Main Study 3: Let me prove it to you! (Part 2)

Before you start, in the first week, we learnt that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches us the truth about God's Word, and, He freely offers that gift and teaching to those who claim it with a whole heart. So before you carry on, ask God to guide you, compare everything with the Bible, and believe that God will guide you!

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So last week, we looked at the issue of proving things! The simple point was made that everyone must prove what they claim to be! We then saw that God, when He rightfully claimed to be THE ONLY God, also gave proof of His claim. As a recap we saw that in Isaiah 46:9, 10 it said:

"Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; I [am] God, and [there is] none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."

(If you are wondering what the [ ] mean, in the KJV, and other versions, the translators have added words to the text; this is called supplied words. As the Hebrew and Greek is translated directly into the English, the sentence structures are very hard to understand, as would be estimated due to the difference in language structure, so, the supplied words help the reader to read the passage in a more grammatically correct way.)

So we saw that God tells us that through prophecy (the act of telling the future), He gives us proof of His claim of being God. We also saw that Peter affirms this proof in 2 Peter 1:19, that above seeing Jesus transfigured with his own eyes, he had a "more sure word of prophecy." Then we looked at a few prophecies that we can link to history and see that the Bible was accurately correct! God had once again proven His claim, that He is God! Not only this, in John 14:29, Jesus adds that through seeing prophecy fulfilled, we may believe!

An additional point is found in 2 Peter 1:19:

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."

The Bible says that we would do well to take heed of prophecy, in the same way we would take heed of a light when we were in a dark place! This shows the importance of prophecy. "...until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."... The Greek translation for day star means 'morning star'. Revelation 22:16 tells us this:

"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

Jesus says that He is the morning star! So the Bible tells us that we should take heed of prophecy until Jesus arises in our hearts! It always links to the gospel!

So in Part 2, we will be looking at Daniel 2, a prophecy that, once again, fulfils the claim of Isaiah 46:9, 10. This, and really all the posts, are by no means exhaustive... that is the beauty of God's Word, it is infinite (Isaiah 40:8), so read this prayerfully, then study it more thoroughly! 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God..." God wants to teach YOU personally.

Reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate

So we start in Babylon. The context is found in Daniel 1 (read it through). We are introduced to an invasion in Daniel 1:1: 

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it." 

In Daniel 1:3-5, Nebuchadnezzar tells Ashpenaz, chief of the eunuchs, "that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes" and the characteristics of these people are listed in verse 4. The plan was to teach the "learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans." Added to this, the king appoints a daily provision of the king's meat, and his wine, to nourish them for three years that at the end of it, "they might stand before the king."


Reading through the chapter, we see qualities that all of God's people should seek to attain to, only through relying on Christ! (John 15:5). Daniel and his friends stand up for right principles and come off far better than those who followed the regime set out in verse 5! (A beautiful example of Romans 12:1-2). At the end of the three years, we see that the Hebrew boys "in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm." (Daniel 1:21)

We then go to 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."

Now we see that Nebuchadnezzar "dreamed dreams" and his spirit was troubled so much so that he could not sleep! This dream that he dreamt must have been a very disturbing dream!

Nebuchadnezzar dreaming

Now in Daniel 2:28, 29, we see what the dream was about:

"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; 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." 

So in this passage, we see that Nebuchadnezzar's dream was about what shall be in the latter days and what shall come to pass hereafter. God (He that reveals secrets) was making known to Nebuchadnezzar what shall come to pass! In other words, God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar prophecy. In light of what we learnt last week, God is going to (once again) prove His claim of being the one and true God to Nebuchadnezzar, and to us.

So did Nebuchadnezzar understand his dream? In Daniel 2:2-11, it says: 

"(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. 
(3) And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
 (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. 
(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. 
(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. 
(7) They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 
(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. 
(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. 
(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. 
(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." 

