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Commentary by Ron Thomas Questions by John C. Sewell

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Daniel 2:1-49

Commentary and Study Questions

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.

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Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Text: Daniel 2:1-49, 1. And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 7. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 8. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 9. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 10. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore




there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise man of Babylon. 13. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 14. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: 15. He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 17. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18. That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21. And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22. He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.




24. Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him: Destroy not the wise man of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 25. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 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? 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. 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. 30. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 31. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33. His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was




found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 37. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. 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. 40. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41. And wereas 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. 42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.




46. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 47. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. I. Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision of the Image. A. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream and Command.

1. Daniel 2:1-13, And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will




shew the interpretation of it. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise man of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

2. Nebuchadnezzar’s second year of reign. Evidently, he had forgotten the dream (2:3) or he was testing the credibility of its interpretation.

a. Hailey brought up a chronology problem.

b. If this is the second year of the king’s reign (Daniel

1:1; 2:1), how can the three-year period (Daniel 1:5, 19) be up for Daniel and his friends to stand in the court (Daniel 1:21)?

i. Daniel 1:1, In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

ii. Daniel 2:1, And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar




dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

iii. Daniel 1:5, 19, And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore stood they before the king.

iv. Daniel 1:21, And Daniel continued even until unto the first year of Cyrus.

c. Coffman suggested that the youth were in Babylon

a year earlier than when Nebuchadnezzar actually assumed the throne. He was first “co-regent” with his father (Turner, p. 28).

d. Hailey said it has more to do with whether the

numbering of the years is according to the Babylonian or Palestinian method.

3. Nebuchadnezzar called for the wise men so they could tell him his dream and give the interpretation.

a. The Chaldeans (others) appealed to the king to relay the dream. “Such men were highly honored in ancient society and were important members of the priesthood. They exercised great influence in a kingdom, because their advice was regularly sought before major decisions were made or actions taken” (Wood, p. 31).




b. The king said for the Chaldeans to tell the dream, then he would know they could give a reliable interpretation.

c. The king grew tired of their “buying time” and threatened them with utter destruction. This “conversation” went back and forth three times before the king gave the execution order.

d. The Chaldeans rebuked the king on their third response.

4. Nebuchadnezzar sent out the order for all the wise men of Babylon to be killed.

a. Verse 11 is the point: If the gods can give an answer and you (the Chaldeans) represent the gods, then why can’t you give an answer?

b. The fact that they could not indicated to Nebuchadnezzar that they were liars and fakes.

B. Daniel appealed for time.

1. Daniel 2:14-18, Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:That they would desire mercies of the God of




heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

2. Perhaps the king’s execution command was already underway (Daniel 2:13) but Daniel 2:14 leaves open the possibility that it was not.

a. Daniel 2:13, And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain

b. Daniel 2:14, Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon

3. Arioch was the captain of the king’s guard.

a. This would have been a “rugged” man. Being in this position he was, no doubt, a man who heard many appeals for mercy. Perhaps he was a man callous to it all.

b. In this case, perhaps Daniel was a different sort of young man than he had experienced before.

c. It is a remarkable thing for the captain of the guard to grant a person under the execution decree a hearing.

4. Daniel appeals to the king for time.

C. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah appeal to the Lord for help. Daniel praises God.

1. Daniel 2:19-23, Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.




Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

2. The Lord revealed the king’s dream to Daniel.

3. Daniel praised the Lord’s name.

a. Wisdom resides with God.

b. God affects world matters.

c. Daniel is the beneficiary of the Lord’s blessing.

D. Daniel stands before Nebuchadnezzar.

1. Daniel 2:24-30, Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him: Destroy not the wise man of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 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? 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. But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 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. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

2. Daniel tells Arioch not to kill the wise men of Babylon.

a. He requested that Arioch take him before the king.

b. Perhaps Arioch took credit for having “found” a wise man of Judea.

3. Daniel stands before the king.

a. The king asked if Daniel can make known the dream and its interpretation.

b. Daniel told the king that his request cannot be met by any man on earth and neither is there any wisdom in him (Daniel) that allows him to stand before the king.

c. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secret things.




4. To the king it was revealed what would happen in the latter days.

a. The phrase “latter days” is an indefinite phrase that must be determined by context.

i. The Jewish Study Bible (JSB) translates “latter days” as “end of days.”

ii. The New English Translation (NET) renders it “latter times.”

b. Commonly the phrase is interpreted to refer to Messianic times.

i. Isaiah 2:2-4, And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

ii. Micah 4:1-4, But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains,




and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

iii. Joel 2:28, And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

iv. Acts 2:17; 3:24, And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

v. Acts 3:24, Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.




vi. Hebrews 1:2, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by when also he made the worlds;

E. Daniel tells the king his dream.

1. Daniel 2:31-35, Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

2. A great image. Some think there is no deterioration in kingdom quality in view with the differences in metals. Others think there is deterioration in view.

3. Description:

a. Its head was of gold.

b. Its chest and arms of silver.

c. Its belly and thighs of bronze.

d. Its legs of iron.




e. The feet were part iron and part clay.

4. A stone cut without hands.

a. This stone struck the image and the image was crushed.

b. This stone became a mountain.

F. Daniel interprets the king’s dream.

1. Daniel 2:36-45, This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And wereas 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. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces




and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

2. Modern interpreters generally interpret this section to refer to four world empires. They are: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecian, and Roman. However, in the JSB, this is understood to refer to Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. However, this is not so.

3. Nebuchadnezzar represents the head of gold, as declared by God.

a. Daniel 2:38, And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

b. Turner commented that Babylon made a chief contribution to our Lord’s “fullness of time” visit when the synagogue was introduced to the religious community. c. These were buildings in which Jewish people would/could gather for instruction in the Scriptures since they had no Temple and its surroundings.

d. The Jewish community had synagogues scattered through the empire during the time of Rome. When Paul went to preach in each new community, this is where he would first go.




