Remaining Holy in a Hostile World: Daniel 2-- I Dreamed a Dream

Introduction

Have you ever had a vivid dream years ago that you can still remember today? Maybe it was really exciting or very fearful (more like a nightmare). I still vividly remember a dream I had around 1999 or 2000. I was in the backseat of my parents’ car as we were traveling south on the road we lived on. We were less than a quarter of a mile from home. It was night. I was on the left side of the car and I was looking out the window of the car toward the east, but there appeared a bright light behind the trees. We passed the trees that opened out to one of the fields on my parents’ property. There in the eastern sky was Jesus coming through the clouds with a bright light. Instantly I felt myself being pulled from the car rising in the air toward Him and then I was on the streets of gold with Him. Then I woke up. The dream had both a joyous and fearful and then disappointment when I realized that I was still here. It felt like it really happened and it has stayed with me for over 2 decades. Dreams and visions are a powerful thing. In both the Old and New Testament they were used to convey messages from God or in pagan cultures, messages from the gods. Dreams can warnings still today. That is not saying that they are divine revelation that you should add to the Bible. Sometimes you have been wrestling with something, praying about something, reading the Scripture and while you sleep God uses all that to help direct you. Joel writes about dreams and visions:

Joel 2:28–29 NKJV

“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Peter quotes this on Day of Pentecost. God used dreams in the past and He uses them now and will use them in the future. Once again, Pastor Corey is not saying that your dreams are divine revelation, but they have been and still CAN be used by God to help His children.

As we begin Daniel 2 we see another parallel between Daniel and Joseph. At the end of Daniel 1 we learned that Daniel had some skills. Daniel 1:17 “As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

This key gift from God to Daniel is going to play a major role going forward in the life of Daniel.

No Sleep for the King (Daniel 2:1-3)

Daniel 2:1–3 NKJV

Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”

For the first part of this chapter we don’t see Daniel or his three friends. We are introduced to King Nebuchadnezzar in more detail and events that happened to him while he slept.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2

Probably sometime in 603 BC, Nebuchadnezzar’s reign began late in 605 BC. Babylonian records usually followed a system where year one of the king’s reign was the first full calendar year beginning after he took the throne. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case, 604 BC was his first year, so 603 BC would be his second year. The year he ascended to the throne—605 BC—was his accession year.

Genesis 41:1–8 NKJV

Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

The King calls for the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the the Chaldeans (diviners)

Faithlife Study Bible (Chapter 2)

Nebuchadnezzar’s anxiety is accompanied by sleeplessness. The Hebrew phrase used here indicates a turmoil that would disrupt normal sleeping patterns.

Because of this dream and this anxiety he has called these men in to tell him what it means, but it is a little bit different than when Pharaoh had weird dreams.

Language Change / You Tell Me the Dream (Daniel 2:4-6)

Daniel 2:4–6 NKJV

Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

Something changes here. From the beginning of the book until now the text had been in Hebrew. At this point the language of the book switches to Aramaic. It will stay in Aramaic until the end of chapter 7. The Bible is mostly written in Hebrew and Koine Greek, but here is a case where the language it was originally written in was Aramaic.

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Languages (Aramaic)

Aramaic is the best-attested and longest-attested member of the NW Semitic subfamily of languages (which also includes inter alia Hebrew, Phoenician, Ugaritic, Moabite, Ammonite, and Edomite). The relatively small proportion of the biblical text preserved in an Aramaic original (Dan 2:4–7:28; Ezra 4:8–6:18 and 7:12–26; Jeremiah 10:11; Gen 31:47 [two words] as well as isolated words and phrases in Christian Scriptures) belies the importance of this language for biblical studies and for religious studies in general, for Aramaic was the primary international language of literature and communication throughout the Near East from ca. 600 B.C.E. to ca. 700 C.E. and was the major spoken language of Palestine, Syria, and Mesopotamia in the formative periods of Christianity and rabbinic Judaism.

Jesus and his disciples, according to the stories in the Gospels, spoke Aramaic. Parts of the later books of the Hebrew Bible, as well as portions of the Gospels and Acts, are often thought to be translations from Aramaic originals, but even if not they are undoubtedly strongly “Aramaized” in their diction.

So these Chaldeans speak to the king and ask him for the dream. Remember in the case of Pharoah, he had given the dream, but they could not interpret it. Nebuchadnezzar has other plans. He is a smart man. He doesn’t want the Chaldeans to have a charade over him.

His decision is firm / steadfast.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

The word from me is firm: 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. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

He is a very direct and interesting person.

DO NOT MAKE KNOWN THE DREAM AND ITS INTERPRETATION:

Torn limb from limb

Houses laid to ruins

IF YOU DO

Gifts

Rewards

Great Honor

Tell me the dream and the interpretation

Second Time (Daniel 2:7-11)

Daniel 2:7–11 NKJV

They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.” The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

Tell us the dream and we can give the interpretation.

The King is Smart.

If you can tell me the dream than I know you can tell me the interpretation, otherwise I know you are all lying and corrupt and I will put you to death.

The Decree (Daniel 2:12-16)

Daniel 2:12–16 NKJV

For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.

How would you respond?

Daniel had been given gifts by God. You have been given gifts from God. Do you use your time, talents, and treasure for Him?

Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

Conclusion

Daniel was not at home, but he was right where God needed him to be. God has placed each one of us where he needs us.

Acts 17:26–27 NKJV

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

For such a time as this.