‘A Statue, A Stone and A King’ – based on Daniel 2:11-45
We’ve started a ‘Dangerous Journey’ with Daniel. At the outset of our story, Daniel, the exiled Jewish captive, had ‘…purposed in his heart not to defile himself’ (Dan. 1:8) by eating King Nebuchadnezzar’s food. This decision took great courage as Neb was very powerful and the chief of the eunuchs was equally fearful. So, a 10 day private test was agreed upon between the chief eunuch, Ashpiraz, and Daniel’s tribe. Daniel and his friends would eat vegetables and drink water for the said 10 days. Amazingly, the four Hebrews prevailed and passed the test – but not because of human ingenuity or a few miraculous vegetables. Our text tells us that, ‘God gave them learning and skill...’ (Dan. 1:17). Hence, this dangerous journey which Daniel has embarked upon becomes possible because it’s a dangerous journey ‘with God’.
Our story now becomes inherently more dangerous. Our new, proud Babylonian king (Neb) has had a frightful dream and he starts demanding answers. In fact, he threatens the death of all the soothsayers and Chaldeans should they not come up with two things: 1. They have to tell him what his dream means (this seems reasonable considering their vocation). 2. They also have to tell him the dream (this seems equally unreasonable...nigh impossible!). They push back at Neb, stating that they can do neither as his demand is beyond their job description – Neb isn’t playing by the rules! In fact, no one alive can fulfill Nebuchadnezzar’s decree - no one except, ‘the gods...’ (Dan. 2:11). Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, informs Daniel of the king’s dream, the interpreter’s inability to discern its contents and their impotence in interpretation. After winning some time Daniel returns to his home to tell his three friends of their peril. They have now but one course to follow – prayer to God for ‘mercy’. The Babylonian wise men were only half right - while no human being could ever tell the king the contents and interpretation of his dream, God could – but not just any god – One God - Daniel’s God. In the late night God speaks to Daniel in a vision, revealing that He is the source of the dream and He grants its meaning. Before rushing off to the king’s court Daniel lifts his heart in prayer again to God. This time it’s a prayer of praise.
There is good reason for Neb to be frightened by what he has seen in his dream. Daniel begins to describe a large statue which is both striking in size and composition. The head is of gold, the arms and chest of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze and the legs and feet of iron and clay. Daniel explains that this is a prophecy. There will be four great Gentile Kingdoms – from Babylon to Rome. World history proves this vision to be true. For just a moment we are awestruck with what God is up to. God has caused it so that only two men on the planet know the dream – and only one of them knows what it means! It is His man in Babylon, Daniel. For just a moment Daniel becomes a ‘sword’ in God’s hand and shows the Babylonian Empire (and her king) its vulnerability and dependence on Another. But it’s not about the statue which is ‘made with human hands’. It’s about something else...something surprising. As Neb watches this huge, strange statue, a small stone ‘not formed with human hands’ (34) strikes the statue at its feet and reduces it to powder. The wind then blows the powder away and Neb’s big statue disappears into nothing. This seemingly small stone, which amazingly destroyed a much larger statue, grows supernaturally into a mountain eventually filling the whole earth. Daniel identifies the stone as the Kingdom of God. He also reveals that these events (although future) begin with Neb himself as the ‘head’. Was his face on the statue? How frightening! In a sense, Neb is seeing the destruction of his own grand empire – this, of course, would have been shocking news for him. But what’s the point of all this?
Well briefly...it’s not about a statue of a man or a picture of a weird stone – it’s about a Kingdom. And specifically it is about a King who is coming ‘from heaven’ (37) to build a Kingdom that will be unlike all four of the kingdoms described. This Kingdom will have no end. It will also come in a ‘seemingly small’ way (like a small stone) but it will grow into ‘gradual greatness’ and will ‘stand forever’ (44) – crushing all four of the powerful Gentile kingdoms and reducing them to fine powder. Jesus put it this way, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone’. The small rock will become the ‘head of the corner’ – he goes on to say, ‘...this is the Lord’s doing - it is marvelous in our eyes’ (Matt. 21:42). Neb is now confronted with God’s doings. These ‘doings’ probably don’t seem too ‘marvelous’ to him! He may think he has the advantage – he certainly has temporal power over the Hebrew people whom God has given into his hand. But does he? Does God ever relinquish His sovereign advantage or is this simply Neb’s false perception? Daniel powerfully reminds arrogant Mr. Neb of an eternal truth: all human empires, fiefdom’s, corporations, causes and cultures are temporal...all will vanish like powder. Jesus comes (in His first coming) as a seemingly small, suffering servant who humbled Himself in obedience to a cross, laying down His life. In this ‘seemingly small way’ He strikes sin, death and the ‘steel-like’ Roman Empire at the foot of Neb’s statue, thereby establishing His everlasting, glorious Kingdom. He is coming again! This time it is in greatness as He comes, ‘...in the clouds and every eye will see Him’ (Rev. 1:7). This second time it will be in great power and glory as Jesus, ‘...inflicts vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ...’ (2 Thes. 1:8). Who is your allegiance to? Do you know this King?
Joining the journey,
Keith Doyle - Lead Pastor, Winnetka Bible Church
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