02 The Great Global Dream

Slides for this study

Daniel 2:1-3
1 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that wakes him up from his sleep.

  • Basically he has a royal nightmare.
  • But this nightmare was so frightening that he had to call in the wise men in the middle of the night.

Who are these wise men?

  • Magicians
    • They practiced magic. They employed all the superstitious rites and ceremonies of fortunetellers.
  • Astrologers
    • Men who pretended to foretell the future by the study of the stars. Very much cultivated by the Eastern nations of antiquity.
  • Sorcerers
    • They pretended to hold communion with the dead.
  • Chaldeans
    • A sect of philosophers similar to the magicians and astrologers, who made natural science and divinations their study.

The king is anxious to know the dream. So what is his request?

Daniel 2:4-6
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

The wise men ask for the dream and they would then give the interpretation. Of course it was impossible for them to know what the king, or anyone for that matter, had dreamt.

But the king is adamant that they must tell him the dream and also its interpretation, otherwise they would be killed.

Daniel 2:7-9
7 They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: 9 if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

The wise men keep asking for his dream. But the king has forgotten. Even if he wanted to give the dream to them, he couldn’t.

  • It’s almost as if he didn’t trust them.
  • He knows that if anyone can tell him the dream, then they would have the correct interpretation.

Already we see here that this is not any ordinary dream.

  • Nebuchadnezzar has forgotten the dream.
  • Yet he feels it is very important.
  • And he knows that this dream has a special meaning for him.

Seeing that the king would not change his mind, finally the wise men declare:

  • Daniel 2:10-11
    10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
  • No one on earth could tell the king his dream.
  • And there has never ever been such a request before given to them.
  • In short, what were they saying of the king? That he was being unreasonable.

However, God intentionally gave the dream and also took it away from Nebuchadnezzar’s mind.

  • Why?
  • He is firstly unmasking the false religion there in Babylon, revealing that their methods and their wise men don’t work.
  • Secondly, he is about to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar who the true prophet is and who is the true followers of those that worship the true God of heaven.

In the same way, today there are many false methods out there. Many people who are the wise men of today, yet they are not able to have any discernment and learning from God, and therefore they are unable to understand the prophecies of the Bible.

  • You can know who are God’s representatives as they will be able to teach others God’s word, especially the prophecies of the Bible.

We also get this comforting thought though:

  • Satan cannot read our thoughts or know what we dreamt.
  • If he could, he would have told the wise men of Babylon the dream that Nebuchadnezzar dreamt right away and proved that the superstitious religion of Babylon was superior.

One thing they were correct about though was – only the gods whose dwelling was not with flesh could know what the king dreamt and the true interpretation.

Upon hearing all this, how does the king react?

  • Daniel 2:12-13
    12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
  • He’s offended and he wants all the wise men destroyed. Even though that were not present – including Daniel and his friends. They were part of the wise men group at this time. Right after Daniel 1, when the king found them ten times better than all the wise men out there.
  • But luck, or should I say providence, would have it that Daniel was not called in. Because the king would have started by killing the wise men that were right in front of him and then go off to the others.

Daniel 2:14-16
14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.

FIRST:

  • Daniel has a conversation with the guard that has been commissioned to kill him and his friends. It shows that Daniel was already well favoured, even by the soldiers. This soldier was putting his life on the line by not killing him, and more so, to allow Daniel to go in and talk with the king.

SECONDLY:

  • It also shows that he was well-favoured by the king as well. Because Daniel was allowed to just walk in and ask the king for more time so that he could give him the dream and its interpretation.

THIRDLY:

  • In Daniel 1, Daniel was ready and willing to die by not eating the kings meat and drinking the wine.
  • However, in Daniel 2 he is not willing to die just because the king had a nightmare and a hot temper.
  • We have to know what to die for and what NOT to die for.
  • Sometimes this world we have things a bit mixed up.
    • Some are willing to die for a bit of money, for their job.
    • Others, willing to die for their friends, to gain a few more friends or popularity.
    • Some of us are willing to die for our studies – lose sleep and eat sparsely.
    • Some are even willing to die for food – unhealthy food like MacDonalds and Hungry Jacks!

After the king is willing to give Daniel more time, what does he go and do?

  • Daniel 2:17-18
    17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
  • Daniel knew that he had a limited amount of time. The first place that he goes is to his friends that have been faithful with him.
  • We ought to have friends that we can pray with. That is true friendship and companionship.

QUESTION:

  • How did Daniel even know that he could give the dream and the meaning? Did he already know that he was a prophet?
  • We’re not sure really.
  • But we must commend Daniel for one thing – at least he tried.
  • And when he tried, God would answer.
  • And that’s the thing that we should not stand back from. Let’s give God our best. Let’s be willing to put our best foot forward and try, and see if God will bless or not?

Daniel 2:19
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

  • The secret was revealed to Daniel.
  • Amos 3:7
    Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
  • God has prophets for a purpose. He works through them to reveal the secrets that is hidden to others.

The first thing that Daniel does is praise God when God reveals to him the dream and the meaning. The way that Daniel praises God helps us to understand what this dream is all about.

  • Daniel 2:20-23
    20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. 23 “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand.”
  • He changes times and seasons.
    • The word times means a year.
    • Seasons means an appointed occasion, time.
    • Where do we see times?
    • Daniel 7:25
      He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
  • He removes kings and raises up kings.
    • All throughout the book of Daniel, we see God removing and raising up kings. There are 4 big prophecies that show this, and 3 stories also that illustrate this.
  • He gives wisdom to the wise.
    • God is about to show the folly of the wise men of Babylon.
    • But not only that:
    • Daniel 12:3
      Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
    • Wisdom is very much linked with righteousness. True wisdom, it comes from God and is given to those that are righteous.
    • Daniel 12:10
      …and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
    • The wise will be able to give true understanding to the prophecies in the Bible.

