Topical Bible: Dream: Daniel

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The Book of Daniel, found in the Old Testament, is a rich source of prophetic dreams and visions that have intrigued scholars and believers for centuries. Daniel, a young Hebrew of noble lineage, was taken into Babylonian captivity during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. His ability to interpret dreams and visions, granted by God, plays a central role in the narrative and theological themes of the book.

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Statue (Daniel 2):
King Nebuchadnezzar experienced a troubling dream that none of his wise men could interpret. Daniel, through divine revelation, was able to recount and interpret the dream. The king saw a great statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet partly of iron and clay. Daniel explained that these represented successive kingdoms, starting with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon as the head of gold. The dream concluded with a stone, not cut by human hands, striking the statue and becoming a great mountain, symbolizing God's eternal kingdom. Daniel 2:44 states, "In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people."

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Tree (Daniel 4):
In another dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a large tree that was cut down, leaving only the stump. Daniel interpreted this dream as a warning to the king about his pride. The tree represented Nebuchadnezzar himself, who would be humbled by God and live like an animal until he acknowledged God's sovereignty. This dream was fulfilled as described in Daniel 4:33 : "At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind, ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird."

Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts (Daniel 7):
Daniel himself received a vision of four great beasts emerging from the sea, each representing a kingdom. The first was like a lion with eagle's wings, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard with four wings, and the fourth beast was terrifying and powerful with iron teeth. This vision parallels the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, symbolizing the rise and fall of empires. Daniel 7:13-14 describes the climax of the vision: "In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him."

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat (Daniel 8):
In this vision, Daniel saw a ram with two horns, representing the Medo-Persian Empire, and a goat with a prominent horn, symbolizing Greece under Alexander the Great. The goat's horn was broken, and four smaller horns arose, indicating the division of Alexander's empire. This vision, detailed in Daniel 8:20-22 , provides a prophetic overview of historical events leading to the rise of Hellenistic kingdoms.

Daniel's Vision of the Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9):
While praying and confessing the sins of Israel, Daniel received a revelation from the angel Gabriel about seventy "weeks" or sevens, which are interpreted as periods of seven years. This prophecy outlines a timeline for the coming of the Anointed One, the Messiah, and the events leading to the end times. Daniel 9:24 states, "Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place."

Daniel's Vision of the Man by the Tigris (Daniel 10-12):
In the final vision, Daniel encounters a heavenly being by the Tigris River, who reveals future conflicts involving Persia and Greece, and the eventual rise of a powerful king who will exalt himself above all gods. This vision includes a detailed prophecy of the end times, emphasizing the ultimate triumph of God's people. Daniel 12:1 promises, "At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered."

The dreams and visions in the Book of Daniel are foundational to biblical eschatology and have been the subject of extensive theological study and interpretation. They reveal God's sovereignty over history and His ultimate plan for redemption and restoration.

Nave's Topical Index

Daniel 2:16-23,28-30
Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.
Nave's Topical Index

Daniel 4:1
Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
... The Spirit of the Lord rested upon them, and to Daniel, "in a night vision," was
revealed the king's dream and its meaning. ... "Thy dream," Daniel declared, "and ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 40 nebuchadnezzars dream.htm

A King's Strange Dream
... to the king and said to him, "I have found a man among the captives from Judah who
will tell you what this dream means." The king said to Daniel (whose name ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a kings strange dream.htm

Daniel, the Praying Captive
... called his three companions into counsel, and he urged them to unite with him in
a concert of prayer that God would discover to Daniel the dream with the ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/x daniel the praying captive.htm

True Greatness
... Having faithfully interpreted the dream, Daniel urged the proud monarch to repent
and turn to God, that by rightdoing he might avert the threatened calamity. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 42 true greatness.htm

Concerning Daniel and what Befell Him at Babylon.
... Accordingly, God, out of pity to those that were in danger, and out of regard to
the wisdom of Daniel, made known to him the dream and its interpretation, that ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 concerning daniel and.htm

Daniel
... Daniel alone could retell and interpret the dream: it denoted a succession of kingdoms,
which would all be ultimately overthrown and succeeded by the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/daniel.htm

The Dream of the Tree Cut Down
... Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for a while, and his thoughts
troubled him. The king answered and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vi the dream of the.htm

The Four Captive Children.
... The king was so astonished at Daniel's wisdom"for it was the dream he had forgotten
brought back and interpreted"that he fell on his face before Daniel and ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxxi the four captive.htm

On Daniel. Iii. Scholia on Daniel.
... Eusebius Pamphili, and Hippolytus the most holy bishop of Rome, compare the dream
of Nebuchadnezzar now in question with the vision of the prophet Daniel. ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on daniel iii scholia on.htm

The Fiery Furnace
... all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. . . . The dream is certain,
and the interpretation thereof sure." Daniel 2:44, 45. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 41 the fiery furnace.htm