Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 24-25

24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus to him, “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.” 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can make known to the king the interpretation.”

Incredible, isn’t it? All by himself Arioch has managed to solve the king’s problem. Notice how he takes all of the credit in verse 25. (This may have something to do with the reward mentioned back in verse 6.)

Many things have changed over the centuries, but human nature has not changed one little bit since the Garden of Eden.

Very often you hear modernists claiming that we need a new church, a new Bible, and a new theology for a new age. But of course we don’t. Man has not changed. Sin has not changed. The remedy has not changed. God has not changed.

We may see ourselves as vastly improved, but all we are doing is worshipping different idols.

Arioch’s complete confidence in Daniel is interesting. He shows no doubt that Daniel will be able to interpret the king’s dream. Daniel had already made quite an impact on Arioch.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 20-23

20 Daniel said: “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals deep and mysterious things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 To thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for thou hast given me wisdom and strength, and hast now made known to me what we asked of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king’s matter.”

Here Daniel expresses his gratitude to God for answering his prayer and saving him from certain death. Notice in verse 20 that Daniel emphasizes God’s wisdom and power.

GOD IS POWERFUL. He controls history. He controls nature. He created the universe and keeps it operating. He is the creator, sustainer, and sovereign of the universe.

GOD IS WISE. We like to think we are wise, but any wisdom we have comes from what God has told us. Although we have certainly progressed in our knowledge of the world, we still know virtually nothing about how it all works.

The further you progress in science, the more you realize just how little we really know.

When you think you know everything they give you a bachelor’s degree, when you realize you don’t know anything they give you a Master’s degree, and when you realize that no one else knows anything either they give you a Doctorate.

Remember what Paul said:

1 Corinthians 1:25,30 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ... 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

In verse 21, Daniel touches upon a major theme in the book. It is God who changes times and seasons, removes and sets up kings, and gives wisdom and knowledge. God is in control.

Men look at the world, see a mess, and say that God is dead. But throughout the Bible, we see that God is always working – especially when things look the worst.

Was the world in bad shape before the flood? Yes. Was God in charge? You bet he was!

From a human perspective, could things have looked any worse than they did at the cross? Yet God was at that very moment working out the culmination of a plan that he had formed at the very beginning.

We must try to see things the way that God sees them! Daniel did and you can see what the result was.

Note that Daniel was not a fatalist. He knew that men could make real decisions and effect history. He also knew, however, that God had the final word on the matter. Daniel did not see himself and the Babylonians as puppets.

Verse 21 says that God sets up and removes kings.

Read Psalm 2:1–4.

1 Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.

Does he just set up the good kings, or does he set them all up? Although we may have trouble understanding it, the Bible says that God sets them all up and we should (at least in that respect) show respect to them all like Daniel did with Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was polite and respectful to the one who had deported him because he knew that whatever power Nebuchadnezzar had was given to him by God.

We are not required to agree with them (thankfully), but I think that we are required to show them respect and honor. Listen to what Paul and Peter have to say about this:

Romans 13:1-5 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

1 Peter 2:13-17 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. 17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Were Peter and Paul just speaking of good rulers? How could they be! There were no good rulers back then. These men were imprisoned and killed by these rulers. I think there is an important lesson for us here, even though we may not want to hear it.

On the other side of the coin, it is certainly permissible to pray that evil rulers be removed. The Christians did this in Revelation, and God answered their prayers by judging Rome.

Are we then supposed to honor a ruler who we think is wicked. Well, read 1 Peter 2:17 again. The answer is clearly yes.

Daniel called God the God of his fathers. Daniel trusted God because he knew what God had done. As Isaiah 28:16 says, God is a tried stone. He has never forsaken his people, and he never will.

Notice that Daniel is absolutely sure that he knows the king’s dream even before he tells the king about it. God said it and Daniel knew it was true. Daniel was thanking God in advance because the king had not yet spared his life.

God had made it known “to me” what “we” asked of him. Again, we are reminded of the power of combined prayer. Daniel asked his friends to pray with him, and he did not forget their contribution when he thanked God.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 17-19

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy of the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Note that his three companions are referred to here by their less familiar Hebrew names.

The term ‘God of Heaven’ is used almost exclusively in the captivity books. Why? (Daniel uses it 9 times, Ezra 6 times, and Nehemiah 4 times.)

When Judah turned from the Lord, Ezekiel had a vision in which he saw the glory of God depart from the holy of holies in the temple and leave the earth. (Ezekiel 10 and 11)

What did Daniel and his friends do? They did not turn to astrology or crystal balls. Instead, they prayed.

Notice that Daniel doesn’t do it all by himself, either. He asks them all to pray with him. Prayer is a team effort!

“Prayer is where the action is. Any church without a well organized and systematic prayer program is simply operating a religious treadmill.”

“The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”

What else did Daniel do? He went to bed! He turned his problems over to God and then he went to sleep. Again, I detect an important lesson for us.

Notice that Daniel has already promised to answer the king – before he started praying for the answer. Again, Daniel knows that God will give him the answer that he needs. What confidence! What utter dependence on God!

