Daniel 2

Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler

Daniel 2:4 to Daniel 7 was written in Aramaic. Aramaic is a language similar to Hebrew, but it is a language of the Gentiles. Why is it written in Aramaic, the language of the Gentiles? Because this portion of the book deals with Gentile history like no other books in the Bible. Here, God lays out the history of Gentiles (called, "the times of the Gentiles" by Luke) from Nebuchadnezzar to the Antichrist.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR CHALLENGES HIS STAFF WITH HIS DREAM

Daniel 2:2
The magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers are advisers, top staff members, to the king. 

Daniel 2:3-13
Nebuchadnezzar "inherited" his advisers from his father, the previous king. He had no idea just how "gifted" they are, and therefore took this opportunity to put their skills to the test: He not only wanted them to interpret his dream. He wanted them to first tell him what his dream was. After all, if their gods were as great as they claim, then they should have no trouble with this challenge.

Well, they did. (Not surprisingly...) Nebuchadnezzar therefore had no need for such gimmicks and announced that all these "wise men" would be put to death. Daniel and his friends were trained to be wise men and so were part of this group of people who not only just lost their jobs but would lose their lives as well.

GOD REVEALS NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM TO DANIEL

Daniel 2:14-26
Daniel heard about the situation and immediately prays. If it was God's will to spare their lives, then they needed a little miracle: to know and understand Nebuchadnezzar.

God delivers. 

Daniel 2:27-28
Daniel gives God the credit for his ability to reveal and interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream. (This, by the way, is how we know when miracles are works of God: When those who perform it point to God as the source.)

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM FORETELLS THE HISTORY OF GENTILES

Daniel 2:29-35
People mistake that the statute was made of 5 different materials: Gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. However, that's incorrect. It's made of only 4 materials: Gold, silver, bronze, and iron. The iron was made of clay because the iron was not pure.

Daniel 2:37
Nebuchadnezzar's power was given to him by God. He didn't earn it. It was God's gift.

Daniel 2:39-45
Key points of Nebuchadnezzar's dream:
- Babylon (gold) will be succeeded by an inferior kingdom: History tells us that kingdom was Persia (silver)
- Persia will be succeeded by a kingdom that will rule over the whole earth: History tells us that kingdom was Greece (bronze)
- Greece will be succeeded by a kingdom that is strong as iron: History tells us that kingdom was the Roman Empire (iron)

Daniel described went on to describe the 4th kingdom as iron, "... and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others" (Daniel 2:40). This did NOT happen during the Roman Empire that has come and passed.

Daniel went on, "Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay" (Daniel 2:41).

This nation, for a lack of a better term, is believed to be Roman Empire II, one that will be led by the Antichrist. The "first" Roman Empire was never conquered; it disintegrated. The revived Roman Empire would not be as strong as the first because it would be "mixed with clay." This "second" Roman Empire would be a "mix" of 10 nations.

I'm currently also working through the Book of Revelation. For more details about this "Roman Empire II," I point you to my notes cataloged under "Revelation."

The details aside, the ultimate kingdom will be one that will be established by God, the Rock that will "crush all other kingdoms and bring them to an end" (Daniel 2:44).

DANIEL IS PROMOTED

Daniel 2:46-48
Daniel solves Nebuchadnezzar's problems and was promoted. Needless to say, those advisers were not happy.