Scripture: Daniel 2:1-13

C.I.: God Rules in Unseen Areas

Last week – we saw how God teaches His people to relate to a world as strangers in a strange.
The theme of the Book of Daniel, is, “God Rules,” Nations – Relationships – Individuals!
Today we will see that not only does he rule in these areas we can see – but also in the unseen areas.

I. God’s Sovereignty in Time & Space (Daniel 2)

A. “God Reveals the Profound & Hidden Things,” (vs. 14-35)

1. When faithful believers are facing trials they always turn to the Lord (vs. 14-28)
a. Chaldeans were right – (v. 10), “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter”…
1) True in O.& N.T. – (Deut. 29:29; I Cor. 2:11), “The secret …” – “For who among men…”
2) But they went on to say – “There is no one who could declare it to the king except the gods
whose dwelling is not with mortal flesh,” (v. 11).
3) Believers today have a place we can go – (Jn. 1:1, 14), “And the Word became flesh…!”
4) No tea leaves, horoscopes or chicken entrails for us – Christians have a place we can go!!

b. (v. 16), “Daniel went in an requested of the king that he would give him time – that he might
declare the interpretation to the king.”
1) Daniel had a community of “prayer-partners” to whom he could turn – (vs. 17-18), “Daniel
went to his house and informed his friends, H., M., A., that they might request compassion
from the God of heaven – concerning this mystery.”
2) God’s people are still a community for prayer – Heb. 4:15-16; I Thess. 5:17; Matt. 21:13.
3) No wonder it says, “Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel,” (Dan. 2:19).

c. So Daniel proceeds to tell the king – (v. 28), “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries,
and He has made known to king N. what will take place in the latter days.”
1) “Mystery” = Something that could not be known by men - unless God reveals it – Eph. 3:3
2) God knows the unseen dreams of a king. – He also knows the unseen future like it’s the past!
3) We look through the distance of space – is how God looks through time (ILLUST.).
4) (Psa. 139:16; II Pt. 3:8), “In Your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” - “…with the Lord a day is as a 1,000 years”

2. The King’s dream (vs. 29-35)
a. So here is a teenager revealing to a king - what only his inner consciousness had known.
1) (v. 31), “You O king, were looking & behold, there was a single great statue; that statue,
was large & of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, & its appear. awes.”
2) (vs. 32-33), “The head of the statue was made of fine gold,- its breast and arms of silver – its belly and its thighs of bronze, - its legs of iron & its feet partly of iron partly of clay.”
3) (vs. 34-35), “You continued looking until a stone was cut without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. – … the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth!”
4) Whatever is represented by the statue – that which the stone represents is far greater!

B. “…What Would Take Place in the Future,” (vs. 36-45)

1. (v. 36), “This was the dream; now we shall tell the interpretation before the king.”
a. The various portions of the statue represent different kingdoms…
1) 1st kingdom = Babylon, (v. 38), “You are the head of gold.”
2) 2nd kingdom = Medo-Persian Empire, (v. 39a), “And after you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you.”
a. We know this refers to Medes & Persians for 2 reasons: First, history shows it.
b. Second, (5:30-31), “That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. – So
Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of 62 years.”
3) 3rd kingdom = Greek Empire, (v. 39b), “…then another third kingdom of bronze, which will
rule over all the earth.”
a. Again we know this refers to the Greeks for 2 reasons: First, history demonstrates it.
b. Second, (8:20-21), “The ram which you saw with the 2 horns represents the kings
of Media & Persia. - The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece.”
3) 4th kingdom = Roman Empire, (v. 40), “Then there will be a 4th kingdom as strong as iron.”

2. But as great as this statue is and what it represents, - it is the stone which destroys it that is greater!
a. (v. 44), “And in the days of those kings [during the 4th kingdom – Rome] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed … but it will itself endure forever.”
1) Remember, the people of God are enslaved – But God has not forgotten His promise to David – (Psa. 89:35-37), “I will not lie to David … his throne shall be established forever.”
2) This promise was remember in the genealogies, (Matt. 1:1) - ratified by Gabriel, (Lk. 1:31-33), “…and you shall call His name Jesus … and His kingdom will have no end,” - heralded by John – (Matt. 3:2), “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” – described by our Lord, (Matt. 16:18-19), “…I will build My church and the gates…and I will give you the keys of the K.” – In existence during the days of the apostles, (Rev. 1:9) – governed by our Jesus, (Matt. 28:19).

b. If God rules in the physical realm – can we accept His unseen rule in the spiritual realm?
1) ILLUST.: Jesus heals the paralytic, i.e., see the physical & accept the spiritual (Mk. 2:9-12)
2) God’s people can have confidence in our future – because we know that Jesus rules there too!

C. Blessings for Those Who Allow God to Rule in Their Lives, (vs. 46-49)

1. We will be a source of blessing for non-believers.
a. (v. 47), “The king said, ‘Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of
mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
b. When we allow God to rule – others will receive benefit (Matt. 5:16; I Pt. 3:11).

2. We will be blessed by God
a. (v. 48), “Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler
over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.”
1) (Lk. 6:38), “Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down and shaken together, for by your standard of measure, it will be measured out to you.”

3. We will be a source of blessing for believers
a. (v. 49), “And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed S., M., A., over the
administration of the province of Babylon.” – A friend in action – a brother at work!!!