Daniel 2

Scripture

Daniel 2:11

What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

 Observation

Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream and assembles the magicians of Babylon to not only interpret his dream but tell him what it was that he had dreamed. The magicians and seers vie for time, but the king sees through their vanities and decrees that unless one of his counselors can satisfy his wishes, then all of the wise men and diviners shall be put to death. Upon hearing of this edict, Daniel enlists the intercession of his closest friends that God might give him insight into the king’s dream. God gives Daniel the spirit of revelation and the ability to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Daniel gives God the glory for the interpretation, and because Daniel was able to rightly divine the kings dream and the interpretation, the king also glorifies God and places Daniel and his friends into positions of power and influence in the king’s court.  

Understanding

If only the magicians of Nebuchadnezzar’s courts could have really divined the future, they would have been able to look ahead to a time when God did live among humans. The most earth shattering, mind blowing and miraculous truth of the gospel is that for one brief, shining moment there was not Camelot, but Immanuel; God with Us. For three years of human history, God did live among humans in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Clothed in the humility of flesh and blood, God lived an earthly, sinless life so that He could die as the atoning sacrifice for sinful mankind. God as a baby, redeemed at the temple; God as an obedient child in His Father’s house; God as a man – who hungered, thirsted, tired, laughed, and wept. God the Son who was righteously angered and who struggled with, but ultimately surrendered to, God’s perfect will. God the Creator, captive, humiliated, beaten and killed at the hands of His creation in order to save them. You are in error, counselors of the king. God did dwell among humans and purchased redemption for them with His very blood.

Life Application

As wondrous as is the truth of Immanuel, perhaps even more incomprehensible is the miracle that the Spirit of God does not merely dwell with humans, but dwells within me to guide me into all truth, to convict me concerning sin and righteousness and to give me insight into the Word of God that is not available to the natural mind. Thank you, Holy Spirit, my counselor, comforter and teacher, for condescending to live within the heart and mind of a sinner like me and to lead me along the journey of transformation and sanctification. Help me to live a life of surrender to all that you desire to do in and through my life so that it may be with me as it was with Daniel – that kings may give you glory as they see your power displayed through my faith, trust and obedience.

 

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-Gary Parker