If you have never read the book of Daniel, then I urge you to do so before going through these studies. By going through the book of Daniel once for yourself, you will have a much better grasp of the information we are about ready to discuss. The book is only 12 chapters, so its actually very short. This way you can see for yourself how puzzling this book can be to understand, and how easily it can be manipulated. It’ll also give you the ability to familiarize yourself with the characters in this book, as well as the situation they have been placed into. The book of Daniel, makes the claim to be written during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian king that destroyed Jerusalem in 587BC. And although there are many scholars that argue this date to no end...we'll leave this as a topic for them to discuss. There is no need to argue dates, or if Daniel was the one to write the book. It is prophesy, yes? And prophesy foretells the future. So if it cant foretell the future, than its a lie. But if it can...than arguing about dates and authorship’s are irrelevant. If Daniels prophesies are true, these arguments would be worthless compared to the information this book carries. So if you don’t mind, we'll leave the dates and authorship questions for all the important people to debate and figure out. And us, being the simple folk; we'll just focus on the facts at hand.
Also, we will only focus on the visions and prophesy of Daniel. There are 3 stories that tell of the experiences of Daniel as he lived in the kings court, but we’ll set those aside for the sake of time. The stories are great, and definitely worth reading, but the focus here is on the visions. The stories are something I urge you to read for yourself in your own time.
Daniel opens up in chapter 1, with a story about his captivity which we'll set aside. In chapter 2, Daniel has his first vision. He has a vision that interprets a disturbing dream by Nebuchadnezzar, a king of ancient Babylon
1 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”
8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: 9 if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”
The king has obviously had a dream he was troubled by, but not only is he asking for its interpretation, he is also asking the wise men of his kingdom to interpret the dream, without him telling them what the dream was. This has now become a test to the supposed wise men of his court. And failing the test, will get your home burned, and your body cut into pieces.
10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said:
“ Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
23 “ I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”
This part fully explains itself. Daniel and his friends lives were in danger because the king was suspicious of the wise men of his court. And even though Daniel wasnt present during the decree, he too was to be killed along with his friends. Daniel and his companions prayed, and received the dreams interpretation. This dream of Nebuchadnezzar’s will be the format for all visions from this point forward. This has now become the subject, of which you will soon see…
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
26 The king answered and 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 in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. |
44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. |
The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. Daniel 2
Daniel clearly states the dream, in terms that are very easy to understand. The dream speaks of 5 future kingdoms on earth. The first kingdom, the head of gold...which Daniel clearly states is Babylon. Then, he says another kingdom, inferior to his will arise after, which is portrayed as the chest and arms of silver. Then another...as the belly and thighs of bronze, and then another as 2 legs of iron. But this one is never fully destroyed, but rather mixes with clay to form of the feet and toes. Then at the end of the dream, comes the 5th and final kingdom, which is not of the statue. It is a rock, cut without hands that strikes the statue at its feet and destroys the entire statue, and becomes a mountain that covers the entire earth.
This Rock is something that is referred to time and time again in the entire bible...
‘ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
The Rock this prophesy speaks of, is referring to the Messiah and His future kingdom.
This dream of Nebuchadnezzar, is no more than the introduction of the subject just as I have stated previously. This same subject is to be covered in all of Daniels visions. It is the format in which all other visions will be understood.
By doing this, with pieces of a statue, this great teacher of ours begins to eliminate false teaching right from the start. All of the pieces of the statue have to fit. If they are taken out of order, the statue in Nebuchadnezzars dream will let you know. You cannot move the head to the feet, or the arms to the legs...everything has to be kept in its proper place. This way if there is anyone teaching anything false, it will easily be exposed.
According to history, this statue and its parts fit perfectly. We are told by Daniel, that the head of gold is Babylon...
37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.
So by using Babylon as our starting point, and using history as our guide, we know that the chest and arms of silver must refer to the Medo-Persian empire.
According to history, the Medes conquered Babylon, and then the Persians conquered and joined forces with the Medes. Just as the statue portrays, as the two parts. The Medes, and then the Persians...the two arms of silver.
37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.
So by using Babylon as our starting point, and using history as our guide, we know that the chest and arms of silver must refer to the Medo-Persian empire.
According to history, the Medes conquered Babylon, and then the Persians conquered and joined forces with the Medes. Just as the statue portrays, as the two parts. The Medes, and then the Persians...the two arms of silver.
Wikipedia
The Medes, lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. They entered this region with the first wave of Iranian tribes, in the late second millennium BC. By the 6th century BC, after having joined together with the Babylonians defeated the Neo- Assyrians, the Medes were able to establish their authority, lasting for about sixty years, from the sack of Nineveh in 612 BC until 549 BC when Cyrus the Great established the Achaemenid Empire by defeating Astyages, king of Media.
