Daniel 2
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Daniel 2:1-23
Guzik adds that "Daniel had the certainty of faith to believe that God gave him the answer, even before confirming it before Nebuchadnezzar yet." As Paul would say, Daniel was walking by faith, not by sight. His faith would soon be confirmed. And when it was, his faith would grow even greater (Daniel 2 Commentary) The king's matter - This refers to the mystery especially the dream aspect (a matter unrevealed to the pagan wise men) and to the interpretation of the dream. Daniel 1 Commentary Daniel 2:24-49 Commentary
Daniel 2:24-49
Guzik comments on the stone - This stone cut without hands is the Messiah, not the Church. Ps 118:22, Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16, and Zechariah 3:9 also refer to Jesus as a stone. Isaiah's prophecy for example in Isa 28:16 and quoted in part (specifically in 1Pe 2:6-note) by Peter in 1Pe 2:4-8-note leaves no doubt that the supernatural Stone is the Messiah. Feet - The feet correspond to the feet and toes described in Da 2:41-42. On its feet of iron and clay - This detail is critically important if this prophecy is to be interpreted accurately. It will be discussed more fully below. The point is that the Stone did not strike at head, arms, belly or leg stage, but at the "toe stage" a stage which cannot be readily identified by any previous kingdoms in the history of the world. For example, notice that all ten (making the assumption that there are 10 toes, which is reasonable given the parallel passage in Da 7:24-note = "ten kings") would have to be existing at the same time to fulfill the prophecy. THE STONE THAT CRUSHES In this context the Stone metaphor speaks of the Messiah, Christ Jesus. This picture of Christ as a Stone (or Rock) is intimately woven by the Spirit throughout both the Old and New Testaments and makes for a fascinating and encouraging study. Suggestion: This study would make an edifying series in a Sunday School class and would be very enlightening to those who are not that familiar with the Old Testament especially OT prophecies that speak of the Messiah. Remember to carefully observe the context to arrive at the most accurate interpretation, interrogating the primary verse with questions such as… When does this take place? Where does this take place? What are the circumstances surrounding the use of this metaphor? Who is in the "cast of characters"? Who used the name Stone or Rock? What attribute(s) do you discover about the Stone or Rock? How should we apply this truth to our life today -- not Can we? - it is God's Word of Truth and it is ALWAYS applicable to our life. The more relevant question is "Will we allow the Spirit to speak the Word of Truth to our innermost being and respond with unhesitating obedience"?… here are the Scriptures… and as they say when your meal (cp Mt 4:4, Job 23:12-note) is served in the restaurant… "Enjoy!" Ge 49:24 > Ex 17:6 > Ex 33:21 > Nu 20:11 > Dt 32:4 > 2Sa 23:3 > Ps 18:2 > Ps 18:31 > Ps 18:46 > Ps 19:14 > Ps 27:5 > Ps 28:1 > Ps 31:2-3 > Ps 40:2 > Ps 42:9 > Ps 61:2 >Ps 62:2 >Ps 62:6-7 >Ps 71:3 >Ps 78:16 > Ps 78:20 > Ps 78:35 > Ps 81:16 > Ps 89:26 > Ps 92:15 > Ps 94:22 >Ps 95:1 >Ps 105:41 >Ps 114:8 >Ps 118:22 >Ps 144:1 >Isa 8:14 > Isa 17:10 > Isa 26:4 >Isa 28:16 >Isa 30:29 >Isa 32:2 >Isa 33:16 >Isa 44:8 >Isa 48:21 >Isa 51:1 > Da 2:34 > Da 2:35, 44, 45, 46 > Hab 1:12 > Zech 4:7 > Mt 7:24,25> Mt 16:18 >Mt 21:42 >Mk 12:10 >Lk 20:17 > Acts 4:11 >Ro 9:32-33 > Acts 4:11 >1Co 1:23>1Co 10:4 >Eph 2:20 >1Pe 2:4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Which book of the Bible has the most allusions to Rock? Why might that be the case?) CHRIST THE STONE… THE ROCK… THE CORNERSTONE (1) To God Jesus is…Smitten Stone Ex 17:6, 1Cor 10:4, cp John 4:13, 14, 7:37, 38, 39, Re 22:17 (note) (2) To Israel Messiah is…Stumbling Stone 1Peter 2:8 (note), Ro 9:32 (note) Ro 9:33 (note); 1Cor 1:23 (3) To the Church the Lord Jesus is…Cornerstone 1Pe 2:6 (note), Eph 2:20 (note), 1Co 3:10, 11, 12 (foundation) (4) To all the Gentile world powers Jesus is the…Stone cut without hands Da 2:34-note Stone that grows and fills the earth Da 2:35-note, cf Da 2:44, 45-note (5) To Israel at Second coming Messiah is…Capstone of the corner (6) To unbelievers the Lord Jesus Christ is the…Crushing Stone of judgment Daniel 2:35 "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Ps 1:4,5 Isa 17:13,14 41:15,16 Ho 13:3 Mic 4:13 not a trace - Job 6:17 Ps 37:10,36 103:16 Rev 12:8 20:11 became: Isa 2:2,3 Mic 4:1,2) A POWERFUL PROVIDENTIAL "THEN"! Is it any wonder that this stone smashing statue dream would trouble King Nebuchadnezzar and give him a bad case of divine insomnia! And notice that Nebuchadnezzar seems to be frozen in silence, as Daniel records no reply by the king to the dream description. The implication of course is that Nebuchadnezzar recognizes Daniel's description as "spot on!" Then (repeated in Da 2:35, 39, 40, 46, 48) - This expression of time marks sequence in a series of events. In this case then marks the time of the feet stage of Da 2:33 at which time the Stone struck at the feet. The picture is that the stone struck the statue and THEN the statue was crushed. All at the same time - The point is that it is not just the feet which are crushed by the Stone but (1) the entire image and (2) all at the same time. As we discuss below, the Stone represents the Lord Jesus Christ and the striking of the Stone marks the return of Christ, the Second Coming, and the eternal terminus of the Gentile attempt to dominate the earth. In short, man's day ends, and God's day begins! Became like Chaff - This is a figure of speech (more specifically like introduces a simile) which depicts the worthless part of grain that has been threshed. The worthless part is carried away. This is an amazing, humbling thought, for what God is saying in essence is that all of man's empire building and all his vast and glorious achievements (that is all which have been accomplished apart from Christ as He explained in Jn 15:5) amount to ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in His eternal estimation! Jesus alludes to this with another figure of speech declaring "And everyone who hears these words of Mine (Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5:1-7:29), and does not act upon them (cp similar warning in James 1:22-24-note), will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall. (Mt 7:26, 27-note) In a very real sense all the godless Gentile empires throughout history are like this house built on sand (although clearly in context Jesus is speaking to individuals not empires) and they will not survive the rains and floods and wind of the outpouring of God's righteous wrath which will burst against them and forever destroy them. Does this somber truth not make you want to share the Gospel with someone today? The psalmist uses this same figure of speech of chaff to describe the eternal fate of ungodly individuals - "The wicked are not so (their fate is not like that of the godly in Ps 1:3-note), but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish (Heb = abad = to be in a state of ruin and destruction; Lxx = apollumi = not the loss of being per se, but the loss of well-being = so that the person ruined can no longer serve the use for which they were designed!)." (Ps 1:4-6-note) Jeremiah uses similar harvest imagery (cp Rev 14:15-note) in his prophecy of Babylon's defeat by the Medo-Persian Kingdom writing "thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “The daughter of Babylon is like (introduces a simile) a threshing floor at the time it is stamped firm; yet in a little while the time of harvest will come for her (Ed: Alluding to her defeat by the Medo-Persian Kingdom).” (Jer 51:33) Tony