Feb. 29, 2024

Daniel 2:1-49 Bible Study Worksheet

Main Idea: God sovereignly works to reveal his greatness and his coming kingdom in Christ so that all peoples will praise and worship him. 

God creates impossible situations to reveal His greatness (2:1-16)

Unbelievers may respond with threats and anger (2:1-13)

1. Neb’s Dream caused his spirit to be troubled so badly that scripture says that sleep left him, meaning that the significance of dreams in the ancient world were regarded as important. For they were often viewed as predictions, or foretellings of future events.
2. Neb’s top Babylonian advisors did not believe there was such a thing as revelation. Their gods did not communicate with humans; their epistemology was naturalistic. 
3. Their universe is that of the naturalist, or possibly even the materialist: a closed system of cause and effect undisturbed by the supernatural. Their epistemology is that of the enlightenment. 

Believers should respond with wisdom and faith  (2:14-16)

1. Arioch (Air-e-ock)

• Captain of the Kings guard revealed to Daniel the concern of the King.
• This is the executioner, and Daniel tells him to hold off and not kill anyone.

2. Daniel was able to control his reaction and calm Arioch to delay until he met with the king. 

• Then he let Daniel go in and speak to the king without being summoned.

Are people willing to trust your opinion and view in the midst of terrifying and even troubling times?

God delights in the prayers and praise of His children (2:17-23)

Go to God in prayer (2:17-19)

1. Daniel didn’t complain to his friends, he sought the mercies of God with his friends as they prayed along with Daniel for revelation. 
2. Daniel reached a point where he handed the matter over to God and rested.
3. Daniel's concern and welfare of the lost and pagan (wise men) of Babylon should not go unnoticed. This is an example for all of us.

• This represents Daniels obedience to Leviticus 19:18

Respond to God’s goodness with praise (2:19-23)

• God reveals the secret of the dream to Daniel and through this revelation God blesses King Nebuchadnezzar.

God reveals the mystery of His kingdom to demonstrate His power (2:24-45)

1. Only the God of heaven knows all things (2:24-30)

• Similar to how Joseph went to Pharaoh and confirmed what his dreams meant (Gen. 40-41).
• Only the God of heaven can do all things (2:31-45)
  • This is the God that knows (omniscience) the future, has a plan for the future, and will accomplish that future. 
  • Isaiah 46:9-10
  • We may not know what the future holds, but we must know who holds the future. 

God revealed the content of the dreams (2:31-35)

God provided the interpretation of the dreams (2:36-45)

Babylon- Head of Gold

God is telling King Neb. that he has an awesome empire, but those that follow will be weak and incompetent rulers. 

Medo-Persia is the chest/ arms of silver

This was inferior in its totalitarian rule. Even though it lasted for more than 200 years.

Greece is the torso and thighs of bronze

Built by Alexander the Great, conquered the known world. Lasted 185 years.

Rome is the Legs of iron with feet of iron and clay.

The greatest of history’s empires. Lasted 1600 years, and it influenced much of the western civilization.

Stone cut from mountain

The stone that smashes and becomes a great mountain is Christ and the kingdom of God.

The progression of the world in history is not typically an upward to glory and unity but rather downward to dishonor and disunity. Thus, the statute of progress from gold to a mixture of iron and clay. And the stone that breaks the statue in pieces is christ (Luke 20:18).

God honors His servants who faithfully serve Him (2:46-49)

1. God may choose to have people praise them (2:46-47)

For the first time in Nebchadnezzer’s life, Marduk had competition in his interior world – all because one godly man remained poised, prayerful and willing to speak truth to power.

• God may choose to have people promote them (2:48-49)
• God may promote people in the world by its leaders for His purposes.

Daniel and His friends promoted: Matthew 5:14-16

Daniel and his friends were indeed lights brightly shining in a dark place. Nebucharnezzar  could not deny the good works he saw in them.

This message, “What about our dreams are we afraid of,” for two reasons.

When God reveals something to us, it's meant to serve a purpose in others lives as well as our own. That's the beauty of God’s gifts and vision’s that he places in our hearts.

When others are going through difficult times, have we ever considered that God put us in their lives to be a blessing to them. 

“The day the world can understand you is the day that you crossed the line and you have gone too far into worldliness and the next step is ungodliness. The day that you are no longer a mystery to the world, is the day that you have been sucked up into the system and you are no longer being conformed into the image of Christ.” Steven Lawson