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3.2.0 Daniel 2: An Image & A Stone

TEXT: Daniel 2:1-30

Introduction

A. LANGUAGES OF DANIEL

1. The Passages where originally Written in Either Hebrew or Aramaic

The book of Daniel was written originally in both Hebrew (1:1–2:3; 7:1–12:13) and Aramaic (2:4–7:28) with a scattering of 'Old' Persian (15 total; 6 are archaic by 330 BC) and Greek (3; musical instruments, transliterated) words. In OT times, Aramaic was the language used by several people groups in the Middle East.

2 Kings 18:26 — Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian [Aramiyth] language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall. [After the captivity of Israel and at the attempt to delay the captivity of Judah to Assyria by Hezekiah. Isaiah prophesied "Rabshekah will hear rumor and leave.]

2. Comparison of Hebrew and Aramaic

Both languages have had a significant impact on the development of the other, and there are many instances where they overlap.

  • HEBREW: ha’lekhem
  • Aramaic: lekhm’ah ה

3. Aramaic is also used here and there throughout the New Testament.

The New Testament was written primarily in Greek with only a few Aramaic words or phrases scattered here and there.

  • Talitha cum meaning “Little girl, get up!” (Mark 5:41)
  • Ephphatha meaning “Be opened.” (Mark 7:34)
  • Abba meaning “Father” (Mark 14:36)
  • Raca meaning “fool” (Matthew 5:22)
  • Rabbouni meaning “teacher” (John 20:16)
  • Eli Eli lema sabachthani meaning “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
  • Hosanna meaning “O Lord, save us.” (Mark 11:9)
  • Maranatha meaning “Lord, come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22)

B. There are three divisions to this chapter:

  • Nebuchadnezzar vs.1-13
  • Daniel vs. 13-23
  • The Understanding of the Dream vs. 24-49)

We will then conclude this chapter with some application.

I. Nebuchadnezzar — vs. 1-13

A. The King's Distress — vs. 1

When and Why the king was distressed.

1. The Time of the King's Distress

"And in the second year of…Nebuchadnezzar…"

This is only the 2ndyear of Nebuchadnezzar's independent reign for he was king two years before his father's death.

2. He was troubled over his dreams and the future vs. 1

Daniel 2:29 — 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.

Daniel 2:45 — 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.

B. The King's Desire — vs. 2-4

  1. He called the wisemen. -- vs. 2
  2. The king told them his desire -- vs. 3 "To know the dream" and interpretation.

C. The King's Dilemma — vs. 5

  1. He couldn't remember the dream "the thing is gone from me" vs. 5a
  2. The wise men could not give an answer.

D. The King's Demand — vs. 5b-7

  1. To know the Dream
  2. To the Interpretation

E. The King's Disappointment — vs. 8-11

  1. The king was aware of their tricks — vs. 8 (they were frauds)
  2. He was disappointed in them.
  3. He was disappointed in their answer. — vs. 9 (lying and corrupt words)

F. The King's Decree — vs. 12-13

  1. It was angry. — vs. 12
  2. It was complete. — vs. 12b "All wise men"
  3. It was immediate. — vs. 13

II. Daniel — vs. 13-23

A. Daniel's Predicament — vs. 13 (They sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.)

Will history repeat itself? Will the politicians and the wise of this world have to call the men of God?

Daniel's situation is very severe. Satan could be in this. The storms of Galilee. Ungodly men are tools in the devil's hand.

II Thessalonians 3:12 Paul speaks of 'man's extremity is God's opportunity.' Remember Peter in prison. — Acts 12

B. Daniel's Poise — vs. 14-15 (Not panic but poise.)

Daniel was in imminent danger. Without doubt others panicked but not Daniel. "Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom" [ASRV: prudence & discretion.]

Arioch was the captain or "chief of the executioners (slaughtermen)" "Why is the decree so hasty form the king?" Arioch answered and made it known.

C. Daniel's Positivity — vs. 16 (Goes boldly to the king)

"Then Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would give him time." What optimism! Nebuchadnezzar in health and sleeping well was ferocious but with nightmares not sleeping well on edge touchy whom the wise men had already engaged. And Daniel goes in. That is positivity; that is faith.

Also his positivity is seen—"And that he would shew the king the interpretation." Faith that anticipates the answer is really faith. The faith of Abraham Elijah etc.

D. Daniel's Policy — vs. 17-18 (What is Daniel going to do?)

What would religious leaders do today? Daniel and his friends went to prayer. What were the others doing while these were praying? Daniel's policy was prayer.

"The effectual fervent prayer" (James 5) "of a righteous man availeth much."

Also there are four of them — "Two agree" Matthew 18:19

E. Daniel's Prize — vs. 19 "the secret [was] revealed unto Daniel in a night vision."

Deliverance resembled the form of the distress. Distress came by a dream; deliverance came by a vision. A tree was the occasion of soul disease; a tree is the means of universal healing. People bitten by a serpent are poisoned; we are cured by looking to a 'serpent.' Sin brought death; death brought life.

Lot could not help Sodom because he was mixed in with them. Daniel was separated.

The revelation is given twice. First by dream and second by vision. Let everything be established by two or three. Matthew 18:16

F. Daniel's Praise — vs. 19-20 "Then Daniel blessed the God of Heaven."

Obtainment should be followed by acknowledgment. The one Samaritan out of ten lepers (Luke 17:15). Make us like Daniel.

