Click here for more messages from the book of Daniel.
Click here to return to the Sermons page.

Daniel 2:24–49 (Daniel’s interpretation)

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called Stories and Visions, and we are right in the middle of a story about a vision in Daniel 2.

Last week we looked at the first part of this story, where the king of Babylon had a troubling dream and demanded that his wise men tell him both the dream and its interpretation. When the wise men were unable to comply, the king ordered that they all be executed.

When the commander came to get Daniel and his friends to put them to death, Daniel asked for time to interpret the dream. Daniel’s friends prayed, and during the night God revealed the mystery to Daniel. We now come to the second part of the story, where we learn what this dream was all about. (Read Daniel 2:26–28 and pray.)

————————————–

Most things don’t last forever. In fact, most things don’t even last a lifetime. Every old car crushed in a junkyard was once a shiny new vehicle straight off the lot. The things we own eventually break down, wear out, or simply stop working. We are constantly replacing things.

This is true even on the larger scale of world history. Kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers—all come and go. Even empires and nations do not last forever.

This can be both unsettling and encouraging at the same time. It can be unsettling to realize that the nation you live in may not be around forever. But because kings and nations are not always wise or righteous, it can also be encouraging to know they are only temporary in nature.

So where do you go for something that lasts forever? If you are wise, you will turn to God and his kingdom. That is the message of the king’s dream we will look at today. All the kingdoms of this world will pass away. Only God’s kingdom endures forever. So, let’s look at the second part of the story together.

I. Daniel and the commander go to the king (24–30)

This second part of the story begins when Daniel and the commander go to the king.

   A. The commander takes credit for himself (24–25)

It’s interesting to contrast Daniel and the commander as they approach the king together. The commander takes credit for himself. Look at verses 24–25:

Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.” (Dan. 2:24–25)

Notice how Arioch tries to take the credit for himself. He tells the king, “I have found a man who can interpret your dream.” Arioch didn’t find Daniel. Daniel went to him. But Arioch wants credit for finding Daniel.

   B. Daniel gives the credit to God (26–30)

Unlike the commander, Daniel gives the credit to God. Look at verses 26–30:

The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these:

“As you were lying there, O king, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.” (Dan. 2:26–30)

Daniel is identified by both his Hebrew and Babylonian names here. He is Daniel to us, Belteshazzar to the king. The king asks him, “Are you able?” Daniel answers, “I’m not, but God is.” (That’s always a good answer!) He tells the king that no wise man, magician, enchanter, or diviner can explain this mystery. The king has been looking in the wrong places. No man can do what the king asks, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. Arioch tried to claim credit for himself, but Daniel gives all the credit to God.

Daniel also tells the king that his dream concerns the future. Once again, Daniel deflects attention from himself and defers to God. God revealed this mystery to Daniel not because Daniel was smarter or wiser than others, but so that Nebuchadnezzar would understand the dream and its meaning. Daniel then proceeds to tell him the dream and the interpretation.

II. Daniel shares the dream (31–35)

First, Daniel shares the dream itself. This was the part all the other wise men insisted was impossible. They kept urging the king, “Tell us the dream, and we will give you the interpretation,” but the king demanded that they tell him both. Daniel would not have known the dream either if God had not revealed it to him.

   A. A great statue (31–33)

There are two parts to the dream. The first part contains a great statue. Look at verses 31–33:

“You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.” (Dan. 2:31–33)

So, we finally learn what was in the king’s dream. The king saw this huge, dazzling, awe inspiring statue made of various metals. Daniel describes its composition in detail: the head of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, the legs of iron, and the feet made of a mixture of iron and clay. We get the expression “feet of clay” from this dream.

   B. The rock that shatters (34–35)

That’s the first part of the dream. The second part of the dream involves a rock that shatters the statue. Look at verses 34–35:

“While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Dan. 2:34–35)

This was probably the part of the dream that troubled the king so much. There are three significant details about the rock in the dream. First, it was cut out, but not by human hands. Secondly, it struck the statue on the feet and shattered the entire structure. And then thirdly, the rock became a huge mountain that filled the whole earth.

