Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Conscientiousness
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presents a brand new crisis for Daniel.
The dominate feature of the story is a bizarre statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
Remember that the book of Daniel is about God’s complete sovereignty over all of life’s affairs, even dreams!
Main Point: Only God’s wisdom can reveal the mysteries of life.
The meaning of the dream is not really the primary element.
What is important is that God knows the future and is in control of it.
1.
The King and his advisors ()
A. The setting is the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
(2:1)
B. Nebuchadnezzar was having troubling dreams and could not sleep.
(2:1)
C. Nebuchadnezzar desired for his advisors to interpret his dream.
(2:2-3)
D. The advisors wanted to know the contents of the dream (2:4)
E. The Twist: Nebuchadnezzar refuses to tell them the contents of the dream.
(2:5-6)
Why?
The Bible doesn’t really tell us.
Perhaps, he knew he had a dream and it troubled him, but he couldn’t remember what it was.
Perhaps he is testing their integrity.
Do they really know what they say they know or are they just conmen?
F. The advisors plead with the king to know the contents of the dream.
(2:7)
G. Nebuchadnezzar denies their request and indicates they may be frauds.
(2:8-9)
H.
The advisors make a profound statement.
(2:10-11)
This is the main lesson of the chapter.
It is too hard for man, but it is not outside of God’s ability to deal with.
I. Nebuchadnezzar orders all of the “wise men” to be put to death.
(2:12-13)
So, we are at the crisis point.
Daniel and his three friends are once again at risk in the Babylonian Empire.
It is going to take a miracle to get out of this one.
How is God going to resolve this situation?
2. God reveals the mystery to Daniel ()
A. Daniel inquired from the guard as to the situation.
(2:14-15)
The order from Nebuchadnezzar has gone out.
The guards have no choice, but to hunt down the “wise men” including Daniel and his friends.
The order from Nebuchadnezzar has gone out.
The guards have no choice, but to hunt down the “wise men” including Daniel and his friends.
B. Daniel, boldly, goes to Nebuchadnezzar to ask for a little more time.
(2:16)
C. Daniel and his three friends prayed.
(2:17-18)
Daniel’s response to the crisis is the response we should have in our crises.
Daniel and his three friends beseeched God in prayer.
A. Daniel and his three friends prayed.
(2:1
Daniel 2:
D. God revealed to Daniel the contents and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:19-23)
Daniel responded to God’s revelation with praise.
His song of praise highlight two aspects of God’s character:
i. God is powerful.
Nebuchadnezzar seems to have all the power.
He even has the power over life and death, who lives and who dies; however Nebuchadnezzar is under God’s control, ultimately.
Can I say this?
We don’t have to worry about politics.
Yes, we should get out there and vote for Christian morality and values, but ultimately, we don’t have to worry because it is all under God’s control.
Don’t use this as an excuse to not vote, but what I am saying is don’t worry and fret about the political chaos.
God is in control.
Trump is not in control.
Nancy Palosi is not in control.
Adam Schiff is not in control.
God is in control.
ii.
God is wise.
Daniel recognized that the wisdom he had flowed from God.
It is God who can make mysteries known.
3. The dream and its interpretation ()
A. Daniel approached the guard to inform him of the development.
(2:24)
B. The guard informed the king and Nebuchadnezzar inquired of Daniel.
(2:25-26)
C. Daniel answered the king.
(2:27-30)
Daniel’s response to the king put the focus on God and not on himself.
Daniel took no credit for himself and gave all glory to God for the revelation.
D. The dream (2:31-35)
i.
The statue (2:31-33)
Head of gold
Chest and arms of silver
Belly and thighs of bronze
Legs of iron
Feet of iron and clay mixture
ii.
The stone not touched by human hands strikes the feet of the statue and crushes them (2:34)
The feet are obviously the weakest link.
iii.
The entire statue comes crashing down and nothing is left (2:35)
iv.
The stone becomes a mountain that fills the earth (2:35)
E. The Interpretation (2:36-45)
A. The head of gold is Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire.
(2:36-38)
After this initial revelation, Daniel moves into more general descriptions of the nations, but history tells us who these nations were who would come after Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire.
As with all of these things, there is debate, but the debate doesn’t negate the important point of the revelation which will talk about in just a moment.
B. The chest and arms of silver is likely the Medo-Persian Empire.
(2:39)
C. The belly and thighs of bronze is likely the Greek Empire.
(2:39)
D. The legs of iron is likely the Roman Empire.
(2:40)
E. The feet and toes of the mixture of clay and iron may refer to a kingdom yet to come.
(2:41-43)
Can I give you something I think?
I am not dogmatic about this and I wouldn’t preach it on a Sunday morning, but I do entertain the thought.
I don’t put much stock in the number of toes. 10 doesn’t seem to have much biblical significance, but look at the description of the composition of the toes.
i.
It will be a divided kingdom
ii.
It will have some of the strength of the Roman Empire.
iii.
Part of the kingdom will be strong and part will be brittle.
iv.
People will be mixed together, but yet it won’t hold together.
Iron doesn’t mix with clay.
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