DANIEL 2:1-11 BE EVER READY

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 

¹ In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. ² So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, ³ he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.’”
⁴ Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
⁵ The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. ⁶ But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.” ⁷ Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”
⁸ Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: ⁹ If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”
¹⁰ The astrologers answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. ¹¹ What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.”

Some may call it a “bad conscience,” others might term it “paranoia” and still others could whisper about the king’s “power lust,” but whatever it was it was keeping him awake at night and driving Nebuchadnezzar to distraction. How could the ruler of the most powerful empire in the world be so troubled?

That was precisely his problem. This trouble was not coming from this world, but from the realm of the spiritual. While he had control over his physical environment, he lacked the power to counter these intrusions from the supernatural. Thus he called upon the experts in dealing with such things, the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers. Their power would be tested by not only interpreting his dream, but describing the dream itself. No wonder their response was, “No one can reveal it to the king except the gods.”

In the words of Uncle Mordecai to Queen Esther (Esther 4:14), it was for such a time as this that God had placed Daniel in the king’s service. Through Daniel, God would show that it would not be the gods, but THE God who had the ultimate power over not only the royal dreams but the royal dreamer.

Your placement in this world and the circumstances around you are not only known to God, but as a believer in him you have been prepared to make a difference where you are. Each of us has been placed in this world to cultivate the soil for the Kingdom. Like a good farmer we must pay attention to the seasons and the soil conditions, and then employ the proper approach and tools if we are to be successful. We must look up to the sky and down to the ground if we are to be ready to act at the right time. We must listen for the Divine “Now” so that we will know when to act.

I thank you, Lord that you are the God of order and you have included me in your plan for the kingdom. Protect me from the temptation to disregard the events and activities of the world around me. As I seek to follow you, may I study the environment in which you have placed me so that I might be ready to act in obedience to you and for your glory. Amen.

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