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. And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
In the second year of his reign as king of Babylon, soon after Daniel and his companions entered his service, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams that troubled his spirit and broke his sleep, leaving a fearful impression while he could not recall the details or the meaning when he awoke. From his throne he demanded that his counselors and wise men both relate the forgotten dream and give its meaning, and when they declared it unreasonable and failed, he in fury decreed that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death. Daniel sought time from the king and with his three companions pleaded on bended knees for wisdom from heaven, and God gave His servants the secret in a night vision, so Daniel could rehearse the dream with its interpretation and the lives of the wise men were spared. God deliberately caused the details to be forgotten while leaving the impression, so the wise men could not place a false interpretation upon it and their failure exposed the limits of human wisdom and false claims to understand mysteries. The dream revealed important historic events and the succession of kingdoms in the latter days, beginning a prophecy that foretells history with remarkable exactness and proves the inspiration of the Scriptures, and contrary to popular belief it can be understood even by children.
Dream's Setting and Sequence
In the second year of his reign as king of Babylon, and in the same year and soon after Daniel and his companions entered the king's service, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams. The dream was remarkable. It troubled his spirit and broke his sleep.
When he awoke he could not bring it to remembrance or recall its details or its meaning, though his mind remained deeply impressed by its fearful impression. From his elevated ornate throne in his grand Babylonian palace, with his robed counselors and wise men gathered and listening before him, he declared the trouble to them. In his perplexity he sought relief by asking them to reveal the dream and its meaning.
He demanded not only the interpretation but the relation of the forgotten dream itself, to be accepted as proof of the claims of the magicians and astrologers. They declared the request unreasonable and beyond anything ever required of any man, and failed to tell both the dream and its interpretation. In fury at their failure he decreed and threatened that all the wise men of Babylon should be put to death.
Daniel and his fellows shared that fate, as being numbered with the wise men. Daniel, gifted with understanding in visions and dreams, sought an interview with the king and pleaded for time to bring the matter before God. When it was granted he laid the whole matter before his three companions who worshipped the true God.
Together on bended knees with contrition of heart they pleaded for light and power and wisdom from heaven, that God would give them the power and wisdom that alone would avail them and so arrange matters that they need not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. God gave His servants the secret in a night vision through an angel in answer to prayer. Thus enabled, Daniel made the dream known to the king and rehearsed it with its interpretation and explained its meaning. So the edict was revoked, the wise men's lives were spared, and the God of heaven was revealed to Nebuchadnezzar as all-powerful.
Divine Purpose and Prophecy
God deliberately caused the details of the dream to be forgotten and withheld them while leaving its fearful impression upon the king, so that the wise men of Babylon with their claimed understanding of mysteries could not place a false interpretation upon it. Their complete failure to tell both the forgotten dream and its meaning exposed their hypocrisy and false claims. That exposure showed the limits of human and scientific wisdom.
The dream concerned important historic events of consequence to the king, given to reveal what would happen in the latter days. It concerned the succession of kingdoms and their declining value as the end approached, and the lessons taught in it were given by God for those who live in the present day. Its interpretation revealed heavenly glory to the Hebrew captives who depended on God rather than to those captivated by Babylon's splendor, showing the superior wisdom of those who worship Him. The king's perplexity led him to need help from people connected with God, whom God's providence brought before him.
This verse begins a most interesting and important history and introduces the prophecy of the second chapter of Daniel. That prophecy foretells history with remarkable and wonderful exactness as confirmed and recorded by historians and history. That exact fulfillment gives evidence of and proves the inspiration of the Scriptures. It anchors faith amid rationalism, skepticism, and peril, and shows that the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Contrary to the popular belief that the prophecies of Daniel are mysteries that cannot be understood, this prophecy can be understood and explained even by children and thereby bring its solemn importance before parents and others. The inability of the wise men to tell the dream represents learned people of the present day who have no discernment and learning and wisdom and knowledge from the Most High and therefore cannot understand prophecy. Even great and learned men of the earth, kings and nobles, though the truth unto eternal life is brought to them, will not be the ones to receive it. Learning worldly knowledge without watching to hear what God says in His word and opening hearts to receive that word and give it to others does not make them His representatives.