Daniel Chapter 2:1-23

The God of the impossible

 

By I Gordon

 

Dan 1:1-4 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.” Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
 

So Nebuchadnezzar had a bad night sleep. Don't we all? But this time he was disturbed by a dream that he had. A very unusual dream. Let me ask you... Who caused this bad night sleep for the king? Do you think it was God? Yep, you'd be right! He has been known to disturb the odd person's sleep from time to time! But always at an opportune time. And His timing is always perfect. Look at what He did to the king in the days of Esther (Esther 6:1). How perfect was His timing then? So Nebuchadnezzar summoned his 'wise men'. Basically a bunch of spiritists and New Agers! The only ones not asked to consult were the Bible believers. Seems things haven't changed! But these motley bunch of 'wise men' are pretty confident saying 'O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.' Like most mediums and clairvoyants they are probably thinking that they can just be clever and make up some vague waffly answer and get away with it... But the king has other ideas...

 

And you thought you were grumpy in the mornings!

 

Dan 1:5-9 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.” Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

 

The king isn't ready to play the wise men's little games however. He is grumpy. Very grumpy. Obviously likes a good nights sleep! In fact, if the wise men can't tell him both the dream itself and the interpretation then they will be cut into pieces and their houses will be turned into piles of rubble. Nice. Why do you think it is that the king has gone to such radical lengths? Who is behind it? Obviously on a natural level the king is probably sick of 'wise men' who make it up as they go along. He is probably sick of their greasy advice that just tells him what he wants to hear. But on a more spiritual level it is God, again, who is behind this. And be assured that when God causes extreme things on happen, it is so He can act extremely. For example, specifically leading Israel into a dead end at the Red Sea, surrounded by the sea on one side and the entire Egyptian army on the other! Or Gideon spiriting down the hill, yelling at the top of his voice, with 300 fellow Jews, to take on the entire Midian army. As someone (well, many people) have said 'Man's extremity is God's opportunity!' God sometimes allows things to happen in our lives that are completely out of our control, as it was to become for Daniel, so that God HAS to act! And then God, and only God, can get the glory. We'll continue on and see if He gets the glory in this situation.

Daniel, the man of God.

 

Dan 2:10-17 The astrologers answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.” This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

 

So King Nebuchadnezzar has asked the impossible, which the king's magicians and astrologers openly acknowledge. Only the 'gods' can provide an answer for this and 'they do not live among men.' Well, the real God does dwell with His people and this shall soon be shown true. What I really liked about this passage though is Daniel's response when he finds out that he is about to be put to death (along with his friends). Does he panic? Does he freak out? Not at all! This boy (and remember, Daniel is still a teenager or possibly early 20's at this stage) knows God. And, as Major Ian Thomas said 'It is the presence of the Lord Jesus that allows a man to be gloriously detached from the pressure of circumstance!' Well, Daniel seems to be gloriously detached from the pressure of having his life on the line! That is the presence of God. Nothing else can do that. Someone once asked Einstein's wife if she understood the theory of relativity. She replied that she didn't but that Albert did and he could be trusted. How much more should we trust God! We may not know what is going on but God does and he can be trusted! See Prov 3:25.

 

Best be organizing that prayer meeting though!

 
Dan 2:18-19 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision.

 

Nothing like a good old trial to get the prayer life firing! Daniel swings straight into action and organizes his three friends to begin praying to 'plead for mercy'. We need each other. No doubt about it. Make sure you have people around you that you can ask to pray in times of trial. Daniel did. And make sure you take things straight away to the Lord instead of stewing on them for a while! Check out Hezekiah's reaction when faced with overwhelming odds in Isaiah 37:14-21. So the Lord answered him and granted the answer to the mystery. The Bible says that it was revealed 'during the night'. We do not know whether Daniel kept praying till he received an answer of whether he was able to rest and sleep without yet getting the answer. Either way, Daniel showed great faith in a faithful God. No wonder God himself placed Daniel along side Noah and Lot as righteous servants. (See Ezek 14:14, 28:3)

 

Glory and praise to where it belongs!

 

Dan 2:19-23 Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

 

So Daniel offers up this wonderful word of praise. And of course, God gets the glory because only He could show them the answer and spare their lives. God doesn't 'need' anything. He is self sufficient. So what then can we give Him? Well, only our praise and our lives. Daniel also understood that God gives 'wisdom to the wise' and 'knowledge to the discerning'. This reminds us of what Jesus said - 'To him who has, more will be given.' If we have the wisdom to know that true knowledge and understanding is given from God, then more wisdom will be added to us because we will learn to rely on God and seek His wisdom.

 

I also like how Daniel said 'He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.'  Obviously Daniel was thinking about the king's dream that had been revealed to him. But God reveals more than this. He can reveal the reasons concerning the dark times that we go through. Job 12:13-23 is a similar passage to Daniel 2:19-23. Verse 22 of Job 12 tells us 'He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.' What we would consider times of darkness is still light to the Lord. Trust....