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DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2019 May 14
Daniel 2
 The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar (1996) Renata Fucikova (b. 1964) Fantastic Style Illustration from Images de l'Ancien Testament, 2008 Image Source: DAWN at Ad Lib Christian Arts [ Illustration: Today's image depicts key elements of Nebuchadnezzar's dream from today's chapter. ] SPECIAL NOTE: [ I will again be working through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. I will be adding links, resources, images, and the like, upgrading the former work-through which began with the 2013-10-12 posting which can be found, along with the full Genesis to Revelation postings, in the Archive Page. Postings will be at midnight Eastern Time, as I am able. However, no chapters will be skipped, even though a posting may be late. And all postings will be housed in the Archive Page. ] Explanation: In Daniel 2, Daniel and his companions continue their rise to power and influence which began in chapter 1. This next step comes about when Daniel reveals to Nebuchadnezzar a dream which Nebuchadnezzar could not remember and interprets the dream to him. The dream was of an image whose head was gold, whose chest and arms were silver, whose belly and thighs were brass, whose legs were iron, and whose feet were a mixture of iron and clay. Then, a stone cut from a mountain without hands, rolled against the image, broke it to pieces, and grew to become a great mountain which filled the whole earth. This was a revelation from God that a succession of empires would arise beginning with Nebuchadnezzar and ending with a kingdom which would never be destroyed (the kingdom of the Messiah). Nebuchadnezzar has A Dream (1-13). In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream (1). He demanded that his counselors reveal his dream and interpret it (2-9). They failed to do so (10-11). Consequentially, Nebuchadnezzar issued a death decree against them (12-13). The Dream is Revealed to Daniel (14-23). When Daniel heard about the decree, he asked the king for some additional time to give an interpretation (14-16). Daniel and his companions then prayed for a revelation from God (17-18). God revealed the dream and its interpretation (19). In response, Daniel offered a song of praise to God for his greatness and for his blessing (20-23). Daniel Interprets the Dream (24-45). Daniel quickly intervened in the situation and asked Arioch, the king's agent, to bring him before the king. When he did so, Daniel explained to the king that no counselor could reveal such mysteries to the king, but the God of heaven could (24-28). Daniel then revealed the details of the dream (29-36). He then interpreted the dream, stating that it revealed that four kingdoms, of which Nebuchadnezzar's was the first, would arise. In the days of the fourth kingdom, the God of heaven would set up a kingdom which would destroy the previous kingdoms, cover the whole earth, and never be destroyed (37-45). Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Daniel (46-49). The king fell down on his face and worshipped Daniel and praised his God (46-47). And the king gave great gifts and honors to Daniel and promoted Daniel and his friends (48-49). Interpretive Note: Until the 1700's, the four kingdoms mentioned by Daniel were understood to be Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. However, scholars have arisen who have an anti-supernatural bias and believe that prophecy is impossible. They therefore believe that some person or persons wrote the book of Daniel later in history and presented their historical interpretation of world kingdoms as if it had been a prophecy. Many of these interpreters believe that the kingdoms represented in the book are Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. That interpretation eliminates any connection with Christ, since he came in Roman times, not in Grecian. However, it was the Medo-Persian empire, not the Medes, who came after Babylon. Also, no world-encompassing kingdom, except Christ's spiritual kingdom, arose from the ashes of the previous kingdoms. Islam arose 600 years after Christianity and after the Roman Empire had split (in 395 AD) into two parts. It was Christianity (with 2.4 billion adherents), not Islam (with 1.8 adherents), which supplanted Rome, beginning especially when the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great (272-337; r. 306-337), began to come under the influence of Christianity (312). Alternate Chapter Outline: Various authors see a chiastic * structure in this and other chapters in Daniel. Below, I have presented the outline of David A. Dorsey, slightly modified, from his book The Literary Structure of the Old Testament (p. 261). Below, I have made the main paragraph divisions of Daniel 1 in accord with Dorsey's chiastic divisions. * A chiastic structure is a literary form of parallelism in which a succession of ideas leads up to an emphatic central point then repeats in reverse order. Chapter 2: Kingdoms at War a. Introduction: Nebuchadnezzar has a distressing dream (2:1) b. Magicians fail: they cannot recount and explain the king's dream (2:2-13) c. Daniel and Arioch: Daniel goes to the king with a proposal (2:14-16) d. CLIMAX: God reveals and explains the dream to Daniel (2:17-23) c'. Daniel and Arioch: Daniel goes to the king with an answer (2:24-25) b'. Daniel succeeds: he recounts and explains the king's dream (2:26-45) a'. Conclusion: Nebuchadnezzar glorifies God and promotes Daniel for relieving his distress (2:46-49) ] [ Sermons: William Still. Sinclair B Ferguson. Various. ] Bible Chronologies -- Genesis to Revelation [Traditional Patriarchal Chronology. Judges Period Chronology 1. Judges Period Chronology 2. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2]. [Intertestamental Period Chronology 1. Intertestamental Period Chronology 2. Intertestamental Period Chronology 3. Intertestamental Period Chronology 4. Intertestamental Period Chronology 5.] [New Testament Chronology 1. New Testament Chronology 2. New Testament Chronology 3. New Testament Chronology 4. New Testament Chronology 5.] RESOURCES PLEASE NOTE: Use the resources on this and other sites thoughtfully, particularly the commentaries and encyclopedias. I have attempted to list conservative, scholarly resources. However, some providers use liberal or liberal-influenced commentaries such as the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (in Bible Hub). Such commentaries are undoubtedly included by the provider for the wealth of useful information and comments which they provide. By consulting several commentaries, it should be fairly easy to sort out the wheat from the chaff. If, however, you would like personal assistance, write to me at AD LIB ARTS EMAIL. [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Daniel 2: Daniel 1. Daniel 2. Daniel 3. Daniel 4. Daniel 5. Daniel 6. ] [1] Daniel 1:1-5; 2 Kings 24:1; Genesis 41:8; Job 33:15-17; Daniel 6:18; Esther 6:1. [2] Deuteronomy 18:10; Isaiah 47:9; Isaiah 47:12; Daniel 1:17. [3] Genesis 40:8; Genesis 41:15; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Matthew 2:1-2. [4] Daniel 3:9; Daniel 6:6, 21. [5] Daniel 3:29; 1 Samuel 15:33; Psalm 50:22; Ezra 6:11. [6] Daniel 5:7; Daniel 5:16-17; Daniel 5:29. [7] Ecclesiastes 10:4. [8] Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 4:5. [9] Esther 3:7; Proverbs 12:19; Isaiah 44:25. [10] Daniel 5:11. [11] Ezra 8:22. [12] Daniel 3:13; Proverbs 16:14. [13] Proverbs 28:15-17; Isaiah 10:1. [14] Ecclesiastes 9:13-18; Genesis 14:1-2. [15-16] Daniel 3:22; Daniel 1:19-20. [17] Daniel 1:7, 11. [18] Genesis 24:7; Ezra 1:2; Nehemiah 1:5; Psalm 136:26. [19] Numbers 12:6. [20] Nehemiah 9:5. [21] Daniel 7:12; 1 Samuel 2:8; Jeremiah 32:19. [22] Job 12:22; Psalm 139:12; Psalm 36:9. [23] 1 Kings 18:36; Psalms 105. [24] Esther 5:1. [25] Proverbs 24:11. [26] Daniel 4:8; Daniel 1:19-20. [27] Genesis 20:3; Genesis 41:16; Genesis 41:25; Genesis 41:28; Numbers 22:35. [28] Genesis 41:16. [29] Amos 4:13. [30] Acts 3:12. [31] Daniel 7:3-17. [32] Daniel 4:22, 30; Jeremiah 51:7. [33] Daniel 7:7-8; Daniel 7:19-26. [34] Psalm 118:22; Daniel 8:25. [35] Psalm 1:4; Psalm 2:9; Isaiah 41:15-16; Jeremiah 51:33; Daniel 7:9-14; Daniel 7:12. [36] Daniel 2:23-24. [37] Jeremiah 27:6; Jeremiah 28:14; Ezekiel 26:7. [38] Daniel 4:21-22; Jeremiah 27:5-7. [39] Daniel 7:5-6; Daniel 8:3; Daniel 8:5-7; Daniel 8:20. [40] Daniel 7:7-8; Daniel 7:19-20. [41-42] Daniel 7:7, 24; Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:12. [43] Jeremiah 31:27; Daniel 11:6; Daniel 11:17. [44] Daniel 7:24-27. [45] Isaiah 2:2; Psalm 1:2; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Revelation 11:15; Matthew 21:44. [46] Isaiah 46:6. [47] Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:2; Daniel 4:17, 32; Psalm 82:1. [48] Daniel 3:2. [49] Nehemiah 2:16; Esther 3:9; Esther 3:2. -- From Treasury of Scripture Knowledge & Others ] [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ] [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ] [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5] [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). PROVERBS: Book of Proverbs. ECCLESIASTES: Book of Ecclesiastes Dramatized. SONG OF SOLOMON: Song of Solomon Dramatized. ISAIAH: Isaiah Dramatized. JEREMIAH: Jeremiah Dramatized. LAMENTATIONS: Lamentations Dramatized. EZEKIEL: Ezekiel Dramatized. DANIEL: Daniel Dramatized. VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ] HARMONY OF THE LAW GOSPEL HARMONIES Gospel Harmony - Summary | The Harmony of the Gospels - Augustine | Gospel Harmony Chart - Online Bible Greek Harmony of the Gospels - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF) | Gospel Harmony in English - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF) HEBREW AND GREEK INTERLINEAR BIBLES Daniel Detailed Outline Daniel 2 Map 1: Bible Nations | Map 2: Empire of David and Solomon Map 3: Kingdoms of Judah and Israel | Post Exile Chronology. 1. Spiritual Struggle in Babylon (1:1 - 6:28) B. The Struggle of the World's Kingdoms - Won by God's Intervention (2:1-49) 4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever [perpetually]: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 10 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 [not any] king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 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. 12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. Then Arioch made the thing known [certified the word] to Daniel. 16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever [from perpetuity and unto perpetuity]: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 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. 25 Then Arioch bought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives [sons of the captives] of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot [not are able] the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 28 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; 29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes [on intent] that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 31 Thou, O king, sawest [gazing you were], and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest [you were gazing] till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces [and pulverized them]. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces [shattered] together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away [took them], that no [not any] place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. 39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces [pulverizes] and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh [crushes] all these, shall it break in pieces [pulverize] and bruise [and crush]. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another [this with this], even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never [not to perpetuity] be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces [it shall pulverize] and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever [to perpetuity]. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out [or severed itself] of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces [and it pulverized] the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Tomorrow's Picture: TBA
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