DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 2.41

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Two

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar

(The Rise and Fall of Empires)

 

 

Preface

The Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

What Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar was an immense statue of a man divided into five basic materials:

1. The head of gold represented the Babylonian Empire

2. The arms of silver signified the Medes and the Persians

3. The belly and thighs of brass constituted the Grecian Empire

4. The legs and feet of iron portrayed the Roman Empire

 

The legacy of Alexander the Great would give way to the iron strength of Rome at the Battle of Corinth in 146 B.C. Historians show the Roman Empire succeeded the Empire of Greece and existed for about 500 years.

 

From verses 41 to verse 45, the prophecy of the king’s dream has been fulfilled through Gentile nations. However, there is a fifth kingdom Daniel does not identify. It is a future extension of the Roman Empire, namely a ten-nation confederacy (the final form of the Roman Empire) that will exist in the Tribulation.  

 

 

(Verse 41)

 

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

 

Feet and Toes

Daniel continues to elaborate: The last (future) empire of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is the feet and toes, having a mixture of potters’ clay and iron. Iron depicts totalitarianism and clay alludes to a socialistic democracy, a mixture not compatible with one another.  Hence, its final form will be characterized as such:

1. It will be inwardly diversified

2. It will be politically degenerative and decayed

3. It will be weak, vulnerable, and unstable

 

The kingdom shall be divided

Historically, the Roman Empire was split into two parts, Constantinople to the East and Rome to the West. But, its futuristic final form will be disunited tenfold. This conglomerate coincides with Daniel’s vision of the four beasts in Chapter 7 and the ten horns of Revelation 17.

Daniel 7:7 - After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

 

Revelation 17:12 - And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast (i.e., Antichrist).

 

Please notice, the ten horns are not kingdoms, but kings.

 

 

(Verse 42)

 

And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

 

Daniel viewed the Roman Empire in its future form as the ten toes of the statue’s feet mixed with iron and clay. Previously noted, the toes typify ten independent kingdoms ruled by ten kings. Regardless, the mixture characterizes frailty, fragility, and weakness.

 

If iron is emblematic of strength, and clay (potsherd) portrays being easily broken, then the iron-clay combination is also indicative of disunity and instability. Therefore, its authoritative power will be limited and its existence ultimately subject to destruction (read Revelation 17:8-17).

 

 

(Verse 43)

 

And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

 

Iron and Clay

Iron and clay do not adhere to one another. The analogy is thus given:

They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men

A strange idea is stated, reminiscent of Genesis 6:2 when the sons of God comingled with the daughters of men. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream seems to be correlating with Christianized Rome's coupling with the surrounding pagan nations and their respective religions. Since the final form of the Roman Empire is a divided society, as a result, its governance and religious system too will be deteriorated and dissipated, namely because of its incompatibility.

 

 

 (Verse 44)

 

And in the [latter] days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

 

The Latter Days

Daniel projects far into the future. He describes to the King three synonymous eschatological terms:

1. The last days

2. The end times

3. The time of the end

 

·        It is a time when 10 kings ruled before the Second Coming

·        It is a time throughout  Antichrist’s dominion over the earth

·        It is a time amidst the second half of the Great Tribulation

 

Scripture delineates some useful insight:

2 Peter 3:3 – Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.

 

2 Timothy 3:1 - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 

 

The Kingdom

During the latter days, the dream foretells several occurrences:

1. The Kingdom shall be established by the God of Heaven

2. The Kingdom shall never be destroyed

3. The Kingdom shall not be left to other people

4. The Kingdom shall consume ten kingdoms

5. The Kingdom shall break ten kingdoms into pieces

6. The Kingdom shall be divine

7. The Kingdom shall be eternal

 

Isaiah 2:2 - And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

 

At the time of the end, God will finally put an end to man’s failures. In the days of these (ten) kings, i.e., the last days of the four kingdoms, or the final form of the Roman Empire, war and turmoil will ensue until God sets up His eternal Kingdom. God’s form of government will be a theocracy, and culminate with His original design and destiny for mankind (cf. Genesis 1:27-30).

