Daniel 2.18-Daniel Asks His Friends To Enter Into Prayer With Him To Request Mercy From God By Revealing The Content And Interpretation Of King's Dream
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday February 29, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 2:18-Daniel Asks His Friends To Enter Into Prayer With Him To Request Mercy From God By Revealing The Content And Interpretation Of The King’s Dream
Lesson # 42
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 2:1.
This evening we will study Daniel 2:18.
Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.” 12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter. 18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. (NASB95)
“So that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “so that” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun rǎ∙ḥǎmîn (רַחֲמִין) (rekh-ame´), “compassion” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (lamed), “to” and its object is the peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active infinitive construct form of the verb beʿā(h) (בְּעָה) (beh-aw´), “might request” which is followed by the preposition min (מִן) (min), “from” and then we have the preposition qǒḏām (קֳדָם) (kod-awm´), “from” and this is followed by the masculine singular construct form of the noun ʾělāh (אֱלָהּ) (el-aw´), “gods” and then we have the masculine plural noun šemǎ∙yin (שְׁמַיִן) (shaw-mah´-yin), “heaven” which is followed by the preposition ʿǎl (עַל) (al), “concerning” and then we have the masculine singular noun rāz (רָז) (rawz), “mystery” which is modified by the demonstrative pronoun denā(h) (דְּנָה) (dane-awe), “this.”
The conjunction wa is a marker of purpose meaning that it is introducing a statement which presents the purpose for which Daniel informed his friends with regards to Nebuchadnezzar’s ultimatum to his wise men that they must make known both the content of his dream as well as its interpretation or be executed.
The verb beʿā(h) means “to make a request” and is used here of Daniel and his friends going to God in prayer in order to “make a request” for mercy from the Father with regards to the king’s ultimatum.
The word refers to petition in prayer, which is making a request for oneself.
The petition of Daniel and his friends was for their deliverance from death by God revealing to them both the content of the king’s dream as well as its interpretation.
This verb also refers to intercessory prayer, which refers to making a request from the Father on behalf of another.
This is indicated by Daniel 2:24, which tells the reader that Daniel told Arioch not to execute the wise men because he could fulfill the king’s demand.
Therefore, the word is referring to not only petition in prayer but also intercessory prayer.
The noun rǎ∙ḥǎmîm is the plural referring to “acts of mercy” or “merciful acts” indicating that Daniel and his friends are requesting from God kindness in the form of merciful acts.
These acts of mercy would refer to the Father making known to Daniel the content of the king’s dream as well as its interpretation.
It would also refer to the Father delivering them from death by doing so.
Lastly, it would refer to Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men being delivered from death.
This indicated by Daniel 2:24, which records Daniel pleading with Arioch to not kill the wise men because he can fulfill the king’s demand.
This word is in the emphatic position of this purpose clause indicating that Daniel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is emphasizing that the answer to his requests in prayer are based upon God’s mercy, which is an expression of His love.
Ephesians 2:4 teaches that God is rich in mercy because of His great love.
Therefore, one of the attributes or characteristics of God’s love is that it is “merciful” meaning that God is compassionate towards His enemies and pardons them (Eph. 2:1-7).
Mercy characterizes God’s love.
Here in Daniel 2:18, the noun rǎ∙ḥǎmîm denotes that Daniel and his friends are asking God to be merciful to the wise men who were heathen and His enemies who were driven by Satan and the kingdom of darkness.
The word also denotes that Daniel and his friends are well aware that they have no merit with God whatsoever when they offer up this petition for themselves.
The provision of prayer is made possible solely through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross, which was yet future when Daniel offered up this prayer.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were all taught through the Levitical sacrifices that were performed in the temple of Solomon when they were still living in Israel before their deportation that they could not approach God without a sacrifice.
They were taught through the animal sacrifices performed in the temple that they could not have a relationship with God, fellowship with God and approach God in prayer or worship Him without a blood sacrifice.
The animal sacrifices portrayed different aspects of the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.
Therefore, in Daniel 2:18, the noun rǎ∙ḥǎmîm denotes that Daniel and his friends are well aware that they have no merit with God whatsoever when they offer up this petition for themselves since they were taught this very thing through the Levitical sacrifices in the temple of Solomon before their deportation.
The noun ʾělāh means “the God” and refers to the Father since the Lord Jesus Christ taught that all prayer must be addressed to the Father (Luke 11:1-2).
Even though Daniel and his friends lived centuries before Christ when the Lord taught this, the Father would have been the recipient of their prayer.
