Daniel Interprets the Dream
Open Your Bible
Daniel 2:25-49, Luke 12:8-12, 1 Corinthians 15:24-27
BY Jen Yokel
It was a matter of life and death. A recurring dream disturbed King Nebuchadnezzar’s sleep night after night. He called for the Babylonian magicians and wise men to explain it, threatening them with execution if no one succeeded, but Daniel, a Judean exile known for his wisdom and dream interpretation, prayed until God revealed the answer. And one day, he made his appointment with the king.
It wasn’t exactly good news.
Each night, the king dreamed of a colossal statue made of various materials, from a solid gold head to iron and clay feet. Suddenly, a stone breaks from a nearby mountain and collides with the statue’s feet, causing it to crumble. The stone then grows into “a great mountain [that] filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35).
“Your Majesty, you are king of kings,” Daniel truthfully tells the emperor. “The God of the heavens has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). But the statue is a grim prediction. Babylon is the head of gold. Other, lesser kingdoms will rise and fall. But God, the heavenly “revealer of mysteries” (v.47), doesn’t leave this kind of power in human hands forever. “The God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (v.44).
Daniel is a book full of mysteries and symbolism, politics and miracles. Yet the core truth is hope for an indestructible kingdom built on justice and mercy. Over and over, Daniel’s humility and loyalty to the God of his forefathers is contrasted with the arrogance of kings. Though his gifts made him influential, we don’t see a man tempted to play the power game. You can imagine him walking through the palace, serving royalty, and telling the truth with a homesickness and hope in his heart that whispers, “Someday… Someday, God will make this right.”
Centuries later, Paul, another gifted exile, wrote this from the shadow of the Roman empire: “Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet” (1Corinthians 15:24–25).
Paul paints a vision of God abolishing any authority that isn’t His, even death’s. Every empire that rises will someday fall. A reign built on violence and power can never truly last before a new ruler comes and tears it apart. But we can trust that God is building a mountain to fill the earth. God’s kingdom has been inaugurated by Jesus’s death and resurrection, because after all, “The last enemy to be abolished is death” (1Corinthians 15:26).
God, revealer of mysteries, shares the kingdom’s secret through Jesus’s life and resurrection. Daniel only had part of the picture, but he still carried confidence in an eternal kingdom—one of peace, laying down your life for your friends, and pledging allegiance to the only King who will reign forever.
40 thoughts on "Daniel Interprets the Dream"
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Hi Tammy!
Regarding what you were saying about where we might find ourselves relative to the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the gold head represented Babylon, the silver breast/arms Medo Persia, the brass belly/thighs Greece, the iron legs Rome, and I believe that the U.S. (and our modern world) finds itself in the iron and clay feet/toes. In the past when reading these verses about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, I found it kind of frightening to think about the statue being destroyed, but like you said, it is reassuring to know that one day this world will no longer know the pain of sin. I find that prophecy reminds and reassures me that God is the one ultimately in control of history, and that we can fully trust in His Word. All of this really makes me long for Jesus’ return.. .until then we keep on in hope and faith! -
Praying for you kristina healing to your friend mom!
Be bold like daniel! -
The verse: 11And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,
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Praying with you, Kristina, for your friend’s mom.
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Good Morning, Sisters:
I am so grateful for this community of believers of which I have been blessed and honored to be a part for about 4 years now. I have been so edified by your insights and wisdom and your steadfast faith and devotion to our Lord and Savior.
I write today to ask for your prayers, as I have been in a job search for months, preparing and sitting through countless interviews with people at all levels of an organization. At the last company, I sat through 9 interviews and all but 8 people wanted me to be hired. However, the ninth person was the ultimate decider and that person voted “no”. A similar (but not exact) scenario has played out in the last 3 companies at which I have interviewed.
I tell you all of this because this trial is REALLY wearing on me. I know that the heat from a trial is supposed to mold you into the person God wants you to be, and I must say that it has changed me for the better, but, honestly, I am very discouraged and worn out. The humiliation of being without work for so long is almost more than I can bear sometimes. But I thank God for His provision during this drought because my situation could be so much worse.
This is a very verbose way of asking you to please pray for me. I know that God hears my prayers for a job because He answers other prayers. For some reason, He is just not answering this one. So, I am asking, not that you pray that God will provide me with a new job, but that you pray that I will have courage, endurance, confidence, and a stronger faith while I wait for Him to answer my prayer for a job.
Thanks so much, sisters, and have a wonderful and blessed day!!
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Prayers for you—for God to be your strength, peace, and patience while you learn to trust more in his perfect timing and perfect plan for you! I’ve been in a similar situation recently and I can understand that kind of discouragement. I just prayed over and over again for God to renew my faith and build my trust in him everyday. Blessings to you!
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Just prayed for you, Courtney ❤️
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Courtney, I will lift you up in prayer. God is faithful.
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Courtney I’ve been in the place u r in and I feel for u.. it’s horrible. BUT in hindsight I am so glad the Lord took me through it because I learned to trust Him AND he had something better in store for me. Have u thanked him and praised him for your situation? Do it! Pour your heart out to Him, ask Him for help and provision, but thank Him when his answer is No. In ALL things God works for the good of those who love him. Xx
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Just prayed for you. ❤️
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Hi ladies! I am loving this Bible study so far! I love getting on here and reading the comments afterwards. Before doing my quiet time I just found out that a friend of mine got some bad news. His father passed away on Tuesday from COVID and his mom is in the hospital with it. As I was reading the comments I knew I had to ask. Ladies can you join me in praying for his mom so that he doesn’t loose both his parents. Of course God would hear my prayers but the prayers of many are so strong and I know he would appreciate it.
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Praying with you, Kristina, for healing for your friend’s mom
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Praying with you ❤️
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Today’s reading is so appropriate for our world today. Gods kingdom surpasses all earthly ones. We need this reminder daily.
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Someday, God will make this right! He will “abolish all rule and power” (1 Corinthians 15:25) and is building a mountain to fill the earth. Let us, like Daniel, carry confidence in an eternal kingdom!
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