Have you ever had a disturbing dream?one that you had over and over again? I have. About once a month or so I dream that it?s Sunday morning about five minutes before the start of the service and I can?t find my sermon manuscript. The dream varies in that I either left it at home and I can?t find my car keys?or I left it in the office and I can?t find my office keys. But in every version of this recurring dream I can?t get to that sermon manuscript and the clock is ticking.
And then there are other times that I dream I?m at the church and ready to go?but I?m in my pajamas…or I?m dressed okay but you?re in YOUR pajamas. Of course at that point my dream has turned into a nightmare! But you know what I mean. How many of you have ever had a troubling, recurring dream? Sure?all of us have. Experts say everyone dreams?and even though it may seem that our dreams last all night?we only dream about an hour and a half out of every eight hours we sleep.
And here?s something else?most of the times our dreams are just jumbled nonsense like my no sermon/pajamas deal?but there have been times when dreams have turned out to be very significant. One example of this is seen in a dream our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln had. According to a personal friend, in April of 1865, Lincoln dreamed that he heard people sobbing.
In his dream, he got up and wandered through the White House. He saw no one but continued to hear people who were grieving as though their hearts would break. He finally came upon a room where a funeral scene was taking place. The room was surrounded by armed guards. When Lincoln demanded to know what was going on, one of the guards told him that the president had been assassinated. At this point there was a loud burst of grief from the crowd and Lincoln woke up. It was only a few days later that he was sitting in his box at Ford?s Theater?when John Wilkes Boothe ended his life and started a cry of grief that echoed narrative an entire nation.
Now?I don?t know if Lincoln REALLY dreamed that dream. Perhaps his friend was just exaggerating so as to get attention in the days following the death of our 16th president…I don?t know…but I DO know that in the Bible there are examples of world leaders like Lincoln having dreams?dreams that were much more than dreams. They were God?s way of communicating significant truth?and this morning we are going to study one of those dreams?and the events surrounding it. I?m referring to a dream that Daniel tells us about in the 2nd chapter of his book?a dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had 2600 years ago?a dream that has been coming true ever since. But, before we look at this amazing dream, let me remind you that this book that we are studying?Daniel?is made up of two things: narrative and prophecy. The first six chapters are mostly true stories from the life of Daniel…familiar stories like the one we studied last Sunday. The last six chapters are prophecies given to Daniel by God.
Well, this second chapter is special in that it gives us a little of both?narrative and prophecy. Time won?t allow me to read it aloud?so I encourage you to open your Bibles to Daniel chapter 2 and follow along as we study this chapter from Daniel?s life and the prophetic dream that goes with it.
The first verse gives us the setting. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is in the 2nd year of his reign. Assyria, which had been Babylon?s chief enemy, had completely collapsed 5 years earlier.
This made Nebuchadnezzar the absolute dictator of an empire that reigned with unchallenged authority over most of the known world?and you may not know this but he was the first world leader to rule this much of the planet. He controlled from Greece?all the way around to Egypt?and eastward into India. He built a beautiful city, the ancient city of Babylon, the ruins of which are 40 miles from modern day Baghdad. Merril Unger gives us a picture to help us imagine its grandeur. He writes:
?[Ancient Babylon] included vast fortifications, famous streets like the Processional, canals, temples and palaces. The Ishtar Gate led through the double wall of fortifications…and was adorned with rows of bulls and dragons in colored enameled brick. Nebuchadnezzar?s throne room was likewise adorned with enameled bricks. Not far distant were the hanging gardens, which to the Greeks were one of the seven wonders of the world. How well to the words of Daniel 4:30 fit this ambitious builder/king: [Nebuchadnezzar says: ?Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place by the might of my power and to the glory of my majesty??
All this goes to show that Nebuchadnezzar was one of the greatest world leaders of all time. By the way you may remember that before the first Gulf War Saddam Hussein declared himself to be the reincarnation of Nebuchadnezzar. Saddam vowed to rebuild the ancient city of Babylon and restore it to world power status?which explains why he got in a fight with bordering nations so often.