This is indicated by the fact that the Lord’s teaching was not only instruction as to which member of the Trinity they were to pray to but also it was a revelation as to which member of the Trinity receives prayer.
Here in Daniel 2:18, the plural noun šemǎ∙yin refers to the first, second and third heaven.
The original languages of Scripture teach that there are three levels of heaven.
This multiplicity of heavens is indicated in Hebrews 4:14 where our Lord at His ascension is said to have “passed through the heavens” (accusative masculine plural noun ouranos).
The first and second heaven are not specifically mentioned but the third heaven is.
2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago -- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. (NASB95)
Logically speaking, it is evident that there cannot be a third heaven without also a first and second heaven.
Therefore, the first heaven must be the earth’s atmosphere, the second must be stellar universe and the third must be the abode of God which both elect and non-angels have access to as well as dead believers of all dispensations.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator of these three levels of heaven since the Scriptures teach that He is the creator of all three levels of heaven as well as the earth.
The noun rāz means “mystery” and refers to the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s recurring dream, which he would not reveal to his occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers, who help to compose his wise men.
It also refers to the interpretation of this dream since the king demanded this as well from his wise men.
Daniel is requesting that God would reveal to him the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as its interpretation, which constituted a revelation from God and could only be understood if God would explain the meaning of it to him.
The noun rāz is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is a marker of cause meaning that it is indicating that Nebuchadnezzar’s secret was the reason why Daniel and his three friends were requesting merciful acts from the Father in prayer.
“So that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon” is composed of the conjunction dî (דִּי) (dee), and then we have the negative particle lā(ʾ) (לָא) (law), “not” which is negating the third person masculine plural hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active imperfect form of the verb ʾǎḇǎḏ (אֲבַד) (ab-ad´), “would be destroyed” and this is followed by the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine plural construct form of the noun ḥǎḇǎr (חֲבַר) (khab-ar´), “friends” which is modified by the third person masculine singular pronomial suffix –hû (־הוּ) (who), “his” and then we have the preposition ʿim (עִם) (eem), “with” and then we have the masculine singular construct form of the noun šeʾār (שְׁאָר) (sheh-awr´), “the rest of” which is followed by the masculine plural form of the noun ḥǎk∙kîm (חַכִּים) (khak-keem´), “wise men” which is followed by the feminine singular proper noun bā∙ḇěl (בָּבֶל) (baw-bel´), “Babylon.”
This time the conjunction dî is a marker of purpose meaning that it is introducing a clause that presents the purpose of God answering the prayer request of Daniel and his three friends to make known the content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream as well as its interpretation, which was that they would be delivered from death.
The noun ḥǎḇǎr means “friends, companions” and refers to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
They along with Daniel were sought after by the executioners and were under the sentence of death.
Daniel sought these three to accompany him in prayer in order to request that God would make known to him both the content of the king’s dream as well as its interpretation.
The verb ʾǎḇǎḏ means “to execute, to kill” and is used of capital punishment referring to the execution of Daniel and his three friends along with Nebuchadnezzar’s occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers.
The word’s meaning is negated by the negative particle lā(ʾ), which means “not” since it is marker of negation.
Together, these two words denote Daniel and his three friends “not being executed” by Nebuchadnezzar because of the Father answering their prayer request to make known to them the content of the king of Babylon’s dream as well as its interpretation.
As was the case in Daniel 2:12, 13 and 14, the noun ḥǎk∙kîm in Daniel 2:18 means “wise men.”
It is not only a reference to the four groups mentioned in Daniel 2:2, namely, occult priests (ḥǎr∙ṭōm), necromancers (ʾǎš∙šāp̄), witches (kā∙šǎp̄) and astrologers (kǎś∙dîm) but also it is a reference to all the other dignitaries or diplomats.
This is indicated by the fact that Daniel 2:13 records Arioch, the executioner looking for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah who did not belong to these four groups.
The noun šeʾār means “rest” in the sense of whatever is left as a part of the whole and is modifying the noun ḥǎk∙kîm, which refers not only to the city of Babylon’s occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers who served the king but also the dignitaries and diplomats in that city who also served him.
The latter, like Daniel and his three friends, were not involved in the practices of the city of Babylon’s occult priests, necromancers, witches and astrologers.
The proper noun bā∙ḇěl refers to the city of Babylon and not the province or the empire as a whole.
This is indicated by the fact that Daniel 2:14 tells the reader that Arioch, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s bodyguard was sent by the king to execute the wise of men Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar would not send only one man to execute the wise men of a province or an entire empire but he would for an entire city.