From my previous studies, it is understood that Arioch, the captain of the guard, was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. However, it also seems obvious that there was a brief grace period in place, before the executions would take place, while a search could be made of the other wise men of Babylon, in an effort to find anyone who might step forward with an explanation of the matter that troubled the king. Daniel did come forward and requested time (Daniel 2:16), probably a single night, whereby he could request an answer from the Lord God of heaven, which the Lord gave Daniel in a dream (Daniel 2:19). Upon receiving an answer from God, Daniel then went to Arioch and asked him to bring him before the king, and he would show him the interpretation. Therefore, the other wise men should not be executed (Daniel 2:24).
When Arioch brought Daniel into the king’s presence, Arioch told the king that he had found a man among the captives of Judah who could interpret the dream. Thus, it seems clear that a search for an answer for Nebuchadnezzar’s problem continued beyond the evening, when he met with the four groups of wise men; the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans (cp. Daniel 2:2).
Then, Nebuchadnezzar turned to Daniel and asked if it were true, that he was, indeed, able to, not only make known the dream the king had forgotten, but also, give its interpretation (Daniel 2:26). Daniel’s reply in Nebuchadnezzar’s presence came to the defense of the wise men, who failed to give the king what he desired (Daniel 2:27). Daniel pointed out that such a great mystery that the king required could be made known only by the God of heaven (Daniel 2:28). Such power is in his hands alone. Nevertheless, he had chosen to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter (achariyth – H320) days.
In other words, Almighty God wanted to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar, through his dream, what would occur in the, so-called, time of the end. The word, achariyth (H320), is an Aramaic word and is found only here (Daniel 2:28) in the Bible. However, it is identical in meaning with the Hebrew word, achariyth (H319). The point is that God wasn’t simply revealing to King Nebuchadnezzar what would lie in the future, he showed the king in a dream what would occur from his own time up to and including the latter days, which are the same days that Moses mentioned in Deuteronomy 31:29.
Most folks today believe the latter days point to a time in our future, when Jesus is believed to return. Some even believe the Lord will destroy the entire universe[1] and create a new one for those, whom Jesus has saved and has given eternal life. However, this is not only wrong, it represents a very poor understanding of the scriptures that deal with the latter days. Moses spoke of those days in Deuteronomy 32, identifying them as the latter days in Deuteronomy 31:29. They represent the end of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the New Covenant, which, by the way, will never end, according to Daniel 2:44.
Returning, now, to Daniel’s revelation to the king, he told Nebuchadnezzar that, while he lay in bed, his thoughts turned to what would occur after his reign, and Almighty God, the Reveler of secrets, chose to tell the king what he wanted to know (Daniel 2:29). Nevertheless, although he, Daniel, was about to reveal the dream and its interpretation to the king, Nebuchadnezzar should understand that he, Daniel, wasn’t any wiser than all the other wise men, who failed to answer the king according to his desire. Rather, God, the Revealer of mysteries (Daniel 2:28-29), has only used Daniel to reveal to the king, what was in his heart (Daniel 2:30).
______________________________________________
[1] See previous studies of mine in 2Peter 3, The End of the World.
Smoodock's Blog 