But back to Nebuchadnezzar. At this point in his reign he had it all: youth, strength, wealth, fame, and power unparalleled in this world. He had huge armies at his command and all this was eclipsed by the fact that he couldn?t get a good night?s sleep?the reason he couldn?t is because he kept having this recurring, troubling dream. As I inferred?this was much more than a DREAM?it was a MESSAGE from God to Nebuchadnezzar and to you and me as well?a message we need to hear and understand. I like how Charles Swindoll words it. He writes, ?One man?s insomnia is another man?s instruction.? And that?s how we?re going to look at Neb?s dream this morning. As we review it?and the story that surrounds it?we?ll stop from time to time…so that I can point out three main things we can learn from this 2600 year old dream that is still coming true.
Okay?after having this same dream over and over and over again?Nebuchadnezzar was understandably troubled. He wanted to know what this was all about. He wanted to understand the dream and what it had to do with him and his mighty kingdom. So he called together his wise men. Think of these wise guys as a cross between an astrologer and a librarian and as you read the story, you can almost see them falling all over each other eager for their master?s praise. You see, in their minds, this dream was a golden opportunity for them to get in good with the king. They thought they couldn?t miss…because they had tons of books about interpreting dreams…and they were very good about SPINNING their interpretations to please Nebuchadnezzar. They thought that once he told them his dream, they could then ?cash in? on his insomnia. But Nebuchadnezzar surprised them. He basically said, ?If you guys are so wise?then you tell me what I?ve been dreaming….and THEN give me the interpretation to boot.? Obviously Nebuchadnezzar was no dummy?he knew that anyone could fabricate an interpretation once the dream was disclosed and he hungered for REAL truth. He wanted REAL answers. And as incentive to get them he told his wise men that if they couldn?t do the job they would be killed and their homes destroyed. It was sort of a ?deliver or die…publish or perish? kind of deal. And this wasn?t an idle threat. As I told you last week, Nebuchanezzar was well known for the way he would follow through with this kind of thing. I mean if you worked for Nebuchadnezzar and he terminated you…you were REALLY terminated.
Well, his wise men said that as much as they wanted to, they couldn’t interpret the dream because they didn’t know what it was—and in their explanation they said a very true thing. It’s in verse 11: “No man can do this. Only a god could.” I don’t know about you—but I get goosebumps when I read that—because our God—the ONLY TRUE God can do anything. He is all-loving, all-wise, and all-powerful. And contrary to what these wise men said next, as John 1:14 says, in Jesus, He, “…became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”
But, I don?t want you to get the wrong idea because in spite of their insight in verse 11 these ?wise men? weren?t servants of God?they where fakes and charlatans. They knew their astrology and soothsaying was empty of any real power. They knew it was all a sham…so they were understandably afraid of Nebuchadnezzar. He had called their bluff. And let me just pause and say that consulting horoscopes and psychics in our day is not only foolish?it is sinful. The people who provide this kind of information?TODAY?S ?wise? men and women are either fakes?or servants of our adversary?so I would say in the strongest of terms, ?Stay away from them.?
By the way, I read this week that Barbara Bush?wife of our 41st president?was once told by an astrologer?and this was unsolicited. She didn?t seek him out. He just told her this. He said that since both she and George Bush are Geminis they should never have gotten married?because any astrologer worth his star chart knows Geminis just can?t get along. Later she made fun of his statement by saying, ?George and I have just celebrated 50 years of marriage. Every time I have a bad day, I tell George that astrologer was right.?
Okay?back to our story. The wise men admitted to Nebuchadnezzar that they couldn?t do what the king requested so he followed through with his threat and ordered that all his wise men be killed. Execution squads were sent to carry out his orders. Of course these orders would have included Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego who had only recently graduated from their Babylonian school and been admitted to the ranks of the king?s wise men. Well, when the executioner came for Daniel he used his God-given people smarts. With respect and great composure he asked for clarification. I mean, he didn?t have a heart attack. He didn?t have a panic attack. He didn?t even go on the attack. Verse 14 says He replied with wisdom and tact saying, ?Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?? Then after the executioner explained, Daniel bravely went to Nebuchadnezzar, and asked that he be given a chance to fulfill his king?s request.
