Page 58 - Daniel

differing views of how the image is destroyed, and how the revelation
relates to the present age and the two advents of Christ. Few chapters of
the Bible are more determinative in establishing both the principles and
content of prophecy than Daniel 2; its study, accordingly, is crucial to

any system of prophetic interpretation.
chapters 2–7 form a chiastic pattern that offers encouragement and
hope to the Jews in the times of the Gentiles. Beginning in 2:4 Daniel

switched from Hebrew (the language of Israel) to Aramaic (the
“international” language of the day). This change in language highlights
Daniel’s focus on the “times of the Gentiles” that would exist from his
day until God established His messianic kingdom. chapters 2 and 7
explain the succession of four Gentile empires that would exert control
over Jerusalem and the Jews until God finally establishes His kingdom.
chapters 3 and 6 warn the Jews of the persecution they would face

during this period and exhort them to remain faithful to God in spite of
this persecution. chapters 4 and 5 encourage the Jewish remnant by
reminding them that a time would come when even the Gentile rulers
would acknowledge that the God of Israel was ruling over the nations.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAS TROUBLING DREAMS (2:1)

2:1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,
Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left
him.

The important events of this chapter are introduced by the statement
that the dreams occurred “in the second year of the reign of
Nebuchadnezzar.” This immediately raises the question of how this

relates to the period of training prescribed for Daniel and his
companions as described in chapter 1.
Daniel’s course of study prior to entering the king’s service was to last

three years (1:5). The apparent discrepancy disappears when one
understands the Babylonian method for dating the reigns of kings (see
chart below). They used an accession-year dating system that did not
count Nebuchadnezzar’s accession year (September 7, 605 B.C.–April 1,

604 B.C.) as the first year of his reign. His “first year” would have been