Dream Team?

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, ‘O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.’”—Daniel 2:4 (ESV) 

God planted a dream in King Nebuchadnezzar’s mind that he couldn’t make any sense of. He had a haunting sense this dream was incredibly important and something he was supposed to understand. So he enlisted the help of those who were supposed to have a strong connection to the supernatural world. 

If anyone could make sense of things, it should be this supernatural “Dream Team.” But notice in the verse above how they ask Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was. The king’s reply must have frozen the blood in their veins: “The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, ‘The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation’” (Daniel 2:5-6 ESV).

Things just escalated! They not only need to know the interpretation but they also need to know the dream, itself. If they can’t give both to Nebuchadnezzar it will mark the end of their careers and lives! Why did the king throw them this curveball? Why not tell them his dream? It’s likely Nebuchadnezzar suspected they were frauds lacking legitimate supernatural power. What better way to test that theory than demand something beyond the natural realm. Look at their reply: “They answered a second time and said, ‘Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation’” (Daniel 2:7 ESV).

In other words, they had no idea what the dream was, how could they? Truth be told, Nebuchadnezzar was right; they lacked the spiritual connection needed to know the dream, the dream God gave in the first place. They had the outward appearance of spirituality but lacked a legitimate connection to the Lord!

Not everything that looks spiritual on the outside is truly of God. There are spiritual counterfeits that have an appearance of godliness but lack any true connection with God. We need to be aware of them by knowing the truth of God’s Word. If not, we can be led astray by those who profess to speak spiritual truth when they aren’t!  

DIG: Why did Nebuchadnezzar demand the Dream Team tell him his dream?

DISCOVER: What did their inability to know the dream reveal about them?

DO: Why is it important to understand that not everything that looks spiritual is spiritual? Pray for clear vision from the Lord as to what is from Him and what isn’t.