INTRODUCTION
Things aren’t always what they seem to be. As we go through life most of us learn that. A custard apple isn’t a nut, it’s a legume. A cucumber isn’t a vegetable, it’s a fruit. A falling star isn’t a star, it’s a meteorite. We learn the truth of common sayings, such as “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” or “All that glitters is not gold.” No, because things aren’t always what they seem to be.
I. UNDERSTANDING APOCALYPTIC
And that’s a lesson the book of Daniel wants to teach us. It’s a mixture of stories and apocalyptic prophecies. But what is apocalyptic? First, apocalyptic tells us that in the world there are two opposing powers—the power of evil and the power of good. Evil seems to be stronger than good; but actually, good is stronger than evil. Because things aren’t always what they seem to be.
Second, apocalyptic tells us that world history has been divided into two distinct ages: the present age and the future age. The present age, in which we live, is under the influence of evil and seems to be going on forever. But remember, things are not what they seem to be. The present age will not last forever. God will bring His world affairs to an end. Then the future age of the kingdom of God will dawn. We might think it doesn’t seem like that. But apocalyptic says, “Oo! course not, because things aren’t what they seem to be.”
II. HISTORICAL CONTEXT
This week we come to Daniel 2, and King Nebuchadnezzar during the second year of his reign. All is not well. Read Dan. 2:1–2, 46. King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream interpreters earn a good living. They interpret dreams, using a detailed dream manual compiled by generations of their predecessors. All they need to know is the dream that caused the king anxiety, and they can read off its interpretation from the manual. But, thinks Nebuchadnezzar, perhaps these wise men aren’t all they seem to be. So, he demands not only that they give the interpretation, but that they also reveal what the dream was! Now, his decree of the king seems insane. How can the dream interpreters consult their dream manuals if they don’t know the dream? And the penalty for not knowing? Death!
Daniel and his friends aren’t present because they’re still students. But they too will die if the dream interpreters cannot reveal what the dream was. So, Daniel prays with his friends for guidance from God. And God reveals to him the dream and its interpretation. What was the dream? Read: Dan. 2:31–35. The dream was about a statue—or better, an image. The same word is used in Daniel 3 for Nebuchadnezzar’s image that all must bow down and worship (3:4–5). So, Nebuchadnezzar dreams about an image, an object of worship. It is impressive, huge, and brilliant. But it was also terrifying (2:31). That same term—“terrifying”—describes the frightening beast of Daniel 7 (7:19). And the image of Daniel 2 is also terrifying. It is human in form, but it is utterly destroyed by a stone “cut out, not by human hands,” (Dan 2:34, NRSV). And it’s this stone that Daniel emphasizes. He runs quickly through the metals of the image, but dwells on the stone and the idol’s destruction.
So, that’s what Nebuchadnezzar dreamed. But what does it mean?
III. THE MEANING OF THE DREAM
Generally, the dream of Daniel portrays the rise and fall of kingdoms. Read: Dan 2:36–45. But why portray the rise and fall of kingdoms with an idol, an object of worship? Because this is an idol erected to the great glory of humanity, not God. This dream image presents human kingdoms and empires as terrifying. That’s worth reflecting on regardless of where we live, whatever kingdom or nation we live in, whatever empire we happen to admire, humans love power often spend much time making sure they stay in power. Daniel sees all human kingdoms do not last. All human empires are not what they seem to be.
Daniel spends less time listing the metal kingdoms than he does describing how the stone kingdom sweeps them all away. This is the stone image is not part of the dream. The image of metal kingdoms does not move. But the kingdom of stone is alive. It flies, it destroys, and grows. This living stone kingdom of God contrasts with the static human metal kingdoms. The stone becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth. And the kingdom of God growing from a small beginning to a huge climax is picked up by Jesus in His parables of the tiny mustard seed becoming a large plant, or a small amount of yeast raising a huge amount of dough. Read: Matt 13:31–33. The growth of the tiny mustard seed and the power of the small lump of yeast is just like the kingdom of God in Daniel 2, starting small but growing until it fills the earth, sweeping all human kingdoms aside.
The stone kingdom lasts forever (2:44) and fills the world (2:35). It stands forever—time. It fills the world—space. God’s kingdom dominates time and space because He is the Lord of time and space. Those metal human kingdoms also “rule over the whole earth,” (2:39, NIV), just like the kingdom of stone. But the crucial difference is that the kingdom of God lasts forever. This stone begins with the impressive new saying, “May the king live forever” (2:4, NIV). It concludes by telling us only the kingdom of God lasts forever (2:44). Those wise men learned that things are not what they seem to be.
Does Nebuchadnezzar get that point? He bows before Daniel and calls Daniel’s God the “God of gods,” and showers him with gifts (2:47–48). But Nebuchadnezzar can afford to be generous. Because the dream does not affect him personally. Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold (2:38) and the kingdom of stone will not smash the image in his time. Nebuchadnezzar’s empire will live beyond his day. And Nebuchadnezzar remains a polytheist. A polytheist can always add one more god to his collection. Overall, therefore, Nebuchadnezzar didn’t get the point. It will take two more chapters before he gets the point.
IV. THE MEANING FOR US TODAY
But the more important point is: do we get the point? The vision of Daniel 2 is often seen as giving objective proof for the truth of the Bible. It’s not inaccurate to say that. But Daniel 2 is more than that. It encourages us to believe there is good reason for us to believe that God is sovereign. If God is truly sovereign over the kingdoms of this world, why is the world in such a mess? In response to that question, Daniel 2 invites us to expect that contrary to appearances or to certainty, God is sovereign. One day God will act and all things will crash. It invites us to believe that things aren’t really what they seem to be.
CONCLUSION
Biblical books like Genesis tell us that this world has a meaningful beginning. Daniel emphasizes its meaningful end. If the world had a meaningful beginning and a meaningful end, then our lives have meaning in the present. If there was no meaningful beginning, then there will be no meaningful end, and our lives are meaningless. So the whole of Scripture, but particularly Daniel, invites us to live in the present. Seventh-day Adventists should see that. “Seventh”-day affirms creation and the meaningful beginning. “Adventist” proclaims the meaningful end. And that should make all the difference to the present. Let us live joyfully in the present, right now, knowing that things are not what they seem to be.
Laurence A. Turner, PhD, is a principal lecturer in Old Testament at Newbold College of Higher Education, Bracknell, UK, and adjunct e-learning higher degree research supervisor at Avondale University, Cooranbong, NSW, Australia.
