[18] The plot of such tales (another example is the story of Joseph and Pharaoh in Genesis 41) is as follows: a person of low status is called before a person of high status to answer a difficult question or to solve a riddle; the high-status person poses the problem but none present can solve; the person of low status solves it and is rewarded. the dates below seem not to fit. (2) Chapters 7 and 8, while written in different languages, are written during the reign of Belshazzar and somehow linked by the author in Daniel 8:1. The second scene portrays the establishment of the thrones on which the Ancient of Days and those holding court are to be seated to pronounce judgment. Second, the prophecies of Daniel are to be understood in the light of the entire Book of Daniel, of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. May the Spirit of God reveal the meaning of this prophecy to us and produce in us that which God desires to His glory and our good. Jesus applied this text to them, not as those who would enter into His kingdom, but as those who would be judged at His return. 26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which he constructed for his wife, was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 2:33 Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. Nebuchadnezzars Conversion (4:2837). Listen and subscribe to The Redeemed Mind Podcast on your favorite podcasting app or website. What is its message to Daniel, to the Jews, and to us? Dan. He raises up kings and also brings them down. In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. Peter heals a lame beggar at the Temple (Acts 3:1 3:10). Gen. 1:2631). You, O king, are the most powerful king on earth. Consider the birth of a child, remembering that Gods deliverance and salvation is likened to birth. The saints of the Highest One are given all the kingdoms of the earth for an everlasting kingdom. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. God also allows the wicked to persist and even to prosper, so that those whom He has chosen might be saved (Romans 9:22-24). The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. A great stone, not cut by human hands, fell on the feet of the statue and destroyed it, and the rock became a mountain that filled the whole world. From an eternal perspective, the coming of Christ and His kingdom is but one coming. There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. iron legs are worth less than the gold head) but the durability of the metal increases (i.e. This fourth beast seems to regenerate in the form of subsequent kings and kingdoms. 2:14; 1 John 4:56)? (2) Why do you think Daniel summarized his dream when he wrote it rather than tell it in full (see verse 1)? Daniel 2 tells how Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzars dream, in which God provided an overview of world events in the millennia yet to come. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. Our text challenges such a conclusion, and later prophecies in Daniel further document that the coming of the King and of the kingdom will be some time further in the future. Dan. 31 Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statuean enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human handsa rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. The ruler changed This chapter is actually a letter. [28] The concept of four successive world empires is drawn from Greek theories of mythological history, while the symbolism of the four metals is drawn from Persian writings. Our Lords first coming happened over a period of more than 30 years, and yet we view this as one coming. It may seem to them that their defeat is certain and that their hopes of entering into the eternal kingdom are lost. This fourth beast has the distinction of ten horns. Nebuchadnezzar had been convicted, but not converted. ; The NET Bible. Just as the toes of the feet were part ceramic and part iron, it will end up a mixed bag of the breakable and unbreakable. Are we supposed to discover their identity? The death of this king brings about the end of his kingdom. 49 Moreover, at Daniels request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. The day and hour of Jesus return are unknown to all but God (Matthew 24:36 24:51). The Ancient of Days is a designation for God, not found elsewhere in the Bible. Concurrence Take me to the king and I will interpret his dream for him., Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means., The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?. His thoughts alarm him, and his face pales. However, the Son of Man must first suffer at the hands of men (17:22; 20:18). After this chapter, the book returns to the Hebrew language. 145:13. Dan. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; And knowledge to those who have understanding. 3:253:50 lines 279361 Daniel B: lines 1-71 Harbus, Antonina. Indeed, after giving his interpretation, Daniel begs the king to repent of his sins and to show mercy to the poor (cf. Daniel blessed the God of heaven, saying. The prophecy of this chapter is divinely interpreted. All Rights Reserved. Marriage 4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. Note that even pagan records mention the kings absence and return to power. [1], It is generally accepted that the Book of Daniel originated as a collection of folktales among the Jewish community in Babylon and Mesopotamia in the Persian and early Hellenistic periods (5th to 3rd centuries BCE), expanded in the Maccabean era (mid-2nd century) by the visions in chapters 712. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), A General Interpretation verses 16-18. The wicked will prosper and appear to get away with their opposition toward God and His saints. Daniels response is testimony to this reality. 2:32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. Download the Redeemed Mind Android App by clicking HERE. What role do they play in relation to the four beasts? 