So now Daniel now goes to Arioch who is the kings guard, and asks to be brought in before the king. He is ready with the dream and its interpretation. When Nebuchadnezzar confirms that he really knows the dream along with the meaning, look at how Daniel responds.

  • Daniel 2:27-30
    27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

FIRST – Daniel reminds the king that the wise men are not able to help in this matter at all, though he has asked them to be spared.

SECONDLY – Daniel gives God all the praise and glory – He is the One who reveals secrets. It is nothing special in him.

THIRDLY:

  • This is probably the most important point – the purpose of prophecy is to help us to understand not only the future and what will happen, but that we may know the thoughts of our own hearts.
  • It helps us to relook at our priorities, how we have been living our lives. Because when we look at prophecy, we realise that we shouldn’t be wasting anymore time. We need to use every moment properly because it won’t come back to us again.
  • And we know now what Nebuchadnezzar must’ve been thinking about before he went to sleep. He was thinking about the future of his kingdom and what would happen after he passed away.

Daniel 2:31-35
31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s 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. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which 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 were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

So Nebuchadnezzar dreamt of a metal image:

HEAD Gold
CHEST AND ARMS Silver
BELLY AND THIGHS Bronze
LEGS Iron
FEET Iron and Clay
  • Easy way to remember this order:
    • The first three, just think of first, second and third place – gold, silver and bronze.
  • But from top to bottom the value is decreasing.
  • But also from top to bottom (not including the clay) the strength is increasing.

As Daniel is standing there telling the dream, he can probably see Nebuchadnezzar sitting at the edge of his throne with his eyes wide open, obviously in disbelief that Daniel is telling his dream with all the details in it!

  • Daniel 2:36
    “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.

    • Sit back king and now let me tell you what it means!

What is the head of representing?

  • Daniel 2:37-38
    37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.
  • He tells him that he is the head of gold. Not really referring just to him as the king, but to the kingdom that he is ruling – BABYLON.
  • How do we know that?
  • Daniel 2:39
    But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

    • He tells him that the silver and bronze are 2 KINGDOMS that would come after him.
  • So gold is Babylon.

So the silver, bronze and iron would be represented by other kingdoms that would come after Babylon.

  • And this is not just any kingdom, but kingdoms that ruled the then known world.
  • Who were they in history?
  • SILVER: Medo-Persia
  • BRONZE: Greece
  • IRON: Rome
  • This is the description we have of the iron:
  • Daniel 2:40
    And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.
  • This kingdom was all about strength. Fitly representing the Roman empire who started using iron in their weapons and was the strongest of all the kingdoms before it.
HEAD Gold Babylon 605-538BC
CHEST AND ARMS Silver Medo-Persia 538-331BC
BELLY AND THIGHS Bronze Greece 331-168BC
LEGS Iron Rome 168BC-476AD
FEET Iron and Clay

But then we get to the feet and there is this weird mixture. It’s not all of metal.

  • Daniel 2:41-43
    41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
  • I want you to notice that this feet is given the most description.
  • For Babylon, gold, the Bible only gives it 2 verses.
  • Medo-Persia, only ½ a verse.
  • Greece, only ½ a verse as well.
  • Rome, the iron kingdom is only given 1 verse.
  • But this kingdom of iron and clay is given 3 verses!
  • God is telling us that He wants us to focus here. Here is the most detail.

So what is this all about?

  • Notice what it says there in verse 41:
    • Daniel 2:41
      Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.
  • You see, Rome was never conquered. It fell apart from within. There was civil unrest and this break up took place between the fourth and sixth centuries AD.
  • Yet there would be in it the strength of iron.
  • And as we have seen, the strength of nations have not been diminished even in our time, even though there has not been 1 kingdom to rule them all.
  • Back then, having high and thick walls was important. Today, all we need to do is press a button and we can destroy a whole
  • How they fought in the past is nothing like the modern warfare of today.
  • Drones, atom bombs, machine guns, bazooka’s.

And attempts to unite the kingdom have not been few in history. But what does the Bible say?

  • Daniel 2:43
    As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
  • This is divided Rome, divided Europe.
  • Many attempts have been made without any success. Some have come close.

And finally, what happens in the closing scene of the vision?

  • Daniel 2:44-45
    44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

God said that a new world order would rise that would not be in any way connected with this world. Yet it would strike the image and the fill the whole earth.

All that we work for, that we study for, it will all be destroyed and replaced one day.

  • That gives us perspective on how to live this life.
  • It makes us relook at our priorities – what are the things that are important to us?
  • What should we be doing that we aren’t doing today?
  • And what are we doing today that we should stop?
  • That’s what prophecy does.

And not only Daniel, but practically all the Bible prophets tell us that God’s kingdom will come. This is one of the great certainties of the future. Would you like to have a place in the everlasting kingdom? Would you like to write YES?

But how can we be ready? How can I assist?

  • As we looked in the previous masterclass about how Nebuchadnezzar was re-educating the Hebrew boys, we need to be ready in three ways as well:
    • Mentally, physically and spiritually.
  • As the devil attacks in these three areas, we need to be ready in these three areas as well.
  • Where can we start?
    • Spiritual.
    • I want to offer personal Bible studies to anyone that would like to be take up this offer.
  • If you’ve written YES, let’s not just leave that as a decision, but take steps personally to be sure that we can be ready when God comes with His everlasting kingdom.

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