Daniel 2:1-16 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Daniel 2:1-16. Let’s go!
Daniel 2:1-11 (NIV)
1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep.
2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king,
3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”
4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble.
6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”
7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided:
9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”
10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.
11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.”
On verses 1-11: Upon hearing the king’s request that they accurately tell him what his dream was in addition to interpreting it, the astrologers understandably exclaimed, “No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.” The astrologers got it half right. It’s true that no one except the divine could know and reveal what the king had dreamt. But it is not true that the divine do not live among us: “And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) What is too difficult for people is not too difficult for God. God was about to use this situation to show Nebuchadnezzar, the astrologers and everyone in their circle that God is alive and actively at work among people.
Nebuchadnezzar was looking for nothing less than the power of God to show up in this moment. And the power of God is what he would eventually find. As unreasonable as Nebuchadnezzar’s demand was, there’s a lesson we can learn from it: When you earnestly seek God and give Him a chance to show Himself, He will.
Daniel 2:12-16 (NIV)
12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon.
13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact.
15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.
16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.
On verses 12-16: I love Daniel’s response. Upon hearing that the king had sentenced all the wise men, including Daniel and his friends, to death, Daniel did not give into fear or start playing the blame game. Instead, he spoke to the commander with wisdom and tact, he sought to understand the matter fully and then he boldly went to the king and asked for time, trusting that God was with him.
It reminds me of Proverbs 16:14 where it says,
Proverbs 16:14 (NIV)
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.
Daniel stood in the gap between those who were sentenced to death and the king who gave the sentence. Similarly, when God in His wrath had sentenced us to death (i.e. eternal separation from Him), Jesus stood in the gap. He would do so not only by praying to the Father and interceding for us. Even more, Jesus would give his life to appease God’s wrath against us.
Thank You Father that You do live among people and are at work to this day. Thank You that You are willing to show Yourself to anyone who earnestly seeks You. Thank You Jesus, for standing in the gap and paying the highest price to appease the wrath of God. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
