What’s troubling is when your own dreams don’t turn out how you would like them to. Worse yet, is when things get in your dreams that don’t belong there or that you don’t understand.

I. THE PRESENTATION OF A PROBLEM 

Daniel 2:1-13 (NKJV)
¹ Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. ²Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. ³And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."
⁴Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."
⁵The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. ⁶However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation."
⁷They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation."
⁸The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: ⁹if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation."
¹⁰The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. ¹¹It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
¹²For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ¹³So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
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Nebuchadnezzar began as a petty chieftain who was successful in uniting different tribes. Then he took over the Assyrian empire, then the Syrian, and then he overcame the Egyptians. The Greeks could not have resisted him, but he made no effort to move against them. He didn’t need to, for by then he was, in actuality, ruling the then-known world.

Successful, probably beyond his own expectations, Nebuchadnezzar became obsessed with wondering about the future of this great empire he had founded. How long would it last? Where was it all going to end?

One night as he went to bed with these thoughts on his mind, verse 28 tells us that God made known to Nebuchadnezzar what was going to happen right up to the end time. The only problem was that Nebuchadnezzar did not understand this dream and was greatly troubled because he couldn’t.

Isn’t it interesting that God would use a pagan king?
He used Nebuchadnezzar to punish Israel for their disobedience.
He now uses him to reveal His Plan for the Ages.

There are some pagan kings today that threaten mankind. I don’t know that He currently is doing so, but, at any time, God can use even pagan leaders to bring about His will, if He so chooses.

Troubled by this dream, Nebuchadnezzar sought guidance from those around him who claimed to have connections with the supernatural.

 ²Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

• The magicians were the scholars of the occult (skilled in sacred writings and literature).
• The astrologers were the priests who studied and interpreted the stars.
• The socerers used herbs and charms to tell the future.
• Chaldeans¹ was the general name for the whole crowd.

He reasoned that if they really had connections with the supernatural, as they claimed, that they should be able not only to interpret his dream, but to tell him what he had dreamed. In addition to testing the validity of these wise men, this also shows how badly he wanted to know the true meaning of his dream.

Nebuchadnezzar said that if no one could tell him his dream, he would have all the wise men of Babylon executed and their homes destroyed. They knew that Nebuchadnezzar was a cruel man who would make good on his promise.

Let me tell just about one instance that will help you get to know Nebuchadnezzar better:

Once he brought a conquered king before him. Nebuchadnezzar forced him to watch as one by one his sons were brutally executed. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, after the last son was killed, this conquered king’s eyes were plucked out so that the last thing he would ever see would be the slaughter of his sons.

This section is so timely for today because in recent years there has been a rise in popularity in this country in astrology, occultism, New Age thinking, black magic, white magic, etc. All the material blessings of this society has not been able to fill the spiritual void in our people.

There is a spiritual thirst that has spawned a multi-million dollar industry. If you have ever had insomnia and turned on the TV more than likely you saw more than one 1-900 psychic hotlines. Some of the new shows for the next TV season are shows about contacting the dead.

People have rejected Jesus; they have rejected the authority of the Bible; they have rejected the accuracy of the Bible. And they are falling for paganism in new wrappings.

Nebuchadnezzar’s problem and the failure of the pagan spiritual powers to address his problem presented the opportunity for God to show that He alone is the One True God.

II. THE POWER OF PRAYER 

Daniel 2:14-23 (NKJV)
¹⁴ Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
¹⁶So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. ¹⁷Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, ¹⁸that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
²⁰Daniel answered and said:
        'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
        For wisdom and might are His.
        ²¹And He changes the times and the seasons;
        He removes kings and raises up kings;
        He gives wisdom to the wise
        And knowledge to those who have understanding.
        ²²He reveals deep and secret things;
        He knows what is in the darkness,
        And light dwells with Him.

        ^23'I thank You and praise You,
        O God of my fathers;
        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 demand.'"
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The first thing you notice in these verses is the calmness of Daniel. What a contrast between a nail-biting King worried about the future and this cool teen-ager confident about the future.

Once he understood the situation, Daniel put his faith on the line (What did he have to lose?). He told the king that if he would give him one night that he would be able to do what Nebuchadnezzar was asking.

Immediately, he went to his house, called his three friends, and they began to pray. Verse 8 says that they “sought mercies from the God of heaven.”

No doubt Daniel and his friends prayed with the attitude that God would be exalted. No doubt they prayed specifically that God would reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the interpretation of that dream to Daniel. I‘m sure they didn‘t have any problem praying fervently and earnestly,  “God, have mercy on us and answer our prayers or we are dead!”

