Daniel 2:1-30: A Disturbing Dream
IN THE VOYAGE of the Dawn Treader C. S. Lewis describes an island where dreams come true. "`This is the island I've been looking for this long time,' said one of the sailors. . . . `Fools!' said a man from the island, stamping his foot with rage. `That's the sort of talk that brought me here, and I'd better have been drowned or never born.'" Suddenly every man began rowing as they never had before, "for it had taken everyone just that half-minute to remember certain dreams they had had—dreams that make you afraid to sleep again." In Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar had such a dream, a dream that was both troubling and true.
Warming Up to God
Have you ever had a dream that was so real that it almost seemed true? How did you feel when you woke up?
Read Daniel 2:1-30. »
Discovering the Word
- Why do you think Nebuchadnezzar demanded to know the content of his dream as well as its interpretation (vv. 1-13)?
- What can we learn from Daniel's example about how we should react to a personal crisis (vv. 14-18)?
- What do verses 19-23 tell you about how to respond to answered prayer?
- Verses 20-23 have often been called "Daniel's psalm." What aspects of God's character are emphasized in these verses?
- How did Daniel's knowledge of God's character reveal itself in his remarks to King Nebuchadnezzar (vv. 27-30)?
Applying the Word
- It is common to feel like we are at the mercy of the people and circumstances around us. How should a knowledge of God's wisdom, sovereignty and power affect our view of the people and circumstances in our lives?
- Three aspects of Daniel's spiritual maturity stand out in thischapter: his wisdom in response to a crisis, his prayer in response to a problem and his praise in response to God's work in his life. How can Daniel's example help you grow in one of these areas?
Responding in Prayer
Pray that your character will be remade in God's image.
For Further Study
The Message of Daniel by Ronald S. Wallace