Eastside Missionary Baptist Church

“THE DREAM, THE DOMINIONS, AND THE DIVINE DELIVERER”

THREE-PART SERMON SERIES TEXT: Daniel 2:1-49  

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES: There are moments when kings tremble, kingdoms totter, and civilizations shake. Daniel 2 opens with one of those moments. History is moving according to a Divine blueprint. The chapter reveals: The helplessness of human wisdom. The supremacy of heavenly wisdom. The certainty of prophetic history. The victory of the coming Christ. This chapter is one of the greatest prophetic chapters in all Scripture. It spans: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, The future Antichrist kingdom, The Second Coming of Christ, The Millennial Kingdom. In one dream God unfolded over 2,500 years of history. You can say; "Man writes his plans in pencil. God writes His purposes in stone."

 

PART I “THE PANIC IN THE PALACE" TEXT: Daniel 2:1-23

INTRODUCTION: "A King With Everything Except Peace” (Job 33:14-17, Proverbs 3:5-6, James 1:5)

 

I. A DISTURBED RULER Daniel 2:1"The Perplexity of the Palace" 

Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 127:2, Proverbs 21:1, Job 33:14-18, Psalm 119:71

II. A DECEIVED RELIGION Daniel 2:2-11 "The Failure of False Wisdom"

A.) THE FAILURE OF BABYLON'S WISDOM Daniel 2:2-4

1. A Great Principle Human wisdom can discuss problems. Only divine wisdom can disclose truth. I Corinthians 1:20, Isaiah 47:12-15

2. A Great Deception Nebuchadnezzar summons four groups.

Magicians - Hebrew: Chartumim Sacred scribes who claimed mystical knowledge. Astrologers - Connected with occult practices and spirits.

Sorcerers - Practitioners of enchantment. Chaldeans - Babylon’s elite intellectual-priestly class. Experts in astronomy, religion, and governmental counsel. Romans 1:22

3. A Great Confrontation Daniel The king demands: "Tell me the dream first." Why? Because interpretation can be invented.  Revealing the dream would prove divine knowledge.

B. THE CONFESSION OF PAGAN WISDOM Daniel 2:10-11

Their Admission Daniel 2:11, John 1:14

III. A DEADLY REQUIREMENT Daniel 2:12-13 "The Fury of a Frustrated King" Nebuchadnezzar orders all wise men killed.   Including Daniel.  

Spiritual Picture: This is humanity's condition Romans 3:23, 6:23 Every person already stands under a death sentence because of sin.

IV. A DEPENDENT RESPONSE Daniel 2:14-23 "The Prayer Meeting Before the Promotion" Daniel 2:14-15 Daniel responded: Not with panic. Not with politics. Not with persuasion. But with prayer. His Calmness Daniel 2:14, Proverbs 15:1 Daniel’s Fourfold Response  

A. He Requested Time Daniel 2:16, Isaiah 40:31 His Confidence

B. He Recruited Friends Daniel 2:17 His Companions The power of godly friendships. Names reveal powerful truths. Hananiah = "Jehovah is gracious” Mishael = "Who is like God?" Azariah = "Jehovah has helped” Daniel = "God is Judge” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

C. He Requested Mercy Daniel 2:18 His Cry Jeremiah 33:3

D. He Rendered Praise Daniel 2:19-23 His Celebration

NOTICE GOD'S TITLES: God Rules Daniel 2:21

God Removes Kings Daniel 2:21 “he removeth kings,”

God Raises Kings Daniel 2:21 “and setteth up kings”

God Gives Wisdom Daniel 2:21 “he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding”

God Reveals Daniel 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Praise For Answered Prayer! Daniel 2:23

CONCLUSION: As we leave the palace today, what have we learned? We learned that power cannot solve every problem. We learned that education cannot answer every question. We learned that money cannot buy peace. We learned that the world's wisdom eventually reaches a wall it cannot climb. Babylon's experts stood speechless. The king stood helpless. Death stood waiting. But God intervened. Can you see yourself in this story?

Nebuchadnezzar represents the troubled sinner. The wise men represent the failure of human effort. The death decree represents the penalty of sin.

Daniel represents the believer who knows where to find answers. And God represents the only hope for mankind. Friend, if philosophy could save you, Babylon would have succeeded. If religion could save you, the magicians would have succeeded. If education could save you, the Chaldeans would have succeeded. But all of them failed. Only God had the answer. The same God who revealed the dream has revealed salvation through Jesus Christ. Perhaps tonight your life feels like Nebuchadnezzar's palace. Confused. Fearful. Restless. Empty. Christ is the answer. The Savior who knows tomorrow is offering mercy today. Come to Christ. Repent of your sin. Trust in His death, burial, and resurrection. And child of God, if Daniel sought God in prayer during a crisis, how much more should we? Some of us need to return to the prayer room. Return to the altar. Return to the Bible. Return to first love. The palace was shaken. The prophet was strengthened. And God was glorified. May the same be true in our lives.