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MEMORY VERSE: “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he re-moveth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding” (Daniel 2:21).

Suggested Reading: Prophets and Kings, pp. 491–502.

“The strength of nations, as of individuals, is not found in the oppor-tunities or facilities that appear to make them invincible; it is not found in their boasted greatness. It is measured by the fidelity with which they fulfill God’s purpose.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 502.

1.  AN IMPRESSIVE DREAMSun, Apr 12

a.  What did king Nebuchadnezzar command after waking from a troubling dream?

Daniel 2:1, 2: 1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

b.  How did the king’s counsellors respond to his unusual request?

Daniel 2:3–7: 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream. ” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. ” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation. ” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation. ”

“The king knew that if they could really tell the interpretation, they could tell the dream as well. The Lord had in His providence given Nebuchadnezzar this dream, and had caused the particulars to be forgotten, while the fearful impression was left upon his mind, in or-der to expose the pretensions of the wise men of Babylon.”—The Sanc-tified Life, p. 34.

c.  Despite their claims to connection with the spirit world and afterlife, what did these wise men of Babylon admit?

Daniel 2:8–11: 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation. ” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. ”

“Filled with fear for the consequences of their failure, the magicians endeavored to show the king that his request was unreasonable and his test beyond that which had ever been required of any man.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 492.

2.  DANIEL INTERVENESMon, Apr 13

a.  How did the king react to the wise men’s failure to reveal and interpret his dream, and how did Daniel become involved?

Daniel 2:12–16: 12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent? ” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

“Among those sought for by the officers who were preparing to fulfill the provisions of the royal decree, were Daniel and his friends. When told that according to the decree they also must die, ‘with counsel and wisdom’ Daniel inquired of Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, ‘Why is the decree so hasty from the king?’ Arioch told him the story of the king’s perplexity over his remarkable dream, and of his failure to secure help from those in whom he had hitherto placed fullest con-fidence. Upon hearing this, Daniel, taking his life in his hands, ven-tured into the king’s presence and begged that time be granted, that he might petition his God to reveal to him the dream and its interpretation.

“To this request the monarch acceded. ‘Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions.’ Together they sought for wisdom from the Source of light and knowledge. Their faith was strong in the consciousness that God had placed them where they were, that they were doing His work and meeting the demands of duty.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 493.

b.  What can we learn from how Daniel and his companions prayed on this oc-casion?

Daniel 2:17–23: 17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter. ”

“In times of perplexity and danger [Daniel and his compenions] had always turned to [God] for guidance and protection, and He had proved an ever-present help. Now with contrition of heart they sub-mitted themselves anew to the Judge of the earth, pleading that He would grant them deliverance in this their time of special need. And they did not plead in vain. The God whom they had honored, now honored them. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon them, and to Daniel, ‘in a night vision,’ was revealed the king’s dream and its mean-ing.”—Ibid., pp. 493, 494.

“[The four Hebrews] had not sought the mercies of God in vain. Then Daniel called together his companions, and thanked God that their prayers had been heard and answered, and they presented to God an offering of praise and thanksgiving, that was wholly acceptable to the Ruler of the universe. [Daniel 2:20–22 quoted]. Daniel and his fellows had a praise meeting, and all the universe of heaven united with them in thanksgiving.”—The Youth’s Instructor, November 22, 1894.

3.  A PECULIAR STATUETue, Apr 14

a.  How did Daniel address Nebuchadnezzar regarding the revealing of his dream?

Daniel 2:24–30: 24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation. ” 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation. ” 26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation? ” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

“Behold the Jewish captive, calm and self-possessed, in the presence of the monarch of the world’s most powerful empire. In his first words he disclaimed honor for himself and exalted God as the source of all wisdom. To the anxious inquiry of the king, ‘Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?” he replied: ‘The secret which the king hath demanded can-not the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth se-crets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.’ ”—Prophets and Kings, pp. 494–497.

“The Jewish captive stood before the monarch of the most powerful empire that the sun ever shone upon. Notwithstanding his riches and glory, Nebuchadnezzar was in great distress of mind, but the youthful exile was calm and happy in his God. Then, if ever, was an opportunity for Daniel to exalt himself—to make prominent his own goodness and superior wisdom. But his first effort was to disclaim all honor for himself, and to exalt God as the Source of wisdom.”—The Youth’s In-structor, September 1, 1903.

b.  Describe the image that the king saw in his dream.