Clearly, Nebuchadnezzar did not understand his dream! (1 Corinthians 2:14). He puts in some drastic measures to try and understand the dream. The Chaldeans ask the king to tell them the dream and they would tell the king the interpretation, but Nebuchadnezzar replies "The thing is gone from me: if we 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. 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." The result of not being able to tell the dream and the interpretation is death.

In fact, Nebuchadnezzar adds his own 'prove it' challenge! Notice verse 9, the Chaldeans have claimed to be able to tell the interpretation, but Nebuchadnezzar says if you can tell me the dream, then I know that you can tell me the interpretation!

In verse 10, the Chaldeans admit that "There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter..." They also admit something else... "...there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." Compare this with Daniel 2:28, the Chaldeans know that only the God of heaven can show the dream to the king! This proves the claim of Isaiah 46:9, 10 again!

So did Nebuchadnezzar start the death decree? Daniel 2:12-13 tells us:

"For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise [men] of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise [men] should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain."

The death decree did begin! Imagine that! Daniel and his friends discover that they are about to be killed because of the anger of the king! So how did Daniel deal with this? What would you do? In Daniel 2:14-18 it tells us: 

"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: 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. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 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." 

Daniel answers to Arioch, and asks him why the death decree is so hasty from the king! Then Daniel is brought up to speed about the previous events. Daniel then goes to the king and asks him for time and also tells him "that he would shew the king the interpretation." This shows Daniel's faith. Daniel knew that the God answers prayers (Mark 11:24) and so told the king that he would show the king the interpretation. Then Daniel goes and tells his friends and they prayed to the God of heaven concerning the secret, so that he and his friends should not perish. 

So did God answer his prayer? Daniel 2:19-23 says:

"Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 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: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what [is] in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 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."

Yes! God answered his prayer! Then Daniel thanked the God of heaven! (Psalm 33:21 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18) Notice the attributes and capabilities of the God of heaven! Wisdom and might are His, He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings, He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the understanding, He revels the deep and secret things, He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him (all these deserve more study! This shows what a MIGHTY God He is!) Daniel now knows the king's matter!

So, what was this dream about? We know that it somehow tells what shall come to pass in the future! (Daniel 2:28, 29). Daniel 2:31-35 says:

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible. This image's head [was] of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."

A representation of the image

So Nebuchadnezzar sees:

• A great image, whose brightness was excellent, and whose form was terrible (formidable, dreadful)
• The image had a head of fine gold
• Breast and arms of silver
• Belly and thighs of brass
• Legs of iron
• His feet part of iron and clay
• A stone being cut out without hands, which smote the image at his feet and broke it to pieces, and everything is broken to pieces and becomes like chaff 
• The stone that smote the image becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth.

The dream has been foretold. Now jumping to Daniel 2:47, which says:

"The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth [it is], that your God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret."

So God gave Daniel the correct dream! Nebuchadnezzar knows this too! So what is the interpretation? What does this dream mean? How does it tell what will come to pass? Probably more prominent is the question of what does it have to do with me?

Daniel 2:36 says:

"This [is] the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king." 

So Daniel starts to interpret the dream...

Daniel 2:37, 38 says:

"Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold." 

So Daniel states the power of Nebuchadnezzar, and the fact that his kingdom is a world empire. Also, Daniel states who gave Nebuchadnezzar that power and kingdom! If you remember Daniel 2:21 which told us that God "removeth kings, and setteth up kings"; the point is repeated. Daniel lets Nebuchadnezzar know that the only reason why Nebuchadnezzar was in his position was because God put him there. In fact, God prophesied Nebuchadnezzar's power in Jeremiah 27:5-7 and his title 'king of kings' was also given to him by God (see Ezekiel 26:7). This once again, adds to God's claim in Isaiah 46:9, 10.

Daniel says "Thou [art] this head of gold." Here we have our first interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar is pointed out as the head of gold, and hence, his kingdom (Daniel 4:30). Babylon is the head of gold.

Next week we will finish of the rest of the dream.

God Bless,

Adam