King Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful king in all of Babylon, has a dream that troubles him deeply. Some commentaries suggest that he doesn’t even remember the contents of the dream because it was so intense and troubling. Distressed by this great mystery, the king turns to the smartest people he knows to interpret his dream, but they are unable to help. In fact, the wisest people in all of Babylon tell the king that the answer he seeks cannot come from mere humans (Daniel 2:11)!
There are times when we’re trying to find answers to our troubles and life’s mysteries, but all the knowledge available in this world comes up short. There must be something more.
When Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t get what he wants, he becomes furious and loses his lid (Daniel 2:12). His desire to understand his dream becomes a demand. His rage boils over in an evil and ungodly way, and he lashes out at others. Whenever we seek to understand our lives and experiences apart from God, it leads to frustration. Like Nebuchadnezzar, when we are confronted with our inability to make sense of our world and control our lives, we often lash out in anger.
SEEKING GOD WHEN YOU ARE UNCERTAIN
Daniel models another path through our troubles and confusion: He goes to God. In verse 18, Daniel summons his friends to call out to God for mercy, so that he and many others will be saved from the king’s wrath.
When the Lord reveals to Daniel the meaning of the king’s dream, Daniel blesses God and reflects on his unchanging character (vv. 20–23). Daniel’s prayer in this section encourages us to reflect on God’s character when we are confronted with difficult situations or danger. God is the God of wisdom. He reveals all things. He knows all things, in darkness and in the light. He has the power to change circumstances and people. And because of this, Daniel is able to trust God and give him praise.
A SOBERING DREAM FOR BABYLON’S KING BUT A HOPEFUL DREAM FOR US!
The image in the dream is a statue made of mixed materials: Its head is gold, its chest and arms are silver, its middle and thighs are bronze, its legs are iron, and its feet are iron mixed with clay. A stone strikes the feet, and the entire statue is broken into pieces and carried away by the wind. But that stone becomes a mountain and fills the whole earth.
The message of the dream is this: Kingdoms come and go. Nebuchadnezzar was thinking, I’m on top of the world! And this dream is saying, “Don’t you dare think that you’ve arrived and that you’re going to last forever.” Kingdoms are always changing. In fact, sin will always cause a lot of disruption, pain, and chaos. But God’s kingdom is coming, and it will prevail forever.
JESUS IS THE ROCK
Throughout history, there have been numerous earthly kingdoms. Sadly, many have used their power to crush others with violence and evil. In contrast to the kingdoms of this world, which are both flawed and fleeting, the kingdom that Jesus came to establish is perfect and everlasting (Mark 1:15).
As the great and powerful King, Jesus is the stone that Daniel 2 speaks of, the One who makes all evil kingdoms crumble and fall. He accomplishes this in the most subversive way. In Colossians 2:15, the apostle Paul writes this about Jesus and his death on the cross: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” On the cross, Jesus dies so as to defeat death, and three days later, he rises from the dead, triumphing in victory as the risen King of kings and Lord of lords!
One day, the King will return and establish his kingdom forever. And on that day, the Lord will wipe every tear from the eyes of those who have suffered yet put their hope in the true King; there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for all “the former things”—including earthly kingdoms of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold—will pass away (Revelation 21:4).
This reality is what enables God’s people to live as faithful exiles in Babylon. Knowing that Jesus is the powerful King who has established a kingdom that will last forever, we can live with deep hope and resilience, even amid suffering and hardship.
Excerpted from Daniel: Standing Firm in Adversity © 2025 by Paul Kim. Used with permission of New Growth Press. May not be reproduced without prior written permission.
DANIEL: STANDING FIRM IN ADVERSITY
How do you live as a Christian in a world that doesn’t follow Jesus? The Bible speaks of the Christian life as living in exile. In exile, you feel like you’re not at home, and there’s a sense of pressure to conform to outward pressures. Paul S. Kim’s study of Daniel guides Christians in how to live with courage and conviction in a world that is not their home.