Daniel 2:31–33: 31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

“Listening with solemn attention as every particular was reproduced, the king recognized this as the dream over which he had been so troubled; and he was prepared to receive with favor the interpreta-tion.”—Ibid.

“The King of kings was about to communicate great truth to the Bab-ylonian monarch. God would reveal that He has power over the king-doms of the world, power to enthrone and to dethrone kings. Nebu-chadnezzar’s mind was to be awakened, if possible, to a sense of his responsibility to Heaven. The events of the future, reaching down to the end of time, were to be opened before him.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 498.

c.  What happened to the image as the king looked at it?

Daniel 2:34, 35: 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

4.  THE DREAM INTERPRETEDWed, Apr 15

a.  What was the meaning of the head made of gold?

Daniel 2:36–38: 36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.

“Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon was the richest and most powerful kingdom on the earth. Its riches and splendor have been faintly portrayed by Inspiration.”—The Youth’s Instructor, September 29, 1903.

b.  What empires were signified by the following metals?

Daniel 2:39, 40: 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.

“Prophecy has traced the rise and progress of the world’s great em-pires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 535.

“Daniel . . . declared to Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom should be superseded. His greatness and power in God’s world would have their day, and a second kingdom would arise, which also would have its pe-riod of trial as to whether it would exalt the one Ruler, the only true God. Not doing this, its glory would fade away, and a third kingdom would occupy its place. Proved by obedience or disobedience, this also would pass away; and a fourth, strong as iron, would subdue the na-tions of the world. These predictions of the Infinite One, recorded on the prophetic page and traced on the pages of history, were given to demonstrate that God is the ruling power in the affairs of this world. He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings, to fulfil His own purpose.”—The Youth’s Instructor, September 29, 1903.

“Babylon passed away because in her prosperity she forgot God, and ascribed the glory of her prosperity to human achievement.

“The Medo-Persian kingdom was visited by the wrath of heaven be-cause in this kingdom God’s law was trampled under foot. The fear of the Lord found no place in the hearts of the people. The prevailing in-fluences in Medo-Persia were wickedness, blasphemy, and corruption.

“The kingdoms that followed were even more base and corrupt. They deteriorated because they cast off their allegiance to God. As they forgot Him, they sank lower and still lower in the scale of moral value.”—Ibid., September 22, 1903.

c.  How were the kingdoms represented by the feet and toes unique?

Daniel 2:41–43: 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.

“Our position in the image of Nebuchadnezzar is represented by the toes, in a divided state, and of a crumbling material, that will not hold together.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 361.

5.  GOD’S KINGDOM TO STAND FOREVERThu, Apr 16

a.  What kingdom will bring an end to the entire system of world powers?

Daniel 2:44, 45: 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure. ”

“The dream of the great image, opening before Nebuchadnezzar events reaching to the close of time, had been given that he might un-derstand the part he was to act in the world’s history, and the relation that his kingdom should sustain to the kingdom of heaven. In the in-terpretation of the dream, he had been plainly instructed regarding the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 503.

b.  When will the reign of the kingdom of God in glory begin?

John 18:36: 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. ”

Matthew 25:31–34: 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 26:64: 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven. ”

Revelation 6:15–17: 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? ”

“Our kingdom is not of this world. We are waiting for our Lord from heaven to come to earth to put down all authority and power, and set up His everlasting kingdom. . . . Prophecy shows us that the great day of God is right upon us. It hasteth greatly.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, pp. 360, 361.

c.  How did the king respond to Daniel’s success in revealing his dream?

Daniel 2:46–49: 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery. ” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

“Daniel’s exposition of this dream resulted in the king’s conferring honor and dignity upon him and his companions. . . . Daniel’s three companions were made counselors, judges, and rulers in the land. These men were not puffed up with vanity, but they saw and rejoiced that God was recognized above all earthly potentates, and that His kingdom was extolled above all earthly kingdoms.”—The Youth’s In-structor, September 8, 1903.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONSFri, Apr 17

1.  What did King Nebuchadnezzar discover regarding his trusted wise men?

2.  What is significant about the fact that Daniel’s prayer of thanks is recorded, but not his prayer of request?

3.  Despite being the wisest man in Babylon, what attribute did Daniel have?

4.  Describe the characteristics of the kingdoms represented by the changing metals.

5.  When will the part of the dream regarding the stone be fulfilled?