4. The arms and chest of silver will bring another, inferior kingdom.

a. This would refer to the Medo-Persian Empire (539-330 B.C.). In what way the Medo-Persian Empire was inferior is hard to say; as an empire, itey lasted longer and was larger in size.

b. The Medo-Persian contribution to our Lord’s arrival was with respect to law and order. Theirs was “a reign which enforced law and order such as the world has never seen . . .” (Turner, pp. 52-53).

c. Note: Some try to separate the Medo-Persian Empire into the Medes, followed by the Persians. However, as a world empire, Coffman, quoting Leupold, said, “There never was such an empire as the Median empire . . .”

5. The belly and thighs of bronze will bring a third kingdom

which shall rule over the earth.

a. This was the Grecian Empire (330-63 B.C).

b. Their chief contribution to our Lord’s arrival was the Greek language. When our Lord walked upon this earth, the language of the common man was Greek.

6. The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron (the legs) and

crush others; the feet represent division among itself (making it fragile), but it still exhibits strength.

a. This would refer to the Roman Empire (63 B.C. –

A.D. 476).




b. Rome brought good roads, freedom of travel,

communication, and Roman citizenship.

c. Though Rome conquered and exhibited its strength, conquered people were never really unified with Rome.

7. God will set up His kingdom.

a. In the days of those kings. “The Vulgate renders

this, ‘in the days of these kingdoms. The natural and obvious sense of the passage is, that during the continuance of the kingdoms above-mentioned, or before they should finally pass away, that is, before the last one should become extinct, another kingdom would be established on the earth which would be perpetual” (Barnes, E-Sword).

b. What is this kingdom?

i. It is the kingdom set up by the Lord Jesus. When he started preaching, He told the people to repent for the kingdom of God was near. (Matthew 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.)

ii. Some time into His ministry, He told the people that some would not see death until they saw the kingdom come with power. (Mark 9:1, And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.)




iii. He told His disciple that He was going to build His church; He used this word in relationship to the kingdom. (Matthew 16:18-19, And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.)

c. The kingdom will not be left to other people. A

man-made kingdom is bound to fail and/or be corrupted.

d. It will never be destroyed.

i. Matthew 16:18, 19, And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

8. This dream and the interpretation is certain.

G. Nebuchadnezzar’s response.

1. Daniel 2:46-49, Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God




is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

2. Nebuchadnezzar was impressed and prostrate before Daniel. a. Did the king prostrate himself and worship Daniel? The reading would suggest as much. b. However, in the words of the king there was a clear recognition that it was Daniel’s God that was so impressive to Nebuchadnezzar. c. The irony of this whole matter is that the king was bowing before a conquered and captive man!

3. Daniel is rewarded with riches and made ruler over all Babylon.

4. Daniel petitions the king for his friends.




Questions

Daniel 2:1-49

(Questions based on NIV text.) 1. _______________, in the ______________ ______________ of his ________________, had ______________ which caused his __________________ to be ______________ and he could not __________________. 2. The __________________ called for the __________________, ______________, ______________ and ________________ to tell him what he had ______________ and what it meant. 3. What would happen to these people if they could not reveal and interpret the king’s dream? _______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is the significance, if any, of dreams today? Explain your answer. _______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What problem did these astrologers have in interpreting the king’s dream? __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Does it seem strange that these astrologers spoke Aramaic in Babylon? Why or why not? ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What reasons did these astrologers’ give for not being able to interpret the king’s dream? _______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. How did Nebuchadnezzar react to these excuses? ____________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Why did men look for Daniel and his friends? Why were they among those to be executed? ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




10. What does the Bible, Old and New Testaments, say about magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers? ______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Who was Arioch and how did Daniel speak to him? What lessons are there in this for us? ____________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Daniel explained the situation to his friends, ______________, ______________ and ______________. What did Daniel ask of his friends? ____________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. God revealed the ________________ to ______________ in a _________________. 14. Itemize the things for which Daniel praised God. List descriptors of God as contained in verses 20-23. ______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




15. Who revealed the meaning of the dream to Daniel? Why did Nebuchadnezzar have this dream? __________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. What was the dream? Describe the vision. Give particulars.______ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17. What does the head of gold represent? Exactly what kingdom is in view here? ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 18. What does the bronze portion of the statue represent? Exactly what kingdom was foretold by the bronze portion of the statue? __ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19. What is represented by the iron portion of the statue? Be specific as to which kingdom this applies. ____________________




______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20. What kingdom is represented by the feet which were part iron and part baked clay? _____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 21. What is represented by the rock which struck and smashed the feet of the statue? _______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22. Explain how historical events in years following this dream co-incided exactly with its provisions. _________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. Would you like to know what will take place in the future? What advantages and disadvantages would there be to knowing the future? _______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24. How did Nebuchadnezzar respond to Daniel’s interpreting his dream? See verses 46 and 47. _____________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. Since Nebuchadnezzar could not remember his dream, how did Nebuchadnezzar know the dream Daniel presented was the right one and that his interpretation was correct? ___________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 26. What, according to verses 48 and 49, benefits accrued to Daniel and his friends following the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream? ________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 27. How does this chapter illustrate the varying circumstances of life, the uncertainty of life and the providential care of the Lord? _ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




________________________________________________________________________________________________ 28. How did Daniel’s success benefit others? Was Daniel’s success in any way achieved by mistreating others? ____________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Documents

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Daniel 2:1-49 Commentary and ...biblestudyworkshop.com/download/old/daniel/Daniel-Chapter2.pdf · Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Daniel 2:1-49 Commentary and Study