Before we even get to the interpretation, there are several observations we can make. Notice that the statue is a man shaped figure made by man, while the rock is not made by man at all. Also notice that the metals are of decreasing value from head to toe, yet of increasing strength. Finally, observe that the entire statue is destroyed, even though the rock strikes only the feet.

III. Daniel shares the interpretation (36–45)

So first Daniel shares the dream, and next he shares the interpretation.

   A. Four earthly kingdoms (36–43)

The interpretation of the first part has to do with four earthly kingdoms. Look at verses 36–38:

“This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.” (Dan. 2:36–38)

Notice Daniel says, “We will interpret,” not “I will interpret.” This shows his continued humility and dependence on God. Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar outright that he is the head of gold. He is the king of kings on earth, and God has given him power, dominion and glory. Notice how Daniel honors the king but gives God the glory.

Daniel continues in verses 39–43:

“After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.” (Dan. 2:39–43)

The four parts of the statue represent four kingdoms that will arise on the earth, one after the other. Once again, the gold represents Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire. God is the one who gave Nebuchadnezzar his present power and authority (cf. Jer. 27:5–6). But Babylon will not last forever. Three more kingdoms will follow, represented by the silver, bronze, and iron sections of the statue. The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron, breaking and smashing everything in its path. Yet it will also be divided, as symbolized by the feet of iron and clay.

When we look at world history after Daniel’s time, it becomes clear that these four parts of the statue correspond to the four world empires that ruled before Christ came. The gold represents Babylon, the silver represents Persia, the bronze represents Greece, and the iron represents Rome.

Four kingdoms:
1) Gold = Babylon
2) Silver = Persia
3) Bronze = Greece
4) Iron = Rome

Daniel describes the second kingdom as “inferior,” which may seem surprising since the Persian Empire was larger and more powerful than Babylon. This likely refers to the nature of its rule: Persian authority was shared between the Medes and the Persians, whereas Babylon was an absolute monarchy under Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel says the bronze kingdom will “rule over the whole earth.” Alexander the Great, ruler of the Greek Empire, conquered the entire known world while still in his twenties and famously wept because there were no more lands to conquer.

The iron represents Rome, the strongest empire of all. Rome held an iron grip on the nations and crushed all those who resisted. The clay in the feet represents a kingdom that is partly strong and partly brittle. Rome began strong but eventually divided into East and West, with the East retaining most of the power and wealth, while the West took the brunt of the later Barbarian invasions.

So Daniel shares the first part of the interpretation, which concerns these four earthly kingdoms.

   B. God’s kingdom (44–45)

Next, Daniel shares the second part of the interpretation, which has to do with God’s kingdom. Look at verses 44–45 with me next:

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.” (Dan. 2:44–45)

The rock represents the kingdom of God, which will appear during the time of the Roman Empire and will ultimately replace all other kingdoms. This is clear from the five descriptions Daniel gives of this kingdom.

1. It is of divine origin—set up by God Himself.
2. It is an eternal kingdom—never to be destroyed.
3. It is non transferable—it will never be left to another people.
4. It is a victorious kingdom—it brings all other kingdoms to an end.
5. It is a universal kingdom—it begins small but grows to fill the whole earth.

 
Once again, this is an accurate foretelling of history centuries in advance. The rock clearly parallels the coming of Christ and his kingdom. Notice these five striking parallels between Christ and the rock.

1. Christ arrived during the Roman Empire.
The rock strikes the statue at the feet, which—as we have already seen—represent Rome.

2. Christ was born of a virgin.
The rock in the dream is of divine origin, “not cut out by human hands.”

3. Christ brought an eternal kingdom.
The angel told Mary: “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33). Likewise, Daniel says the kingdom represented by the rock will endure forever.