 

It [His Kingdom] shall stand forever

An eternal Kingdom is promised in the Old Testament and reiterated in the New. It shall stand forever under the reign of Jesus Christ:

2 Samuel 7:16 - And Thine house and Thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: Thy Throne shall be established for ever.

 

Isaiah 9:7 – Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Luke 1:33 - And He [Jesus Christ] will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.

 

Hebrews 1:8 - But unto the Son [Jesus] He [God] saith, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom.

 

So, Jesus Christ as Messiah forever finally rules, first in the Millennial Kingdom, then the New Heaven and Earth.

 

 

(Verse 45)

 

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

 

The falling of the stone (Jesus Christ) cut out of the mountain (the Kingdom under the sovereign authority of God) must impose destroying judgment on the fifth Gentile power (the revived Roman Empire) at Christ’s Second Coming. The stone, not man-made but of supernatural origin, smashes the weakest part of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, i.e., the ten toes (Revelation 17:12) – A composite mixture of iron and clay.

 

Interestingly, no stones or rocks existed in Babylon. They were transported from afar. Babylon produced bricks made of brick and clay for their structures, and for their streets, limestone was imported from Assyria.

 

The Destruction of the Revived Roman Empire

Old Testament Reference

Its destruction will mirror the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah. Destruction and total collapse appeared suddenly:

Genesis 19:24-25 - Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of Heaven; And He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

 

New Testament Reference

When Jesus spoke in the Temple after His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, He told the Parable of the Tenants which was understood by the Chief priests and the elders:

Matthew 21:44 - And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

 

And the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure

Despite modern criticism, God's people have assured the interpretation of the dream is certain (true) and sure (trustworthy). Not only that, but three additional elements are in play:

1. It is divinely inspired

2. It is faithful

3. It shall come to pass

 

 

Postscript

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is a summary of prophecy for the Times of the Gentiles. God deals with Gentile power culminating at the end of the Great Tribulation, and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Concerning Israel, God founded it upon a theocratic principle, and thence shall theocracy be restored.

 

The declaration of Nebuchadnezzar, the promotion of Daniel, and the introduction to Daniel Chapter 3 are detailed in the succeeding study.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. What happened to the fourth Kingdom?

2. What are the characteristics of the fifth Kingdom?

3. When does the fifth Kingdom begin?

4. When does the fifth Kingdom end?

5. Who is the stone cut out of the mountain?

6. What is the name of Christ’s Kingdom?

7. What follows Christ’s Kingdom?

 

 

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DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 2.39

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Two

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar

(The Rise and Fall of Empires)

 

 

Preface

Previously, Daniel began the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The king dreamed of a colossal statue depicting a man having five parts, and consisting of four different metals. From the head downward was gold, silver, brass, or bronze, and iron (cf. Daniel 2:31-33a). This human image of Daniel 2 parallels the four-beast-vision of Daniel 7. Afterward, Daniel identifies the golden head and says to the king, “Thou art this head of gold.”

 

 

Daniel continues his interpretation…

(Verse 39a)

And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.

 

Daniel reveals to Nebuchadnezzar another kingdom inferior to his that will succeed in Babylon. In this passage, Daniel does not mention the kingdom’s name. However, other Scriptures confirm Media and Persia as his successors:

2 Chronicles 36:20 - And them that had escaped from the sword carried he (Nebuchadnezzar) away to Babylon; where they (the Jews) were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia.

 

Daniel 5:28 - Thy (Babylonian) kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

 

Later…

Daniel 5:31 - And Darius the Median took the (Babylonian) kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

 

Therefore, attested to by Daniel, and historical events, the Medo-Persian Empire replaced the Babylonian.

