Sermon Tone Analysis

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:

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)

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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)

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)

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?

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.

For such a time as this.