
In our look at the first half of Daniel chapter 2 we saw firstly how God disturbed a King - Nebuchadnezzar was plagued by a bad dream and he desperately wanted to know what it meant. Secondly, we saw how God dismissed worldly wisdom - none of Nebuchadnezzar’s magicians and astrologers could divine what the dream was and so were powerless to try and interpret it. Thirdly, we saw God disclosed the secret of the dream and its meaning to Daniel as he and his fellow Judean exiles prayed.
Now in the second half of the chapter as Daniel goes to share this with the King we will finally get to hear of this dream and the message that God speaks through it. It is a message as timely and relevant for us as we live as exiles and strangers in the world today as it was for those living in exile in Babylon.
Main Points:
- The Contrast Between Selfish Ambition and Godly Humility.
- The Fragile and Transient Nature of Human Power.
- The Power and Permanence of God’s Coming Kingdom.
Application Questions
- How does the message of this dream comfort and encourage God’s people living in exile in our world today especially those who face persecution for their faith?
- In what ways do we sometimes intentionally or unintentionally compromise our allegiance to God’s kingdom with the kingdoms of this world?
- If the only things and people left intact on the last day will be those which belong to God’s kingdom as found in Jesus Christ – what changes do you need to make to your loyalties and priorities today?