self-revelation of Himself to man. We need to seek what is revealed not try and discover new revelation apart from Scripture; the canon closed with the book of Revelation. There is no more revelation of truth (cf. Deut 12:32; Rev 22:18) only illumination of the truth. In a night vision Unclear whether received while awake or asleep.

III. The Praise, Dan 2:19b-23

Daniel 2:19b	So Daniel blessed the God of heaven Daniel praises God for answered prayer. This was a major indication to the four that God still had a purpose for them; they just had no idea to what extent God was going to use them! As soon as Daniel found out what Neb dreamed and its interpretation he immediately informed the other three in prayer (cf. Dan 2:23, us, a band of brothers). Blessed is an Aramaic verb translated knelt (Dan 6:10) and blessed (Dan 2:19-20; 3:28; 4:34). Since this was so intense and so miraculous, I bet Daniel got on his knees when he was praising and thanking God for His mercies. Let’s take a closer look at Daniel’s praise but keeping in mind he is never leaving Babylon.
Daniel 2:20	Historically, this praise took place as a teenager (Dan 2:19b), and Dan 11:32b was given to Daniel when he was an older man, but it provides us with a degree of insight into the kind of man Daniel was, But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits in light of adversity. This verse has reference to a prophecy to be fulfilled during the second century B.C. The statement is, however, a remarkable expression that characterizes the life of Daniel. Perhaps our weakness and lack of victory in our lives reveal how little we really know God? People who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits for God's glory. How do we know God? Consistently pursue reading, studying, and meditating in God's Word, and praying and walking in faith believing. If we want to do something great for God, the best thing we can do is be Christ-like in the daily routine of life. Start where we are in the here and now and purpose in our heart not to defile ourselves with the ways of the world come what may. We can be culturally relevant without losing spiritual relevancy through Christ who is strengthening us! We need to be Word walkers. Notice his approach to God – Blessed be the name of God forever and forever Daniel expresses the worthiness of God’s name to be praise (Psa 44:8; 72:17; 99:3; 111:9; 113:2; 145:2; Jer 10:6; 16:21) forever and recognition of God’s eternality (Psa 90:2; 102:12). Human governments can make you sick at heart, but unlike human institutions, there is forever-ness with God (Psa 9:7; 10:16; 29:10; 45:6; 66:7). For wisdom and might are His Only God is omnisapient (all-wise, Job 12:13; Rom 11:33-36, 16:27; Col 2:3) and omnipotent (all-powerful, Deut 3:24; 1 Chr 29:11-12; 2 Chr 20:6; Job 12:13; Psa 66:7; 106:8).
Daniel 2:21	And He changes the times and the seasons (Psa 31:14-15). He removes kings and raises up kings (Dan 4:17, 32; Jer 27:5-7; Psa 75:6-7; Prov 8:15-16). He gives wisdom to the wise Note that wisdom is given to the wise and not to the unwise. The reason for this is that the wise, not the foolish, fear the LORD (Prov 1:7; 9:10;). A fool is described as one who wants nothing to do with the LORD (Psa 14:1, note that There is was added by the translators, it actually reads, The fool has said in his heart, “No God.”). A fool is anyone who rejects God’s instructions. This is why Daniel and friends are truly wise men, and the sages of Babylon are pseudo wise men. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah follow God’s instructions to the letter regardless of the price (Furnace and lions are on the horizon, gentlemen!). No matter how faithful or true is our relationship and service to God, there is always someone ready to take us out. We must stay the course and trust in God for the outcome that glorifies Him. And knowledge to those who have understanding (Psa 111:10; Prov 9:10) We can possess knowledge of the Holy and not be wise, but we can’t be wise without knowledge of the Holy. Wisdom is applying God’s principles to everyday life (cf. Ex 31:3; 31:6; 1 Kgs 3:8-12, 28; 4:29; Jas 1:5; 3:15-17). Notice that the common thread running through these references concerning wisdom is that wisdom was given to accomplish something, God’s will for