By the way, I think he was able to walk right into Nebuchadnezzar?s presence because this sleep deprived king had grown to trust Daniel and his four friends. Remember in chapter 1 it says that after his post-graduation interview with them Nebuchadnezzar found them each worth ten of his other advisors. And Nebuchadnezzar not only met with Daniel. He gave him something he wouldn?t give the rest of his ?wise? men. He granted Daniel time to both discern his dream and it?s meaning. I think this should encourage us to keep the kinds of commitments we made last Sunday. I mean, when we emulate Daniel and decide to live by our God-given convictions with respect and tact…people are impressed. Remember?all people are made by God?so all people hunger for God?and when we graciously live Godly lives people are drawn to Him. Now?I want you to note that according to verse 18, Daniel uses the time Nebuchadnezzar gave him to PRAY. Many of us would probably have used that time to leave town?to get as far from Nebuchadnezzar and his execution squads as possible?but not Daniel. No?Daniel knew who was REALLY in charge. He believed God was all-wise and completely sovereign so he and his three friends PRAYED. They went right to the top and asked God Himself for help. This is the first MAIN thing we can learn from the events surrounding this dream.
(1) We can learn that when faced with a dilemma, the first thing we should do is get on our knees and ask for God?s help. In other words it teaches us the precedence of PRAYER.
Do you remember Paul?s words from Philippians 4:6-7 where he says,?Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus? A rough paraphrase would go like this, ?Don?t worry about ANYTHING, pray about EVERYTHING. Go to God?ask for His help FIRST!?
I?m reminded of this scene from my favorite movie, Frank Capra?s IT?S A WONDERFUL LIFE. Do you remember it? It?s the scene where young George Bailey had just learned that his pharmacist boss had accidentally put poison in a prescription he was preparing. His boss had just gotten a telegram saying his son had died and in his grief he got the bottles mixed up. George was hesitant to make the delivery. He tried to explain…but his boss was too focused on the telegram to listen and he angrily sent young George out to deliver the medicine. George left the pharmacy deeply distressed wondering what to do and then he looked up and saw this sign?a sign that says, ?Ask dad! He knows.? And so he did. He ran next door to his dad?s office to ask his advice and help.
Well, our Heavenly Father invites us to do the same thing. He encourages us to come boldly before His throne. He wants us to bring Him our questions. I like how someone once put it, ?Can?t sleep..don?t count sheep…talk to the Shepherd.? When we find ourselves with our backs against the wall?we must stop relying on self and ask God for His guidance. James 1:5 says,?If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.? I love this verse because that phrase, ?without finding fault? tells me that to God there is no such thing as a dumb question. God invites ALL our inquiries?all of them. He loves to help us decide what to do….so when you have an issue and you don?t know what to do, the FIRST thing you must do is pray?take it right to the top! Remember?God is completely sovereign. He is the One Who is TRULY in charge.
One of my favorite prayer STORIES came out of the administration of President Lyndon Johnson. He had a cabinet meeting once in which he asked his press secretary Bill Moyer to pray. I believe Moyer was also an ordained Southern Baptist pastor and the president knew that so he asked him to pray to start their meeting. Moyer did, but he was praying quietly at the other end of the table so Johnson interrupted him in the middle of his prayer and said, ?Speak up, Moyer, I can?t hear you.? And Bill Moyer boldly told LBJ, ?I wasn?t talking to you, Mr. President.? This may sound disrespectful?but Moyer was right. He was talking to the president?s superior. He was going right to the top for guidance?and that?s what Daniel did as well. It?s what we must do too?we must PRAY, because we NED God?s guidance and power if we are to be His representatives on this fallen world.
In his book, Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper writes,
?[Let?s face it] – life is war…Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a ?wartime walkie-talkie? for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a ?domestic intercom? to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a ?wartime walkie-talkie? so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world.Prayer acknowledges the supremacy of God and links us with endless grace for every need.?
Well, after he prayed, Daniel was at peace. He was able to sleep even though a sword literally hung over his neck?and as he snoozed, God answered his prayer. As Daniel slept the deep sleep of someone who literally rested in the character of God…our Heavenly Father told him both Nebuchadnezzar?s dream and it?s meaning?and what happened next provides us a second bit of important instruction.You see at this point many of us would leap out of bed, grab our robes and head for the king?s palace yelling, ?I?ve got it! I?ve got it!? But not Daniel. No?before he went to King Nebuchadnezzar, he went back to God?he went back to Nebuchadnezzar?s SUPERIOR and PRAISED Him. Look at verses 20-23. Daniel says,
?Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, You have made known to me what we asked of You, You have made known to us the dream of the king.?
Don?t you admire Daniel! Aren?t you impressed with this young man!? Don?t you want someone like that to marry your daughters! I mean, the first thing he did was give four verses of solid, specific praise! Now be honest?how often do YOU respond to God?s blessings in that way?
