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Answer
Daniel 2 recounts an important prophetic vision given to King Nebuchadnezzar and the king’s quest for its interpretation. The prophet Daniel provides the answer and demonstrates that “there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” «but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; », (Daniel 2:28) and “reveals deep and hidden things” «he revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. », (Daniel 2:22).
Nebuchadnezzar had a particularly troubling dream, which caused him to lose sleep «And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. », (Daniel 2:1). To ensure the correct interpretation, he demanded that his counselors reveal the dream itself, not just the explanation (Daniel 2:2-9). The king’s advisors acknowledged the impossibility of such a request, stating that no one on earth could disclose the dream to the king «The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. », (Daniel 2:10). They suggested that only a god could perform such a remarkable feat «And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. », (Daniel 2:11).
Upon learning that the king required something impossible for any human to do, Daniel realized that only the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh, could fulfill the king’s demand (Daniel 2:11). In response to the king’s decree to execute all the wise men, including Daniel and his three friends, for failing to meet his demand, they prayed to God for deliverance (Daniel 2:12-18).
While humans were incapable of meeting Nebuchadnezzar’s request, God had the power to reveal the hidden things. God disclosed the mystery to Daniel, who then worshipped Him, saying, “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter” (Daniel 2:23). Before the king’s order to execute his counselors could be carried out, Daniel informed Nebuchadnezzar’s executioner that God had provided the answer by revealing the hidden things (Daniel 2:24-25). When Nebuchadnezzar asked Daniel if he could reveal the dream and its interpretation, Daniel replied, “The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?” (Daniel 2:26). Daniel reminded the king that no person on earth could accomplish such a feat, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and discloses the hidden things, saying, “but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;”
Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of a statue with a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron with feet partly of iron and clay (Daniel 2:31-33). A stone uncut by human hands struck the statue at its feet and destroyed it completely, and then that stone filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:34-35). Because God had revealed the hidden things, Daniel was able to explain that the head symbolized Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom “And wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven have been given into your hand, and have made you ruler over them all. You are this head of gold.”, (Daniel 2:38), the chest and arms the kingdom that would follow (Medo-Persia), and after that a third kingdom (Greece), symbolized by the bronze belly and thighs “And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.”, (Daniel 2:39). Daniel further explained that there would be a fourth kingdom, as strong as iron, yet brittle and partially divided (Rome), symbolized by the legs of iron and the feet partly of clay and iron (Daniel 2:40-43). After those kingdoms God would set
God set up His own kingdom, symbolized by the rock that destroyed the statue (Daniel 2:44-45). God’s kingdom would be eternal and fill the whole earth.
God revealed the hidden things to Daniel and saved the lives of Daniel, his three friends, and the other wise men of Babylon. At the same time, God revealed His plan for the ages, starting with the current world power—Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar. God would allow these kingdoms to exist for a while, but one day would intervene directly and rule over the earth Himself. God also revealed to Daniel shortly after that the Ruler would be the Son of Man, the Messiah of Israel (Daniel 7:13-14). This One, whom we know as Jesus, will return from heaven one day and gather those on earth who have believed in Him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17), bring them with Him to stay in heaven until the completion of Daniel’s 70th week (as in Daniel 9:24-27), and then return to earth to fulfill the prophecy of Daniel 2:44–45. Throughout Scripture, God has revealed the hidden things—the mysteries, or things not previously disclosed.
