When we write a letter, we sign it at the bottom. Looking about with its numerous eyes, no one can escape his look or hide from him.80 With its mouth, the beast continues to speak boastfully. [31], The symbolic significance of the stone which destroys the statue and becomes a mountain evokes biblical imagery of God as the "rock" of Israel, Zion as a mountain rising above all others, and God's glory filling the whole world. The Ancient of Days is a designation for God, not found elsewhere in the Bible. (13) In some sense, the last kingdom is still on-going. Hearing this, Nebuchadnezzar affirms that Daniel's god is "the God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries". Dan. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure 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 baked clay. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. It may have been a physical manifestation, a dream, or merely a thought. The vision comes to Daniel in Belshazzars first year. Why was he afraid and troubled? Abraham and Sarah were elderly and childless. First, God enabled him to explain several of the kings dreams. 9 If any one has an ear, let him hear. The head of the statue was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs and feet of iron and clay. There are three main components to the dream. Daniel, a godly prophet and a man of unshakable faith, has been steadfast in his daily walk of fellowship with God throughout the first six chapters of the Book of Daniel. The second is bear-like. Given the events surrounding Nebuchadnezzars first dream, why do you think he again asked the wise men to interpret it? Download the Redeemed Mind Android App by clicking HERE. Then the saints will receive the kingdom which will never end. Editing is often evident in the Bible (see John 20:30-31; 31:25). These kingdoms go from bad to worse. At this point the revelation ended. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. They are far from pleasant but an unavoidable part of the process. And hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: For thou hast now made known unto us the kings matter. [21] An inscription of the historic Babylonian king Nabonidus, for example, tells of a dream he had of his great predecessor Nebuchadnezzar, mentioning a young man who appeared in the dream to reassure him that it was not an evil portent. WebIn the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, is troubled by a dream. 49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the days to come. After the wise 75 Everything in chapter 7 is on a world-wide scale, the empires of the beasts, the judgment, and the nations that worship and serve the one like mortal man. The only human things mentioned of the fourth beast are his eyes and his mouth. (1) Why does Daniel indicate the historical setting of the vision he receives in chapter 7? 2:29 As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. Subscribe to the Bible Blender Newsletter. As the king was about to execute the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and his friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), God revealed Nebuchadnezzars dream and its meaning to Daniel in a vision during the night. The saints of the Highest One are given all the kingdoms of the earth for an everlasting kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar may have started badly, but by the time we read of him in Daniel 4 he seems to be a true believer in God, urging the citizens of his kingdom to worship and serve Him. Passover We are told the Old Testament prophet could not see the distance between the first and the second coming of our Lord, just as one cannot see the distance between two mountains, when viewed from afar. For you have enabled me to understand the kings dilemma., 2:24 Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). The saints must believe and behave according to what God has promised about the future the righteous will possess the kingdom of God forever. Sabbath In his vision, Daniel observed the sea being stirred up into a raging storm by the four winds of heaven. This signifies that the events which follow have been ordained by God. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. God of all my ancestors, all thanks! I arrived with nothing on hand but my ASP Immigration Services Ltd2023, All Rights Reserved. Daniel 2:26-45: 589 BC: Nebuchadnezzar begins siege of As National Day of Prayer approaches, Pope suggests we spend time with Jesus every evening to reflect on the day. 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. He is more beastly in the beginning and more human in the end, paralleling the character of Nebuchadnezzar. WebCare or concern. The chapter falls into two major parts. When that day comes for them, it is too late to repent. Dan. Temple We have a range of family categories to help partners, dependent children and parents of New Zealand citizens or residents to come to live in New Zealand. 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. The bronze belly and thighs are a ruler that will rule over the entire world. WebHe made known and also interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream; and many years afterwards, when he was now an old man, amid the alarm and consternation of the terrible night of Belshazzar's impious feast, he was called in at the instance of the queen-mother (perhaps Nitocris, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar) to interpret the mysterious [19], The overall theme of the Book of Daniel is God's sovereignty over history,[5] and the theme of the tales in chapters 16 is that God is sovereign over all earthly kings. The New King James Version. He surpasses those before him by speaking boastfully, then blaspheming, and finally seeking to overthrow Gods order. 