Daniel 2.29-Daniel Tells Nebuchadnezzar That God Made Known To Him What Will Take Place In The Future
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday March 27, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 2:29-Daniel Tells Nebuchadnezzar That God Made Known To Him What Will Take Place In The Future
Lesson # 53
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.” 24 Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.” 25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed. 29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place.” (NASB95)
“As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future” is composed of the second person masculine singular form of the personal pronoun ʾǎnt (אַנְתְּ) (ant), “as for you” which is followed by the masculine singular form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “king” and then we have the masculine plural construct form of the noun rǎʿ∙yôn (רַעְיֹון) (rah-yone´), “thoughts,” which is modified by the second person masculine singular pronomial suffix -ḵ (־ךְ), “your” and then we have the preposition ʿǎl (עַל) (al), “on” and its object is the masculine singular construct form of the noun miš∙kǎḇ (מִשְׁכַּב) (mish-kab´), “bed” which is modified by the second person masculine singular pronomial suffix -ḵ (־ךְ), “your” which is followed by the third person masculine plural peʿal (Hebrew equivalent is the qal) active perfect form of the verb selǎq (סְלַק) (sel-eek´), “turned to” and then we have the interrogative pronoun mā(h) (מָה) (maw), “what” which is followed by the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), which is not translated and is followed by the third person masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew equivalent is the qal) active jussive form of the verb hǎwā(h) (הֲוָה) (hav-aw´), “would take place” and then we have the masculine plural construct form of the noun ʾǎ∙ḥǎrî (אַחֲרִי) (akh-ar-eeth´), “in the future” which is modified by the demonstrative pronoun denā(h) (דְּנָה) (dane-awe), which is not translated.
The personal pronoun ʾǎnt is an independent personal pronoun which means “you” and emphasizes Nebuchadnezzar as receiving this revelation from God concerning the future.
The noun rǎʿ∙yôn is in the plural construct form and means “thoughts” in the sense of contemplation or reasoning with focus on the content of the king’s thought.
The word is speaking of Nebuchadnezzar’s train of thought, which Daniel said turned to future things.
This indicates that God was projecting into the mind of the king a vision which described what will take place in the future.
So Nebuchadnezzar’s thought pattern or train of thought went from contemplating or reasoning about a particular matter or thing or person to this vision, which was a revelation from God about the future.
The verb selǎq is used in a figurative sense in relation to Nebuchadnezzar’s thoughts and means “to turn to” referring to the change of the king’s thought pattern.
Nebuchadnezzar’s thought pattern went from contemplating or reasoning about a particular matter or thing or person to this vision, which was a revelation from God about the future.
It denotes that the king began to contemplate this revelation from God that appeared in his mind as a vision, which concerned itself with the future of planet earth.
The interrogative pronoun mā(h) means “that” and denotes a relative reference to any entity, event or state.
Here it refers to the vision which is described by Daniel in verses 31-35 and interpreted for the king in verses 36-45.
The verb hǎwā(h) means, “to take place, occur” and is used of events taking place in the future.
Daniel is telling Nebuchadnezzar that his thoughts on his bed turned to that which “will take place” in the future.
The noun ʾǎ∙ḥǎrî is in the plural and means “the days to come” since the revelation in the form of a vision that God gave to Nebuchadnezzar is referring to the future, which is indicated by the interpretation of the dream in verses 36-45.
Daniel’s interpretation of this dream says that the vision that Nebuchadnezzar saw in this dream describes four successive major world empires, which are first Babylon, then followed by Media-Persia, which will be followed by Greece and then Rome.
It also reveals that the Second Advent of Christ will destroy these empires.
Lastly, it speaks of the millennial reign of Christ.
Therefore, ʾǎ∙ḥǎrî refers to the extended period of time which begins with Nebuchadnezzar sacking Jerusalem in 605 B.C. culminating in the Second Advent of Christ and His subsequent millennial reign.
This prophetic period is called “the Time of the Gentiles,” which refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers and extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (605 B.C.) and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2).
The noun ʾǎ∙ḥǎrî is modified by the demonstrative pronoun denā(h) which means “those” since the word refers to the days to come, i.e. the future, which is described by God in this dream.
It indicates that this noun is pointing back to the expression in verse 28 “the latter days” and indicates that they are synonymous with each other.
“And He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew equivalent is the qal) active participle form of the verb gelā(h) (גְּלָה) (ghel-aw´), “He who reveals” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun rāz (רָז) (rawz), “mysteries” and then we have the third person masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active perfect form of the verb yeḏǎʿ (יְדַע) (yed-ah´), “has made known” which is followed by the second person masculine singular pronomial suffix -ḵ (־ךְ), “you” and then we have the interrogative pronoun mā(h) (מָה) (maw), “what” which is followed by the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), which is not translated and then we have the third person masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew equivalent is the qal) active jussive form of the verb hǎwā(h) (הֲוָה) (hav-aw´), “will take place.”
The conjunction wa is emphatic meaning that the word is introducing a statement that is advancing upon and intensifying the previous statement, which records Daniel telling Nebuchadnezzar that his thoughts on his bed turned to those days to come, which are first mentioned in verse 28 by the expression ʾǎ·ḥǎrîṯ yô·mǎy·yā(ʾ), “the latter days.”
In verse 28, the conjunction wa introduces a statement which records Daniel telling the king that God who he describes as the revealer of mysteries, has made known to him in his dream that which will take place in the latter days.
So the statement introduced by wa advances upon this previous statement in the sense that Daniel goes from telling the king that his thoughts on his bed turned to those days to come in the future to telling him that the revealer of mysteries has made known to him in his dream that which will take place in the latter days.
The advancement and intensification in the statement is that Daniel goes from telling the king that his thoughts turned to the days to come in the future to telling him that it was God, the revealer of mysteries who gave him these thoughts about the future.
