_Nebuchahnezzar Dreamed Dreams._
THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON
In the conclusion of last chapter, we are informed that Daniel “had
understanding in all visions and dreams.” Events are now ordered so
that he shall have an opportunity of exercising his skill on a more
illustrious theatre. “And in the secon... [ Continue Reading ]
_The thing is gone from me._
NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM
The “thing” is considered by many to be the dream, and so they
also understand the same phrase in the eighth verse. There is nothing
in the Chaldee (Aramaic) of this passage to forbid this understanding,
for though _millethath _means “word,” yet,... [ Continue Reading ]
_I know of certainty that ye would gain the time._
A MEDITATION FOR THE NEW YEAR
The magicians wished to gain time, hoping that the king might remember
his dream, or that something might happen to extricate them from the
dreadful dilemma. Notice the two main thoughts and the suggestions
suitable t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king was angry._
ANGER
“Anger,” Dr. Cox observes, “is
(1) undignifying;
(2) unreasonable;
(3) destructive of that just and useful influence to which we should
aspire, and for which everyone is naturally capacitated by his
position in society;
(4) usually makes a rapid progress;
(5) is pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_That they would desire mercies of the God of Heaven._
COMPANIONS IN PRAYER
Daniel and his companions were all equally concerned, every man of
them for his life, and therefore ought everyone to pray; but, being
companions in every other respect, it became them also to keep company
in prayer. The ne... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision._
DANIEL’S PREPARATION FOR PROPHETIC WORK
A prophecy does not fall from Heaven in the form of a book written and
sealed. Prophecy is given through the spirit of a man. It comes first
into the living soul. He afterwards declares it, and the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and
ever._
DANIEL’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Such a prayer sheds a flood of light upon the character of the man who
utters it. It was addressed to the “God of Heaven,” and that title
has a peculiar significance when the facts of Daniel’s... [ Continue Reading ]
_But there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets._
A GOD IN HEAVEN
I. THE ASSERTION. There is a God in Heaven. Daniel was not one of
those who say in their hearts “there is no God”; he was well
persuaded, both of His existence and of the perfections of His nature.
Daniel’s God is a God of wisd... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou, O King, sawest, and behold a great image._
THE AGGREGATION OF EVIL
Look at evil as represented by this colossal image.
I. IT IS A COMPOUND THING. The image was made up of various
substances: gold, silver, brass, iron, clay. Evil does not often
appear here in its naked simplicity, it is mix... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands._
THE DREAM RECOVERED AND INTERPRETED
The vision suggests to us many interesting things concerning the
Kingdom of Christ.
1. Its superhuman origin. The stone was “cut out” of the mountains
without hands. There was no natural cause for its s... [ Continue Reading ]
_But they shall not cleave one to another._
THE LAW OF UNITY
There is a law of unity, of brotherhood or consolidation. Mechanical
association has nothing to do with true unity. Men may sit side by
side in the same church and yet have a universe between them. Men may
handle the same psalm-book and s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom._
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
The stone being cut out of the mountain without hands, is a phrase
used in Scripture to convey to us the idea of spirituality; as, for
instance, our present body represented as “the earthly house of this
tabernac... [ Continue Reading ]
_And that it break in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the
silver, and the gold._
THE IMAGE DESTROYED
Looking at the image as a whole, notice:
I. ITS UNITY. Four successive empires were not represented by four
colossal images, but by one. The figure stood entire to the end, the
brightness ex... [ Continue Reading ]