The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts
of your mind.” Daniel 2:26-30
Nebuchadnezzar is waiting for Daniel. The cruel king hopes this is not a hoax but he is unwilling to put up with any more stalling tactics so he gets immediately to the point “
Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen
and its interpretation? The king states what he wants, the dream and the meaning. He gets to the point, “Can you deliver?” A lie here is certain death.
No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked Daniel begins to answer and the fury likely rises in the king’s face. What do you mean no man can do this? (This is what the Chaldeans told him and he is not willing to accept that answer.)
There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made
known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Daniel hurries on to his point. He wants to introduce the king to the living God of Israel. He tells the king his God gave the king a dream that dealt with what will happen in the future. Immediately the king’s interest is piqued as he starts to remember.
As you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and He who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be Daniel states what was happening. Nebuchadnezzar was lying on his bed pondering what would become of him and his kingdom when God stepped in and gave him an accurate picture of what the future holds all the way to the end of the age.
But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living Daniel distinguishes himself from Arioch who wanted credit for finding Daniel. Daniel explains God revealed the dream to him – there was anything special in Daniel. (Daniel wants God to receive all the glory and praise – this is always Daniel’s motive.)
In order that the interpretation may be made known to the king,
and that you may know the thoughts of your mind God revealed to
Daniel the dream to answer the king’s question of what would happen
to him and his kingdom in the future.
What can we learn? Over the first four chapters of Daniel God draws
a Babylonian king to himself. God orchestrates events, dreams and
people in a way to show us a panorama of world history from
Babylon to the Messiah. But for God this is much more than just providing a prophetic view of history. It is about saving a king who, unless he repents, will be in hell.