It must have been Daniel’s experience that God answered prayer because he had told Nebuchadenezzar that he would tell him his dream the next day. Sometime in the night, God answered their prayers by giving Daniel a vision.

As we study the book of Daniel we learn that it was Daniel’s practice to pray -- every day - not just in times of crisis. The development of his prayer life equipped him well when a crisis did come.

Do you believe that prayer works? Does it make a difference?
Does God answer prayer? Do you know when He does?

When it comes to prayer, so many Christians today practice a type of fatalism. It’s an attitude of “what will be, will be” with no confidence that prayer will affect the outcome. I cannot find this attitude in Scripture.

Turn with me to John (John 14:12-14; 15:7, 16; 16:23, NKJV):

¹² "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 15:12-14)

⁷If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ... ¹⁶You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:7, 16)

²³"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you." (John 16:23)

This does not mean that we demand of God. That misses the point all together! It does not mean that we merely tag all of our prayers with “in Jesus’ name."

It does mean that we are Christ’s representatives here on earth. It means that we will be in touch with His will through the Word and guidance of the Holy Spirit. It means that, as we abide in Him, we are authorized to do business - in His name. We are to ask for whatever we need to accomplish this and He promises to give it.

III. THE PLAN OF PROPHECY 

Daniel 2:24-49 (NKJV)
²⁴ Therefore Daniel went 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; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."
²⁵Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."
²⁶The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?"
²⁷Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. ²⁸But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: ²⁹As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. ³⁰But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
³¹"You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. ³²This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, ³³its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. ³⁴You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. ³⁵Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
³⁶"This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. ³⁷You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; ³⁸and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all--you are this head of gold. ³⁹But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. ⁴⁰And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. ⁴¹Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. ⁴²And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. ⁴³As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. ⁴⁵Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. ⁴⁷The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret." ⁴⁸Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
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You can just see Nebuchadnezzar sitting on the edge of his seat and getting edgy as Daniel takes his time in getting to what Nebuchadnezzar wanted to hear. Knowing that he had the king’s full attention, Daniel gives a glowing testimony for God.

Compare vs. 27 with vs. 10:

²⁷Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. ^"

¹⁰The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean."

I would love to have seen Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes when Daniel began telling him what his dream. How his excitement must have grown with each detail of the dream; and he realized that soon his questions about the future would be answered.

Immediately after Daniel described the giant statue and the stone that destroyed the statue, he begins the interpretation. This passage contains some of the most significant prophecy ever uttered. It forms the skeleton on which Biblical prophecy is built.

In this section we see the history of the rule of the world by Gentiles. From Nebuchadnezzar right through our day until the Lord comes to reign is “the times of the Gentiles:"

1. The head of gold is the Babylonian Empire founded and ruled by Nebuchadnezzar.
2. The chest and arms of silver are the Medo-Persian Empire.
3. The belly and thighs of bronze are the Grecian Empire.
4. The legs of iron are the Roman Empire.
5. The feet and toes of iron mixed with clay is a revised form of the Roman Empire.

Verse 44 tells us that “in the days of these kings” that God will set up a kingdom that will last forever which will destroy all the kingdoms of man. The stone referred to in verse 45 is no other than Jesus Christ who will be the ruler of this kingdom:

^44"And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. ⁴⁵Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

Look at the last part of verse 45, “The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” History has unfolded to this point as this dream predicted. It is only reasonable to assume the rest will be accurate as well.

As a result of the accuracy of Daniel’s telling of his dream, Nebuchadnezzar bows down before Daniel. What a scene! - The monarch of the known world bowing before a captive teen-ager.

Actually, Nebuchadnezzar was worshipping God the only way that this polytheistic man knew. Having rejected the false gods - this was the first step in the true God being revealed to him.

Another effect is that Daniel is elevated to ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.

It’s like C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) has said: “Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”

The accuracy of the fulfillment of the dream given to Nebuchadnezzar by God should cause you, like Nebuchadnezzar to bow down and recognize Him as the One True God and worship Him with your life. These fulfillments are strong evidence that God, not man, is in control and that, ultimately, His will will be done.

The main reason to study prophecy is not for curiosity.

The main reason is to demonstrate that God is in control and that He has a plan. The goal of this realization is to motivate you to submit to Him and get their lives in line with His will. I challenge each of you to do just that.

Please stand for prayer:

“Heavenly Father, I trust You, through Your Holy Spirit, to apply the truth of today’s message to each person here. Challenge any here today who have not personally placed their trust in the only way that You have provided for them to do so - through Your Son Jesus Christ. To those here today who have placed their trust in You - bring comfort in the knowledge that You are in control and that You have a plan. We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen”