Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision

Summary: Nebuchadnezzar’s impossible demand puts Daniel and his friends under a death sentence, but God reveals the dream in answer to their prayer. Daniel praises God before the danger passes and gives Him the credit before the king. The statue and stone show that earthly kingdoms will give way to God’s everlasting kingdom, calling us to trust His sovereignty, pray specifically, and praise Him even while the outcome remains uncertain.

A Troubling Dream

Take your Bibles with me and turn to Daniel 2 tonight. Daniel 2. We're going to talk about Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

Most nights, we go through four to six sleep cycles, and dreaming usually happens during REM sleep. We don't remember most of our dreams, but every now and then one stays with us.

A week or so ago, I woke up from a very vivid dream. There are five guys who work under me at Rural King, and I like all of them. I had a dream that two of these guys got into a fight. By the way, this would never happen. But in the dream, one of these guys died in the fight, and the other was paralyzed for the rest of his life.

I woke up in a sweat. I woke up very sad and troubled because of this bizarre dream.

Am I the only person here that has dreams like this?

Well, in our text tonight, the king, Nebuchadnezzar, is going to have a troubling dream. A dream that really bothers him. And he's gonna do something interesting with that dream. Let's read the first 13 verses.

1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 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. 10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. Daniel 2:1-13

So Nebuchadnezzar has this dream, and it bugs him. It's a troubling dream. And he does something interesting with it. He calls together all of his sorcerers and magicians and astrologers, his wise men, if you will.

They stand before the king, and he says, "Guys, I had a dream. It really bothered me." And they say, "Okay, tell us what it is, and we'll interpret it for you." And the king says, "No, I'm not gonna do that. Here's what I want you to do: I want you to tell me what the dream is and what the interpretation of it is."

Now, there could be two meanings of "the thing is gone from me" in verse number five. One meaning is, "I don't even remember it." Okay, and that's the way it kind of reads in the King James, but that's probably not what it means. What it probably means is, "I'm not going to tell you. And I've already said I'm not going to tell you."

It seems to me that Nebuchadnezzar is testing his wise men. It seems to me he thinks that the whole class of these magicians is a bunch of snake oil salesmen, and he is going to give them the ultimate test. And what he says next backs that up.

He says, "Guys, if you can't do this, if you can't tell me what my dream was and what it was about, with no clues from me, I am going to kill you all. I'm going to turn your houses into public bathrooms. I am going to utterly destroy all of you. But if you can tell me, I'll make you rich and give you a promotion."

Of course, the magicians are like, "We can't do this. Nobody has ever done this. You're asking an impossible thing of us. Nobody's ever asked us to do something like this." They even kind of play their hand. They say nobody can show this thing you're asking except the gods who don't dwell with flesh.

This just makes Nebuchadnezzar mad. And he says, "All of the wise men need to be killed! Just kill all of them! They're all useless!"

The problem is, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are in that group.

Now, we haven't gotten very far into this chapter. It's a really long chapter. We're gonna try to cover all of it tonight. But we can already see what God is trying to teach us in this chapter. And there are two things that we're going to see as kind of recurring themes as we go through this.

The first is that God and God alone is sovereign. He is in control. And His control extends even to our dreams. God is in such control that He can make it so that the king of Babylon has a troubling dream.

The second thing that stands out is the situation this puts Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in. It's not fair. It's terrifying. They have an execution order on their heads. Why? Because one grumpy king had a dream, and nobody can say what the dream is.

I get the impression that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego weren't in this initial hearing. They didn't even get the chance to hear the king say this initially. They just hear, "Hey, you guys are all gonna have to die."

Have you ever had just terrible news? Just terrible news befall you, completely outside of your control? And you don't know what to do with it. It just seems like your goose is cooked. Can I just remind you that things that are outside of your control are never outside of God's control?

When you get that bad news, maybe it's news of a layoff at work, or maybe some terrible thing befalls your family, and it doesn't seem like there's any way out. Can I remind you that God is the one who puts you there in the first place? And God knows what He's doing. That's what we're gonna see when we get to the end of this chapter. We can already see it here.

Daniel and His Friends Pray

Let's keep reading.

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: 15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Daniel 2:14-18

So the captain of the guard comes to Daniel and says, "This is what's going to happen. You guys are going to die." And Daniel says, "What's all this about? You know, what's going on here?" The captain of the guard tells him, and Daniel says, "Well, can I go ask the king for more time? Maybe I can give an interpretation. This is the first I'm hearing about this."

So he does that, and Daniel is apparently granted the time. He and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, meet together and pray. They pray that God would have mercy on them and reveal this secret, and that they would not perish with the wise men because of the king's decision.

Now, a few things stand out to me here, and one of them is the importance of having good and godly friends. Do you have friends you pray with? Do you have friends who are making you a more godly person?

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was to choose godly friends. When I was in high school, the Lord blessed me with two amazing best friends, Phil Gage and Joe Faulk. Phil and Joe are both pastors in Massachusetts, and they love the Lord. I'm so grateful for that. I have no doubt I would be a different person had I chosen different friends at that stage in my life.

When I was in college, I made a point to find the godliest people I could and befriend them. And the Lord blessed that greatly. Do you have godly friends?

The second thing, maybe the main thing that stands out here, is the importance of taking our problems to the Lord.

This isn't a nebulous or fuzzy prayer request. It's a very specific thing Daniel and his friends are asking for. They're saying, "God, give us mercy. Spare us from this judgment." And God gives them a specific answer to this specific prayer.

Our prayers should be specific. We should ask God for specific things. You know, little children sometimes pray, "God, bless the whole world." And that's great and all, but the more specific we can make our prayers, I believe, the more powerful it is.

