Daniel: Humble Servant, Faithful God - Not Man But God

Sunday we’ll move into chapter two of Daniel. This portion begins the Aramaic portion of Daniel, highlighting the life of the Hebrews in the pagan empire. The narrative Daniel presents is the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. The king refuses to tell the wisemen the dream, while demanding that they give him the meaning. The stage is set for God to show his power and presence. Several statements stand out and guide us in our interpretation. First, those who worship the gods of Babylon say, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand.” They are right, no man has this kind of ability. Secondly, they say, "no one can show it to the king except the gods." Note their theology, they believe that the gods they worship can reveal the king's dreams. But they have one problem: their gods do not "dwell with flesh."

God is setting the stage to show two things: his ability and his presence. With the executioners bearing down on Daniel and his companions, they go to prayer. They know that God is able, but they also know that he is present. This scene is like the story of Elijah’s standoff with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). The prophets plead with Baal to bring down fire, but the gods are silent. Then Elijah prays and God responds. Join us Sunday as we consider this great narrative.