 

Inferior

The word inferior [Chaldean, ăraʻ (Strong’s H772)] is translated as lower or determination, not by power, but in the form of governmental quality, wealth, luxury, and glory. Additionally, their metal representation was inferior. Silver was less valuable than gold. On the other hand, not only had the Medes and the Persians increased their empire’s land acquisition, but also their power. And, the subsequent kingdoms followed suit.

 

Media and Persia

At the height of the Babylonian Empire, two separate armies merged and ascended to power, the Medes and the Persians – The chest and arms of the image depicted in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The Medes (modern-day Kurds) consisted of a conglomerate of tribes from the northwestern part of present Iran, whereas the Persians occupied most of the southern part of Iran, including the territory of Afghanistan.

 

Under the control of Cyrus the Great, the Medo-Persian Empire was consolidated. Amid Cyrus’ rule, Babylonia was overthrown without a battle in June 539 B.C. (details provided in Daniel 5 studies). Amazingly, Isaiah predicted Cyrus the Great was to rule and restore Jerusalem, and its Temple be rebuilt almost 100 years earlier.

Isaiah 44:28 - That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

 

So, as Nebuchadnezzar once captured the Jews (cf. Jeremiah 25), the armies of Cyrus liberated and returned them to their homeland (cf. Isaiah 44:28; 45:1-5; Ezra 6:3-5). It is noteworthy that Daniel became third in power, chief  

administrator of the Persian Empire. Through the God of Heaven and Daniel’s influence, Cyrus became evangelized. The Silver Empire lasted about 200 years.

 

Silver

Silver characterized the Medo–Persian Empire. More silver was coined in this kingdom than in any other. According to Greek historian Herodotus, silver became the standard value of exchange for extensive taxation (cf. Ezra 4:13). Furthermore, it financed and fielded an army and navy between one to two million men, used especially for the war effort against the Greeks.

 

Law

Under Babylonian law, whatever the king said was authoritative. He was able to change the law even at his whim (cf. Daniel 2:5; 3:29). Nevertheless, the king’s authority was limited in the Medo-Persian Empire. The law became the supreme authority. Once it was enacted, the king in no way was able to alter the law.

 

 

(Verse 39b)

And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

 

The third kingdom is also not mentioned in Daniel’s interpretation. But historical accounts and Scripture confirm the Grecian Empire as its successor:

Daniel 8:21a - And the rough goat is the king of Grecia.

 

Daniel 11:3 - And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

 

So, the Greek Empire, under Alexander the Great received authority from his father, Phillip II of Macedon. As king, he destroyed the Medo-Persian Empire in 330 B.C. During his 12-year campaign, Alexander instituted Koine (common) Greek language throughout the Empire, which led to the language of the New Testament. Territorially, the third empire embraced both the East and West.

 

Alexander the Great was notorious for moving swiftly across the land with his armies. Desertion came upon the army of Darius I without much ado. His kingdom had been conquered, his treasure seized, and his family reduced to captivity. Unfortunately, Darius, I was brutally slain, and his bloody corpse lay visible in a crude cart.

 

The third empire was characterized earlier by bronze. Interestingly, ‘The Age of Bronze’ characterizes this period in history.

 

Military Attire

In observing a Persian soldier, he was garbed with a white turban, white tunic, and pants with silver threads embroidered throughout his outfit. Contrasted to Grecian soldiers, they had brass helmets, breastplates,  shields, and wielded brass swords.

 

Alexander the Great

At a young age, Alexander the Great was trained in music, science, liberal arts, sports, and most of all, the art of war. After studying under Aristotle, he took charge of the Grecian army at age 20 and became one of history’s most prolific military geniuses. As the Empire’s leader, he employed hand-to-hand combat and small-group fighting. These tactics allowed Alexander to swiftly conquer the Asian continent, even reaching parts of India. He fought more than 100 battles and acquired almost as many scars. But, his military exploits lasted only 12 years.                                                                  

 

At the age of almost 33 years old, Alexander was sitting one day on the banks of the Euphrates River in Babylon and cried out he had no more worlds to conquer. After a drunken stupor, he died 12 days later with a fever at the age of 32 and 8 months in June 323 B.C.