a particular purpose. Wisdom is the application of God’s truth in life. The fool doesn’t want to follow God’s instructions on living that is why he is called a fool, “I don’t want ‘no God’ telling me what to do; I am the captain of my own ship.” This is why wisdom is only given to the wise (those who fear God and walk in His ways). Wisdom takes the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and applies it to the daily routines of life. This is why nothing is ever secular in the life of a true believer. God’s truth is to be alive and active in whatever we do (cf. 1 Cor 10:31); now that’s wisdom! God may give us wisdom in a certain skill, like the artisans of the tabernacle or temple, but it was for God’s glory. Are we using our soft and hard skills for His glory? That is also wisdom. Clergy, deacon, Sunday school teacher, church worker, doctor, lawyer, accountant, teacher, professor, banker, businessman, skilled craftsman, unskilled worker, homemaker, factory worker, secretary, student, CEO, CFO, COO, executive, manager, supervisor, counselor, politician, engineer, scientist, technician, soldier, server, retiree, or any other, are you pursuing wisdom, applying God’s truth in everything you are about? Now if you are that’s wisdom, and if you are not, you are acting unwise like the fool in the Bible that said, “No God.”
Daniel 2:22	He reveals deep and secret things (Job 12:22; Psa 25:14; 1 Cor 2:9-11). He knows what is in the darkness (Job 26:6; Psa. 139:11-12; Jer 23:24; Luk 12:2-3; 1 Cor 4:5; Heb 4:13). And light dwells with Him (cf. Psa 36:9; 104:2; Jn 1:9; 8:12; 1 Tim 6:16; Jas 1:17; 1 Jn 1:5). Neb is casting a giant shadow, but with the One and only true King of Kings (Rev 17:14) there is no shadow (Jas 1:17), only unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16). We are not called to cast a giant shadow, but we are commanded to shine a light (Mt 5:16; cf. Jn 3:30).
Daniel 2:23	I thank You and praise You (1 Chr 29:13; Psa 34:1; 35:28; 44:8; 71:8; 104:33; 146:2; 1 Thess 5:18). O God of my fathers (Gen 32:9; Ex 3:15; 1 Kgs 8:57; 2 Chr 20:6; Acts 24:14) an expression referring to the patriarchs of Judaism. Given me wisdom (Prov 2:6; Dan 5:11, 5:14). And might (Psa 71:16, 18; Prov 21:22; 24:5; Jer 9:23-24; Psa 73:26; Eccl 7:19; 9:18). Made known to me what we asked of You [the king’s demand] (Psa 25:14; Amos 3:7). With the Babylonian diet and decree, the fantastic four were acutely aware that no matter how gifted they were, without God on their side, they were but dead men. The deportation, the diet, and the decree were necessary for their preparation in being God’s representatives in the Babylonian empire. Babylonian school was over, but God’s training is never over. These men were going to be elevated to very powerful positions of rank and influence. To avoid the temptations that came along with such powerful positions at a young age, if they were going to be God’s effective representatives on earth in service to the most powerful man on the face of the earth, their humility and dependence must be in working order. We can only imagine the emotional stress involved in this preparation for greater service. And yet, Dan 2:20-23 shows us just how extraordinary these gentlemen were still in their teens! Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were saved by the mercies of God. All the remaining soothsayers (cf. Dan 2:13) in Babylon owed their very lives and the lives of their families to these guys who asked God to tell them Neb’s dream and the interpretation of that dream. God would not have allowed Neb to touch those Hebrew boys; there was no obligation to intervene but only to suit His purpose. Note in the praise that Daniel praises God for who He is (Dan 2:20) and what He is doing 1. In the world: He changes, He removes, He gives, He reveals, and He knows (Dan 2:21-22). God is actively involved in the world, not hands off like deism proposes. 2. In their lives of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: protecting and preparing for service. God’s attributes are what makes this all possible: He is holy, eternal, all powerful, all wise, all knowing, and present everywhere (all present or omnipresent), a God of love and mercy who keeps His covenants though Israel was a covenant breaker and apostate.

