Daniel Chapter 2

This is a continuation of my reading of Daniel.

2:10-11    God set up this tough situation to bring glory to himself. This is do-or-die, literally, for everyone who thinks that they know anything in the Assyrian kingdom. God used the arrogance of a king to show his true nature as ruler of everything.
2:14    Daniel takes the lead once again. His first step is to get on his face before an omniscient God and beg him to do what only he can do.
2:27-28    Daniel honors God before the king. This is the greatest audience that anyone could ask for; Daniel takes the opportunity to tout God as the only power in the Universe.
2:29-30    Humility from the wisest man on Earth at the time. Makes me wonder why I am not so humble, I have nothing to boast about of my own making or doing. I can only boast in what God has given me.
2:31-43    The dream is super-accurate. God speaks to Nebuchadnezzar about the kingdoms to come after him. This would seem a little disheartening and threatening, but that is not how the king reacts. Here is the Kingdom breakdown, historically speaking: Assyrian (gold), Medes and Persians (silver), Babylonian (bronze), Greek (iron) and Roman (clay/iron).
2:44    During the “silent” period of the Bible, God is setting up the world for his Kingdom, “the rock” (cephas/Peter) to take over. The Hellenistic period puts all the known world under one language/culture. This means there will be little to impede/resist the spreading of the Gospel when the time comes, as Greek is the least common denominator during the early Church movement.
2:46    Daniel is rewarded for diligent obedience. This should not be motivation to obey, but it sure makes it nice.
2:47    God ultimately gets the glory. He always does, no matter what.
2:49    Daniel uses the rewards as leverage for his friends. It is never about him, but about how he can serve everyone around him. This puts them in a highly visible position to obey God later.