Custom Search
|
To receive notice of each days Bible Study,
please go to my Twitter and Facebook pages and sign up.
Facebook -
| Daily Bible Study | ||
 You can help people worldwide. Please make a small donation. Make a difference in someone elses life. |
Subscribe Daily Bible Study Mailing List 
Receive Daily Bible Studies directly into your email inbox. |
Express your comments, opinions, questions, etc. |
| Dan. 4:8-9 |
|
Lesson # Dan. 4:8-9 Study Material - Dan. 4:8-9 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Dan. 4:8-9 8 'But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, 9'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar finally calls in Daniel. He refers to him as Daniel, his correct name, but also refers to him by his new name, Belteshazzar, named after the god Bel, whom Nebuchadnezzar used to call his own god. Obviously Nebuchadnezzar was not loyal to Bel otherwise he would not have constructed that image of gold, and made reference to the many gods that were prevalent in Babylon. All of these gods were gods of convenience. To be used when the occasion called for it. Perhaps when a person was lonely and wished to talk to something inanimate. Actually a person could talk to a pet and get more out of it. When out of fellowship, when out of the will of God in any fashion, the hunt for answers is futile. People who grow up with religious rules generally have a difficult time letting go of the constraints those rules have on them. The habit is their and ingrained in the soul. To let them go is like letting go of the sinking ship. The ship is going down and will take you with it, but it is all you have so you hold on, hoping that the end result will somehow be different and better. Nebuchadnezzar also describes Daniel as having the spirit of the holy gods. A contrasting statement from the reference to his god, Bel. Nebuchadnezzar is familiar with the trinity, probably from previous conversations with Daniel, or perhaps from hearing the ridicule of his own magicians against the Jews and their God. Nebuchadnezzar had this conflicting opinion within his knowledge. He first turns to his faithful magicians. Realize that the word for magician is not in reference to those who perform magic. They did not pull rabbits out of a hat. These were a select few of highly intelligent men who studied the sciences. Remember the Magi, those who went to seek the birth of Christ? This is that group to which Daniel belonged. Just as in any profession there are those who are good and those who are bad, so with this group of magicians during Daniel's day, there were those who rejected the concept of God and sought their understanding in the sciences, in the stars, in the things of nature and this world. They studied a lot of things to understand how this universe worked. Also, remember that Daniel was the appointed master over these magicians, 'chief of the magicians'. Centuries later there would be a group of Magi who would seek the truth discovered in the stars as well as in the scriptures and they would seek out the Christ child. Perhaps Daniel had an influence in this change of thinking within this group. At least in the thinking of later generations. The King requests of Daniel, the answers to the dream which has been bothering him. But not just the explanation of the dream, but the interpretation of it as well. There must be a meaning from the dream, otherwise Nebuchadnezzar would not have had it. Why? The dream was probably not of the normal dreams that he had. Perhaps he did not dream as a matter of habit when he slept, so when this dream came along, as though thrust upon him, then this got his attention. What ever the reason, Nebuchadnezzar was disturbed and did not know where to turn for the answers. Clinging to his habits from prior learning, he cautiously departs from the gods of Babylon and turns to the God of Daniel. But not directly to God, but to one whom he knows has knowledge, Daniel. Right now he is only interested in the immediate explanation of the dream. He is not interested in engaging in a daily study routine in Gods Word. So he has not quite arrived to the point of being convinced that God is the only God, and that all other religious activity was pointless. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
|
Subscribe Daily Bible Study Mailing List 
Receive Daily Bible Studies directly into your inbox. |
|
|
|
|