4. Jesus referred to himself as a rock or stone.
Speaking of himself, Jesus said: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.’ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed” (Luke 20:17–18).

5. Jesus taught that God’s kingdom starts small but grows to fill the earth.
In the parable of the mustard seed, the kingdom begins small but becomes a great tree (Matt. 13:31–32). This mirrors the rock in the vision that becomes a huge mountain and fills the whole earth.

Daniel closes the interpretation by telling Nebuchadnezzar: “The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.” Daniel is absolutely correct in what he says here. These four empires arose one after another exactly as the dream revealed. Jesus came during the time of Rome, proclaiming the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom will never be destroyed, even as it brings all other kingdoms to an end. It will crush every rival kingdom and will endure forever.

IV. The king promotes Daniel and his friends (46–49)

The king responds to all this by giving glory to God and by promoting Daniel and his friends. Look at verses 46–49:

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. (Dan. 2:46–49)

The king honors Daniel by bowing before him and presenting an offering and incense. He honors Daniel’s God by proclaiming Him the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and the revealer of mysteries. He promotes Daniel and his friends to the highest positions in the kingdom. He makes Daniel ruler over the whole province and places him in charge of all the other wise men. And then, at Daniel’s request, he appoints Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remains at the royal court.

By the way, this answers a question that we will look at in the next chapter on Daniel’s friends and the fiery furnace. People are always asking, “Where’s Daniel when it comes to the fiery furnace?” Well, the end of chapter 2 tells you. Daniel is in the royal court, while his friends are out serving as administrators in the province.

CONCLUSION: So what does all this mean for us? Let’s look at the big picture implications and then some personal applications. Big picture first: the kingdoms of this world will be replaced by God’s kingdom. The Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman empires are all gone, but God’s kingdom endures forever.

Jesus appeared during the time of the Roman Empire, just as the dream and its interpretation said he would. He came proclaiming the kingdom of God, and that kingdom continues today through the church and through the preaching of the gospel, long after the fall of Rome.

So as a Christian, you should neither be afraid nor enamored with the kingdoms of this world. They will all pass away. Only God’s kingdom endures forever.

That’s the big picture. Now, here are three personal applications in closing.

1) Trust God’s word — only God knows the future (Isaiah 41:22–23)

First of all, you can trust God’s word. The prophet Isaiah challenged the people: “Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen…. Declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods” (Isa. 41:22–23). The idols couldn’t tell the future because only God knows the future. These prophecies in Daniel demonstrate that the Bible is indeed the Word of God.

2) Seek God’s kingdom — this world is passing away (1 John 2:15–17)

Secondly, seek God’s kingdom, because this world and the kingdoms of this world are passing away. The key phrase from Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar are the two words “after you” (v. 39). Yes, Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the empire for the moment, but there would be an “after” for him, a time when he would rule no more. As one commentator notes, “What seems an empire is only an episode.”

We read in 1 John: “Do not love the world or anything in the world…. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15–17). The kingdom of God arrived with Christ, and it will come in fullness at his return. All the nations will be reduced to nothing. So seek first the kingdom of God.

3) Wait patiently — serve where you are (Jeremiah 29:5–7)

And then finally, wait patiently. Serve where you are while you wait for God’s kingdom to come. God gave the Jewish exiles in Babylon these instructions through the prophet Jeremiah: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jer. 29:5–7).

Daniel and his friends served faithfully in Babylon while they waited for God’s kingdom. In the same way, we are called to serve God and others right where we are, while we wait patiently for the kingdom to come in its fullness when Christ returns. So, let’s ask God to help us trust his word, seek his kingdom, and serve faithfully where he has placed us.

© Ray Fowler

You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this message provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For any web postings, please link to the sermon directly at this website.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copies:
By Ray Fowler. © Ray Fowler. Website: https://www.rayfowler.org

Click here for more messages from the book of Daniel.
Click here to return to the Sermons page.