8:58; 1 Cor. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises others. 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. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation. The Greek view proposes the silver chest and arms are the Median Kingdom, brass belly/thighs are the Persian Empire, and iron/clay legs are the Greek Empire. [22] Giant figures were frequent in ancient dream records, and parallels can be drawn from Greek (Hesiod's Works and Days), Latin (Ovid's Metamorphosis) and the Persian Bahman Yasht. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), A General Interpretation verses 16-18. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. Angels 4:1617, 2426). It is virtually the opposite of the term beast. The expression, Son of man, is not new to Daniel. He will rule over all nations forever. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. Q. In verse 1 Daniel indicates his vision came to him in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. And yet God said they would. (4) This is the first prophecy in the book revealed directly to Daniel. In the Psalms and also in Daniel 7, the expression Son of Man begins to take on a more technical meaning, referring to the Messiah, who will sit on the throne of His father, David, to rule over men forever. In Dan. In the first scene, heavenly winds are employed to whip up the sea from which the four beasts emerges. He would, after His death, burial, and resurrection come in His glory, rewarding men according to their deeds (16:27). 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. While you were looking at this statue, a stone cut out of a mountain by an invisible hand hit the statue, smashing its iron-ceramic feet. 79 Compare Jeremiah 49:14-22, 28, where Nebuchadnezzar is compared to a lion and an eagle. Daniel's prayers were filled with praise and thanksgiving. There seems to be a close connection between the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, which is revealed and interpreted in chapter 2, and the vision of Daniel in chapter 7. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. In his interpretation of the dream, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar he was the head of gold. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 10 If any one is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. [20] On the human level Daniel is set against the Babylonian magicians who fail to interpret the king's dream, but the cosmic conflict is between the God of Israel and the false Babylonian gods. Are you tempted to give up on the salvation of evil world rulers and other wicked people who are in power? The kingdom of God would not be established in Daniels lifetime, nor in the life of those who returned to the land of Israel from their captivity. In the euphoria of this grand event, someone might well conclude the kingdom of God was to be established within the lifetime of those returning to Israel. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. But here in chapter 7, as in Psalm 80:17, the son of man is more than just a man, He is the Messiah. [13], Chapter 2 in its present form dates from no earlier than the first decades of the Seleucid empire (late 4th/early 3rd centuries BCE), but its roots may reach back to the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Persian Achaemenid empire, and some scholars have speculated that the dream of four kingdoms was originally a dream of four kings, Nebuchadnezzar and his four successors. WebNews Bulletin 04 - Daniel Interprets Statue Dream. [23], The king's behaviour implies a distrust of his court dream-interpreters, and sets the scene for his later celebration of Daniel's God. 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. Daniel was given wisdom and the ability to interpret the dream by God. We are not to base our thinking and actions on circumstances, but upon the Scriptures. Through the vision of a magnificent, awe-inspiring statue, God reveals the future for Gentile kings and their kingdoms. Per Daniels request, the king allows him more time to seek an interpretation of the dream from God. Prophecies are given so that we may look at history, especially events occurring in our own lifetime, from Gods perspective. The Parable of the Ten Virgins Keep watch because you do not know the day or hour of His return (Matthew 25:1 25:13). Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: He lremoveth kings, and setteth up kings: And knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982. A large rock strikes the brittle feet of the statue, smashing the material and setting off a chain reaction that shatters the metals from bottom to top, reducing the entire structure to dust. Prayer WebThe Dream: Nebuchadnezzar saw a giant image that looked very powerful and shone brightly. (2:4b-49) A dream of four kingdoms replaced by a fifth, B. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. The woman endures in the view of the final outcome of the process. Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, Upon the son of man whom Thou didst make strong for Thyself (Psalm 80:17). Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. In more detail, the outline would be as follows: (2) The Divine Interpretation verses 15-28. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (verse 28). 37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for mthe God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. The fourth beast is a fourth king, different than the others. Second, is the appearance of an angel, called a watcher, who declares and facilitates the removal of Nebuchadnezzar from power (cf. These horns are also kings, from whom kingdoms arise (verse 24). No wonder interpreters differ about the details. The other three are removed from power but allowed to live for some time after their removal (verse 12). Previously, the king Leadership Moreover, at Daniels request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. Just so, Christs suffering and glory is but a part of one coming. Will of God 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human handsa rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. In chapter two, Daniel refers to God five times and blesses Him as the God The coming of the Son of Man is represented as one coming, and not two. He ran to the king, bringing Daniel with him, and said, Ive found a man from the exiles of Judah who can interpret the kings dream!, 26 The king asked Daniel (renamed in Babylonian, Belteshazzar), Are you sure you can do thistell me the dream I had and interpret it for me?. (5) Prophecy is not written as hype but revealed to produce the hope of glory and endurance in present tribulation. God gives us wisdom in ways we may not always readily recognize. That night his life and his kingdom came to an end. Given Nebuchadnezzars repeated interaction with Daniel and his friends, why do you think he did not become a believer earlier (cf. Astonished and troubled. Copyright 2021 Bible Blender. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. [4] The lack of linguistic continuity (the switch from Hebrew to Aramaic at verse 4), and of continuity with other parts of Daniel (e.g., the king needs an introduction to Daniel despite having interviewed him at the completion of his training in Daniel 1:18), as well as various instances of repetitiveness (see verses 2830), are sometimes cited as evidence that later hands have edited the story, or as signs that the author was working from multiple sources. 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. Prophecy reveals that which we would not and could not expect apart from divine revelation. (6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. The second scene portrays the establishment of the thrones on which the Ancient of Days and those holding court are to be seated to pronounce judgment. Sin distorted this authority with this particular disease, even turning man into an animal. The saints should expect to suffer because of their faith, especially as the last days for the kingdoms of men draw near. 2:32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. I encourage you to compare the statements of Daniel 2:21-22, 44, 47; 4:3, 34-35, 37; 6:26 with the content and declarations of Daniel 7. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. As the destruction of the last beast and the blaspheming horn came as a complete shock to them, so the Lords coming will catch unbelievers unprepared as well (24:27-39). Note the term seven times (Dan. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. Unlike the king of Nineveh who repented when warned by Jonah, Nebuchadnezzar did not heed Daniels warning. Print. Both sets of kingdoms are brought to a sudden end and are replaced by an eternal kingdom. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to have a child. Dan. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. We should note Daniels distress in chapter 7 before turning to the other prophecies in Daniel, where we will find that prophecy very often produces distress. Je. Nebuchadnezzars polytheist beliefs left room for many gods, including Daniel. Should we be troubled as well? Concurrence Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. You are that head of gold. The great God has let the king know what will happen in the years to come. The destruction of the Great Temple and the signs of the end times (Matthew 24:1 24:35), The Song of Moses and Miriam attributes of God that are equally applicable to every Christian follower today. We can tell by Nebuchadnezzars outpouring of thanks to Daniel. 81 See Ezekiel 29:21 for a similar use of the imagery of making a horn grow to describe a kings promotion to power. 4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. In an unprecedented turn of events, King Nebuchadnezzar reversed his decision to execute his advisors. No convincing explanation for this has been put forward. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. 39 After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. It seems safe to assume the interpreter was an angelic being; at least this is the case in chapter 8 (8:15-26). 13 And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 5. 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., Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the Kings wise men, and said to him, Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. He is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in the days ahead. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, for iron breaks and smashes everything, and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.
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how old was daniel when he interpreted nebuchadnezzar's first dream