 

Upon his death, the Empire was divided into four parts to his four generals:

1. Lagos Ptolemy, ruling from Alexandria, had control over Egypt, Cyrenaica, and Palestine. Eventfully, Cleopatra came from this line

 

2. Seleucus I (Nicator), ruling from Antioch, had control over Asia (Syria and Persia). It was from this region came the notorious Antiochus Epiphanes (discussed later)

 

 

3. Lysimachus, ruling from Pergamos, had control over Thrace and Asia Minor

 

4. Cassander, ruling from Pella, had control over Macedonia and Greece

 

 

 Consequently, this four-part division allowed the Greek Empire to weaken.

 

 

(Verse 40)

 

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

 

There is a specific unidentified fourth kingdom. Depicted in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream are two legs of iron representing the empire that overcame the Grecian Empire, i.e., the Old Roman Empire. This Empire encompassed the Iron Age.

 

The Roman Kingdom

Rome’s origins are uncertain. Many references accede to those peasant shepherds living on the banks of the Tiber River who eventually moved to one of its seven hills and a city evolved. The traditional date for the founding of Rome is April 21, 753 B.C.

 

Ancient Rome soon became a Kingdom and was ruled by monarchs. Much of the Kingdom’s history has been lost and its existence is based on tradition.

 

The Roman Republic

The Kingdom was overthrown in 509 B.C. And, for the first one hundred years, the Romans introduced a new system of government, namely the Roman Republic which allowed its citizens to elect their officials. At this time, they enlisted Roman citizens to fight in wars mainly to protect their investments and properties. As the Empire grew, the conscription of captured slaves was a common practice.

 

Military genius, statesman, and conqueror of Gaul, Gaius Julius Caesar became dictator. Once he entered the scene, the Empire was put on a path to greatness. Besides, he also set the stage for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Caesar was assassinated by two Roman senators, Brutus and Cassius on March 15, 44 B.C. [the Ides of March].  Furthermore, Julius has deemed a god after his death.  

 

The Roman Empire

After the death of Julius Caesar, a period of civil wars, chaos, and decadence ensued, almost leaving the government in shambles. Octavian Augustus Caesar, a nephew to Julius, took the reign as emperor and brought about 'Pax Romana’ which lasted roughly 200 years. The life of Christ transpired during this interval of Roman Peace.

 

Two legs of Iron typify the divided Empire: Rome to the West, and Constantinople (Byzantium) to the East. Also, there was a linguistic division between the East and West, Koine (common) Greek and Latin.

For further historical information, reference: History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon, or The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire: Life, Liberty, and the Death of the Republic by Barry Linton

 

Iron

As to its importance, the word iron is referenced 14 times in Chapter 2 alone. Biblically, iron is emblematic of authority, strength, power, destructibility, and judgment. For instance:

Psalm 2:9 – Thou (pointing to the Messiah) shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

 

Ezekiel 20:33 – As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty (Strong, mighty, iron fist) hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you.

 

Revelation 19:15 - And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

 

Likening iron to this empire, Daniel cites three characteristics of the Roman Empire in this passage:

1. Iron depicted Roman strength

2. Iron breaketh (shatters) everything in pieces

3. Iron subdueth (crushes) all things

 

And like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others

And that is exactly how the Empire of Greece was overtaken. Roman legions were notorious for crushing all enemy opposition.  The fourth kingdom receives more attention in Scripture than the previous kingdoms.

 

In the succeeding study, the ten toes of the statue are examined.

 

 

 QUESTIONS:

1. What metals, thus far, typify the four empires?

2. What is meant by the term inferior?

3. Who was the ruler of Medo-Persia when Babylon fell?

4. Why was the Greek army so successful?

5. After Alexander’s death, who ruled the Greek Empire?

6. What were the three stages of Roman government?

7. Why is iron so significant?

 

 

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