The “mystery” or “secret” is revealed to Daniel during the night.

The word “secret” occurs 9 times in this chapter.

Ezekiel 28:3 using irony against the prince of Tyre told him “Behold thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is hidden thee.” Who was Ezekiel referring to? Remember that if Ezekiel referred to Daniel then the late date theory falls in ruin.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 14-16

14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to slay the wise men of Babylon; 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so severe?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and besought the king to appoint him a time, that he might show to the king the interpretation.

Arioch shows up to take Daniel to death row, but Daniel talks him into taking him to the king instead.

The word for “severe” in verse 15 really means “hasty.” Daniel did not question the punishment, but the haste with which the king ordered it.

This death sentence was Daniel’s opportunity.

It sounded like very bad news, but Daniel saw it as a gift from God and jumped at it. Christians should be eternal optimists!

We usually see the light at the end of the tunnel and think it must be an oncoming train. If God is on our side, then who can be against us. Daniel is a great example of how we should be optimistic since God is on our side.

A “pessimistic Christian” is the ultimate oxymoron.

Daniel seems awfully confident in his abilities. Where did this teenager get such confidence? He knew the source of all wisdom. His confidence was not in himself but in his God!

The stage is now set to introduce King Nebuchadnezzar to the only true and living God. Also, we are about to see a theme that will last throughout the book:

God is still in charge, he is still as powerful as ever, and he still loves and cares for his faithful followers.

This was true even after their temple had been burned, their city destroyed, and they had been dragged away in slavery. [The city was destroyed in 587 B.C. This scene occurred in 602 B.C.]

If there is one clear message in the Bible it is that things are not always as they appear! We must see things the way that God sees them.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 12-13

12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men were to be slain, and they sought Daniel and his companions, to slay them.

The king becomes upset when he realizes that his “wise men” are suffering from an acute lack of wisdom. In fact, he becomes furious and commands that they all be killed. (You would think that some of these fortune tellers would have seen this coming and have left town!)

Daniel and his friends, unfortunately, are numbered among this group, and their lives become in danger from the king’s edict.

It is possible that Daniel is still in school. That is, the three years of schooling may not yet be over. If this were true, then Nebuchadnezzar must have ordered that all of those who were preparing to be wise men be killed as well.

This would explain why Daniel was not with the wise men when they first tried to interpret the dream.

As for not standing before the king until the three years were over (1:5), recall that standing before the king was a Persian term for royal service.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 10-11

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand; for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and none can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

The wise men complain that no one could do what the king wanted. In fact, they say that no king has ever asked such a thing. (Indeed, not even Joseph in Egypt was required to do this.)

The wise men say that if they don’t know the answer then no one knows the answer.

Job 12:2 “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.”

Finally, they speak the truth. They admit to the king (whether they know they are admitting it or not) that their profession is a fraud.

This is definitely a lesson we need to hear today. Anytime we look for answers to our problems or answers about our future from someone other than God, we need to seriously consider our spiritual health.

SIMPLE PROOF THAT ESP DOES NOT EXIST: Have you ever wondered how they decide how many numbers to use in the state lottery? (6 between 1 and 50) The lottery is designed according to the laws of statistics. The lottery would not work as expected if ESP existed. The fact that it does work as expected (often there are no jackpot winners at all) proves that their is no “latent ESP” in the populace. (Also, see 1 Corinthians 2:11.)

The king, they say, isn’t being fair. He is asking too much. Imagine, asking a fortune teller to tell someone’s fortune!

Again, they hit upon the truth. Only God can reveal someone’s thoughts. What will the logical conclusion be when Daniel reveals the dream? (I imagine they later regretted their words!)

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 7-9

7 They answered a second time, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is sure 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.”

They do not think that the king is serious, so they ask him for the dream one more time. (Do they seem a little nervous to you?)

Compare the first request in verse 4 with the second request in verse 7. Notice any difference? In the second request, the wise men don’t start off by hoping that the king will live forever!

In verse 8-9, the king makes it very clear that he is serious, and he lets them in on his strategy. He accuses them of stalling and of planning to lie to him. (Of course, they are stalling! They are repeating themselves in verse 7.)

He says that they were planning to wait until “the times change.” That is, until the crisis has passed and the king has forgotten all about it.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 3-6

3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king, “O king, live for ever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered the Chaldeans, “The word from me is sure: 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. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

Beginning in verse 4 and continuing through 7:28, the book of Daniel is written in the Aramaic language.

Even the Dead Seas Scrolls make this switch to Aramaic. (This strongly suggests that the original was also written in two languages.)

Other Aramaic sections in the Old Testament: Ezra 4:8–6:18, Ezra 7:12–26, and Jeremiah 10:11.

Nebuchadnezzar asked his advisors to interpret the dream that he had, and the advisors at first seem eager to do so. They ask him to tell them the dream that he had, and I am sure that they would have come up with any number of interpretations. They expressed no doubt regarding their abilities in verse 4.

Nebuchadnezzar, however, is no fool. He asks them to tell him both his dream and his interpretation. Suddenly their confidence vanishes!

