Daniel 2:1-13
Sermon Point: I will TURN to God, in whom TRUE wisdom is FOUND
Daniel 2:1-13
2 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; 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. 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 in Aramaic,[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 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. 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.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 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.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “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 no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” 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 out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
Where we turn (vv.1-2)
What we’re told (vv.3-9)
What we find (vv. 10-13)
Where we Turn
Daniel 2:1-2
2 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; 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.
Where we Turn
Daniel 1:17
17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Magicians –Horoscopes. They would draw lines or circles in the sky which would then tell you what the future holds for you.
Enchanters – Necromancers. Communicate with the dead.
Sorcerers – Spell casters. Word play sorcery.
Chadleans –Babylonian Academics. Professors of the day.
Where do you turn?
What we’re told
Daniel 2:3-9
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 in Aramaic,[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 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. 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.”7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 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.”
Daniel 2:3-4
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 in Aramaic,[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
Chapter 1—Prologue (Hebrew)
Chapters 2–7—Stories about Jews in Gentile nations (Aramaic)
A. Nebuchadnezzar dreams about a statue (four earthly kingdoms and a fifth eternal kingdom) (ch. 2)
B. Faithful Jews (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) face death for refusing to bow to the king’s statue (ch. 3)
C. A proud gentile king (Nebuchadnezzar) is humbled and restored (ch. 4)
C′. A proud gentile king (Belshazzar) is humbled and destroyed (ch. 5)
B.′ A faithful Jew (Daniel) faces death for refusing to pray to anyone but God (ch. 6)
A′. Daniel dreams about four earthly kingdoms and a fifth eternal kingdom (ch. 7)
Chapters 8–12—Prophecies about Jews back in the land (Hebrew)
Daniel 2:3-4
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 in Aramaic,[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
Daniel 2:5-6
5 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. 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.”
Daniel 2:7-9
7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 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.”
What We’re Told
What we Find
Daniel 2:10-13
10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “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 no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” 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 out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
I will TURN to God, in whom TRUE wisdom is FOUND