Scripture to Read: Daniel 4:10–17
Nebuchadnezzar shared the details of his dream. We know he first described his dream to his so-called “wise men.” We know they weren’t too wise because they worshipped false gods and relied on the spiritual forces of wickedness to guide them. These “wise men” had no relationship with the One True God of the Bible; therefore, they had zero power to interpret what Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was about. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar had shared it with them, and as we know, they were useless. Then, Nebuchadnezzar described his dream to Daniel in detail, as recorded in Daniel 4:10–17. We must take note of how God used dreams to get certain people's attention throughout His Word. God got Nebuchadnezzar's attention before with a dream, and then He did it again. As we study God’s dealings with the children of Israel and with Gentile pagan kings throughout His Word, we discover that God did this quite often. In Genesis 20, God dealt with Abimelech through a dream. Then, in Genesis 31, God spoke to Jacob through a dream. Again, in Genesis 37, God used dreams to communicate His Truth to Joseph. Even in the New Testament, God used a dream to communicate with Pilate’s wife. There are even stories today where unreached people groups have been led to a relationship with Christ because God used dreams to show Himself to them. We have God’s revelation of Himself through His Word, so we don’t need dreams from God to know Who He is. We can know Him intimately through His Word and His Spirit in us—we just need to passionately seek Him daily.
Challenge & Application
• Why did God use dreams to get certain people's attention in the Old and New Testaments?
• How does God communicate with us today, and how are you choosing to listen to Him?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!