Introduction
Daniel was a Jewish captive taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. (Modern day Iraq)
Questions
1. What problem did the Chaldeans raise when they answered before the king?
v 10 and 11 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, “There is not a man on the earth who can show the king’s matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
2. What did Daniel do when he went to his house and what happened as a result?
v 17 to 19 Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. ...
3. What did Daniel tell the king about his secret and what God had made known to him?
v 27 and 28 Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers; but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. ...
Summary Points
- v 1 to 13 Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and wants to check the credibility of his wise men by asking them to tell him the dream and then interpret it
- v 14 to 23 Daniel, hearing about this, arranges to give the king an interpretation. He and his three friends pray to God, and Daniel is told the dream and its meaning
- v 24 to 27 Daniel is taken to the king. Daniel then tells him that God has revealed the dream to him
- v 28 to 35 The dream is of an image of a man made of different materials
- v 36 to 45 Daniel explains the meaning of the dream, saying that the gold and other metals are successive empires. These will finally be destroyed by a stone, representing God’s kingdom
- v 46 to 49 Daniel and his friends are rewarded by being given positions of authority and responsibility in Babylon
"The evidence - you decide" website has details of other Bible predictions which have been fulfilled.