Daniel Chapter 2b Series

Daniel – Chapter 2 Part B

A. Chapter 2 Outline

I. The King and his Pagan Advisors (2:1-13)

a. The Fear (2:1)

b. The Frustration (2:2-13)

i. The Counsellors (2:2)

(1) Magicians

(2) Astrologers

(3) Sorcerers

(4) Chaldeans

ii. The Charge (2:3)

iii. The Cop-out (2:4-7)

iv. The Command (2:8-13)

II. The King and God’s Prophet (2:14-49)

a. God Reveals the Dream to Daniel (2:14-23)

i. The Petition (2:14-16)

ii. The Prayer (2:17-19)

iii. The Praise (2:20-23)

b. Daniel Reveals the Dream to Nebuchadnezzar (2:24-49)

i. The Information (2:24-35)

(1) A Statue (2:24-33)

(2) A Stone (2:34-35)

ii. The Interpretation (2:36-45)

(1) Of the Statue (2:36-43)

(2) Of the Stone (2:44-45)

iii. The Elevation (2:46-45)

B. Message

II. The King and God’s Prophet (2:14-49)

a. God Reveals the Dream to Daniel (2:14-23)

i. The Petition (2:14-16)

(Verse 13)

Satan was willing to sacrifice many of his false prophets for just four of God’s men. He had already failed once ….. Satan’s servants are expendable but God cares for His people. Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. [30] But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. [31] Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Can you imagine the shock Daniel and his three friends had when Arioch came to get them? They had only just graduated from the king’s grooming school, it is interesting to note that these four godly young men were not even at the original meeting about the dream.

Verse 14-15

Look at Daniel’s reaction. How many of us would have reacted differently? How many of us would have been defensive, angry, annoyed. How did Daniel react when the executioner came? Daniel answered with council and wisdom.

Proverbs 15:1-2 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. [2] The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

When it comes to solving the problems of life, we must ask God for the courage to face the problem humbly and honestly, the wisdom to understand it, the strength to do what He tells us to do, and the faith to trust Him to do the rest.

By delaying his orders Arioch was actually putting his own life at risk. This goes to show how important a personal testimony is. The Babylonian officers knew how trustworthy Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were after their conduct and testimony during their three years of training. Because of their testimony and actions during this time it was now helping to save their lives.

Verse 16

Arioch allowed Daniel time to speak to Nebuchadnezzar, and the king must have been surprised to see him. Apparently his rage had subsided and he was willing to make some concessions. After all, Daniel had not been at the original meeting, so he at least deserved an opportunity to obey the king’s orders.

Surely the king remembered the four Hebrew boys. Daniel and his friends had stood out the last time he went before the king, they were ten times better than the Babylonian magicians and astrologers, whose lives were now in danger.

Nebuchadnezzar surely would not kill his smartest councillors because of the incompetence of the others? By faith, Daniel promised to show the king his dream and the interpretation. He knew that the Lord would answer prayer.

ii. The Prayer (2:17-19)

Verse 17

Daniel went home; there is something appealing about that. He did not go to some lonely hermitage in the wilderness or seek out some shrine somewhere to fast and pray. He went home. Daniel’s religion was of the everyday, homey variety. He gathered some like minded friends around him – Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah –

Verse 18

Daniel urged his friends to desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret… Daniel called for a prayer meeting.

Throughout this book, Daniel and his friends are presented as men of faith and of prayer. They were far from home, but by faith they could look toward Jerusalem and the temple and claim the promise of 1 Kings 8:44-45 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name: [45] Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

Why did Daniel call God, “The God of Heaven?” Nothing shows the divine source and verbal inspiration of the Scripture more clearly than the way in which the names and titles of God are used throughout the Bible. Many people over the years have tried to use the diversity of divine names to show that the Bible speaks of other gods. Others (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses) have replaced every title with Jehovah.