Ch. 2

2:1-13

2:14-23

2:24-30

2:31-36

2:37-45

2:46-49

Recap

A. Find Out:

1. What effect were the dreams having on the king? v.1

2. Who did the king call before him? v.2

3. What did he say he wanted? v.3

4. What did they ask in return? v.4

5. What 2 things did the king demand? v.5

6. Why did he ask this? v.9c

7. How did he respond when they said it was impossible? v.12

B. Think :

1. What do you think the king thought about his wise men to have given

     them this sort of task?

2. How was he shown to be right?

3. How was Daniel involved at this stage?

C. Comment :

      First we see that the king is having dreams that upset him. Dreams in Scripture often seem to have meanings (words from God usually). The Lord sometimes has a very subtle way of intervening in people's lives and this is no exception. God is going to deal with Nebuchadnezzar, and He starts in a quiet way.

     Second, we see that he is obviously suspicious about his astrologers, these men apparently trained in seeing into the future, understanding mysteries, unravelling dreams etc. For this reason he places this impossible demand upon them, to interpret a dream without even being told it! The Lord knows how to handle His man, and He knows what he will do, so He sets up a situation that can only be resolved by divine help!

      Third, we see their response: they are out of their depth, they know they have no power to do this. They are exposed for what they really are - frauds! Note that at this point there is no mention of Daniel or his friends - they were not called in, but they ARE included in the death penalty! See tomorrow's exciting episode!!

D. Application :

1. Are we alert to the hand of God that quietly starts intervening in the

     lives of people, with whom He wants to have dealings.

2. Ask the Lord to help you become sensitive to His workings.

Chapter: Daniel 2

Passage: Daniel 2:14-23

A. Find Out:

1. How did Daniel speak? v.14

2. What did Daniel ask for? v.16

3. What did Daniel then DO? v.17,18

4. What was the result? v.19

5. What 5 things does Daniel say God does? v.21,22

6. What does he say God has given him? v.20,23

B. Think :

1. In this crisis situation in what ways do we see Daniel moving wisely?

2. His wisdom is rewarded in a number of ways. How?

3. How would you summarise his descriptions of God?

C. Comment :

       First note again Daniel's CRISIS: all the wise men have been ordered by the king to be put to death - and this includes Daniel. It is in crisis situations that we need God's wisdom to know how to act, but it is often only in crisis situations that the power of revelation is seen.

      Second, we see Daniel's TACT & WISDOM so that he is allowed to speak to the king, and obviously he is so tactful again that the king allows him time to consider the matter.

      Third see Daniel's HUMILITY as he enlists the help of his three friends, and doesn't try to "go it alone". Humility involves that willingness to confess we need one another.

      Fourth we see Daniel's PRAYER URGENCY as he prays and intercedes and "pleads" for mercy and revelation, which appears to carry on through the night. It is as they are praying God gives the revelation needed.

     Finally observe Daniel's RESPONSE: he praises God. He doesn't just take it for granted. He gives God all the glory. He knows that the vision came from the Lord as he prayed; this was no "chance".

D. Application :

1. How do we cope in a crisis situation? Do we panic or seek the Lord?

2. How do we pray in an emergency? Do we give a half hearted request or

    have we learned to go on calling on the Lord until answers come?

Chapter: Daniel 2

Passage: Daniel 2 :24-30

A. Find Out:

1. What was Daniel's first concern in going to Arioch? v.24

2. How did Arioch show his trust in Daniel? v.25

3. Who did Daniel say wouldn't be able to interpret the dream? v.28

4. But who did he say could? v.28

5. What did he say the king had been shown? v.28b,29a

6. Why did he say the mystery had been revealed? v.30

B. Think :

1. How does Daniel continually point away from man to God?

2. Why do you think the Lord gave a dream without understanding? (at

     least 2 reasons)

3. How did Daniel show his humility? Do we have humility? How is humility

     shown?

C. Comment :

      First, we see Daniel showing CONCERN for the lives of the other "wise men", ensuring that they are not needlessly put to death. Even though they were frauds who could do nothing, he does not let them be killed. There is grace and mercy in this young man!

       Second, we see Daniel starting to BRING UNDERSTANDING to the king about what had happened. He emphasises: a) the task the king had given them was an impossible one for men but b) there is a one true God who gives revelation and who brings understanding of such mysteries.

       Before he brings detailed description of the dream and detailed interpretation, Daniel shows he knows what the king was doing: thinking on the future, and as he was doing that, God intervened and showed him what would happen. The only problem was that the Lord did it in such a way that the king would need the Lord's help to actually understand what he had seen. Often when the Lord brings revelation we need to ask for clarification.

D. Application :

1. Do we have a heart of compassion and concern, even for those who are

    against us? (Mt 5:44)

2. Do we understand that God constantly wants people to come to Him for

    help in their lives?

Chapter: Daniel 2

Passage: Daniel 2:31-36

A. Find Out:

1. What was the general appearance of the statue? v.31

2. How many different materials were used in it? v.32,33

3. What came against the statue? v.34

4. What did it strike first? v.34b

5. What then happened to the statue? v.35a

6. What then happened to the rock? v.35b

B. Think :

1. How would you describe this statue, working from head to toe?

2. Why do you think the Lord uses pictures (or dreams) to share things

     with us?

