King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which he forgot. The Chaldeans were highly educated advisors to King Nebuchadnezzar but they couldn't remember him of the dream because "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14. The Holy Spirit blesses the humble sincere searcher after truth with understanding the the "wise men" of the world are unable to comprehend.
2:1-49 God chose Daniel, a man of upright character, to be His representative to the court of the most powerful empire in the world. God honored Daniel's fervent prayer, and provided him with the interpretation of the king's dream. Daniel took no credit to himself, but instead directed all the glory and honor to God. Because of his faithfulness and honesty the king promoted Daniel to a high position in the government of Babylon.
Head of Gold: Babylon(605-539 B.C.)
Chest of Silver: Medo-Persia (539-331 B.C.)
Thighs of Brass: Greece(331-168 B.C.)
Legs of Iron: Rome(168 B.C.—A.D. 476)
Stone: God's Kingdom set up(near future)
Feet of Iron and Clay: Divided nations of Europe(A.D. 476 to present)
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream. 603 B. C.
Daniel 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2:2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 2:3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 2:4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 2:5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 2:6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 2:7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 2:8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 2:9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 2:11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 2:13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 2:14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: 2:15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 2:16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. 2:24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 2:26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 2:29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 2:30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart…
2:38 Nebuchadnezzar was shown the particular the "political" future of the world. The "head of the gold" is a fitting symbol for Babylon's incomparable luxury and magnificence. Babylon was followed by the nations of Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome which eventually separated into the nations of Europe. Each succeeding kingdom was to be inferior to the previous. Yet each kingdom was also stronger in military might than the ones that came before. This prophecy reveals the basic outline of the major prophecies of Daniel and Revelation: they start in the prophet's day and extend to the end of time.
2:43 The nations of Europe represented by the "iron mixed with clay," have attempted many times to "mingle themselves" into a single alloy. But the prophecy says, "They shall not cleave[join] one to another." The military might of these nations has failed to reunite them as an empire, as have treaties, alliances and diplomacy. The royal families of Europe had intermarried their children so frequently that at the time of the World War I they were all related to one another. Many have tried to put these nations together again; Charlemagne(A.D. 800), Napoleon Bonaparte(1800), Kaiser Wilhelm I(1914-1918), and Adolf Hitler(1939-1945). All have failed. This prophecy shows that the next great event in world history is the coming of the kingdom of God, which will destroy all earthly powers, and will continue forever.
2:45 The validity of this prophecy has been borne out in history. Babylon was overthrown by Medo-Persia, which was in turn conquered by Greece, which was then overcome by Rome. Rome, rather than suffering defeat from another world power, slowly dissolved into nations of Europe. There is only one part of this prophecy that remains to be fulfilled. God will "set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed." He will restore this world to the original beauty and perfection of Eden, and His people to a life of health and happiness. See Revelation 21 and 22.
We can have confidence that all these things will come to pass because God Himself has promised. For "the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
"Psalms 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. 50:4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. 50:5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. 50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah."
