Sermon Tone Analysis

• No more chit chat.

Daniel immediately launches into telling Nebuchadnezzar his dream.

Nebuchadnezzar was troubled as he lay in bed at night, wondering what the future held.

Although he started out as a minor world player, he now finds himself the greatest world ruler.

And his thoughts turned into a frightening, confusing dream.

Daniel stated that the king had stood before and contemplated a great magnificent statue of a man.

started out as a minor world player, he now finds himself the greatest world ruler.

And his

thoughts turned into a frightening, confusing dream.

Daniel stated that the king had stood before

and contemplated a great magnificent statue of a man.

The word used here for "awesome" is translated as "terrible" in the King James Version.

The Chaldean word is dechal, which literally means formidable, terrifying, dreadful and inspiring fear.

Chaldean word is dechal, which literally means formidable, terrifying, dreadful and inspiring fear.

It is no wonder Nebuchanezzar was so anxious to know about it.

"Dechal" is a form of "zachal" in Hebrew and means literally to fearfully creep away from something, to crawl in a timid manner.

Hebrew and means literally to fearfully creep away from something, to crawl in a timid manner.

"Dechal" is only used in the book of Daniel, a number of times, to describe apparently very incredible, terrifying images seen in the various dreams and visions here.

- this image elicited terror-it was awe-inspiring.

It was glamorous, terrific, and stupendous.

incredible, terrifying images seen in the various dreams and visions here.

- this image elicited

terror-it was awe-inspiring.

It was glamorous, terrific, and stupendous.

Great images were something Nebuchadnezzar could relate to.

Remember that Babylon is the cradle of all pagan religions, the occult and every other form of evil religious practice can be traced to Babylon.

This image was not to be worshipped, but I am sure that Nebuchadnezzar had seen a few such things in his day.

It was always the practice of pagan kings to have images erected to their own glory.

There is a great deal of archeological evidence to support this.

We have pictures of grand edifices and statues erected in honor of kings and great warriors.

But this statue was more terrifying and fear-inducing than anything he had seen before.

all pagan religions, the occult and every other form of evil religious practice can be traced to

Babylon.

This image was not to be worshipped, but I am sure that Nebuchadnezzar had seen a few

such things in his day.

It was always the practice of pagan kings to have images erected to their

own glory.

There is a great deal of archeological evidence to support this.

We have pictures of

grand edifices and statues erected in honor of kings and great warriors.

But this statue was more

terrifying and fear-inducing than anything he had seen before.

Remember also that God is speaking now to Nebuchadnezzar in his own language, the language of the Gentile world then.

God wants Nebuchadnezzar to understand this dream, but He also wants the entire world to understand.

This dream relates to the whole of Gentile history.

Gentile world then.

God wants Nebuchadnezzar to understand this dream, but He also wants the

entire world to understand.

This dream relates to the whole of Gentile history.

We may assume that there is probably some sort of relationship between this image and the one we'll see In Chapter 3. "King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon."

() If chapter 3 is any indication, this bright metallic image may have been as tall as a ten-story building (3:1).

It was, however, not only majestic, but also terrifying and troubling.

What Nebuchadnezzar erected in chapter 3 probably does not compare with what he saw in his dream.

This is no man-made image.

see In Chapter 3. "King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide,

and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon."

() If chapter 3 is any

indication, this bright metallic image may have been as tall as a ten-story building (3:1).

It was,

however, not only majestic, but also terrifying and troubling.

What Nebuchadnezzar erected in

chapter 3 probably does not compare with what he saw in his dream.

This is no man-made image.

31"This image's head was of fine 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 clay. 3 "You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

35"Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found.

31"This image's head was of fine 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 clay. 3 "You watched while a

stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke

them in pieces.

35"Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed

together, and became like chaff

from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found.

And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

• We can immediately see some very interesting facts about this strange image:

The image was composed of four different metals:

(1) the head was made of gold;

(2) the breast and arms of silver;

(3) the belly and thighs of bronze; and

(4) the legs of iron, with clay mixed in at the feet

• The image was top heavy.

The atomic weight of gold (197.2) is far heavier than that of silver (107.88), or bronze which is composed mainly of copper (63.57) and tin {118.70).

Iron's number on the periodic table is even less {55.85).

In addition, these metals not only decrease in value from top to bottom, but also diminish in splendor and glory.

However, they increase in overall strength, until the feet.

(107.88), or bronze which is composed mainly of copper (63.57) and tin {118.70).

Iron's number on

the periodic table is even less {55.85).

In addition, these metals not only decrease in value from

top to bottom, but also diminish in splendor and glory.

However, they increase in overall

strength, until the feet.

• This image indicates a continual deterioration in world empires.

1.

The quality of the metals: gold is finer than silver, and silver is finer that brass.

Brass is

finer than iron, and iron is better than clay.

2. The specific gravity (and atomic weights) of the metals: each metal shows deterioration

3. The position of each metal: the head has more honor than the feet.

4. The specific statement of Scripture: "And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you" (v.

39).

Scripture is clear that each kingdom is to be inferior to the one before it.

you" (v.