Monday, December 16

SOMEONE IN TOTAL CONTROL: THE KING’S DREAM

Daniel 2

     Daniel.  When associated with the Bible, most people think of a “hero in the lion’s den.”  King Nebuchadnezzar – wait – isn’t he the one who tried to kill Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?  Well, I suppose someone could chose to remember him by that.  I prefer to remember them as two people whose lives are just two that God worked with.  For instance, in Daniel 2, Daniel was not in the lion’s den – but wait!  King Nebuchadnezzar was trying to kill someone!  Until God spoke to his heart.

     In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and no one could either tell him what he dreamt or the interpretation.  Infuriated, the king sent out a decree for every wise man in Babylon to be executed.  But Daniel prayed.  Instead of looking to himself for the answer, he turned his eyes upon Jesus and prayed for wisdom.  (Daniel 2:19-23)

     Almost everyone who has read Daniel knows about the “dream about the statue” that King Nebuchadnezzar had.  The head of the statue was gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, the legs of iron, and the feet partially iron, partially clay.  Daniel interprets all these different metals to show a spiritual picture of the kingdoms that will rise up after King Nebuchadnezzar.  As he (Daniel) winds down to the end of the dream, he also mentions that a rock is being cut out of a mountain by God’s hands.  While he doesn’t say, “by God’s hands,” he implies it.  Then, with the wisdom given to him from God, he interprets the dream. Daniel says King Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom has dominion over all the kingdoms – his is the head of gold.  The kingdoms to follow are the bronze, silver, iron, and iron and clay.  The rock that is cut out by God, crushes the feet, and the fall of the statue is what causes it to “become like chaff on the threshing floor in the summer.”  (Daniel 2:35b)  That doesn’t say much for our “kingdom,” does it?  You say, “How is our kingdom mentioned in the Bible”? Our kingdom is divided.  The Old Testament applies to our lives just as much as the New Testament does.  All you have to do is flip on the TV or radio and you’ll see that this nation is not united, just as the clay and iron aren’t united.  We are supposed to be united under God, indivisible under God, with liberty and justice for all, under God.  That doesn’t mean He only heals and loves and let’s things slide.  If He did that He wouldn’t be a very loving God.  It says in Daniel 2:24-45 that God’s kingdom is what destroys all the other kingdoms.  That’s His judgment.  When Jesus comes back His kingdom will destroy this one and all others before it.  We’re to have Him as the center of our lives and worship Him.  This world has its leaders so high on a pedestal, they’ve forgotten about God and what He’s about.  They think He’s still either in a manger or “out there somewhere.”  He’s not – and He’s coming back soon.  Like our pastor always says, “If they were living in the last days 2000 years ago, we’re really living in the last days.”  He’s right – so we need to see Jesus as Savior this Christmas season; see Him as someone in control and not just a baby in the manger from 2000 years ago.

~ Nicole Ellis