3. How is a statue made? What is the difference between that and the rock

     in the dream? What do you think that is likely to say to us is going to be

     the interpretation?

C. Comment :

     It is first important to be very clear on exactly what the dream was before we look tomorrow at Daniel's interpretation of it. Very often with prophecy, we can look at it and get a basic and general sense of the meaning even before we go seeking the Lord for the detailed understanding. A statue is first of all a man made object. This one is made of different materials which start with the most valuable at the head getting less and less valuable getting down to the feet.

      Next comes something that destroys this man-made statue. That which destroys it is a rock that has not got human origins. Not only does the rock destroy the statue, it then goes on to fill the whole earth with itself.

      Whatever else the interpretation is going to say, it would appear that God is going to destroy that which is man-made and replace it with that which has its origins with Him. See tomorrow.

D. Application :

1. When God speaks in picture form, do we look to see the main elements

     of  the picture to help our understanding, or write it off as too difficult?

2. Learn to ask God for understanding more and more.

Chapter: Daniel 2

Passage: Daniel 2:37-45

A. Find Out:

1. Who, does Daniel say has made the king ruler? v.37

2. Who was the head of gold in the dream? v.38

3. What will the next kingdom be like? v.39

4. What will the fourth kingdom be like? v.40

5. But what will happen to it? v.41-43

6. What will God's kingdom be like? v.44

B. Think :

1. What do these verses tell us about God and history?

2. How can the description of God's kingdom bring security to us?

3. Why do you think God gave this revelation?

C. Comment :

      So the dream is explained as the head of gold being Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom followed by three other kingdoms of increasing inferiority, which are all eventually destroyed by God's own kingdom. Please note, God's kingdom prevails over all others! Trying to apply that to what happened in history, leads us to suppose that the silver was the kingdom of the Medes & Persians whose kingdom followed, the bronze was the Greek world empire and the iron was the Roman world empire. However the Bible does not make this plain and therefore there could be other interpretations of it. That the kingdom of God came with Jesus IS quite clear from Scripture though.

      Whatever the truth of the interpretation is, one thing is clear, and should be seen in all prophecy, that God rules and He decrees the times. His kingdom or rule on earth started with Jesus and continues on through the church. The Lord has a plan and a purpose in history and He knows what is going to happen and He will work within it to fulfil His purposes. He does not MAKE everything happen but He does work within what happens to fulfil His plans (e.g. Acts 2:23,24)

D. Application :

1. Praise the Lord today as the one who oversees all history, and the one

     who is working out His purposes on the earth.

2. Ask Him to help you understand more fully His purposes on the earth -

     and for you!

Chapter: Daniel 2

Passage: Daniel 2:46-49

A. Find Out:

B. Think :

1. Look carefully at the king's words. Has HE become a believer?

2. How would you summarise the king's reaction to Daniel's revelation

     therefore?

3. What do you think Daniel feels about all that the king has done for him?

C. Comment :

      Let's consider what Daniel might have thought about the king's way of trying to bless him. He has sought to give all the glory to God so he wouldn't have wanted the WORSHIP that was offered him by the king. Ungodly leaders think everyone works on the same basis as them, and therefore assume they would want honour. Daniel probably wouldn't have wanted the GIFTS given him, and the POSITION given him has its drawbacks. It means he is no longer close to his three friends, and it also means that he is in charge over the so-called "wise men" who no doubt would feel very jealous of him - and that can cause trouble as we will see later.

D. Application :

1. Are we aware that people go through a number of stages before they

     come to the Lord?

2. Consider those nearest to you who don't yet know the Lord. Pray for

     them today.

RECAP - "The Impossible Task" -   Daniel 2

SUMMARY :

  In these 6 studies we have seen:

- Nebuchadnezzar having an upsetting dream

- Asking his wise men to tell it & its interpretation

- Their inability to do this (of course)

- Daniel offering to find out; he & his friends praying

- God revealing the dream & its meaning to Daniel

- Daniel sharing it with the king

- The king praising and rewarding him

  

COMMENT :

     The Lord starts upsetting Nebuchadnezzar with a strange dream. The king is suspicious of his so-called "wise men" and asks them to tell the dream as well as its interpretation.

      The only person of course, who can help is God's man, Daniel, who seeks God and receives the required revelation. This second test in Daniel's life in the Court of Babylon is passed with God's help again.

LESSONS :

1. God so often starts work in people's lives so quietly that they don't realise what's

    happening.

2. God wants us to learn to be sensitive to what He is doing in them

3. When a crisis occurs we don't need to panic.

4. God wants both us to go to Him for help.

5. God wants to bring us understanding of what is happening around us

6. God has plans He is working out that affects nations

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord again, at the end of this chapter, to teach you to be sensitive to what He is doing in the lives of people around you. Pray for such people.

PART 3 : More Problems with the King!

     Next we will see further antics of this foolish king who finally is humbled by the Lord. Marvel at God's grace preserving His men in trying circumstances.