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Daniel 2:1-13 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

In her classic commentary, What the Bible is All About, Henrietta Mears wrote, “Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the interpretation teach us some interesting things about the history of the world from that time till the end of this age. This period the Bible calls ‘the times of the Gentiles’ (Luke 21:24; [see also] Romans 11:25) because God has put aside His own people, the Jews, for a time and has turned over the government of the world to the Gentiles.

“Daniel 2 has been called the ABC of prophecy. It stretches out before us the most complete picture in all the Scriptures of what is to come to pass—the future.”¹¹

All of chapter 2 concerns the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had “in the second year of his reign” (Daniel 2:1). There is some confusion about the timing of this occasion. Daniel and his friends had studied for three years (see Daniel 1:5) in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, and in Daniel 1:18 the king had examined them himself and had found them to be the wisest of all of the trainees that had been brought to Babylon from Israel as captives. A possible solution to this “second year” is that the author followed a custom that was often adopted by Jewish writers and was generally used in Assyria and Babylonia. They “postdated” the reigning years of a king, counting as his first year not the year of his ascension, but the first full year afterwards. Thus if Nebuchadnezzar gave orders for the education of the Jewish youths in his ascension year, the end of three years would be recorded as falling within the king’s “second year.”

Nebuchadnezzar used his dream as a way of testing the authenticity of the Babylonian wise men. The king wanted his dream interpreted, so he called “the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers” (Daniel 2:2) to tell him what this dream really meant. One would think he must have remembered the dream or it wouldn’t have bothered him so much, yet he insisted the wise men not only interpret the dream but also tell him what the dream was. Nebuchadnezzar made a terrible threat along with his request. “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble” (Daniel 2:5).

The wise men replied to the king that they would gladly give an interpretation but they could not tell the dream. They even rebuked the king in verse 10 by telling him that no other king had ever made such a demand. What they said was quite true for it was normal for a king to accept the interpretation of the wise men without question. They nicely prepared the way for Daniel’s entrance on the scene by saying in Daniel 2:11, “What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.” Daniel was able to give the king both the content and the interpretation of the dream, information which had been given to him by the true God of Heaven.

Notice that this pagan king called upon his “magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers” to interpret his dream. Astrology, sorcery and the like are a rising tide in our society. God has much to say about such things in the Bible. “I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people” (Leviticus 20:6). In Deuteronomy 18:10-12, God warns, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). In the New Testament in Galatians 5:19-20 warns against “acts of the sinful nature,” which include idolatry and witchcraft.

Anyone who participates in any of these activities will eventually be able to say with the Psalmist, “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 116:3). Astrology was originally a religion and each of the planets was identified with a god to be feared and worshipped. The Babylonians worshipped Jupiter (the god Marduk), Venus (the goddess Ishtar), Saturn (the god Ninurta or Ninib), Mercury (the god Nabu or Nebo), and Mars (the god Nergal). Though most modern astrologers do not think of their current practices as that of a religion, the basic interpretations of astrology are still derived from the ancient beliefs that the planets have a divine personality and determine man’s destiny. Modern astrology is gilded paganism. There are people today who will not do anything without looking at their astrological chart.

The search for true meaning in life is satisfied only when you turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. The astrologers say, “Your destiny is in the stars.” The Christian faith declares that your decision to receive Jesus Christ determines your destiny (see John 3:16-18). It may be somewhat comforting to believe that we are not responsible for what we are, that celestial powers have impelled or compelled us to act. But it is not true! The apostle Paul wrote that we must all stand before God and give an account of ourselves (Romans 14:12). In that day, God will not allow such lame excuses as, “My stars weren’t right that day.”

Astrology is only one area of the temptation to dabble in what the Bible forbids. Many choose to read tarot cards, consult palm readers, become practicing witches, participate in satanic worship, and consult mediums, particularly hoping to speak to their loved ones who have departed from this world. None of these things pleases God. They are forbidden in the Bible.

We also have a responsibility as parents, youth leaders, or persons who have an influence on young people to inform them of the dangers of such practices forbidden by God. We need to teach them the Scriptures concerning these things, warn them of the results and cite examples of the result of such practices in our own day. We must also be willing to take time to pray for our young people that such things will not tempt them. Last but not least, we need to set an example for them by not practicing and participating in such activities ourselves even “just for fun.”