Daniel 2:1-23 – “Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream”
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."
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.
17. Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven
20. and said:
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21. He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22. He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
23. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king."
This story is much more amazing to me now than it was when I was a child. We start with power hungry King N (I’m not typing that out more than the one time above) who insists that an interpretation of an undisclosed dream must be provided by the wise men or they will all be executed. YIKES! This is a bit harsh. Understandably the wise men didn’t want to try to interpret a dream they haven’t heard, but the power hungry King N doesn’t care, he wants them to tell him his dream also. When Daniel and his friends were gathered for execution and the reason was explained to them, they didn’t cry or beg, but Daniel requested an audience with King N to reveal and explain his dream to him.
I want faith like that. I don’t know how to get it, but I know I’m going to be praying that my faith increases quite a bit! I know it is a change that needs to take place inside me, that I’m the person at fault for not having that level of faith, but I really don’t know how to change my level of faith… yet.
Anyway, in faith Daniel goes to sleep and King N’s dream and its meaning are revealed to him. When he wakes up he behaves in a rather unnatural way for someone whose life and whose friends’ lives are on the line… he stops and praises God. Isn’t that wonderful? Daniel’s character, which I find inspirational, is revealed in this moment. God is first. There are no exceptions or exclusions that so many of us make “I can do it later” or “He won’t mind if I make sure they live first” no, God is good and God is first. Thank him for the revelation THEN take care of life saving business.
I can’t say that God is always a priority in my life. I think if I were in a similar situation my tendency towards self-preservation would kick in and I’d go make sure I was going to remain alive rather than thank God for the revelation of a dream. But Daniel went and thanked God for the revelation, not knowing if King N was going to actually spare him or his friends. His faith, his quick action, and his devotion to God are examples of things I lack in my own life. I know with God’s help I’ll make it though, and I’m going to work on changing my attitudes and faith.
Hugs & Love
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2 comments:
I think that I am thankful for the things God does for me. I do not always ask Him for help in the first place, and that is the problem.
If it was something like "Interpret the dream or King Nebechadnezzar will slap you on the wrist," I probably wouldn't have prayed about it. But being on the verge of death immediately make sit so that God is the only one you can turn to.
Yeah, it's easy to be grateful, but it's also easy to say "Hey God, I want this" and forget to be thankful... We really need to have the combination of the two don't you think?
Hugs & Love
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