on October 21, 2023
In the context of the coming of His kingdom and the suffering and trials which precede it, soberness is a vitally important quality which prophecy promotes: 1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. Both the statue parts (made of different metals) and the beasts represent kings and kingdoms. The Church in Prophecy La Vista Church of Christ What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? 4:16) refers to a fixed, definite, and lengthy period of time. Previously, the king had accused his wise men of stalling for more time. The Holy Bible: King James Version. Dan. Abraham had to believe and behave on the basis of Gods promises, rather than on the basis of his perception. He ran to the king, bringing Daniel with him, and said, Ive found a man from the exiles of Judah who can interpret the kings dream!, 26 The king asked Daniel (renamed in Babylonian, Belteshazzar), Are you sure you can do thistell me the dream I had and interpret it for me?. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Yet, his emotional response was valid and changed little after the vision was explained more fully. Looking about with its numerous eyes, no one can escape his look or hide from him.80 With its mouth, the beast continues to speak boastfully. 2:40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. He only called on him in a moment of sheer panic when no one else could help, and only then because of the recommendation of the queen mother. There are three main components to the dream. How old was Daniel in the Bible when he was taken captive? God also allows the wicked to persist and even to prosper, so that those whom He has chosen might be saved (Romans 9:22-24). Suffering and glory are a part of one work. (2) Why do you think Daniel summarized his dream when he wrote it rather than tell it in full (see verse 1)? Subsequent revelations in the Book of Daniel which Daniel received were closely associated with some kind of agony or distress (see 8:17, 27; 9:20-21; 10:2-3, 7-10, 17; 12:8). (4) Prophecies not completely fulfilled cannot be fully understood until after their fulfillment. We do not act on what we see so much as on what God has said. While most prophecies in the Bible reveal events which will take place after the death of the recipient of the prophecy, the prophecy is revealed for impact upon those to whom it was revealed. For geeks and other superhero types, Geek Slop provides the latest science and technology news, features, and an online shop chock full of geek gear. In Ezekiel, and even in Daniel (8:17), it is used in reference to a prophet. The prophecy of Daniel 7 nevertheless had great relevance and application to those in Daniels day. It will be like the stone cut from the mountain by the invisible hand that crushed the iron, the bronze, the ceramic, the silver, and the gold. Previously, the king Concurrence The only human things mentioned of the fourth beast are his eyes and his mouth. 2:32 As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. But there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and he has solved this one. When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. 2:36 This was the dream. Daniels response to the vision was far from assuring or calming. Biblical Studies Press, 2006. He would rise from the dead (12:40). Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. God's Judgment [22] Giant figures were frequent in ancient dream records, and parallels can be drawn from Greek (Hesiod's Works and Days), Latin (Ovid's Metamorphosis) and the Persian Bahman Yasht. [1], The book of which Daniel is the hero divides into two parts, a set of tales in chapters 16, and the series of visions in chapters 712,[2] the tales no earlier than the Hellenistic period (32330 BCE), and the visions from the Maccabean era (the mid-2nd century BCE). 2:30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person, but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind. See John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 149. With the death of Nebuchadnezzar comes a change in the peoples attitudes, especially their leaders toward Judaism. This vision was an interactive vision, as Daniel was not only present in the vision but was able to approach one standing by to ask the meaning of what he saw. He is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in the days ahead. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. The rock that smashes the feet of the iron kingdom represents God. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever. Suffering He said to Daniel, Your God is beyond question the God of all gods, the Master of all kings. 4:3437 reports Nebuchadnezzars return to power. Leadership We should note Daniels distress in chapter 7 before turning to the other prophecies in Daniel, where we will find that prophecy very often produces distress. According to verse 1, the written record of the revelation Daniel received in his first night vision is but a summary of the prophecy he received. Astonished and troubled. WebNebuchadnezzar is a real person. Repentance This condition is somewhat ironic, for God made mankind to be lord over the animals (cf. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.. First is a great tree that filled (3:130) Daniel's three friends in the fiery furnace, C. (4:137) Daniel interprets a dream for Nebuchadnezzar, C'. News without bias or noise. His mouth is used to speak boastfully. 47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. Prophecy provides men the opportunity to think and act in a way which pleases God, who determines the future and who reveals future events to men. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. (4) This is the first prophecy in the book revealed directly to Daniel. [4], The overall theme of the Book of Daniel is God's sovereignty over history. Daniels description of King Nebuchadnezzars dream is eerily accurate. 9. 4:1012; 2022). 