Daniel - Chapter 2
(2:1-13) People's Basic Insecurity
As we begin chapter two, we have seen in 1:19-20 that Daniel and his three companions are finished with the training in the king's classes and are ready to take their positions at his court.
We see in verse 4 that the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, which was the international language of the time. The book of Daniel from this portion to verse 7:28 is actually written in Aramaic. This is not an exception to scripture. Ezra 4-6 and Jeremiah 10 are also written in this language. It is thought that since we will see in the first half of Daniel the discussion of kingdoms to rise, perhaps it was considered proper to write these chapters in a more expansive language.
We see in these first verses that the king has experienced a strong dream which has come to trouble him very much. While it appears that he cannot remember the dream he calls together his seers and astrologers and magicians to help him overcome the troubling dream meaning. The king was perplexed and he commanded that his mystical men both remind him of what the dream was and what it meant. He had placed an impossible task in front of his wise advisers. He demanded both the content and meaning from them. Their answer was that if the king told them the dream, they would interpret the meaning. Now the king was furious and commanded that if his wish was not fulfilled, all the wise men in the kingdom would die.
Nebuchadnezzar, who had all riches and possessions at his finger tips was insecure as to the dream's meaning. His wise men were insecure as to how to answer his demand. How can they interpret a dream if they do not know what it was? The king's spirit grew anxious and threatening. In verse 10 the wise men expose a great truth without realizing it. They advise the king that no man on earth can tell him what he wants to know. How right they were we will shortly see.
The killings began.
(2:14-30) Knocking At Heaven's Door
The captain of the king's guard, Arioch, came to Daniel and Daniel knew that these murders would soon include himself and his three friends. Daniel asks why the matter was so urgent and asked to see the king. Daniel asked for some time to fulfill the king's request and it was granted.
Now Daniel gathers his three friends, explains all, and they begin to earnestly knock on the door of heaven in prayer seeking the mercies of God. The necessary information was given to Daniel in a night vision and Daniel returned blessings to the Lord for His mercy toward his four servants.
Verses 20-23 are among the most beautiful in all of the Old Testament concerning the understanding that Daniel has of the wonder and working of the Lord.
Now Daniel goes back to Arioch, asking for time with the king to give the king the answer he seeks. Daniel appears before the king, and actually confirms what the king's own men had earlier told him, that NO man was able to provide the answer. Daniel tells the king that there is a God in Heaven who can reveal the answer and He has done so, not because Daniel held the wisdom, but because the king might know the thoughts of his own heart.
Daniel's speech was marked by wisdom, not by what he said but by how he said it.
Daniel's giving of all credit to God was clearly indicating that he was humble and was worshipful toward the Lord. We notice in verse 21 that Daniel even went so far as to advise that it is God who removes kings and raises up kings. Daniel further says that it is God who reveals secrets, not man (verse 28).
(2:31-49) A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
Now Daniel reveals both the content and meaning of the dream. The dream was of a great figure, with its elements beginning with gold at the head, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay.
A stone cut without hands crushes that figure into chaff which the wind blows away. The stone grows into a mighty mountain over all the earth. Daniel reveals that each section of the figure is a kingdom, beginning with Babylon in gold, and other kingdoms to come, represented by other elements, with one final kingdom to overcome and crush all others. The last kingdom is known by Daniel, as all powerful, and is the eternal kingdom of the Messiah to come.
The king fell on his face before Daniel and then promoted Daniel over all the kingdom, along with his three companions at the request of Daniel.
It is understood that the kingdoms to come after Babylon are Medo-Persia, Greece, and finally Rome. While the king praised the God of Daniel, he did not convert nor seek the mercy of Daniel's God but The Lord did transform the wrath of this king into praise. Daniel began this chapter under a death sentence, and ends it with him sitting in power at the top of the court of the king.
