eschatology, Nebuchadnezzar's Dream (Dan.2)

One of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams contained in it a prophecy of the times, from their current time until the end times.  The dreams disturbed him so much that he had to find out its meaning, but he would not tell anyone what was actually in his dream.  He expected his people to do that as well as interpret the meaning... 

(Daniel 2:10-23)  The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.”  12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them.

14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.  17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, 18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; 20 Daniel said,

“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs;  He removes kings and establishes kings;  He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.
22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;  He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.
23 “To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and power;  even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, for You have made known to us the king’s matter.”

It's so important to realize that God had several purposes here.  It was God who gave that dream to Nebuchadnezzar.  It was God who gave Daniel the answer.  It was God who used this situation to influence this king (who would eventually become a believer - see 4:34-37).  It is God who is all-knowing, because everything in the dream-prophecy has already happened, except for the end times - which we should totally trust that He will accomplish that.  It's also important to realize that Daniel gave all the credit to God - even if it meant his death...

(Daniel 2:25-37)  Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed. 29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30 But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

31 “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king..." 

This first portion of prophecy - the head of gold - represented the Babylonian empire...

(Daniel 2:37-38)  “You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; 38 and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold..."

The next two kingdoms were not as powerful.  The breast and arms of silver (see verse 32) represented the kingdom of Medes and Persia who ruled between 538 to 333 B.C.  The belly and thighs (see verse 33) represented Greece who ruled between 333 to 63 B.C...

(Daniel 2:39)  “After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth..."

The fourth kingdom mentioned:  the legs and feet (see verse 33) represented Rome.  The iron mixed with clay represents (not so much a "divided kingdom" but rather) a composite:  Rome being strong like iron; and other weaker kingdoms within that realm would be like clay...

(Daniel 2:40-43) Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41 In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with [common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery..."

While Rome was in power, Jesus came to earth the first time.  Because of that fact, as well as the fact that this prophecy is largely about the Israelites' and God's promises regarding their future, this last portion is prophesying about the battle of Armageddon and the Millennial kingdom.  The Babylonian empire had taken the Israelites into captivity at that time, and somewhere in the future (we do not know when), the Babylonian empire will rise again in the Tribulation and persecute the Israelites again, but the final outcome will be very different!...

(Daniel 2:44-49) In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Today's takeaway:   another purpose for this prophecy is for us!  We read this portion of scripture - something that was written around 600 B.C. - and see that this prophecy is true - we can see and KNOW that there is an all-knowing and all-powerful God!!!...

(1 John 5:13)  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.