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. God's Sovereignty The last kingdom has at least eleven kings. Suffering is an inseparable part of the process which leads to glory. His declaration, which resulted from the deliverance of the three Hebrews, made it unlawful to hinder the worship of the Jews; his decree recorded at the end of chapter 4 went much further. He surpasses those before him by speaking boastfully, then blaspheming, and finally seeking to overthrow Gods order. Some of his alarm arose from his not yet having been given the interpretation of his vision. Daniel blessed the God of heaven, saying. Nebuchadnezzar reigned 43 yrs. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. Images from the Book of Isaiah seem to be especially favoured. Sabbath A night vision is given to king Nebuchadnezzar, apparently early in his reign as king of Babylon. Not a trace of them could be found. 23 Thus he said: The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. Download the Redeemed Mind Android App by clicking HERE. The Old Testament prophet did not see the gap because he viewed the coming of Christ as God does. [5] On the human level Daniel is set against the Babylonian magicians who fail to interpret the king's dream, but the cosmic conflict is between the God of Israel and the false Babylonian gods. First is a great tree that filled the earth. I have the answer to the kings dream. Instead, his first concern is to stop the execution of the Babylonian wise men the men who practiced magic, sorcery, astrology, and other mystical arts despised by God. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. [9] The tales are in the voice of an anonymous narrator, except for chapter 4 which is in the form of a letter from king Nebuchadnezzar. Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!. Deliverance John the Baptist [28] The concept of four successive world empires is drawn from Greek theories of mythological history, while the symbolism of the four metals is drawn from Persian writings. But your rule will be taken over by another kingdom, inferior to yours, and that one by a third, a bronze kingdom, but still ruling the whole land, and after that by a fourth kingdom, ironlike in strength. Belshazzar came to power several years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar and seems to have turned completely away from the God of Israel. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. Dan. And the high priest said to Him, I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus said to him, You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, AND COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN (Matthew 26:59-64). 3:15; Zc. When the iniquity of the blasphemous horn reaches full bloom and his appointed time to rule is fulfilled, God will destroy him, casting his body into the fire. Whether liberal or conservative, our conclusions grow out of the premises and presuppositions governing the process and the product of our interpretation. The king is told that all of these earthly kingdoms would be destroyed by the stone not fashioned by human hands, and that an eternal kingdom would take the place of these temporal kingdoms. WebDaniel and his friends complete their three years of learning. 4:1617, 2426). Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the 10 A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, and the books were opened. While most of those in this kingdom may not have had a true conversion, at least they tolerated the Jewish faith as the religion of the state. The kingdom of God would not be established in Daniels lifetime, nor in the life of those who returned to the land of Israel from their captivity. The beasts are a horrifying and frightening sight; the heavenly court scene is one of regal splendor and beauty. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Should we be troubled as well? The remainder of chapter 2 and chapters 37 are in Aramaic and are in the form of a chiasmus, a poetic structure in which the main point or message of a passage is placed in the centre and framed by further repetitions on either side:[11], Daniel 2 forms a chiasmus within the larger structure of Daniel 27:[12], Chapter 1 and the first few lines of chapter 2 are in Hebrew, but in verse 4 the text says, in Hebrew, "Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic," and the book then continues in Aramaic until the end of chapter 7, where it switches back to Hebrew. Encouraged to do so, it savagely devours. Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. [16] The book is also an eschatology, meaning a divine revelation concerning the end of the present age, a moment in which God will intervene in history to usher in the final kingdom. How interesting! The bronze belly and thighs are a ruler that will rule over the entire world. The fulfillment of the prophecy of Belshazzars demise underscores the certainty of the fulfillment of Daniels vision in the last days. Prophecy becomes necessary from time to time to remind men of those things God has planned for the future which He will surely fulfill. The day and hour of Jesus return are unknown to all but God (Matthew 24:36 24:51). God is able to raise up kings and put them down. Get an internationally recognised education and have the time of your life. Prophecy is not revealed in a historical vacuum. This beast is also unique among the four in that he grows 11 horns. [25] Finally Nebuchadnezzar prostrates himself before Daniel and commands that offerings and incense be offered to him, suggesting that he views Daniel as divine; nevertheless, although he acknowledges and respects the god of Daniel, he is not a convert. The final words of verse 25 are carefully chosen to let the reader know that while this king appears to be successfully opposing God, all he does is a part of the divine plan for the last days. False Teachers The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009. 4:1018 the king describes his dream to Daniel. Print. Marriage English. He said, Call off the execution! 