The verb gelā(h) means “to reveal” and is used with the God the Father as the subject and its object is the masculine plural form of the noun rāz, “mysteries.”
This indicates that Daniel is telling Nebuchadnezzar that “the revealer” of mysteries, namely God gave him this vision about the future of planet earth in the sense that He reveals events, which are hidden meaning He reveals the future to humans like Daniel which would otherwise be unknown.
The noun rāz is in the plural and means “mysteries.”
As was the case in Daniel 2:28 the word here in Daniel 2:29 has no specific referent and is used in a generic sense to describe Yahweh as one who reveals what cannot be fully understood by human reason.
He reveals that which resists or defies explanation.
It describes Him as one who can reveal a truth to men that cannot be fully understood or known unless He reveals it.
The verb yeḏǎʿ means “to inform, make known” and is used with God as its subject and its object is what will take place in the future on planet earth.
This indicates that by giving the king this dream God “made known” to him what will take place in the latter days.
Once again, the verb hǎwā(h) means, “to take place, occur” and is used of events taking place in the future on planet earth.
Daniel is telling Nebuchadnezzar that the revealer of mysteries, namely God has made known to him in a dream that which “will take place” in the future on planet earth.
So what Daniel is in effect telling the king of Babylon in verse 29 is that the visions in this recurring dream were a revelation from God, which could only be understood by the king if God makes known to him what these visions meant.
God is using Daniel to explain this revelation to the king.
Daniel could not do so unless God had told him the content of the dream as well as its interpretation.
Therefore, Daniel is not boasting to the king but giving glory to God, which he should.
God graciously makes himself and His will known to human beings since they cannot know Him or His will on their own.
He accomplishes this in many ways, but ultimately through the incarnate Word of God, His Son Jesus Christ and the written Word of God.
God is hidden from human view in the sense that He can not have a relationship or fellowship with sinful humanity (Isaiah 59:2l; Deuteronomy 31:18; Isaiah 1:15; 45:15; 64:7; Ezekiel 39:23; Micah 3:4).
Thus, people are ignorant of much of God’s character and totally ignorant of His will (Acts 17:23; Exodus 5:2; Judges 2:10; Jeremiah 4:22; John 4:22; 15:21; Galatians 4:8; Ephesians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:5).
People cannot know God without His help (Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21-22; cf. Job 34:29; 1 Corinthians 1:21).
God reveals His character and nature and will through the Scriptures (Psalm 119:105; cf. Psalm 19:7-10; 119:130; 147:19; Proverbs 6:23; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21), the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:17; cf. Nehemiah 9:20; Luke 2:26; 12:12; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 12; 1 John 2:27) and through the person of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2; cf. John 1:18; 8:26; 12:49; 14:10; 17:6).
God also reveals Himself through creation (Psalm 19:1; cf. Psalm 97:6; Acts 14:17; 17:26-27), through the prophets (Amos 3:7; cf. Numbers 12:6; 2 Samuel 7:17; 1 Chronicles 17:15; 2 Samuel 7:27; 1 Chronicles 17:25; Isaiah 22:14; 1 Peter 1:12).
Prior to the completion of the canon of Scripture, He revealed His character and nature and will through visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17; cf. Genesis 15:1; Isaiah 1:1; Ezekiel 11:24; Daniel 8:1; Nahum 1:1; Matthew 1:20; 2:12, 22; Acts 9:10; 16:9; 22:17-18).
He did so face to face through theophanies or Christophanies (Numbers 12:8; Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:9-10; Judges 13:22; Job 42:5; Isaiah 6:5).
God the Father through the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus Christ’s true identity (Matthew 3:17; 16:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; John 1:31; Galatians 1:15-16; 2 Peter 1:17-18).
Jesus Christ reveals perfectly the character and nature of God (Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 1:3).
Jesus Christ’s glory is still to be fully revealed before the human race at the rapture and His Second Advent (Luke 17:30; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7,13; 4:13).
God reveals mysteries, i.e. the future (Daniel 2:22; Genesis 41:16; Job 12:22; Daniel 2:28-30, 47; Genesis 41:25; 1 Samuel 9:15-16; 2 Kings 8:10; Jeremiah 11:18; 38:21; Matthew 2:13; Acts 18:9-10; 27:22-24), His righteousness (Romans 1:17; Isaiah 56:1; Romans 3:21; Revelation 15:4), His wrath (Romans 1:18; Numbers 11:1; 2 Samuel 6:7; 1 Chronicles 13:10; Psalm 7:11; Romans 2:5), His salvation (Psalm 98:2; Isaiah 52:10; Luke 2:30-32; 3:6; Titus 2:11), His glory (Isaiah 40:5).
He revealed Himself to the Exodus generation by means of a pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 16:10; 33:9; Numbers12:5; Deuteronomy 1:33; Nehemiah 9:12; Psalm 78:14; 105:39).
Exodus 33:18-23 records the Lord showing His glory to Moses.
God revealed Himself to Israel by means of the cloud of glory in the tabernacle and the temple (Exodus 40:34; Leviticus 16:2; Deuteronomy 31:15; Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4; Deuteronomy 5:24; Psalm 97:6; 102:16; Isaiah 35:2; 44:23; 60:2; Acts 7:55).
God reveals Himself and His will through the gospel and the mystery doctrine of the church.
In relation to the Greek New Testament, the noun musterion, “mystery” referred to Bible doctrine that was never revealed to Old Testament saints but was revealed through the Spirit to the church.
It referred to God’s set of instructions for the church age believer, which were not known to Old Testament saints (Matthew 13:10-11; Romans 16:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Ephesians 3:1-13; 5:22-33; Colossians 1:24-2:3; 1 Timothy 3:9, 16).