Daniel and his friends don't beat around the bush. They ask God to spare them from this terrible judgment that they didn't earn.

Daniel Praises God

Let's keep reading.

19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter. Daniel 2:19-23

You know, God answered their specific prayer specifically. And immediately, Daniel spends several verses praising God. He praises God for revealing this to him. He praises God for what this revelation shows him about who God is, and we'll get into that in a second.

As important as it is that we pray to God, I think it's just as important that we praise God. Very often, we are quick to pray and slow to praise. And Daniel is a wonderful example of somebody who immediately goes to God and praises Him.

Now, at this point, the danger isn't over. Nebuchadnezzar has ordered the wise men killed, and Daniel still has to stand before him. He doesn't know how the king will respond. But before any of that is settled, Daniel trusts God and praises Him. Great example. Let's keep reading.

Daniel Points to God

24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 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. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. Daniel 2:24-30

So Daniel goes before the king, and the king asks him, "Are you able to tell me the dream that I've seen and the interpretation of the dream?" And Daniel says, "Listen, no wise man can tell you what you're asking. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets. And through this dream, He has let you know, Nebuchadnezzar, what's going to happen in the future, what's going to happen in the latter days. And this is the dream that you had.

"But I want you to know, Nebuchadnezzar, the dream doesn't come from me. It's not because I'm wiser or smarter than everybody else. It came to me from God, and it came to me because He wants you to know what's going to happen."

You know, I think one of the things that's interesting about Daniel and his friends, and the remarkable promotion God gave them, is that they were quick to praise the Lord. They were quick to deflect attention to God and God's goodness.

And I think that should be an example for us at work or any other place where you find yourself being praised. Instead of gloating in that, maybe God intends for you to turn it around and give you an opportunity to praise Him. Praise Him for His goodness. Say, "You know, I couldn't have done this without the Lord's help."

The Statue and the Stone

Let's read what the actual dream is, verses 31–45:

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. 39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 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. Daniel 2:31-45

Let me very quickly summarize and explain this dream without going into great detail. Daniel tells him that he dreamed about a statue. The head of the statue was gold; its chest and arms were silver; its belly and thighs were bronze; its legs were iron; and its feet and toes were made of iron mixed with clay.

Then a giant stone strikes the statue at its feet and breaks it into pieces. The stone becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth.

Now, this little dream is actually a framework of prophecy for world history. The head of gold is Nebuchadnezzar and represents the Babylonian Empire. The next empire was the Medo-Persian Empire. That's the silver, the chest and arms. Then the belly and thighs were the empire of the Greeks, led by Alexander the Great. Daniel would actually talk about Alexander the Great long before Alexander lived. I believe that's in chapters seven and eight.

Then, of course, the strong legs of iron represent the Roman Empire. Now, we don't know what the feet and toes of iron and clay represent. But we know that whatever they represent, you know, feet have ten toes, and in Revelation it talks about a beast with ten horns, probably referring to the same thing. Probably referring to some coalition of ten nations that's going to rule the world. Whatever it is, that is going to be the last thing before the stone comes.

And the stone is no mystery. That's referring to the Lord Jesus Christ and His coming kingdom.

Now remember, we're going to focus on revelation, not on speculation. We're not going to spend all our time guessing what these feet could be. Lots of people have tried. You're welcome to do that if that's your thing. But what is clear in this chapter? Here's what's clear: God is controlling the affairs of men. God is controlling history.

You know, Audrey's studying history of Civ right now. She's taking college courses from Crown. She's learning about all these ancient civilizations. Really, this is the story of God's plan for the world. God was behind all of it. It's His story.

And as we read the prophecies about these empires, we understand they were written hundreds and hundreds of years before these empires came about. Daniel had no human way to know about the Medo-Persian Empire, and certainly not the Greek Empire or the Roman Empire. God revealed that to him. And it came to pass just as Daniel said it would. Those prophecies in the Bible that have come true, like this, ought to fill us with faith to trust God about the things that have not yet come true.

And here's another truth we can get from this: Jesus is coming again. And Jesus is going to build an everlasting kingdom someday. It is going to be a kingdom that outshines the Roman Empire, that outshines Alexander the Great, the great Babylonians, and the great Persian Empire.

It is going to be the greatest thing in the history of the world, and it is the culmination of world history. However we get there, that is where history is going. And we can rejoice in that.

God Glorified Through the Trial

Let's go ahead and finish the chapter.

46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. Daniel 2:46-49

So this chapter starts, like several chapters in this book, with a terrible, terrible circumstance: the guillotine hanging over the heads of Daniel and his friends. And it ends with Nebuchadnezzar acknowledging God as the revealer of secrets, and Daniel made ruler over the province of Babylon and chief over its wise men.

And Daniel doesn't forget his friends. At his request, the king puts Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province as well.

This great trial they were going through ended up being God's way of making Himself known to the king of the world empire and further exalting Daniel and his faithful friends.

Church, you might be going through a difficult circumstance, a tough trial. And I want you to know something: that trial could be God's way of making Himself known to other people.

Sometimes God has to squeeze us Christians so that what's inside us can be seen by the rest of the world. Sometimes our trials are God's way of showing Himself to unbelievers.

God works out His great plans for us. And in Daniel's case, something better came out of this trial than he and his friends could ever have imagined.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Now, that doesn't mean every trial ends with a promotion like Daniel's. Sometimes the hard thing stays hard. But God is still at work in it for the good of those who love Him. We may not see all that good in this life, but we can trust the God who promised it.

Let's stand and pray.