IV. The Prophecy, Dan 2:24-45
A. The Preamble, Dan 2:24-30

Daniel 2:24	Daniel went to Arioch, the king’s executioner (Contrast Dan 1:13-14). Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Isn’t God always the God of the last minute, never late but never early! Neb’s deadline to Daniel may have been reaching its conclusion, and the swords were rattling in anticipation. I will tell the king the interpretation. Instant password to the king!
Daniel 2:25	I have found a man. Okay, didn’t Arioch, the opportunist, know Daniel had already met with the king earlier (Dan 2:16)? Arioch knew there was great reward for anyone who could tell the king’s dream. He was hoping for a cut of the pie.
Daniel 2:26	Are you able Daniel was able and more than willing.
Daniel 2:27	In the presence of the king This was not done in private, others were listening. Daniel reminds everyone present, particularly the king, that no one could meet the king’s demand.
Daniel 2:28	But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets Daniel clearly stayed away from himself and pointed everyone to the God of heaven who reveals secrets. Neb learns that it was this God of heaven, He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar (cf. Dan 2:29) who caused Neb to have this troubling dream. After reading about the dream and its interpretation, you have to wonder how could this cause Neb so much trouble and loss of sleep unless he was paranoid delusional brought on by an overabundance of superego? Maybe God would allow him to only recall bits and pieces of his dream but enough for him to recognize the dream if revealed; whatever the dream experience, he was losing sleep and decided he didn’t need his spiritual advisors any longer. In the latter days This might have comforted Neb that this dream was not an imminent threat.
Daniel 2:29	Daniel basically reiterates Dan 2:28. As for you (contrast But as for me, Dan 2:30). God has selected you to reveal this dream for the future of mankind. Would come to pass Given the source of the dream, this was a promise, not a prediction.
Daniel 2:30	But as for me Daniel does not take advantage of the situation like Arioch attempted to do (Dan 2:25). He spoke the truth to Neb; something he was not accustomed to hearing. 1. I am not any wiser than anyone else. 2. But to save our lives (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) was this revealed to me. 3. You may know the dream (The dream was political in nature and not spiritual truth so Neb could easily understand the prophecy.). Daniel displayed humility to the king. He could have felt arrogant but such knowledge did not puff him up. He just wanted to put the issue to rest. Their meteoric rise to power was imminent, propelling Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into the limelight of the empire. Romans 8:28 is working here! God used deportation, diet, and decree to rocket these four Hebrew teenagers into very powerful positions in the governmental affairs of Babylon. Do you think this went over well in the kingdom of Babylon? We are talking about young whippersnappers, Jewish captives over Babylonians! Nobody was going to challenge the king on his decision; his word was law. Neb’s decision to elevate the fantastic four doesn’t mean they liked it or would not cause a problem down the road. Regardless, God put the fantastic four into those positions (Dan 2:48-49) and would protect them.

B. The Dream, Dan 2:31-36a

Daniel 2:31	This great image (an imposing figure) Excellent in splendor (brightness, countenance, metallic glow) Stood upright (orientation) Awesome form (intimidating, formidable, dreadful, terrible)
Daniel 2:32	Now comes the body parts of the great image comprised of different metals and partly of clay. Head was made of fine gold Chest and arms were made of silver Belly and thighs were made of bronze
Daniel 2:33	Legs were made of iron Feet were made partly of iron and partly of clay This was a massive and impressive image. Did you notice the metals descend in value from head to toe. Also, this image was top heavy. The specific gravity of each metal becomes less as it descends. In other words a cubic foot of gold weighs more than a cubic foot of iron, lighter still is the iron/clay mixture. This image is destined to tumble, falling fast, particularly when the stone crushes the feet! One other thing about this composite image, it increases in strength from head to toe, except for the feet and toes.
Daniel 2:34	Daniel’s portrait of the dream was static until now. Now he shares with Neb the action taking place in the dream. A stone was cut out without hands, which stuck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
Daniel 2:35	But the action continues. Then the rest of the image were crushed together and blew away like the chaff without a trace. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The mountain is often symbolic of a kingdom, in this case, a great kingdom that reigns over the whole earth. This is what Neb started killing people over…. He probably was freaking out over what it all meant – a humongous image of a metallic man getting smashed into dust by a stone (cf. Daniel being troubled over a dream, Dan 7:28). Dreams were not treated lightly in Chaldea.
Daniel 2:36a	This is the dream Now Neb by his own words (Dan 2:9, Tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me the interpretation.). Daniel, a Hebrew teenager, has gotten the attention of the most powerful man on earth!

