Daniel 2:1-23

2:1-3 | Nebuchadnezzar’s advisory council was comprised of four different groups: the magicians (or scholars), the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans (or wise men). He gathered these men to interpret his troubling dream, unaware that God intended it as a vehicle through which He would reveal His purposes.

2:1 Nebuchadnezzar is by far the most important pagan king in the entire Bible. Yet he was the basest of men – a despot who stood as a type (or foreshadowing) of the Antichrist because of his wickedness. While all men trembled before this king, he trembled before nothing… except for his dreams.

2:4 | From this verse to 7:28, the text changes from Hebrew to Aramaic, the language of the courts and the eventual language of the people. How fitting that God conveyed His message concerning the Gentle kingdoms in a Gentile language.

2:5-7 | Nebuchadnezzar could remember his deep terror caused by the dream – but did not reveal the contents of his dream. Perhaps he could not remember the dream itself. Or perhaps he was testing the ability of his magicians – it would not be enough to interpret the dream; one would have to tell the king its contents.

2:13 | On one level, the king’s decree that all of Babylon’s wise men be executed was nothing more that Satan’s attempt to rid the world of Daniel. The one who determines not to compromise his or her life usually gets Satan’s attention. More importantly, this person also falls under the protective custody of Almighty God.

2:14-18 | Daniel’s actions illustrate how a great leader handles crises: he spoke with sound counsel and deep wisdom to the authorities and asked the king to give him time, so that he and his friends might see God concerning this secret. Impulsiveness is not of the Lord; instead, it points to a person who forges ahead, impatient for God’s answer. Responsiveness is the mark of one who lets God guide in His time.

2:18-19 | While the Babylonian wise men sought the answer in the stars, Daniel knew the God who made the stars and the heavens, and through God, the secret was revealed (Num. 12:6; Prov. 3:32).