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,81 and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. As the saints suffer at the hands of the wicked, it may appear all hope is lost. How interesting! Interpretations of Daniels prophecies differ widely. How was the fourth beast different from the first three? 2:34 You were watching as a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. Unusually, the feet are an odd combination of solid iron and brittle clay. He also makes great assumptions that Daniel is going to be able to do this. 4:19; Ezk. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. Then the saints will receive the kingdom which will never end. No convincing explanation for this has been put forward. They believed that the Messiah would come to establish the kingdom, to bless the Jews and to condemn the Gentiles. When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. WebNews Bulletin 04 - Daniel Interprets Statue Dream. 4:5, 19), and he understood who was in his court (cf. Prophecy is always practical and relevant to the person(s) receiving it. 15 And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Revelation 13:4, 11-15). Life lessons, Bible study, Christian news, and more. Yet, contact with believers alone does not convert. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to have a child. 78 Walvoord thinks this is the year 553 B.C., some 14 years before the fall of Babylon. Having related the dream, Daniel then interprets it: it concerns four successive kingdoms, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, which will be replaced by the everlasting kingdom of the God of heaven. 4:16) refers to a fixed, definite, and lengthy period of time. The other three are removed from power but allowed to live for some time after their removal (verse 12). And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the kings demand., 24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. All distinctions of race and colour and nationality are stripped away and one apparently human figure represents the whole human race. Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 150. [30] Verses 41b-43 give three different interpretations of the meaning of the mixture of iron and clay in the statue's feet, as a "divided kingdom," then as "strong and brittle," and finally as a dynastic marriage. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. Suffering is an inseparable part of the process which leads to glory. Wherever I see the Scriptures speak of the coming kingdom of God, I find suffering closely associated with it. There are conflicting views of which countries are represented by the enormous statues remaining components silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, and iron legs. In chapter 2 the king was troubled because he did not understand his dream (cf. [20] In Daniel 2 these two merge, and the claim of God's sovereignty extends beyond the immediate story to take in all of history. The Greek view proposes the silver chest and arms are the Median Kingdom, brass belly/thighs are the Persian Empire, and iron/clay legs are the Greek Empire. 9 If any one has an ear, let him hear. First is a great tree that filled He intends to make changes in time and in law. 32 This images head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news. In the context of the coming of His kingdom and the suffering and trials which precede it, soberness is a vitally important quality which prophecy promotes: 1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. It may have been a physical manifestation, a dream, or merely a thought. 27 Daniel replied, No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. We get it. Daniel praised God and said: Praise be to God forever; wisdom and power are his. [7], In the ancient world, dreams, especially those of kings, were regarded as portents. [27] Jewish scholars interpret the mixed materials forming the feet as the kingdom of Rome alongside kingdoms under Islamic rule. This scene in Daniel is also similar to a prophecy recorded in the Book of Revelation: 4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?. Four kings will establish four kingdoms, and some of these kingdoms have a number of kings. (13) In some sense, the last kingdom is still on-going. We can tell by Nebuchadnezzars outpouring of thanks to Daniel. In Dan. Some of his alarm arose from his not yet having been given the interpretation of his vision. He distinguishes himself by his ability to overcome the whole earth, crushing it under foot. It is striking that upon having a second dream, Nebuchadnezzar again called the wise men for an interpretation. Holiness (10) Daniels preoccupation is with the last beast, rather than the first three. 2:36 This was the dream. (6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. (2) While the timing of the fulfillment of divine prophecy may seem remote to the recipient, it still has relevance for him. Seeing this image frightened and bothered him, but a king of his magnitude and 2:37 You, O king, are the king of kings. Daniel does not say he can interpret the dream he says God can interpret the kings dream and humbly explains to King Nebuchadnezzar that there is a God in heaven who reveals such mysteries. According to our text, the prophecies of Daniel 7 will not be fulfilled for a considerable period of time. Nebuchadnezzar captured Daniel and his buddies Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah when they were very young men (probably mid-teens), and we see glimpses of Daniel working in the palace until hes well over eighty years 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. God has revealed in this interpretation what He wants us to know and has kept back that which we need not know. Would Belshazzar toast the gods of gold, silver, wood and stone with the sacred temple vessels? Q. When the court sits for judgment, his dominion is taken from him and he is destroyed forever. Within this view, the arrival of the kingdom of God (the rock) is symbolic for the arrival of Jesus. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly if iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. (4) This is the first prophecy in the book revealed directly to Daniel. WebNebuchadnezzar is a real person. The third beast is leopard-like, with four wings and four heads, and it is given dominion. The transfiguration of our Lord was but a foretaste of His coming glorious kingdom (16:28). (1) Prophecy is necessary because God has chosen to settle His accounts with men slowly. Its appearance caused alarm. The statue is cast with four different metals the head is gold, the chest and arms are silver, the belly and thighs are bronze, and the legs are iron. This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. Thirdly (and most importantly), the prophecies of Daniel mean exactly what God says they mean, nothing more and nothing less. Print. 620 BC. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. The fourth beast receives greater attention and is of the most interest to Daniel. 9 I kept looking until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. The head of the statue was pure gold, the chest and arms were silver, the belly and hips were bronze, the legs were iron, and the feet were an iron-ceramic mixture. (Exodus 15:1 15:21). At this point the revelation ended. In more detail, the outline would be as follows: (2) The Divine Interpretation verses 15-28. When you recognize that God has shown an answer to you offer praise and thanks. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies. God grants this king success and his saints suffering, but only for an appointed time. Unsubscribe at any time. [6] What counts is not Daniel's human gifts, nor his education in the arts of divination, but "Divine Wisdom" and the power that belongs to God alone, as Daniel indicates when he urges his companions to seek God's mercy for the interpretation of the king's dreams. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. This is an accurate telling of the dream, and the interpretation is also accurate., 4647 When Daniel finished, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face in awe before Daniel. When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, having added perfect humanity to His undiminished deity, He spoke of Himself very often as the Son of Man. In the Gospels, Jesus began not only to identify Himself as the Messiah, the promised Son of Man, but also to explain all that this involved. That kingdom wont bond, wont hold together any more than iron and clay hold together. (1) Why does Daniel indicate the historical setting of the vision he receives in chapter 7? [19], The overall theme of the Book of Daniel is God's sovereignty over history,[5] and the theme of the tales in chapters 16 is that God is sovereign over all earthly kings. Privacy Policy They protest that no man can do such a thing, and Nebuchadnezzar orders that they all be executed. 1:2425)? Web6 Daniel ch 4. Given Nebuchadnezzars repeated interaction with Daniel and his friends, why do you think he did not become a believer earlier (cf. At Daniels request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to administrative posts throughout Babylon, while Daniel governed from the royal headquarters. A number of lessons from our text have broad application to our thinking and conduct as Christians. Second, is the appearance of an angel, called a watcher, who declares and facilitates the removal of Nebuchadnezzar from power (cf. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8). 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. He would rise from the dead (12:40). Note the term seven times (Dan. Prophecy reveals that which we would not and could not expect apart from divine revelation. The bronze belly and thighs are a ruler that will rule over the entire world. God gives us wisdom in ways we may not always readily recognize. The emphasis of this brief interpretation falls not on the enemies of God, their power, their brutality, nor their boasting, but on the kingdom of God, its certainty and its permanence for all the saints forever. (12) No distinction between the first coming of Christ and the second is made in the coming of the eternal kingdom of God. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (verse 28). Daniel finds nothing to compare to it. 4:13, 8 signals that a change had occurred, which he describes in this chapter. [25] Finally Nebuchadnezzar prostrates himself before Daniel and commands that offerings and incense be offered to him, suggesting that he views Daniel as divine; nevertheless, although he acknowledges and respects the god of Daniel, he is not a convert. WebHe made known and also interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream; and many years afterwards, when he was now an old man, amid the alarm and consternation of the terrible night of Belshazzar's impious feast, he was called in at the instance of the queen-mother (perhaps Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar) to interpret the mysterious The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. Chapter 2. The beasts are hardly worthy of prose, but the court of heaven deserves a description of the finest words. The beasts are a horrifying and frightening sight; the heavenly court scene is one of regal splendor and beauty. Moreover, at Daniels request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. 4445 But throughout the history of these kingdoms, the God of heaven will be building a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will this kingdom ever fall under the domination of another. 2:25 So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the kings presence, saying to him, I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king. 2:26 The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation? 