C. The Interpretation, Dan 2:36b-45

Daniel 2:36b	Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. Can’t you just see Neb leaning forward in his regal chair, and the only sound in the palace was the voice of Daniel; now we will tell the interpretation! Anybody who has taken a closer look at Daniel’s interpretation of Neb’s dream in Dan 2:36b-45 has come to realize that the interpretation of Daniel’s interpretation is controversial. Forget the skeptics who claim there is no way Daniel could have written this; good conservative scholarship disagrees on the interpretation of the interpretation! I have an opinion on the subject which would surely be objectionable to others. Everybody has a take on it; some better than others. I think I am more taken by it than having a take on it! It is easier just to pass on what a highly respected scholar would say about this passage than it is to try and understand it and put your thoughts and observations in writing? There are some general observations to be made that (Well, I was going to say that are less controversial but that wouldn’t be an accurate statement!) helps to keep this interpretation in perspective. 1. Daniel gave and wrote this interpretation under biblical inspiration. History reveals that Daniel’s prophecy was 100% accurate (We already knew that of course). 2. God is in control of history (cf. the stone pounding these kingdoms (Dan 2:34-35, 44-45). It has been quoted in the past, “History is His story.” 3. The main controversy of the interpretation centers on the feet and toes. Since Daniel was right on with the gold, silver, bronze, and iron kingdoms, it logically follows Daniel will be right about the iron/clay kingdom that is still future; therein is the rub, what or when is the iron/clay kingdom? 4. Neb is looking at this dream and its interpretation from a purely political point of view, not a spiritual one (cf. 1 Cor 2:14). 5. God reveals more concerning these four kingdoms in Daniel 7, likening them to beasts rather than metal. 6. Why is this interpretation important other than the fact that God said it? Because the iron/clay kingdom is coming and may come in our life time! And if it does, we are “out of here” as a body of believers according to a pretribulational and premillennial understanding of prophecy and the church. 7. The future kingdom of iron and clay is going to be pounded and removed without a trace by the stone made without hands at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ the Messiah when he comes to set up his millennial kingdom (cf. stone: Psa 118:22; Isa 8:14-15; 28:16; Zech 3:9; Mt 21:42-44; Acts 4:11; Rom 9:33; I Pet 2:4-8). I would have loved to have been a something other than a fly on the wall there in the royal chamber of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel is doing the talking, but Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are present. I love Daniel’s inclusion of we. Daniel is such a team player who is unwilling to take credit for anything. God had prepared his heart, along with the trio, to be God’s men in a very pagan place. This reminds me of the fact that we are in the world but not of the world. There is a vast difference between those two prepositions. Sadly, so many of us are found somewhere between the in and of, and I am not talking about salvation either. They maintained this distinction with spirituality and sensibility. Daniel is about to say some incredible things to king Nebuchadnezzar that tears the liberal commentators out of the frame! Why, because they believe it is impossible for Daniel to predict the rise of these empires; they don’t think much of the inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16); and they are anti-miraculous on anything. Daniel’s prophecy launches from the land of Babylon and reaches to the far distant future of the millennial reign of Christ (Dan 2:44). This “panorama of prophecy” covers four major Gentile powers: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman lording over the Jewish people. This span of time that Daniel refers to is called the times of the Gentiles spoken of in Luke 21:24. This has to do with Gentile domination over the Jewish people beginning with the last invasion of Babylon in Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and ending with Christ’s return to Jerusalem to reign during the millennial kingdom. The city of Jerusalem is the key to understanding this period because prophecy unfolds around Jerusalem. Why do you think the Holy Spirit promotes praying for this sacred city (Psa 122:6)? As Jerusalem goes so goes the world. The Jewish people need to know that the Messiah they seek is the same Messiah of genuine Christianity; many in the nation of Israel will figure this out eventually (cf. Rom 11:26). They need the Savior and our support. Neb is only going to get the political side of the interpretation which he can comprehend.
Daniel 2:37	king of kings There is only one King of kings (Rev 19:16). From a human perspective, he definitely was top dog. Look what the Holy Spirit says about Neb through Daniel, he had a kingdom, power, strength, and glory.
