Daniel 2.21-God Determines Appointed And Duration Of Times, Deposes And Elevates Kings, Gives Wisdom To Wise And Knowledge Those Who Can Receive Understanding
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday March 7, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 2:21-God Determines Appointed And Duration Of Times, Deposes And Elevates Kings, Gives Wisdom To Wise Men And Knowledge To Those Who Can Receive Understanding
Lesson # 45
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 2:1.
Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.” 12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter. 18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. 21 It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. 22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. 23 To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.” (NASB95)
“It is He who changes the times and the epochs” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), which is not translated and followed by the third person masculine singular pronoun hû(ʾ) (הוּא) (who), “it is He who” and then we have the masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active participle form of the verb šenā(h) (שְׁנָה) (shen-aw´), “changes” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun ʿid∙dān (עִדָּן) (id-dawn´), “the times” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun zemǎn (זְמַן) (zem-awn´), “time.”
The conjunction wa is used in an epexegetical sense meaning that it is introducing a statement that elaborates upon the previous statement in verse 21.
In verse 20, Daniel says that God has had His name showered with adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving from eternity past and in addition this will continue throughout eternity future because He inherently is wisdom as well as power.
The conjunction wa in verse 21 is introducing four statements that explain how God manifests His wisdom and power in history so that it is praised.
The verb šenā(h) does not mean “to change” but rather “to set” in the sense of deciding or determining when a particular event will take place. God is the subject of this verb and it takes two objects, which are the nouns ʿid∙dān, “the times” and zemǎn, “the epochs.”
The former denotes appointed times or in other words when something will take place in the sense of when it will begin and end.
The latter denotes durations of time indicating how long something will take place.
Therefore, the verb šenā(h) denotes the Father “sets” in the sense of determines the appointed times in which something will begin and end as well as duration of times in the sense of how long something will last.
The noun ʿid∙dān is in the plural and means “appointed times” referring to the specific point of time an event begins and ends.
It signifies when something takes place.
Here the word denotes that God the Father sets or determines “the appointed times” when events will begin and end and when lives will begin and end.
The noun zemǎn is in the plural and means “durations of times” referring to how long events will take place or persons will live.
This coincides with noun ʿid∙dān, “appointed times” since if God sets the appointed times, i.e. when an event will begin and end or when a person will live and die, then He certainly decides the durations of time, i.e. how long an event or circumstance will take place or how long a person lives.
The fact that God determines the appointed times makes clear that He determines the duration of times since the duration of time is dictated by appointed times.
In other words, if God determines when an event will begin and end or when a person will live and die, then it stands that He determines how long an event or circumstance will take place or how long a person lives.
“He removes kings and establishes kings” is composed of the masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active participle form of the verb ʿǎḏā(h) (עֲדָה) (ad-aw´), “He removes” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “kings” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active participle form of the verb qûm (קוּם) (koom), “establishes” and then once again we have the masculine plural form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “kings”
The verb ʿǎḏā(h) means “depose” and is used with God as its subject and the plural form of the noun mě∙lěḵ, “kings” as its object, which refers to the governmental heads of the nations of the earth-past, present and future.
Here the verb denotes that God the Father “deposes” kings in the sense that He removes them from their positions of authority.
The noun mě∙lěḵ appears twice in this second statement and in both instances the word means “kings” referring to the governmental heads of the nations of the earth-past, present and future.
The verb qûm means “to elevate, promote” and is used with God as its subject and the kings of the earth as its object.
It denotes that God the Father “elevates” kings or “promotes” or we could say “sets” them “up” since the word stands in direct contrast with the verb ʿǎḏā(h), which means “depose.”
“He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding” is composed of the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb yehǎḇ (יְהַב) (yeh-hab´), “He gives” which is followed by the feminine singular noun ḥā∙ḵemā(h) (חָכְמָה) (khok-maw´), “wisdom” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine plural form of the noun ḥǎk∙kîm (חַכִּים) (khak-keem´), “wise men.”
The verb yehǎḇ means “to give” in the sense of imparting something to someone.
Here the word is used with God as its subject and wise men as its object.
It denotes that God gives to wise men wisdom since all authentic wisdom comes from the Father.
Those who are wise men in Daniel 2:21 are like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah since the wisdom from God is received by learning and obeying God’s Word and receiving by faith revelation from God.
The noun ḥā∙ḵemā(h) means “wisdom” and is an attribute of God that is found in the Person of Christ and expressed in the Word of Christ, which is the mind and thinking of Christ and refers to the ability and know how to execute the Father’s will.
It is given to those who are wise in the sense that they receive revelation from God, i.e. the Word of God and exercise faith in this revelation which is demonstrated by obedience to God’s Word.
This gives the person sound judgment and the ability to understand people and situations and discernment and judgment in dealing with people.
Wisdom is the ability and skill to do things God’s way whether in relation to self or others by living according to God’s Word, which teaches God’s way.
In Daniel 2:23, Daniel thanks God for giving him wisdom and power as a result of revealing to him the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as its interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers were not wise since they did not receive revelation from God and were not obedient to Him.
In direct contrast, Daniel and his friends were wise since they received by faith revelation from God, not only through this dream but also by exercising faith and obeying the Mosaic Law and the Prophets of Israel.
Therefore, when God revealed to Daniel the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as its interpretation, He was receiving wisdom from God.
The noun ḥǎk∙kîm means “wise men” and refers specifically to those who learn and obey God’s Word, which is revelation from God concerning His character, will, ways and what He has provided to accomplish His will and live by His ways.
They exercise faith in God’s word, which is demonstrated by their obedience and the way they deal with situations, circumstances and people.
Daniel was wise because God revealed to him the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as its interpretation.
This revelation spoke of the future of planet earth and that there would be five major world empires culminating in the Second Advent of Jesus Christ and His subsequent millennial reign.
“And knowledge to men of understanding” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine singular noun mǎn∙dǎʿ (מַנְדַּע) (man-dah´), “knowledge” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb yeḏǎʿ (יְדַע) (yed-ah´), “men of” which is followed by the feminine singular noun bî∙nā(h) (בִּינָה) (bee-naw´), “understanding.”
The noun mǎn∙dǎʿ means “knowledge” and refers to knowledge of God’s will, His ways and what He has provided for His people to do His will.
By God revealing to Daniel the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as its interpretation, he received knowledge of God’s will with regards to the future of planet earth.
The verb yeḏǎʿ means “to possess the capacity to receive” implying personal knowledge or an experiential knowledge.
It denotes that God gives knowledge of His will and ways and character “to those who possess the capacity to receive” understanding of His will, ways and character.
The noun bî∙nā(h) means “understanding” in the sense of possessing the power of comprehending and applying.
Here it denotes that God gives knowledge to those who possess the capacity to receive “understanding” in the sense of comprehending God’s character, ways and will and make personal application.
Daniel 2:21 contains four statements.
They serve to explain Daniel’s statement in verse 20 that God has had His name showered with adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving from eternity past and in addition this will continue throughout eternity future because He inherently is wisdom as well as power.
Daniel 2:21 elaborates for the reader as to who how God manifests His wisdom and power in history so that it is praised.