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The Divine Commentary on The Book of Daniel - Ch 02 (4.3.11)

Dan 2:1 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.

Divine commentary –

“I, 

        The Lord, 

                   spoke to the king repeatedly to obtain his attention, 

                              for mighty were his ways; 

                              for mighty was his being. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   so troubled his spirit in the night that he might remember in the morn. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   so troubled his spirit in his sleep that he oft times awoke with a start. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   so troubled his time of rest that he could think of nothing else in the daytime of his pondering.”

Dan 2:2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Divine commentary –

“Then the king summoned all the wise men of the time who professed to be of value: 

                                                                       with knowledge, 

                                                                       with learning, 

                                                                       with the foresight attributed to their standings. 

                   So they were ushered into the presence of the king to tell the king his dreams.”

Dan 2:3 And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."

Dan 2:4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."

Dan 2:5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.

Dan 2:6 "However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honour. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation."

Dan 2:7 They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation."

Dan 2:8 The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm:

Divine commentary –

“The king knew this was a new experience for the wise men before him, 

                                         a test they had not before encountered, 

                                         a test they were not sure how to handle, 

                                         a test they knew threatened their very lives. 

  The king knew that they were stalling for more time; 

        he also knew they believed he was determined in his course of action. 

  For his was an attempt to preclude the corruption of the counselling – 

                                                                                                    being based on lies; 

                                       to thereby ensure the truthfulness, 

                                                                    the reliability, 

                                                                    the accuracy of the interpretation of his dreams.”

Dan 2:9 "if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation."

Dan 2:10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.

Dan 2:11 "It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

Divine commentary –

“At last, 

        in desperation, 

                   the wise men confess they are unable to comply, 

                                                     that no-one on the earth is able to answer 

                                                               such a question concerning the prior content of a dream; 

                                                                       a question that has not been posed before to any dream interpreter, 

                                                                       a question which can only be answered by the gods, 

                                                                                                      who, 

                                                                                                          as it is known, 

                                                                                                                  do not dwell in the 

                                                                                                                             presence of man. 

For the king had put a question which required the proof the gods did speak to man: 

                                                   to those arrayed before him, 

                   so to provide the warranty behind their interpretation.”

Dan 2:12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

Divine commentary –

“Hence the king was extremely angered. 

        In fury, 

                   he commanded the death of all the wise men of Babylon. 

        In fury, 

                   he sought the end to the deceptive nature of the counsel. 

        In fury, 

                   he forsook the status of the claimants to the voices of the gods.”

Dan 2:13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

Divine commentary –

“So the king ensured his decree was spread throughout his kingdom, 

  so the wise men in their foolishness commenced to meet their fate.

  So Daniel and his companions were sought also for the slaughter.”

Dan 2:14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;

Divine commentary –

“Then in the light of The God of heaven did Daniel stand before Arioch, 

        in answer – 

                   him, 

                            Arioch, 

                                    the captain of the king’s guard: 

                   him who had been commissioned to kill the wise men of Babylon.”

Dan 2:15 he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.

Divine commentary –

“As he stood in answer, 

        he asked of Arioch, 

                   the king’s captain, 

                            why this decree in particular carried such a call for urgency. 

        Then Arioch decided as Daniel already knew he would.”

Dan 2:16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.

Dan 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,

Dan 2:18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel at home with his companions, 

        as granted by the king, 

                   paused to seek in supplication, 

                            before The God of heaven, 

                                     knowledge of the secret of the dreams of the king. 

        This so that Daniel, 

                   with his companions, 

                            would not be counted as a party to the falsity of the remainder of the wise men of Babylon.”

Dan 2:19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Divine commentary –

“As the secret of the king’s dreams was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, 

        so Daniel blessed and thanked The God of heaven. 

                   For with revelation comes responsibility, 

                   for with revelation comes the wisdom of its source, 

                   for with revelation comes the knowledge of what was, 

                                                                  the knowledge of what is, 

                                                                  the knowledge of what is yet to be. 

                             For revelation of the heart of man, 

                                                     to the heart of man, 

                                                                       is by the heart of God, 

                                                                       is by the will of God, 

                                                                       is by the wisdom of God. 

        Revelation from the throne of God falls from heaven for the benefit of man – 

                                                  whether from the lineage of kings or the lineage of slaves.”

Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.

Divine commentary –

“Then Daniel met with God in both his praise and his worship and with a grateful heart.”

Dan 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel proclaims in his wisdom, 

                   confesses in his understanding, 

                                     the power and the authority of The God of heaven.”

Dan 2:22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel acknowledges the answering of The God of all things, 

                                                                                      of all which is above the earth, 

                                                                                      of all which is on the earth, 

                                                                                      of all which is below the earth.”

Dan 2:23 "I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king's demand."

Dan 2:24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."

Dan 2:25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."

Dan 2:26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?"

Dan 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.

Dan 2:28 "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel answered, 

              in the presence of the king, 

                         that it is The God in heaven who reveals mysteries 

                                    as He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar –

                                                  as what is to be in these days of preparation. 

              Specifically, 

                         the king’s dream, 

                                    and the visions of his head as he rested on his bed arose ...”

Dan 2:29 "As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.

Divine commentary –

                                    “in his thoughts, 

                                                           while at his rest, 

                                             of what is to come to pass –

                                                         so He who reveals mysteries has declared to him what is to be.”