Daniel 2:38	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 all I would say that makes him a king of kings! Neb is in every sense of the word an absolute monarch; his word was law. The failure of the wise men to tell Neb his dream brought out Neb’s autocratic flare. His power was concentrated and centralized in Babylon; Neb himself was the nucleus of power. If you haven’t forgotten, the boys work for Neb. Hopefully, you can sense from all of this how important humility and dependence upon God were for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in service to the king; Neb’s word was law, period. Speaking of God, Daniel prefaces his king of kings speech with the God of heaven has given you (Dan 2:37) all of this! Now even though this was absolutely true, it still speaks volume of the man telling the most powerful man on earth, “Sir, you have all of this because of the God of heaven!” So far so good, Neb ain’t kickin’ up a fuss. There is something about the anatomy of this image that makes Neb feel pretty heady (no pun intended). Let’s start with the head, Neb . You are this head of gold (cf. Dan 2:32, head was of fine gold) Neb was the golden boy of the gentile kings; his city is referred to as the golden city (Isa 14:4). As we said before he is mentioned more than any other gentile king in the Bible (see note on Dan 2:13). Babylon ruled from 626 B.C. to 539 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar was an absolute monarch (cf. Dan 5:18-19).
Daniel 2:39	Notice as Daniel talks about the other parts of the image that the only kingdom identified is Nebuchadnezzar since it was God’s dream for him. Neb didn’t place any demands on Daniel to reveal to him on who the successor of the next world power is going to be. Neb knows nothing is forever on this earth. He is a brilliant and gifted king. I think he is tickled pink that he is on the top of the heap. He knows it is an inevitability that his kingdom will come to an end (Dan 2:35, were crushed). Now he might be able to get some sleep – Rock-a-bye baby-lon who’s on the top…. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours [which shall rule over all the earth] (cf. Dan 2:32, chest and arms of silver). Medo-Persia kingdom began in 539 B.C. and ended 331 B.C. (cf. dan 5:28; 8:20; 2 Chr 36:20; Isa 21:2). Unlike Neb’s autocracy, this system of government was an oligarchy governed by more than one man. Media was one arm and Persia the other. Even King Darius could not deliver Daniel from the princes (cf. Dan 6:14-15), because the king had to work through the princes. Then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth (cf. Dan 2:32, its belly and thighs of bronze). This is the Grecian kingdom associated with Alexander the Great (cf. Dan 8:21; 10:20; 11:2-4), 331 B.C to 63 B.C. This form of government operated through a king and an army.
Daniel 2:40	And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron (cf. Dan 2:33, Its legs or iron). This is the Roman empire. It was supposed to be a republic but the laws were enforced by military rule. Its strength is as iron that crushes the Grecian empire, 63 B.C. to 476 A.D. (western Roman) and 1453 A.D. (eastern Roman, Byzantine empire).
Daniel 2:41	Dan 2:41-43 refer to Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron (cf. Dan 2:33). This government will have an Achilles heel; its part iron and clay; there is no adhesion (will not adhere to one another, Dan 2:43) The Bible doesn’t indicate the ratio of the mixture. This admixture indicates that the Roman kingdom shall be divided (cf. the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile, Dan 2:42; 33b). This division is connected to the feet and toes (Dan 2:41) and not the iron legs (Dan 2:33a), even though the iron only kingdom actually was divided into the eastern and western empire represented by the legs (cf. the arms of Medo-Persian empire). As Daniel moves down the body, with each change of metallic quality has taken place, and another kingdom appears. It is logical to conclude that when he gets to the feet and toes a change in the metallic quality would present another kingdom. But Daniel told Neb that the image in his dream were four kingdoms, not five (Dan 2:40; cf. Dan 7:3). The other three kingdoms were metallically distinctive; the iron runs through the legs, feet, and toes; the clay is mixed in with the iron at the feet and toes. Though the Roman empire has disappeared (along with Babylon, Media and Persia, and Greece), its influence has continued even to the present and will into the future (as well as the lesser influences of the previous three kingdoms) in various ways by laws, philosophies, cultures, and institutions. The dominating influence will be like the Roman empire symbolized by the iron running through the feet and toes. The times of the Gentiles: (gold) then (silver) then (bronze) then (iron) then (a gap in time) then iron/clay. The millennial kingdom: the Stone. Since the collapse of the western Roman empire, 476 A.D. and the eastern Roman empire in 1453 A.D., there has been an Antichrist witch hunt with every gentile power that has ever attempted to dominate the world to the present. What makes this iron/clay (feet and toes) kingdom Romanesque and future still is Daniel’s other night vision some forty years later in Daniel chapter seven. He saw four beasts coming out of the Mediterranean Sea. These were the same four kings or kingdoms in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. But unlike metals, these kingdoms were revealed as four ferocious beasts. Man looks at kingdoms one way (valuable metals) but God sees them as wild beasts, cruel and fierce. Remember I mentioned the iron running down the legs to the feet and toes? With that image and Daniel 7:23-25 where it speaks of the fourth kingdom (Roman) where ten kings (ten horns or ten toes of Neb’s image) shall arise from that kingdom reveals that the Roman empire is realigned or revived in a loose confederacy (the lack of adhesion between the iron and clay). Also, since the little horn (or the Antichrist) has not appeared on the scene to subdue three of the ten kings yet in his bid for control as dictator of a one world government, this iron/clay kingdom remains future. For how long, no one knows. There are two schools of thought among premillennialist. The first school views the present age as a ten horned era of the fourth beast while the second school of thought believes that the ten horns or kings are yet future