Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Daniel 2:1–13
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The prophetic plan for the Gentiles is given in chapters 2-7. Soon after Nebuchadnezzar became king, there came a night that he did not sleep well. He dreamed dreams that troubled his spirit (v. 1). He didn’t realize it at the time but God was dealing with him. It is later revealed that he was given a glimpse of the entire period which Christ calls “The times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24).

His magicians were summoned (v. 2). These men made great pretense of interpreting dreams and forecasting the future. The king explained his situation to these so called wise men. Whether he actually forgot the dream or not we do not know but he did not share his dream with them. Instead he demanded that they reconstruct the dream and then interpret it for him (vv. 3-4). If successful, great rewards were promised them. For failure, terrible punishment was threatened (vv. 5-6).

The Magicians continued to ask him to tell them the dream which he refused to do (vv. 7-9). These magicians told him he was asking for the impossible (vv. 10-11). On hearing these Chaldeans acknowledge their inability to reconstruct the dream the king became very angry. He then ordered all the wise men to be executed (vv. 12-13). This may sound like a very unreasonable decree but here were men who were trained in the king’s university to interpret mysteries and they were frauds. They were like some modern ministers of our day who spend their time studying philosophy, psychiatry, psychology etc. and then without the mind of Christ pretend to be God’s messengers to men.

Application

I must never pretend to be something that I am not or that I can do something I can’t do. My only ability is availability and letting God work through me.