Certainty in an Uncertain World
|
Key Verse: “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Lesson Scripture: |
DANIEL AND HIS THREE friends had been taken captive after the armies of Nebuchadnezzar had overthrown Israel. (Dan. 1:1-3) They came to work in the palace of the king, picked because of their knowledge in the sciences. (vs. 4) Daniel was brought into favor and tender love with the prince of eunuchs.—vs. 9
In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign he had a dream that greatly disturbed him. When he called for his wise men, astrologers and sorcerers, they told the king that unless he made known what he saw in the dream no one would be able to interpret it. The king was so angry he condemned them to death along with Daniel and his friends.—Dan. 2:12,13
Daniel hearing of the king’s decree spoke to his captain about the matter. With wisdom Daniel asked Arioch, “Why is the decree so hasty?” (vs. 15) Arioch then tells Daniel the matter of the king’s dream. Daniel immediately went to the king to ask for time and told him that he would reveal the dream to him.
A great lesson on the power of prayer follows. Daniel went home, told his friends about the matter, and asked them to pray to the God of heaven regarding the king’s dream. That very night the dream was revealed to Daniel as he slept. “In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”—Phil. 4:6
Daniel thanked and praised God, saying, “He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.”—Dan. 2:22
Another wonderful character trait is that of mercy. Daniel could have asked for his life and that of his friends, but he asked that the king’s magicians and astrologers be spared. (vs. 24) We are advised to be merciful as “your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.”—Ps. 25:10
Arioch, the king’s captain, brought Daniel before the king who asked him if he could interpret the dream. Daniel told the king that his wise men could never have interpreted the dream, that only the God of heaven held the key to unlocking his plans and purposes.—Dan. 2:27,28
Daniel revealed the king’s dream, saying that he saw a great image with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron and part clay. (ch. 2:32-33) He pointed out that the king was this head of gold and that three other kingdoms would follow his rule. In time, a stone would be cut out of the mountain without hands and smite the image on his feet, and that the image would fall, be ground into pieces, and a wind would blow it away. The stone then grows into a great mountain filling the earth.
In symbolic language Daniel revealed the times of Gentile rule, and that this rule was to be replaced by the rule of God’s Messianic kingdom. All God’s people have been taught to pray for the establishment of this kingdom.—Matt. 6:9-13