Daniel: The Dream Interpreter
May 11, 2025

Daniel 2:1-30

1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him, and sleep deserted him.
2 So the king gave orders to summon the diviner-priests, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,

3 he said to them, “I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it.”

4 The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic begins here): “May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump.

6 But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you’ll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So make the dream and its interpretation known to me.”

7 They answered a second time, “May the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will give the interpretation.”

8 The king replied, “I know for certain you are trying to gain some time, because you see that my word is final.

9 If you don’t tell me the dream, there is one decree for you. You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation.”

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests. Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any diviner-priest, medium, or Chaldean.

11 What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”

12 Because of this, the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.

14 Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

15 He asked Arioch, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel.

16 So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter,

18 urging them to ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men.

19 The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of heaven

20 and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.

21 He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

22 He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.

23 I offer thanks and praise to You, God of my fathers, because You have given me wisdom and power. And now You have let me know what we asked of You, for You have let us know the king’s mystery.

24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had assigned to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”

25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the Judean exiles who can let the king know the interpretation.”

26 The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?”

27 Daniel answered the king: “No wise man, medium, diviner-priest, or astrologer is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about.

28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bed were these:

29 Your Majesty, while you were in your bed, thoughts came to your mind about what will happen in the future. The revealer of mysteries has let you know what will happen.

30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.


Introduction: There is a lot to cover in this second chapter. We may be challenged by dividing it into two parts, but this seemed best in light of time limitations. The principles of this chapter are rather straightforward, but it benefits us to be reminded of these truths. Here, we are introduced to one of the most outstanding aspects of Daniel’s character; his ability to interpret dreams. The life of Daniel has many parallel’s or similarities to the life of Joseph. Joseph’s displacement and relocation to Egypt resulted in the salvation of many Egyptians. Likewise, Daniel’s displacement results in the salvation of the Babylonian wise men.


I. God uses His people for the salvation of others (1-24).

A. Like Joseph, Daniel undergoes the horrors of exile, the loss of identity, and subjugation to a foreign king. However, God uses this relocation and misfortune to bring rescue to many.

B. By this point in the story of the Bible, we are accustomed to the rhythms and cycles by which God works. We are not far from the pattern by which Jesus brings salvation to His people. He steps out of Heaven, undergoes the challenges of life in the domain of darkness and death, to bring salvation to His people.

C. God has you in land that is not your home that you might be the means by which He brings many to Himself.


II. Ultimately, it is God who saves His people (27-28).

A. Daniel acknowledges that it is God who is at work for the good of His people. Daniel’s ability is direct evidence of God’s good grace.

B. God is the hero of every story.

C. The insight afforded by God attests to His awareness of and attendance to the needs of His people.

D. It is GOD who saves!


III. The past, present, and the future is in God’s hands (20-23; 29-30).

A. How can Daniel speak with such specific detail of what is yet to come? Because He is informed by the Sovereign God of Heaven who has the whole world in His hands.

B. God is directing the events of world history.

C. Where is God when dreadful things happen? He is right in the middle of it working things for the good of His people and the glory of His name.