2:27 Daniel replied to the king, The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king. What God says, He will do. 2:43 And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. He has given you authority over them all. True. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: As your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. That was bad enough, from the religious leaders perspective, but the way in which He answered them was the last straw. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, for iron breaks and smashes everything, and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Nebuchadnezzar then acknowledges the supremacy of Daniel's God and raises him to high office in Babylon. The beast also was given a mans mind. This takes place until the Ancient of Days comes and judgment is given to the saints, at the time the eternal kingdom becomes their possession. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. The vision recorded in chapter 8 took place in the third year of Belshazzar. In the latter days, before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, kings and kingdoms will become worse and worse. 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Many scholars have contrasted Nebuchadnezzars dream in Daniel 2 with Daniels vision in chapter 7. Both passages reveal the coming world kingdoms, but the symbolism is strikingly different in each. The pagan king sees the kingdoms of this world as a towering work of art, impressive in size, value, and grandeur (albeit with feet of clay). [24] Daniel 2:2023 emphasizes the Divine as a repository of wisdom and the controller of the destiny of kings; such hymns and prayers are typical of postexilic biblical narratives. When the Lord Jesus came to the earth, He often referred to Himself as the Son of Man, gradually making it clear that He was the Messiah who was God incarnate. 4:19). 2:89). The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. Persecution He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Propitiation (Numbers 23:19). Previously, the king As the king was about to execute the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and his friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), God revealed Nebuchadnezzars dream and its meaning to Daniel in a vision during the night. What God declares in prophecy, He reveals as well in history. Through the ages, the saints have learned that they must wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled and that this may not happen in their lifetime (see Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40). WebDaniel 2. In his vision, Daniel observed the sea being stirred up into a raging storm by the four winds of heaven. This signifies that the events which follow have been ordained by God. In Ezekiel, and even in Daniel (8:17), it is used in reference to a prophet. Copyright 2021 Bible Blender. This description certainly fits the account of Nebuchadnezzars plunge from power and sanity in chapter 4. The only human things mentioned of the fourth beast are his eyes and his mouth. 39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 36 This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. Unity The boastful beast becomes even more aggressive, waging war with the saints and even overpowering them. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. His vision in chapter 4 should have produced more distress than it did. This decree also falls on Daniel, but he, through the agency of his God, is able to tell the king the dream. But it will stand forever. Biblical Studies Press. 2:47; 3:29), one might think the king was on the verge of salvation. for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. God would strike him down in the moment of His choosing to silence him once and for all and put an end to his kingdom. The first beast was lion-like, with wings like that of an eagle.79 Its wings were plucked from it; if this happened in mid-air, he must have plummeted to the ground. 4:89). (Matthew 22:41 22:46), The parable of the bags of gold (Jesus tells the parable of the talents) (Matthew 25:14 25:30). The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.. Let us listen then, and be sober, enduring the sufferings and trials sent our way, looking expectantly and certainly for His kingdom to come. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as ironfor iron breaks and smashes everythingand as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him., 25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means., 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?. This is what we need to know from Daniels vision, rather than the identity of the beasts. The saints should neither believe nor behave on the basis of how things appear to be (the wicked prospering and prevailing over the righteous). His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Character He not only speaks against the Most High, he oppresses the saints. The second time, the expression is used in reference to Daniel himself, as it will be used very frequently in Ezekiel to refer to this great prophet: So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end (Daniel 8:17). Prophecy provides men the opportunity to think and act in a way which pleases God, who determines the future and who reveals future events to men. God's Judgment The New International Version. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth. While most of those in this kingdom may not have had a true conversion, at least they tolerated the Jewish faith as the religion of the state. He features in the Bible, specifically the What the vision refers to is not specified. Sin distorted this authority with this particular disease, even turning man into an animal.
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