The 'gods' who fail - Journal Day

Yesterday we began thinking about Daniel 2 - today some questions to think and journal over. 

READ: Daniel 2

King Nebuchadnezzar’s has had a dream. Of a colossus, a huge statue, with pretty dodgy feet. 

Daniel is given wisdom to speak of what God is going to accomplish in human history. 

The four parts of the statue are four kingdoms. Nebuchadnezzar is told that his own, the Babylonian Empire, is represented by the head of pure gold. You can imagine at this point Nebuchadnezzar is puffing himself up. But after you…other empires will come. 

The dominant view is that chest represents the Medo-Persian empire that came afterwards, followed by the Grecian Empire with Alexander the Great and finally the Roman empire - iron mixed with clay.  

But the most significant thing, in the dream, is this little rock, made not by human hands that appears on the scene. It seems to be almost insignificant yet it smashes the statue into pieces and grows to become a great mountain. 

In the time of the Roman empire the God of heaven will work in history to establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Whilst the statue once looked good, it is dwarfed by this huge mountain that fills the earth. And, by the end of the dream, the statue ends up as chaff that is blown away in the wind. 

Enter Jesus in Mark’s gospel, who, at the time of the Roman Empire, comes bringing news of another kingdom, and a new king, 

“The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15) 

Now, back to Daniel, and imagine what being given understanding of this dream was like for him...

​Q. How would Daniel have felt delivering this news to King Nebuchadnezzar - 'After you will come...' 
Q. Why do you think Daniel was given this understanding? 
Q. How does Daniel respond BEFORE he speaks to the King? What does this tell us? 
Q. How would Daniel have been encouraged in his situation to continue to live for God?

What our world needs is something to hope for that will not let them down. That is what as Christians we uniquely have to offer. The people of God have always had a theology of hope. That is what enabled the exiles to survive the Babylonian captivity, that is what we must hold out to an apathetic and increasingly directionless world.

​Q. How does confidence in God's eternal kingdom give us confidence to live for Jesus today? 
Q. What will it look like for you to hold on to this hope?