And terrifying. When Arioch approaches the king to tell him that Daniel can interpret his dream, he tells the king, I have found a man among the exiles who can interpret the kings dream. The statement sounds like Arioch is taking credit for finding the solution to the kings dilemma. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. A revelation from God in his sleep discloses future events which Daniel finds most troubling. WebDaniel Timeline in Biblical History. 605 BC. Before the coming of Christ, who would? First is a great tree that filled the earth. Who is the Son of Man? We take great care to develop a strong client relationship, coupled with efficient communication. And hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: For thou hast now made known unto us the kings matter. However, this peaceful state was broken when in his sleep he had a troubling dream. Prophecy becomes necessary from time to time to remind men of those things God has planned for the future which He will surely fulfill. The boastful beast becomes even more aggressive, waging war with the saints and even overpowering them. It not only bore witness to the conversion of this king, but encouraged all of the subjects of Babylonian rule to worship the God of Israel. Consequently, I believe that the prevailing In chapter 5, King Belshazzars dream should have greatly alarmed him, but apparantly it did not. WebIn the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, is troubled by a dream. 4:2833 records the first part of the fulfillment of the kings dreamnamely, his fall and exile. One of the more famous kings of ancient Babylon, ruling for over 40 years, from about 605 BC to 562 BC. Daniel was blank and his thoughts were blank when he learned the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's second dream. Suffering and glory are a part of one work. 4:1927 Daniel gives a clear interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dream. This description certainly fits the account of Nebuchadnezzars plunge from power and sanity in chapter 4. Ceremonial Laws Images from the Book of Isaiah seem to be especially favoured. Many others may have reluctantly professed or actually adopted the Jewish religion. 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.. Priesthood He responded by honoring Daniel by falling down before him. The Son of man, Jesus Christ, would come to the Ancient of Days [God] with the clouds of heaven. [7], In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, is troubled by a dream. A number of lessons from our text have broad application to our thinking and conduct as Christians. How was the fourth beast different from the first three? But here in chapter 7, as in Psalm 80:17, the son of man is more than just a man, He is the Messiah. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth. The Parable of the Ten Virgins Keep watch because you do not know the day or hour of His return (Matthew 25:1 25:13). He changes the seasons and guides history. 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. Our attention should be given to what is clearly and emphatically said. These are the things Daniel sees in the vision. You, O king, are the most powerful king on earth. Within this view, the arrival of the kingdom of God (the rock) is symbolic for the arrival of Jesus. Are we supposed to discover their identity? Prophecy is not revealed in a historical vacuum. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. Finally, an iron kingdom will arrive, one that is strong and breaks and smashes everything. Jesus tests the Pharisees Whose Son is the Messiah? How easily we turn from what is revealed to speculate about what has been concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29). The phrase used to describe Daniel and his friends is young men. Its a word that usually refers to boys History has shown this to be true in the past, and prophecy assures us that it will be true in the future. [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. Biblical Studies Press. WebInstead of using the lesson ideas for teaching Daniel 2:128, you could show the portion of the video that depicts the events related to Daniels interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dream (time codes 6:1713:49).As students watch the video, invite them to look for what Daniel did when he needed wisdom and guidance. What so upset Daniel about the future? 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?. Different from the first three, this beast seems uglier, more powerful, and much more hostile toward God and His saints. Copyright 2021 Bible Blender. Leading film production company Cinedigm acquires Dove.org and Christian Cinema. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 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? 5 And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 2:36 This was the dream. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. And Nebuchadnezzar either wants Daniel to fill in the details or maybe he's hoping that Daniel will give him an interpretation which will explain away his fears. This was the dream and now we will interpret it for the king. Nebuchadnezzar then verbally acknowledged the greatness of God. 4:1012; 2022). Providence We get it. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. (3) These prophecies must be understood in light of their historical background as provided in Daniel, in the inspired revelation provided by other portions of Scripture, and the cautious use of supplementary information by reliable historical documents or study. The head of gold represents Nebuchadnezzar. His vision in chapter 4 should have produced more distress than it did. A person should not take credit for what God does through him. 4:16) refers to a fixed, definite, and lengthy period of time. God blessed Daniel by making him not only a leader but a prophet as well. Print. In a similar way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness. Both the statue parts (made of different metals) and the beasts represent kings and kingdoms. Deliverance The Son of Man had the power to forgive sins, as well as to heal a paralytic (Matthew 9:6). Does the fact that God has the power to take away a persons reason frighten you (cf. 2:28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. Privacy Policy The king is told that all of these earthly kingdoms would be destroyed by the stone not fashioned by human hands, and that an eternal kingdom would take the place of these temporal kingdoms. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. In the end it will crush the other kingdoms and finish them off and come through it all standing strong and eternal. [30] Verses 41b-43 give three different interpretations of the meaning of the mixture of iron and clay in the statue's feet, as a "divided kingdom," then as "strong and brittle," and finally as a dynastic marriage. [17], Daniel 2 exhibits both these genres, but it is also made up numerous subgenres: a court tale, a dream report, a legend, an aretalogy, a doxology, and a midrash. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 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.). In the context of the coming of His kingdom and the suffering and trials which precede it, soberness is a vitally important quality which prophecy promotes: 1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, Arise, devour much meat! 6 After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. Centuries must therefore pass before the prophecies of Daniel are fulfilled. 9 If any one has an ear, let him hear. Are you tempted to give up on the salvation of evil world rulers and other wicked people who are in power? Interpretations of Daniels prophecies differ widely. God gives us wisdom in ways we may not always readily recognize. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beast of the field and the birds in the sky. The events seen by Daniel in chapter seven would signal the establishment of the everlasting kingdom which Daniel described in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. As Daniel continues to watch, another horn emerges, as three of the other horns are plucked out by the roots to make room for it. The first time in Daniel 7:13, he is referring to Messiah, who will sit on the eternal throne of His father, David. 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). 27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him. 28 At this point the revelation ended. Daniel finds nothing to compare to it. The vision recorded in chapter 8 took place in the third year of Belshazzar. In Dan. Persecution While most of those in this kingdom may not have had a true conversion, at least they tolerated the Jewish faith as the religion of the state. For you have enabled me to understand the kings dilemma., 2:24 Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). Clearly, the king knew of Daniels abilities and even had made him chief of the magicians (Dan. Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. The verses do not tell us how Daniel reacted to the kings response, but the kings response would be typical. (how can this be, 36 + 7 = 43, no room to be restored after 7 The bronze belly and thighs are a ruler that will rule over the entire world. Belshazzars rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. 11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. [16] Daniel, the book's hero, is a representative apocalyptic seer, the recipient of the divine revelation: has learned the wisdom of the Babylonian magicians and surpassed them, because his God is the true source of knowledge; he is one of the maskil, the wise, whose task is to teach righteousness. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Belshazzar came to power several years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar and seems to have turned completely away from the God of Israel. He will also send forth His angels to gather those who do not belong in His kingdom (12:41). There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. Usually it refers to a person as a human being. 2:45 You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. Peterson, Eugene H. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Sabbath According to our text, the prophecies of Daniel 7 will not be fulfilled for a considerable period of time. The second scene portrays the establishment of the thrones on which the Ancient of Days and those holding court are to be seated to pronounce judgment. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 20 Daniel answered and said. 2345 Charles Ave. We could never predict the goals God has determined, nor the means He has ordained for history to reach them. 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. They are far from pleasant but an unavoidable part of the process. Previously, the king 145:13. Daniels response to the vision was far from assuring or calming. 3136 What you saw, O king, was a huge statue standing before you, striking in appearance. Through the vision of a magnificent, awe-inspiring statue, God reveals the future for Gentile kings and their kingdoms. A keen reader will notice that the value of the metals decreases from head to feet (i.e. The words of verse 1 point to the relationship between the prophecy Daniel received and its historical setting and context. Propitiation They will serve and obey Him forever. It was a dream of a great statue with a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of mingled iron and clay. Would this horn Daniels vision revealed oppose the people of God and even blaspheme God Himself? 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,81 and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. Daniels first inner turmoil occurs in chapter 7. 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. At one point in Chapter 9, Daniel understood from the scriptures that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years.. for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Where it has not caused distress, it should have. The gap is not the prophets problem; it is ours. 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. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? It seems there is more of a sense of urgency in seeking the meaning of the second dream. The ruler changed Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly if 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. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. 31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. Temple Upon hearing the details of the dream, Daniel too was troubled (4:19). (5) What do the four beasts represent? But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. James 1:5 tells us if we ask God for wisdom, he will provide it generously. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. It is at this time that all human kingdoms will become subject to God and to the saints in the eternal kingdom, which the Son of Man will establish when He comes to the earth to judge and to rule. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 2:47 The king replied to Daniel, Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery! 2:48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. Then the whole thing fell to piecesiron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold, smashed to bits. How interesting! Suffering Desiring a more detailed explanation, he apparently asked for one and received it. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Through the ages, the saints have learned that they must wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled and that this may not happen in their lifetime (see Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40). 