The King James Version translates verse 5 to indicate that the king had forgotten the dream. (“The thing is gone from me.”) However, he remembers enough later in the story to be able to confirm Daniel’s interpretation. A better interpretation is found in the Revised Standard Version, which we read above.

ANCIENT BABYLONIAN OMEN: If a man cannot remember the dream he saw then it means that his personal god is angry with him.

Failure meant a horrible death and success meant rich rewards.

The threat in verse 5 is that they would be “made into limbs.” The NIV translation that they would be cut into pieces is not correct – no verb for cutting is used here and no cutting instrument is mentioned.

What the king had in mind was that their arms and legs would be tied to four trees that had been temporarily roped together. When the ropes were cut, the victim would be torn into four pieces. (He was going to turn each wise man into four wise pieces!)

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 1-2

1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

The world’s most powerful ruler has just assumed the throne – and almost immediately he is troubled by his dreams and can’t sleep. God was trying to tell him something and like most people he found that troubling.

He calls all of his wise men to come and interpret the dream. Note that the term ‘Chaldean’ is used here to denote a special class of wise men. Nebuchadnezzar was himself a Chaldean in the ethnic sense.

‘Dream manuals’ have been found that list historical dreams and the events that followed them. These wise men would have been very familiar with these very long volumes. There general course of action would have been to have heard the dream and then looked it up in their book – but Nebuchadnezzar has other ideas!

Does God talk to us today in dreams?

When God talked to people with dreams in the Old Testament, they knew it. They received a definite message, and God was very persistent about it. Nebuchadnezzar knew that this was no ordinary dream.

If God did talk to us today with dreams then what would he say? What more do we need to hear from God? The word he has already given us is able to instruct us about salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) and equips us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16).

Are you looking for a message from God? You have one! The Bible is God’s message to us.

Those who claim that God speaks to them today apart from his word generally have found something in his word that they don’t like.

As scarce as the truth is, the demand has never exceeded the supply!

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Introduction to Daniel Chapter 2

Chapter 2 covers history from Babylon to Rome, and provides the foundation for understanding the other apocalyptic sections in the book.

Chapter 7 expands upon chapter 2, especially with regard to the second and third kingdoms.

Chapters 11 and 12 expand upon chapter 2, especially with regard to kingdoms two, three, and four.

These later chapters supply many details that are not mentioned here in chapter 2.

MESSAGE OF CHAPTER 2: God’s promises to Israel have not been forgotten. (This is the same message in Romans 9–11.) The Gentiles (those outside of the covenant) are in charge now, but one day (under the Messiah) the kingdom will be restored to the faithful.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 1 Verses 18-21

18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

These four young men made quite an impression on the king. Although they had only been in the country for a few years, they already knew more than the wise men who advised the king.

With God’s help they passed their final exams. You can almost picture God playing the role of the proud father as these three boys showed up all of the Babylonian wise men!

‘Ten times’ better? This was a common idiom for ‘much’ better.

Verse 21 means that Daniel was around from 605 until AT LEAST 539 B.C.

PROBLEM: How can this verse be true since in Daniel 10:1 we find that Daniel receives a vision in the third year of Cyrus?

Again let’s read the verse and see what it actually says.

Does it say that Daniel died during the first year of King Cyrus? No. Not at all.

It simply tells us that Daniel survived into the next empire. Daniel lasted longer than the Babylonians did! He had predicted the fall and he was there to see it.

Who was Cyrus? He was the first Persian emperor that took over after the Chaldeans were defeated. He released the Jews from captivity and allowed them to return to their land. Read Ezra.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 1 Verse 17

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Again note the phrase “God gave.” God is in charge here. Their learning and wisdom were gifts from God. (Not due to their diet as vegetarians like to claim!)

God gave Daniel wisdom and the ability to understand visions and dreams.

This gift would allow Daniel to become an advisor to Nebuchadnezzar, which is obviously what God had in mind. It would also allow Daniel to be considered a ‘wise man’ in the king’s court, and would allow Daniel to be the channel of revelation that God wanted him to be.

Ezekiel speaks of a man named Daniel who was wise and could interpret secrets. Who do you think he had in mind? The liberal critics think [or at least say!] that Ezekiel was speaking of a mythic pagan character who was famous for his drunkenness.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.

Daniel Chapter 1 Verses 14-16

14 So he hearkened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s rich food. 16 So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

Why did the steward agree to their plan? Who do you think got all of the rich food they refused to eat? When you answer the second question you will have your answer to the first!

As God’s people we should not run from a test. We should invite a test of our faith. We should pray for such a test. Because such a test gives us a chance to show the world whose side we are on and to prove to the world that we are on the right side.

Their improved appearance seems to have been miraculous, since it is difficult to see how a 10 day diet of vegetables could have made a visible difference.

Please visit ThyWordIsTruth.com for free audio lessons on Revelation, for a unique daily Bible reading calendar, to read about God's plan of salvation, to read the answers to hundreds of questions submitted by our readers, and for much, much more.