Nebuchadnezzar has become a very powerful king. He is, in fact, one of the most powerful men of his time, and even though he has only been king for two years, he is already a world ruler. When he goes to sleep, his head is full of thoughts about the future: what policies he should pursue and how powerful he will be in the days to come.
There is, however, uncertainty with Nebuchadnezzar. People who have gained a lot of influence and power in a relatively short time are often afraid of losing much of their power and as a result, there is often a craving for even more power. While the king lies tossing and turning in his bed, he has a disturbing dream that makes him very uneasy because it speaks about the future. It is especially the stone which ends up destroying the entire statue that is troubling, (see Daniel 2:34–35). What does this dream mean? What are the gods telling him in this dream? These are questions that Nebuchadnezzar struggles with, and which prevent him from falling asleep again.
1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.