*Daniel 2:25-49
Daniel reveals to King Nebuchadnezzar that his dream represents a giant statue made of different materials, symbolizing future kingdoms that will culminate in God’s eternal kingdom.
- Daniel’s Audience with the King:
- Daniel is brought before King Nebuchadnezzar to interpret the dream he had.
- Daniel acknowledges the king’s inquiry and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to reveal the dream’s meaning.
- The Dream’s Interpretation:
- Daniel proceeds to explain that the statue Nebuchadnezzar saw represents a succession of kingdoms, each symbolized by different metals: gold, silver, bronze, iron, and mixed iron and clay.
- He reveals that Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian empire is represented by the head of gold, signifying its greatness and dominion.
- Interpretive Vision:
- Daniel elaborates that the subsequent kingdoms are inferior in value and strength, denoted by the descending order of metals.
- The final kingdom, depicted by the feet of iron mixed with clay, will be a divided kingdom, partly strong and partly brittle.
- The Divine Stone:
- Daniel describes a stone not made by human hands, which strikes the statue’s feet, causing the entire structure to crumble and disintegrate into dust.
- This stone grows into a mountain that fills the whole earth, symbolizing the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom, which will never be destroyed or succeeded by another kingdom.
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Response:
- Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the validity of Daniel’s interpretation and marvels at the revelation granted to him by Daniel’s God, the revealer of mysteries.
- He recognizes the supremacy and sovereignty of Daniel’s God, acknowledging Him as the God of gods and the Lord of kings.
- Daniel’s Promotion:
- Nebuchadnezzar lavishes honors and rewards upon Daniel, appointing him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men in Babylon.
- He also elevates Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, granting them positions of authority in the province.
Daniel 2:25-49 teaches us that God is in control of history and that His kingdom will last forever. When Daniel explained the king’s dream, he made it clear that wisdom comes from God, not from human ability. This reminds us to trust God’s plan, even when the future seems uncertain. Just as He guided Daniel, He is guiding our lives today. We should rely on His wisdom, stay faithful, and remember that His kingdom is the only one that will stand forever.
Daniel 2:25-49 (WEB)
2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.”26 The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers; 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head on your bed are these:29 “As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.31 “You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying. 32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.36 “This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory. 38 Wherever the children of men dwell, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.39 “After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. 40 The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. 45 Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him. 47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”48 Then the king made Daniel great and gave him many great gifts, and made him rule over the whole province of Babylon and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel was in the king’s gate.