2. A DREAM AND A KINGDOM (Daniel 2:1-45)

2. A DREAM AND A KINGDOM (Daniel 2:1-45)

1.     Compare verses 36 and 45. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was true and involved future events.

2.     “Nebuchadnezzar’s dream covered the prophetic panorama of Gentile history” from his reign until the forthcoming reign of Israel’s Messiah.

The dream was political in nature, but it is talking about Gentile Empires.

In Luke 21:24 Christ refers to this time period as “‘the times of the Gentiles.’ ”

3.     In the centuries that followed, history recorded the fulfillment of each prophecy. (The toes may be the one exception and may represent a political system yet to come.) Each portion of the statue represents a world empire (verse 21).

Consider the historical fulfillments:

• The head made of gold (verses 32, 37-38)

Famous ruler: Nebuchadnezzar

Historical fulfillment: The Babylonian Empire, 626-539 B.C.

• The chest and arms made of silver (Daniel 2:39)

Historical fulfillment: The Medo-Persian Empire, 539-331 B.C.

Famous ruler: Cyrus the Great (Isaiah 44:24, 28; 45:1-4)

• The belly and thighs made of bronze (verses 32, 39)

Historical fulfillment: The Grecian Empire, 331–63 B.C.

Famous ruler: Alexander the Great

• The legs made of iron (verses 33, 40-43)

Historical fulfillment: The Roman Empire, 63 B.C.-A.D. 476

Famous rulers: Octavian (entitled Augustus), Tiberius, Nero

• The feet made of iron and baked clay (verses 33, 41-43)

Possible interpretations: The two feet may represent the outgrowth of the divided Roman Empire. As stated earlier, the toes on the feet may very well represent a political system yet to come. Ten horns foretell a ten-kingdom (or ten-nation) confederacy that will operate jointly at the time of Christ’s return

(Daniel 7:7, 24; Rev. 13:1; 17:12).

4.     Compare Daniel 2:34-35 to 2:44-45. The rock represents the kingdom of Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. This kingdom will fill the whole earth.

Psalm 118:22-24 (quoted in 1 Pet. 2:4-8).