(2) Well, as I said, this is another lesson this story teaches?it teaches us the PRIORITY of PRAISE…because the FIRST thing we must do when God answers prayer is praise Him.
I don?t know about you, but I need to embrace this instruction because so often when God intervenes in my life I?m tempted to grab a little glory for myself or we simply take God for granted and forget to thank Him?but not Daniel. He knew that without God there would be no interpretation, no wisdom, no audience with the king. In fact, Daniel knew there would be no kings and countries at all if God did not will it?so we need to be like this ancient prophet. We must always praise God for His great faithfulness. You see, praise reminds us how capable and gracious our God is. It reminds us that without Him, we can do nothing. ?Praise God!?is a phrase that should always be on our lips because God is the Source of every good and perfect gift.
About 20 years ago Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had just won the World Series. And Orel had been named the Most Valuable Player. During the series a TV camera zoomed in on him sitting in the dugout just before the 9th inning started. He was leaning against the wall. His lips were moving but the microphones couldn?t pick it up. Well, when he was a guest on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked him what he had been saying. Orel said, ?I wasn?t saying anything.? And Carson responded, ?Well, then, tell us what you were doing.? Orel replied, ?I was singing.? Johnny said, ?You were singing? I didn?t know you were a singer. Come on, let?s hear it!? And Orel said, ?Nah. I don?t want to.? But the audience clapped and said, ?Yeah! Let?s hear it! Sing Orel!? So, Orel Hershiser acquiesced and on network TV he sang the song cameras had caught him singing in the dugout. It went like this: ?Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise him above Ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen!? Johnny Carson was speechless. The whole audience was dead silent. Then one person stood up and started clapping. And soon, the whole audience joined in applause. This song was Orel?s way of saying, ?God, You are the only reason I?m a Most Valuable Player. You?re the one who gave me my ability. You?re the reason why my life has been so blessed. I?m giving You all the credit. Praise You Lord!?
Well, when Daniel met with King that?s what he did. I don?t know if he put music to verses 2-23…but in the privacy of his room and then as verse 27 as he stood before Nebuchadnezzar, he made it clear that the interpretation came from God and God alone. When you read this part of chapter two you see that, including proper nouns and pronouns Daniel referred to the Lord THIRTEEN times and used only five pronouns to refer to himself and his three friends. Even then, the focus was still on God as the Source of all that had happened. What incredible maturity for a young man of 17! Daniel said, ?No man can do this?but there is a GOD IN HEAVEN and He both can and has!? Then in verses 29-45 Daniel shares with Nebuchadnezzar both the dream and it?s interpretation as given by God Himself. And that?s another thing this chapter can teach us.
(3) It teaches us a great deal about the POWER of Biblical PROPHECY.
And this is an important lesson to learn. You see the prophetic parts of the Bible aren?t just about the future?they are about the present. God gave us books like Daniel and Revelation so that we can know how to live today with tomorrow in mind. These Scriptures and the prophecies they contain are meant to sober us and ground us in His eternal perspective.
Before we go any further, let me remind you that there is a difference between PROPHECY and ESCHATOLOGY. Eschatology is the kind of prophecy that concerns end times?things that will happen at the very end of history. All other forms of prophecy concerns things that happen before the end?and as you?ll see, this dream was both. Most of the events prophesied in Nebuchadnezzar?s dream have already happened. This is what I meant when I said his 2600 year old dream has been coming true ever since he dreamed it. But it?s not done yet. There is part of it yet to come true?and that?s the eschatological part?the part that will happen in the end times.
