Bible Study: Daniel 2 (Part 2)

Introduction

Good Morning

Let’s share any prayer requests and praises.

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Let’s pray

Text: Daniel 2:31-35

Daniel 2:31–35 ESV

31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it 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, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

God Reveals His Mysteries

God reveals to Daniel the actual dream of the Babylonian king.

Without God this would be impossible.

That is why the other wise men where panicking.

Their faith in the useless pagan gods could not help.

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When Daniel provided an accurate description of the kings dream...

He immediately showed the king and all in the room that the God he worships is the true God.

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But God did not only show Daniel the dream...

Like Joseph and Pharaoh’s dream...

He provided the actual interpretation and meaning hidden in the dream.

Text: Daniel 2:36-45

Daniel 2:36–45 ESV

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

God is Given the Credit For King’s Position

Verse 37: “God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory...”

Daniel in the face of a pagan king that has capture him and his fellow Israelites speaks with boldness...

He tells the king of Babylon where he gets his authority from...

He makes it clear that the one true God raised the king up.

He makes it clear that it is not the pagan false gods who have power...

But it is the Lord who is all powerful and all sovereign.

Head of Gold

Verse 38: “You are the head of gold.”

So, the Babylonian Empire is the head of the statue...

They are the head of gold.

They were a very glorious and royal empire that showed off it’s riches.

They were also strong.

That is why they are described as gold.

This Empire will rule from 625 - 539 BC.

Chest and Arms of Silver

Verse 39: “Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you.”

This Empire is the Medo-Persian Empire...

They are the chest and arms of silver of the statue.

They too were strong but...

They lacked the glory and royalty of Babylon therefore they where considered silver instead of gold.

This Empire will rule from 539 - 331 BC.

Middle and Thighs of Bronze

Verse 39: “A third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.”

This Empire is the Greek Empire...

They are the middle and thighs of bronze of the statue.

They were even less glorious that is why they were bronze.

However, they were stronger and bronze was a stronger metal that the previous metals.

Also, this verse says they “ruled over all the earth”

This was referencing how Alexander the Great became the ruler of the known world at the time.

This Empire will rule from 331 - 63 BC.

Legs of Iron

Verse 40: “And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.”

This Empire is the Roman Empire...

They are the legs of iron of the statue.

Rome was know for its iron armor for their soldiers.

They where often refereed to as the Iron Legions of Rome.

The Iron pointed towards strength and invincibility.

This Empire will rule from 63 BC - 476 AD.

Feet of Iron and Clay

Verse 41: “It shall be a divided kingdom.”

The iron in the toes (or 10 kings/leaders of nations) represents the Roman Empire in its revived form, prior to the second coming of Christ.

But the clay mixed in depicts that the union or a federation of kings/leaders of nations would have fatal flaws of human weakness, so that it is inherently vulnerable.

This empire is refereed to in Revelation 13:4-5:

Revelation 13:4–5 ESV

4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

The Kingdom of God

Verse 45: “A stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand.”

This kingdom is the Kingdom of God...

That is why it is described as a stone from a mountain that was not made by human hands...

The stone represents a picture of Christ at His second coming.

We can see this too in Luke 20:17-18:

Luke 20:17–18 ESV

17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Consider also what is said about Christ’s second coming in Daniel 7:13-14:

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Likewise we must look at Daniel 7:27:

Daniel 7:27 ESV

27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

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This Kingdom is of divine origin.

This Kingdom will be greater than any other previous kingdoms.

This Kingdom has both already been inaugurated and will come in full in the future.

This Kingdom will last forever.

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Pastor John MacArthur describes the overall interpretation this way:

“Five empires in succession would rule over Israel, here pictured by parts of a statue (body).

In Daniel 7, the same empires are represented by 4 great beasts.

These empires are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the later revived Rome, each one differentiated from the previous as indicated by the declining quality of the metal.

A stone picturing Christ at His second coming will destroy the fourth empire in its final phase with catastrophic suddenness.

Christ’s total shattering of Gentile power will result in the establishment of His millennial kingdom, the ultimate empire, and then continuing on eternally.”

Text: Daniel 2:46-49

Daniel 2:46–49 ESV

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

The King Acknowledged Who Is The True God

Verse 47: “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries.”

King Nebuchadnezzer can’t help but acknowledge that that the God that Daniel worships is the true God.

He acknowledges that God is superior to all pagan gods.

He acknowledges that God is Lord of all kings.

He acknowledges that God is the revealer of all mysteries.

Although, he is a pagan king and not a believer, to acknowledge these truths are is an amazing act that point to the greatness of our God.

Like Joseph, Daniel is Rewarded

Verse 48: “Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts.”

The similarities with the story of Joseph from Genesis continues...

We see that Daniel is now rewarded in a similar manner.

He is made a ruler and a chief prefect over all the wise men.

Daniel Remembers His Companions

Verse 49: “Daniel made a request of the king...”

Daniel remembered his companions that prayed with him during this ordeal.

He did not forget them.

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This is a reminder for us.

Remember how Joseph interpreted dreams for his fellow prisoners and one of them promised to remember him...

Well, he forgot him for years before he kept his promise to remember him.

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But Daniel is different.

He models for us the proper action of a born-again believer.

He models for us the proper action we should do if we find our self in a similar situation.

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We must remember our companions immediately...

Especially if they are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Closing Prayer

Please join me one more time in prayer.