Dan 2:30 "But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel asserts that the mystery has not been revealed to him because he is the greatest 

              of the wise, 

                        but rather for their sakes who are charged with interpreting the dream for the king –

                                      that the king may comprehend the vision of his dreams.”

Dan 2:31 "You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendour was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel started on the dream by telling the king he, 

                                                                                the king, 

              was watching and looked on a great image whose features were magnificent; 

                                                                                   in standing before him, 

                                                                                   its shape and size were awesome.”

Dan 2:32 "This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel described the image in detail as the king required.”

Dan 2:33 "its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Divine commentary –

“So the description of the image of the dream continued before the king.”

Dan 2:34 "You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

Divine commentary –

“For as the king observed so Daniel told him before his face, 

                                                               from the knowledge made known by The God of heaven.”

Dan 2:35 "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Divine commentary –

“As Daniel concludes his prescience of the dream, 

                                                               he has the full attention of the king.”

Dan 2:36 "This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.

Dan 2:37 "You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory;

Dan 2:38 "and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.

Dan 2:39 "But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

Dan 2:40 "And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.

Dan 2:41 "Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

Divine commentary –

“I, 

         The Lord, 

                     say this day as My kingdom comes, 

                                         as My church is assembled, 

                                         as My bride is prepared, 

                                                               so the wise are seen as the foolish fill the voids, 

             so as the truth is iron that cannot be bent so the lie is clay which is moulded as required –

                                                                                                       only to shatter when put to use. 

             For the iron overcomes all that it encounters: 

                                 upholds, 

                                 supports, 

                                 gives strength to a division, 

                                 maintains and does not weaken, 

                                 is coated by the clay but has a core that stands within itself while the veneer slowly cracks to fall away. 

             So some hearts are strong to go forward, 

                                                  so some hearts are weak –

                                                                          would try to hide among the strong –

                                                                          would not put in the effort of the day, 

                                                                          would but collapse within their deafness, 

                                                                          would seek to hide without a recognition, 

                                                                          would not listen to the teacher, 

                                                                          would not be chastened in the soul.”

Dan 2:42 "And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.

Divine commentary –

“I, 

        The Lord, 

                   speak on what I will, 

                   speak on what I know, 

                   speak on what is to about to befall man. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   secure the penitent, 

                   secure the humble, 

                   secure the seekers of My grace. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   survey what I am offered, 

                   survey what I am tendered, 

                   survey what I am promised. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   forsake the dissolute, 

                   forsake the liars, 

                   forsake the imbroglio of the debtors. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   preserve My sheep, 

                   preserve My people, 

                   preserve the saints of God. 

I, 

        The Lord, 

                   say to My people this day – 

                             those who know The Spirit’s call shall not be mingled with the dissolute, 

                                                                                   shall not be mingled with the liars, 

                                                                                   shall not be mingled with those within the imbroglio of debt.

                             For such as these have Satan as their master, 

                                                         are at his beck and call, 

                                                         are bonded to the servitude of the debtor’s prison. 

                             For such as these are as the clay that can be crushed, 

                                                         are as the clay which attempts to blend within the 

                                                                                                                                 saints of God, 

                                                         are as the clay which knows not the solid food which strengthens,

                                                         are as the clay which is not proofed by fire, 

                                                         are as the clay which is too fragile for the task required, 

                                                         are as the clay which shatters at the test: 

                                                                                                        to be discarded in the waste.”

Dan 2:43 "As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

Divine commentary –

“As the mixture of the potter’s clay and of the iron of rods, 

        so will the people intermingle for the seasons of man, 

                                                              for the seasoning of man, 

        so will the potter transform the clay, 

        so will the iron bear the brunt of the controversies of man, 

        so will the iron be at the core of the divisions, 

        so will the clay fracture in decisions, 

        so will they gather like with like – 

                                                              as they split, 

                                                              as they reform: 

                            so the face of man does change among the saints as they gather across the earth.”

Dan 2:44 "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Divine commentary –

“So the testimony of God of what was seen within a dream is now seen within an eye. 

        For what was not within the spirit of man, 

                   now is within the spirit of man. 

So My kingdom is established, 

        so My kingdom will never be usurped, 

                                   will not be taken over, 

                                   will not be subject to a new decree of ownership, 

                                   will not be found within a pawnshop awaiting the call of the redeemer, 

                                   will not ever fail to be –

                                                   for it accommodates the life of man as transformed within eternity.”

Dan 2:45 "Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

Divine commentary –

“So the works of God are made known to man, 

  so the intent of God is declared to man, 

  so the will of God is seen by man, 

                                     is verified before the king –

                                                            with the assuredness of the provenance of the dream, 

                                                            with the witness to the truthfulness of the interpretation. 

                                                    So the king is honoured.”

Dan 2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him.

Dan 2:47 The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."

Divine commentary –

“So Daniel is honoured by the king for his standing before The God of gods, 

                                                                                    before The Lord of kings –

                                                          as the revealer of the mysteries of The God of heaven.”

Dan 2:48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

Dan 2:49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

NKJV Footnotes:

    * (2:4) The original language of Daniel 2:4b through 7:28 is Aramaic.

    * (2:25) Literally of the sons of the captivity

    * (2:32) Or sides

    * (2:33) Or baked clay, and so in verses 34, 35, and 42

    * (2:49) That is, the king's court

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