in a revived Roman empire. The Church age is not seen as co-existing with the ten horns during this period. I subscribe to the latter. For the feet and toes kingdom to happen, or more specifically, the Antichrist’s control over the iron and clay kingdom, 2 Thessalonians 2:7 has to take place. If the Holy Spirit who lives within us goes, so does every believer that has been given the Holy Spirit at salvation. It is the Holy Spirit living within the believer that is the godly influence against evil in the world. Take that influence away (rapture?), and evil will run rampant; cruelty and ferocity will characterize the Antichrist’s rulership of the world (Dan 7:19, 23). The persecution of the saints during the reign of the Antichrist (no longer than seven years) refers to those gentiles who come to Christ and those in Israel that have accepted Jesus as their Messiah during the tribulation period. The Church is not referred to during this period based on a pretribulational and premillennial persuasion. I might mention one other thing that gives all of this a future projection (hasn’t happened yet). There has been no decisive blow to all gentile kingdoms by the stone made without hands, yet. Looking around, there are gentile powers everywhere, including America! This will happen at the Second Advent of Christ to set up His kingdom on earth, ruling from the city of David, Jerusalem. I told you before as Jerusalem goes so goes the world! Theocracy will replace every form of human government known to man forever. The feet and toes … it shall be a divided kingdom The right and left iron legs of the image are probably symbolic of the split in the Roman empire that created an east and west axis around the 4th century A.D. (?). The Western Roman empire ended in 476. A.D. Its capital was located in present day northern Italy in a city called Ravenna. The eastern Roman empire ended in 1453 A.D., a.k.a., the Byzantine empire. Its capital was in Constantinople (modern Istanbul). The gold, silver, bronze, and iron kingdoms were successive until the iron/clay kingdom. The dream showed the stone smashing the iron and clay feet of the image and the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and … 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 (Dan 2:35). The interpretation of the stone was 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 (Dan 2:44). Since the stone has yet to pulverize (Mt 21:44) the iron/clay kingdom, this is a future kingdom, the revived Roman empire. Once it is destroyed the millennial kingdom of Christ will be established. All gentile powers will be destroyed by the stone cut out of the mountain without hands (cf. Dan 2:45). Since 476 A.D. to now, preparations have been underway by the forces of darkness, human and demonic, to bring about a one world system, a revived Roman empire, once the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit) is removed at the time of the rapture of the church (cf. 2 Thes 2:7). The iron/clay kingdom will appear along with the Antichrist. It would be naïve not to believe preparations have been underway for quite some time. With the Second Advent of Christ to set up His millennial kingdom, the times of the Gentiles will be over. Never again will the Jewish people be subject to a gentile power for there will be no trace of any gold, silver, bronze, iron or iron/clay kingdoms forever, for the Stone made without hands will make sure of that!
Daniel 2:42	See comments on Dan 2:41.
Daniel 2:43	They will mingle with the seed of men What this exactly means is up for grabs. Because of whatever this mingling is, they won’t stick together anymore than iron mixed with clay. Mixture here (or mingle) is seen as a weakness of this kingdom rather than the strength of solid iron. They will not adhere Like the iron and clay, there is no adhesion; no solidarity rather a loose confederacy than a cohesive unit. This is how the Antichrist will be able to seize power over the feet and toes kingdom. Though the Antichrist’s kingdom will have the strength of iron, it will remain a kingdom possessing clay properties; the Antichrist will be unable to forge his power into solidarity of iron.
Daniel 2:44	In the days of those kings This may refer to those four empires but more than likely it has reference to the day of the feet and toes (Dan 2:42) since these empires were not contemporary with the feet and toes Set up a kingdom (referring to the millennial kingdom). It will have distinct advantages over all other forms of government. 1. The God of heaven will set up a kingdom (Isa 9:6-7; Eph 1:20-22). 2. Shall never be destroyed (Dan 7:14). 3. The kingdom shall not be left to other people (Mic 4:7; ). 4. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms (Dan 2:45; 1 Cor 15:24; Rev 11:15; 19:11-20). 5. It shall stand forever (Psa 145:13; Luk 1:33). Theocracy is superior to all other forms of human government.
Daniel 2:45	Stone…without hands Neb’s metal man was destroyed not by human hands but by the stone in one decisive blow to the feet and toes, and how great the fall of it was! Jesus is referred to as a rock in Scripture (cf. Psa 118:22; Isa 8:14, 16; Isa 28:16; Zech 3:9; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:6-8). The Stone kingdom will destroy (broke in pieces) the four kingdoms and will rule over the entire earth forever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The great God has made known Once again, Daniel gives God the glory for the dream and its interpretation. What will come to pass after this It did come to pass with the gold, silver, bronze, and iron kingdoms. It will come to pass with the iron/clay kingdom as well. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure Neb knew this to be so (cf. Dan 2:9). Certain and sure were words of confidence and assurance.