And I want you to grasp the significance of what I just said. This dream HAS been coming true down through the centuries. History records the fulfillment of its prophesy…just as Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar. His prophecy is 100% correct thus far?and this is why the book of Daniel is attacked….criticized by liberal scholars who say it couldn?t really have been written by Daniel. They say the only reasonable explanation for the fact that his prophecy has been perfectly accurate, is that it was written by someone pretending to be Daniel…someone who lived AFTER the things had already happened. The problem is, there are two HUGE holes in their argument. First, this dream part of Daniel is written in Aramaic?not Hebrew. For the most part the Old Testament is written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek but there are exceptions, there are Aramaic portions….and this is one of them?and this fact points to an earlier date. You see, after the Jews returned from Babylon?hundreds of years later?the common language became Aramaic?the common language of Babylon. Before then the Jews language was Hebrew. No one writing later (after all the events Daniel prophesied had happened) would have written in both Hebrew and Aramaic. He would have written ONLY in Aramaic. James Montgomery Boice puts it this way, ?Only a man who spoke Hebrew but who had learned Aramaic in the Babylonian court…would have written the part of the book that dealt with Babylon in Aramaic so that it could be understood by Babylonians, and part in Hebrew so that it would fit in with the rest of the Jewish Scriptures.? A second proof that Daniel really did write these words of prophecy long before they were fulfilled is found in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. These ancient copies of the Scriptures prove that the book of Daniel was written exactly when the Bible says it was written.
And by the way this is not the only time the Bible?s prophecies have been seen to come true. I could give tons of examples but I?ll give only one?one that relates to Daniel?s life and ministry. Here it is. In Isaiah 44:28 God says, ?I am He Who says of Cyrus, ?He is My shepherd and will accomplish what I please; he will say of Jerusalem, ?Let it be rebuilt,? and of the temple, ?Let its foundations be laid.?? The amazing thing about this verse is that it was written 150 years before Jerusalem and the temple were rebuilt?long before Cyrus was even a twinkle in his mother?s eye! And this is one proof that this book is not just a book. It is GOD?S BOOK! The Bible is GOD?S INFALLIBLE WORD! How else to you explain the fact that ALL of the Bible?s prophecies come true? How else to you explain how it is completely reliable in foretelling world events like this?
The late Ray Stedman tells of a time he was asked what he thought of psychic Jeane Dixon. With Daniel-like tact he said, ?Well, I am not in a position to judge Miss Dixon personally, but one thing I do know: she admits that she sometimes misses in her prognostications. She has been wrong on occasion but many people seem to be impressed even though she only bats .500. The impressive thing to ME is that the Word of God is always 100% right. Its batting average is 1000. It hits the nose every single time.? And he?s right!
Okay?Nebuchadnezzar dreams about a statue made of various metals?a statue that is crushed by a rock not made with human hands. Let?s quickly review the interpretation God gave Daniel?and as we do?I want you to note how the value of the materials in the statue go down while at the same time increasing in strength. I believe this is to illustrate the fact that our society may grow stronger externally down through the years?while it grows weaker internally. As the decades march by we build stronger houses but have weaker families. We have better roads but less sense of purpose and direction. We have computers that are supposed to save us time?but we seem to have less time?especially when it comes to the truly important things of life. We have more laws and bigger police forces?but less morals. Perhaps all this is what Thoreau was referring to when he said, ?America has improved means to unimproved ends.? But enough of that?let?s look at the vision itself. As I said, in verse 31 and following we read that the king?s recurring dream involved a huge statue?like this one on the screens.
A. The HEAD was made of pure gold.
In verse 38 Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that this represented him and the Babylonian Empire. We now know that it lasted from 626BC to 539BC.
B. The CHEST AND ARMS was made of silver.
This represented the kingdom that was to come after the Babylonians?the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. It lasted from 539BC until 331B.C. By the way, these two parts of the statue?the CHEST and the ARMS?represented the joining together of two nations so they could defeat the Babylonians?which they did. Now this union of two nations would have made sense to Nebuchadnezzar because he believed that no one kingdom could have ever destroyed his. As I told you earlier the city of Babylon was very well defended. As you can see in this picture, it?s first line of defense was a huge moat that tied into the Euphrates river. The city also had huge double walls that rose like stone cliffs into the sky. The ancient historian Herodotus measured them and said they were 300 feet high and 87 feet thick. But in 539B.C. the unthinkable happened. The combined forces of the Medes and the Persians diverted the Euphrates which caused the water level to drop and enabled them to enter at night through the moat?s unguarded sluice gates. In this way, great, GOLDEN Babylon fell without a fight or harm to the city?and in its place rose the Medo-Persian empire. Later, the Persian King Darius, required conquered nations to pay tribute in SILVER which corresponds to the silver chest and arms in Nebuchadnezzar?s dream.
C. The belly and thighs of the statue were made of BRONZE and represented the GREECIAN EMPIRE which lasted from 331 B.C. until 63B.C.
