“The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, ‘The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.’” (Daniel 2:5)
“Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, ‘Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.’” (Daniel 2:46-47)
Nebuchadnezzar was smart to require the magicians, sorcerers, and enchanters to tell him both his dream and its interpretation. The threat to tear them limb from limb was pretty significant.
In frustration, the enchanters said, “The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” (2:11) As the command to destroy them all went out over the land, they asked for Daniel. Of course, Daniel was able to meet the king’s demand to reveal the dream and its meaning. A few things stood out to me.
First, Daniels reveals the God of heaven, the one true and living God:
“Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:” (2:27-28)
Second, Daniel revealed God’s plan to establish a kingdom that will supersede all other kingdoms, including Nebuchadnezzar’s.
“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” (2:44-45)
Daniel’s interpretation hit the spot, and Nebuchadnezzar said,
“Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
Father, help me respond as appropriately as Daniel did when I recognize your hand in my daily affairs. Amen.
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