The Medes, lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. They entered this region with the first wave of Iranian tribes, in the late second millennium BC. By the 6th century BC, after having joined together with the Babylonians defeated the Neo- Assyrians, the Medes were able to establish their authority, lasting for about sixty years, from the sack of Nineveh in 612 BC until 549 BC when Cyrus the Great established the Achaemenid Empire by defeating Astyages, king of Media.
The Medes took over the Babylonian empire 612BC, only to be conquered by the Persians 549BC. Cyrus the great combined the two kingdoms into what was known as the Achaemenid Empire, or also the Medo Persian empire. Which again, is perfect symbolism according to the statue...two arms, connected by a chest. Both being of one mind...or in this case, one heart. All made of silver, all of one common religious belief, Zoroastrianism.
The next part of the statue is the belly and thighs of bronze. And again, by using history as our guide, we know that the Medo-Persian empire was conquered in 330BC by Alexander the Great.
At the peak of his empire, Alexander died at the age of 33 and his empire was broken up into 4 parts. It was split between his 4 generals known as the Diadochi, or, his successors. A series of wars broke out between his generals from 322 to 301 BC. All 4 generals began fighting for control of the empire. The outcome of these wars, left 2 of his generals in control of the entire region, Seleucus and Ptolemy. Otherwise known as the Seleucid kingdom of the north, and the Ptolemaic empire of the south.
As you can see again, perfect historical symbolism in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Alexander the great is the belly, and when his kingdom is settled from the wars after his death, it breaks up into two parts. Seleucus and Ptolemy are the victors...which are the 2 thighs. All of which made of bronze, all of which under one common religious belief…but this time Greek mythology.
As you can see again, perfect historical symbolism in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Alexander the great is the belly, and when his kingdom is settled from the wars after his death, it breaks up into two parts. Seleucus and Ptolemy are the victors...which are the 2 thighs. All of which made of bronze, all of which under one common religious belief…but this time Greek mythology.
Now on to the legs of iron, the most important part of the statue, and the focus of all of Daniels visions.
Again, following the statue down to the legs, out of the Seleucid empire in the region of Syria...arose the Roman empire. Not only did the Roman empire conquer Macedonia in the north in 64BC, but it also took control of the Ptolemaic kingdom of the south, with Gaius Julius Caesar handing the reigns of this kingdom to Cleopatra VII in 47BC. The Roman empire, at the peak of its power 395AD, broke up into 2 parts, the eastern and western provinces. 5 districts to the east, and 5 to the west, each being ruled by its own emperor. Two legs, down to two feet, with 10 toes. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's statue portrays.
Again, following the statue down to the legs, out of the Seleucid empire in the region of Syria...arose the Roman empire. Not only did the Roman empire conquer Macedonia in the north in 64BC, but it also took control of the Ptolemaic kingdom of the south, with Gaius Julius Caesar handing the reigns of this kingdom to Cleopatra VII in 47BC. The Roman empire, at the peak of its power 395AD, broke up into 2 parts, the eastern and western provinces. 5 districts to the east, and 5 to the west, each being ruled by its own emperor. Two legs, down to two feet, with 10 toes. Just as Nebuchadnezzar's statue portrays.
These 10 toes are what reach out and touch the entire earth through the 10 European colonies. Exactly the same way history shows it.
So…is this statue symbolically accurate in terms of history? One would have no choice but to say yes, but this isn’t enough. What about today? According to the statue, the Roman empire never dies but rather blends in with the ceramic clay.
Is the Roman empire alive and well this very day?
Look around you...look at not only the modern architecture in the western world, but also the format on which this country, along with all other western cultures base their Judicial systems upon. It is none other than the model of the Roman empire of the past. Down to the Roman goddess Columbia, at the top of all of our capitals in the country. Even the city in which our own government presides in, is known as the District of Columbia.
This empire never ended...it adapted, and spread out into the entire world.
The empires final breakup was into 10 individual parts, the 10 toes. The 10 European colonies. The Alamani who became the Germans, the Burgundian who became the Swiss, the Franks became the French, the Lombards became the Italians, the Saxons became known as the English, the Suevi became the Portuguese, the Visigoths became the Spanish, and then the 3 that are no longer with us today. The Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. All of which were destroyed under the watchful eye of the Roman catholic church. No traces of their colonies can no longer be found. Its as though they never existed. And as you will soon see in Daniels vision of the 4 beasts, that this very detail of history is described in the coming to power of the “little horn”…the horn with the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great pompous words. And this is what caused the Reformation, the understanding of the prophesies of Daniel. They understood who was the little horn.