Verse 39 says that this would be a government that would rule over all the earth and that?s what happened thanks to a young Greek named Alexander the Great who by 331B.C. had extended his rule as far as India, vanquishing the Persian empire.Stedman writes, ?He swept across the world of his day, conquering the known kingdoms of the earth and then wept because he had no other worlds to conquer.? The Greek soldiers used shields made of BRONZE, hence the BRONZE in the image.
D. The legs were made of IRON and represented the ROMAN EMPIRE.
Roman legions like this one rumbled across the Mediterranean world like iron tanks and crushed everything in their path. The fact that this part of the statue is the legs symbolizes the fact that the Roman Empire was eventually divided into east and west. And we see it?s impact in the EAST?where German rulers were called Kaisers and the Russians Czars?both versions of the Roman word, ?Caesar.? We also see it in the WEST. Ray Stedman writes,
?Our entire Western world is Roman to the core. We have a senate which is one of the fundamental bases of our government…and which we copied directly from the Roman senate. The very republican form of the US government is based upon the republic of Rome. Our courts, our laws, our military, all reflect the forms of the Roman empire.?
It?s rule began in 63BC and the Western empire collapsed in 476AD but it is hard to date the end of the Roman Empire because the Eastern empire continued and no other world kingdom ever took it?s place. This leads me to mention the next part of Nebuchadnezzar?s dream?the ESCHATOLOGICAL part.
E. You see, the TEN TOES were made of IRON MIXED WITH CLAY.
And, most scholars believe that these ten toes represent a future confederation of ten nations?nations still have the ?iron? of Rome?s influence but nations that are weak like clay. This 10-nation confederation is also mentioned in Daniel chapter 7 and Revelation chapter 13. Well, in verse 44 Daniel says,?In the time of those things, 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.?
F. In the dream, this was symbolized by a rock, not cut by human hands, a rock that struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed the entire statue to dust.
This is a picture of the return of Jesus Christ, Who as 1st Peter 2:6-8 says is ?…the Stone the builders rejected, the Stone that has become the Chief Cornerstone.? This also ties in with Isaiah?s prophecy in 2:2 where it says,?The mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it.?
In other words, through Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, God was saying that someday, after the rapture of the church, Jesus will come to earth to set up His earthly kingdom. Well, as Daniel?s interpretation ends, Nebuchadnezzar?s terror over his dream melts into fear of the Lord. Verses 46-47 say that the king fell on his face and said, ?Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a Revealer of mysteries!? To me this underscores the truth that when we accurately represent God…when we lift Jesus up in our words and our actions?people respond. Well, the king rewarded Daniel and his friends?promoting them to positions of great authority and thus ends the 2nd chapter.
Okay?what does this prophetic dream have to say to you and me?
A. It reminds us that the Bible is true.
Stedman is correct when he says that its prophecy is 100% correct?so let me ask. Are you living your life according to this book? Wouldn?t you agree that it would be foolish not to?
B. This prophetic dream also shows us that there is a GOD in Heaven and He is still in control.
Aren?t those BEAUTIFUL words? Say them with me, ?THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN!? Doesn?t that bring you peace? Isn?t it good to know that no matter how the news reports make it seem?God is still in charge. He is still working out His eternal purposes!
C. And finally, this dream shows us that we are living in the end times. Jesus is coming!
Are you ready for His return?
LET US PRAY
Father, I pray that You would give each of us a dream?help us to envision what our lives would be like, if we could become more like Your servant, Daniel. Show us how more peaceful our days would be if we embraced the fact that You are completely Sovereign. Give us a picture of how much LESS stressed we would be?if we learned to REST in Your character.
Show us how our lives could take on new purpose and meaning if we could be as bold as Daniel in the way we obey You. Help us to see how we can gain direction as we study Your Word?how much clearer we would see with a Biblical world view. And now speak to each of us Father. In the power of Your Spirit, tell us the things we need to do?the attitudes and actions we need to embrace in order for Your dream for our lives to come true. I ask this in JESUS? name. AMEN
As we stand and sing I invite you to come forward. We would love to pray with you about any decision you need to make whether it?s to join this church or profess your faith in Christ. Come.
BENEDICTION:
Let the PEACE OF CHRIST rule in your hearts
since as members of one body you were called to peace.
Let the WORD OF CHRIST dwell in you richly
and whatever you do…in word or in deed
Do it all in the NAME OF CHRIST giving thanks to God the Father
through Him.