V. The Promotion, Dan 2:46-49

Daniel 2:46	Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel We all understand what is going on here with Neb. What makes this scene so dynamic is that the court officials are witnessing the king of kings of all the earth prostrating himself before a teenage, Jewish captive of the Chaldean wise men! This news will spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom.
Daniel 2:47	Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets No greater validation of our service to God than God being glorified through our actions in the sight of the world!
Daniel2:48	Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts Neb did exactly what he said he would do if the dream and interpretation were told him (cf. Dan 2:6). And he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon The kingdom of the Chaldeans was comprised of many provinces under the leadership of a satrap (cf. Dan 3:2). Daniel was made a satrap over the province of Babylon where the royal court was located. Since the Babylonian empire was an absolute monarchy, it stands to reason that the most powerful and influential of all the provinces would be the province where Nebuchadnezzar resided and ruled. Apparently, Neb wanted Daniel close by as an advisor. Remember he is under twenty years of age! Daniel’s sphere of influence would be crucial in dealing with the exiles from Judah in 597 and 586. Neb passed away around 562 B.C. Chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon This may have been the whole realm for there is no mention of a province. Reflect on this for just a moment. Pretend that Daniel is a conservative Baptist who has just been put in charge over all the magicians, astrologers, occultists, diviners, seers, soothsayers, sorcerers, necromancers, wizards, spirit mediums talking with the dead, conjurers of spirits, enchanters, potion makers, star gazers, witchcraft, writer of horoscopes, fortune tellers, palm readers, card readers, pagan priests, worship leaders of pagan gods (or demons) and so forth…. It is a good thing that Neb rules rather than political correctness! I don’t know how long the favor will last (these groups owed their very lives to Daniel for doing that which they were powerless to do). But Daniel is in favor with the king who just made him their chief administrator. And they could use some positive PR with the king right now. “Perhaps he could be of some use to us after all,” they probably were thinking. We are not told in the biblical record on how this all turned out being a chief administrator.
Daniel 2:49	Daniel petitioned the king Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were made assistants to Daniel. They remained a band of brothers. Fitting this should be since they were deported together, shared the same diet, and together they sought God’s mercy because of the decree (cf. Psa 75:6-7).

Postscript


The Bible Knowledge Commentary list at least six reasons for a premillennial view that Christ’s kingdom is yet future.

1. The stone will become a mountain suddenly, not gradually. Christianity did not suddenly fill ‘the whole earth’ (Dan 2:35) at Christ’s First Advent.
2. Though Christ came in the days of the Roman Empire, He did not destroy it.
3. During Christ’s time on earth the Roman Empire did not have 10 kings at once. Yet Nebuchadnezzar’s statue suggests that when Christ comes to establish His kingdom, 10 rulers will be in existence and will be destroyed by Him.
4. Though Christ is now the chief Cornerstone to the church (Eph 2:20) and “a stone that causes [unbelievers] to stumble” (1 Pet 2:8), He is not yet a smiting Stone as He will be when He comes again.
5. The Stone (Messiah) will crush and end all the kingdoms of the world. But the church has not and will not conquer the world’s kingdoms.
6. The church is not a kingdom with a political realm, but the future Millennium will be. Thus Nebuchadnezzar’s dream clearly teaches premillennialism, that Christ will return to earth to establish His rule on the earth, thereby subduing all nations. The church is not that kingdom.