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.. 78 Walvoord thinks this is the year 553 B.C., some 14 years before the fall of Babylon. Our Lords first coming happened over a period of more than 30 years, and yet we view this as one coming. The Roman view holds that the silver chest/arms represent the Medo-Persian Empire, belly/thighs the Greek Empire, and legs of iron/clay the Roman empire. 18 But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. 19 Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts, and which was larger in appearance than its associates. Unsubscribe at any time. The identity of the kingdoms represented by the other body parts and metals was not revealed. Many Old Testament prophets shared Daniels distress as a result of the prophecies they received and often conveyed to others.74 Why does the prophecy of Daniel 7 cause this godly man so much consternation? Spiritual Gifts Dan. He had asked to see the king (v. 15-17). First, God enabled him to explain several of the kings dreams. End Time Both sets of kingdoms are brought to a sudden end and are replaced by an eternal kingdom. Daniel immediately 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. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. The New International Version. Is it possible to understand history apart from knowledge of God and a Judeo-Christian worldview. The distance in time of the fulfillment of Daniel 7 said something very important to the captive Jews of Daniels day. 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. Many scholars have contrasted Nebuchadnezzars dream in Daniel 2 with Daniels vision in chapter 7. Both passages reveal the coming world kingdoms, but the symbolism is strikingly different in each. The pagan king sees the kingdoms of this world as a towering work of art, impressive in size, value, and grandeur (albeit with feet of clay). [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. For instance, Daniel says, you have made known to us the dream of the king and this was the dream and now we will interpret it for the king. WebIntroduction; Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's first dream; the Three Youths cast into the Fiery Furnace. I encourage you to compare the statements of Daniel 2:21-22, 44, 47; 4:3, 34-35, 37; 6:26 with the content and declarations of Daniel 7. The Holy Bible: King James Version. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. Note the term watcher is only applied to angels in this chapter in Scripture. Daniel uses the expression Son of man twice. The lord answered Daniel's prayers and those of his companions by showing him the dream and interpretation in a night. About Us, Bible Blender He has given you authority over them all. Leadership 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. 36 This is the dream. 4:89). That kingdom wont bond, wont hold together any more than iron and clay hold together. Daniels appointment as chief over all Babylonias wise men sets the stage for conflict. Print. Daniel was one of the many Jews who were taken into captivity by Babylon. Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. 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. As the beast continues to boast, a second scene commences in Daniels vision, and for a period of time both scenes run simultaneously. He had been charmed, but not changed. He ran to the king, bringing Daniel with him, and said, Ive found a man from the exiles of Judah who can interpret the kings dream!, 26 The king asked Daniel (renamed in Babylonian, Belteshazzar), Are you sure you can do thistell me the dream I had and interpret it for me?. Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. Later, he began having visions from the Lord about the end times. True. 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. And they did! 2:1), he was wondering about his future (cf. In his dream, Nebuchadnezzar sees an enormous, brilliant statue of a man. Daniel 7 indicates in the clearest way that prior to the coming of the kingdom of God the saints will suffer at the hand of the final horn and even be overpowered by him. 46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and eworshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 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. God is in no hurry to fulfill His promises, whether His promise of the eternal kingdom for all the saints or the promise of eternal destruction and judgment for sinners. 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 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. This condition is somewhat ironic, for God made mankind to be lord over the animals (cf. [25] Finally Nebuchadnezzar prostrates himself before Daniel and commands that offerings and incense be offered to him, suggesting that he views Daniel as divine; nevertheless, although he acknowledges and respects the god of Daniel, he is not a convert. Twice in chapter 7 Daniel speaks of his distress: As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me (verse 15). Looking about with its numerous eyes, no one can escape his look or hide from him.80 With its mouth, the beast continues to speak boastfully. What it does not destroy or consume with its teeth, it crushes under foot, much like a bull in a china shop. Faith It is virtually the opposite of the term beast. The expression, Son of man, is not new to Daniel. Daniel is greatly distressed by the vision which he sees in chapter 7. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation. The destruction of the Great Temple and the signs of the end times (Matthew 24:1 24:35), The Song of Moses and Miriam attributes of God that are equally applicable to every Christian follower today. The eleventh horn may hope to change the time, but in Gods plan this king is granted a time, times, and half a time three and a half years to oppose and oppress the saints. 2:29 As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. You are the head of gold. Will of God WebDaniels Interpretation: Daniel 2.37-43: You, O king, are a king of kings. Each beast has its own unique characteristics. Furthermore, we shall soon see that Nebuchadnezzars appreciation of God is limited. Pope Francis Issues Call for Peace on Anniversary of Russias Invasion of Ukraine. Neither peer opposition nor the king's new law (chapter 6) greatly disturbed Daniel. [6] What counts is not Daniel's human gifts, nor his education in the arts of divination, but "Divine Wisdom" and the power that belongs to God alone, as Daniel indicates when he urges his companions to seek God's mercy for the interpretation of the king's dreams. What is it that these men are testifying against You? 63 But Jesus kept silent. Specifically, the account of The Bad News at Belshazzars Banquet (not a bad title for that lesson) in chapter 5 was given to us so that we could better understand the prophecies of chapters 7 and 8.