III.The Understanding of the Dream — vs. 24-49

The King and Daniel together — vs. 24-47

The wisdom of the world comes to naught.

The humility of Daniel — vs. 30

"But as for me"

Look at the Dream in three ways—Detail Design Destiny.

A. What the dream was in detail — vs.31-35

There were two main features of it —  1) An Image and 2) A Stone.

1. An Image — vs. 31-33

As to the image it was a man characteristic Babylonian figure. The figure is in five distinct parts: head breast and arms belly and thighs legs and finally the feet.

In vs. 31-33 the five parts are clearly defined with each part being a different type of substance.

a.The Head                   -Gold
b. The Breast and Arms            -Silver
c.The Belly and Thighs     -Brass (maybe copper)
d. The Legs                   -Iron
e.The Feet                    -Part Iron Part Clay

The costliest and the heaviest substances are on top. A decrease in price and preciousness all the way down. There is deterioration from gold to silver etc. A decrease in value and weight: Gold 19.3; Silver 10.5; Brass 8.5; Iron 7.6; Clay 1.9

The last brittle top heavy on an insecure foundation.

Look at it from another point. There is an increase in strength and in hardness of metals. Gold is soft silver and brass are not so soft and iron is very hard and breaks and crushes.

2.A Stone — vs. 34-35

The second thing was the stone. The image was suddenly and completely destroyed by the stone.

The stone is cut out without hands. This was an act of God alone. It comes from heaven.

It smites the image on the feet.

The image disintegrates. Vs. 35 (The costly gold and the strong iron.)

The stone then becomes a great mount and fills the whole earth.

B. What the Dream was in Design — What is it all about?

1. Given by God to Nebuchadnezzar. Vs. 28

2.It is concerning what shall be in the latter days. "In the end days" Nebuchadnezzar was worrying about the future. Vs. 29

3.It is all about kingdoms. Vs. 39-42 It is a vision of rule and government on a world wide scale.

4.The most important kingdom is the fifth. This is the one that the stone falls on.

5.The last thing to notice is the last kingdom God's kingdom (vs. 44) that never shall be destroyed.

C. What the dream was in Destiny

Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar "And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee." vs. 39

1. The procession of the empires: Babylon àMedo-Persia àGreece àRome.

2.Decrease in value—a change in government rule.

a.Gold à Autocratic(ruler-ship by one) 5:19
b. Silver à Oligarchic (Government of the few) 6:1
c.Brass à Aristocratic(Government by the nobility)
Militarily noble that is chief men of war and not of blood or birth.
d. Iron à Imperialistic (Militant and ruthless like Germany under Hitler.)

The two legs of the image: the Roman empire was split in two in 364 AD. This created the Eastern Empire with its capital at Constantinople and the Western Empire with its capital at Rome.

There has never been another world empire since the Roman empire and that is why all our civilization is based on Roman laws.

Yet the Anti-christ is not going to be a Roman Emperor.

e.Iron and Clay à Imperialistic & Democratic (Government by the people)
f.The Stone à Theocratic (Ruler-ship by God)

IV. Some Application

1. FROM "I. Nebuchadnezzar"

I. A. The King's Distress

FALSE IMAGES. The Images of ancient kings and conquering generals: Tall, Straight, Proud, Confident, So "sure"

  • Fear of the the Unknown - "To Know"
  • Fear of the Known - "Certain" and "Sure"

I. E. The King's Disappointment

  • DISAPPOINTMENTS ALL: Their Character (Frauds), their Tricks, Their answers (Lying and Corrupt Words)

Daniel 2:9 — 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.

FRAUDS: Not what they say they are. They do not speak for God, they just make stuff up. The tricks they usually used failed them here. To whom does the sinner look for DEFINITION and REVELATION? "We do not need God." "The trickery of feelind and or sounding 'good'".

  • "Natural Science" -- "God is dead, and we have killed Him." CONSENSUS (as if that is proof of much.)
  • "History" -- "It ACTUALLY happened this way." How convenient that their retelling of history always affirms their presupposition of NATURALISM (no miracles; they quote each other - circular).
  • "Entertainers" (their "gladiators", "heros" "idols"): anti-biblical philosophy in song. ("NOT CHRISTIAN" yes, but that is not the only critique; the heavy critique is that what is being conveyed is "NOT EVEN TRUE"; Not just "secular", "without God in frame", but "LIES".) What are you singing?
song description Scriptures
ROCK & ROLL, Bob Dylan, “Like a Rolling Stone” repeated in the first 2 lines "How does it feel, How does it feel" -- hail the dropout life 1 John 2:16; 2 Peter 2:10 (a rebel for rebellion's sake)
Sounds about Love ("Love Stinks") Unfaithful women/men; They write about something have little to no experience with in many cases (look at their track record); You love her, But she loves him, And he loves somebody else, You just can't win, And **so it goes, Till the day you die**, This thing they call love It's gonna make you cry ... One thing for sure Proverbs 25:14 [makes promises but never delivers]; 2 Peter 2:17

1. FROM "II. Daniel"

Daniel's Predicament

  • Daniel and his fellows were getting wrapped right up with all the other "Frauds".
  • This is a "CONTEST", "WAR"
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