But what about the clay? The statue tells us that the iron of the legs, blends in with ceramic clay by the time it gets to the feet and the toes. So who or what is the clay?
Does this sound familiar?
8 But now, O LORD,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64
Or what about this?
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? Romans 9
Or maybe this…
6 Truly I am as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay. Job 33
We are the clay. And the reason the clay is seen as weak is because we are, very weak. We have been deceived, and we do not understand. We have forgotten who we are, and become something that is consumed with the foolishness this world has to offer. We are more consumed with the things that are material, and less with the things that are spiritual. And seeing how we have been designed to be spiritual creatures, the material things we focus on have made us sick, and very weak. We have forgotten who we are. But its not just this...
The clay is the only part of the statue that is soft and moldable. It is the only part of the statue that can be easily molded into another form by hand. Which is something that happens to someone who truly believes in the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. You begin to change shape. You begin to become someone else. You begin the transformation. You begin to become someone you do not recognize. And all of this is done by the Creators hands, molding the clay into something useful.
There is another analogy given by the Messiah that directly relates to the mixing of the iron with the clay, and this is in the riddle of the wheat and the tares…
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13
Do you not see how you are being taught with these prophesies? You are being taught in the same manner any great teacher will teach. You have just been introduced to the subject of this lecture. As we continue, each part of this statue will be broken down into pieces and explained in further detail. Then, at the end of the lecture, this great teacher of ours will bring the subject, and all of its details to the conclusion in chapter 11. And then, the whole story will be laid out for you on a silver platter so you can eat…and understand.
We have been lied to. And it has caused humanity to become deathly ill. This great book known as the bible has been kicked around and drug through the mud for centuries to where it can no longer be recognized for what it is. And today is no different, in fact it is much worse. Those that claim to be teachers of it, seem much more content writing best selling fictional novels describing its content, than telling the truth of what it actually says. And no one seems to take notice. In fact, they seem to enjoy it.
And what is ironic, is that this is the exact same example this very book gave in describing the times in which we would live…
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
II Timothy 4
The empires final breakup was into 10 individual parts, the 10 toes. The 10 European colonies. The Alamani who became the Germans, the Burgundian who became the Swiss, the Franks became the French, the Lombards became the Italians, the Saxons became known as the English, the Suevi became the Portuguese, the Visigoths became the Spanish, and then the 3 that are no longer with us today. The Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. All of which were destroyed under the watchful eye of the Roman catholic church. No traces of their colonies can no longer be found. Its as though they never existed. And as you will soon see in Daniels vision of the 4 beasts, that this very detail of history is described in the coming to power of the “little horn”…the horn with the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great pompous words. And this is what caused the Reformation, the understanding of the prophesies of Daniel. They understood who was the little horn.
But what about the clay? The statue tells us that the iron of the legs, blends in with ceramic clay by the time it gets to the feet and the toes. So who or what is the clay?
Does this sound familiar?
8 But now, O LORD,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64
Or what about this?
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? Romans 9
Or maybe this…
6 Truly I am as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay. Job 33
We are the clay. And the reason the clay is seen as weak is because we are, very weak. We have been deceived, and we do not understand. We have forgotten who we are, and become something that is consumed with the foolishness this world has to offer. We are more consumed with the things that are material, and less with the things that are spiritual. And seeing how we have been designed to be spiritual creatures, the material things we focus on have made us sick, and very weak. We have forgotten who we are. But its not just this...
The clay is the only part of the statue that is soft and moldable. It is the only part of the statue that can be easily molded into another form by hand. Which is something that happens to someone who truly believes in the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. You begin to change shape. You begin to become someone else. You begin the transformation. You begin to become someone you do not recognize. And all of this is done by the Creators hands, molding the clay into something useful.
There is another analogy given by the Messiah that directly relates to the mixing of the iron with the clay, and this is in the riddle of the wheat and the tares…
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13
Do you not see how you are being taught with these prophesies? You are being taught in the same manner any great teacher will teach. You have just been introduced to the subject of this lecture. As we continue, each part of this statue will be broken down into pieces and explained in further detail. Then, at the end of the lecture, this great teacher of ours will bring the subject, and all of its details to the conclusion in chapter 11. And then, the whole story will be laid out for you on a silver platter so you can eat…and understand.
We have been lied to. And it has caused humanity to become deathly ill. This great book known as the bible has been kicked around and drug through the mud for centuries to where it can no longer be recognized for what it is. And today is no different, in fact it is much worse. Those that claim to be teachers of it, seem much more content writing best selling fictional novels describing its content, than telling the truth of what it actually says. And no one seems to take notice. In fact, they seem to enjoy it.
And what is ironic, is that this is the exact same example this very book gave in describing the times in which we would live…
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
II Timothy 4