32 This images 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. Enter your email address to join hundreds of others in following this website and to receive notifications of new posts by email. Unity The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. (8) The four beasts are all different, with the last standing apart from the first three. In chapter 4 the king was troubled because he understood his dream (cf. FAQ We provide the highest quality of service and utmost personalized level of support to our clients. Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). The precise meaning of the symbols of the raised side and the three ribs is illusive. As the destruction of the last beast and the blaspheming horn came as a complete shock to them, so the Lords coming will catch unbelievers unprepared as well (24:27-39). The fourth beast appears to differ from the other three in that he is more beastly, more powerful, more destructive, and more arrogant. It seems that Daniel was not only wise, but an excellent statesman. This decree also falls on Daniel, but he, through the agency of his God, is able to tell the king the dream. 2345 Charles Ave. They believed that the Messiah would come to establish the kingdom, to bless the Jews and to condemn the Gentiles. In Dan. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy., 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. All Rights Reserved. Nebuchadnezzars Conversion (4:2837). 605 BC. 4:1315, 23). When Jesus came, He embraced this expression as a designation for Himself, giving the term meaning vastly beyond that previously held by any Jew. The reign of Belshazzar was, in some measure, a foretaste of what was yet to come in full measure during the reign of the fourth beast, especially of the eleventh horn. Are we supposed to discover their identity? Would Belshazzar toast the gods of gold, silver, wood and stone with the sacred temple vessels? Daniel 5 is an illustration and a prototype of what will happen in the end times, as described in the prophecy of Daniel 7. These horns are also kings, from whom kingdoms arise (verse 24). 76 It is not altogether accurate to refer to chapters 1-6 as historical and 7-12 as prophetic. [8] Modern scholars agree that Daniel is a legendary figure;[3] it is possible that this name was chosen for the hero of the book because of his reputation as a wise seer in Hebrew tradition. Let the name of God be praised forever and ever. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: 29 As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. Prophecies are given so that we may look at history, especially events occurring in our own lifetime, from Gods perspective. 78 A subsequent and related vision comes to him in this kings third year (see 8:1). You, O king, are the most powerful king on earth. In chapter two, Daniel refers to God five times and blesses Him as the God Daniel 1:18-20: Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzars dream about a statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. Does the fact that God has the power to take away a persons reason frighten you (cf. He has put you in charge of men and women, wild animals and birds, all over the worldyoure the head ruler, you are the head of gold. The words of Daniel which applied to the beasts now found application to them. The wicked will prosper and appear to get away with their opposition toward God and His saints. Election Why was he afraid and troubled? When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, having added perfect humanity to His undiminished deity, He spoke of Himself very often as the Son of Man. In the Gospels, Jesus began not only to identify Himself as the Messiah, the promised Son of Man, but also to explain all that this involved. 47 The king said to Daniel, Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.. 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. WebDaniels Interpretation: Daniel 2.37-43: You, O king, are a king of kings. 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. In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a [27] Jewish scholars interpret the mixed materials forming the feet as the kingdom of Rome alongside kingdoms under Islamic rule. (7) Prophecy is revealed, not to give us the particulars of things to come, but to change our perspective. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Prophecy is always practical and relevant to the person(s) receiving it. 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. The account of the writing on the wall and the death of Belshazzar (obviously the last year of his reign) is found in Daniel 5. Note that the description of the beasts is written in prose, while the description of the heavenly court in verses 9-10 and of the Son of Man in verses 13-14 is written in poetry form. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold to pieces. Daniel 12 He also presented an offering and incense to Daniel, most likely indicating that he viewed him as the representative of God (Dan. If taken seriously, we will find the future sobering as well. Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13). Miracles 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 goldthe great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. Take me to the king and I will interpret his dream for him., Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means., The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?. From an eternal perspective, the coming of Christ and His kingdom is but one coming. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him? 5 And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Daniel 2. 27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him. 28 At this point the revelation ended. (2:4b-49) A dream of four kingdoms replaced by a fifth, B. The other three are removed from power but allowed to live for some time after their removal (verse 12). In His response to the demand of the high priest, Jesus directly claimed to be the promised Messiah. Twice in chapter 7 Daniel speaks of his distress: As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me (verse 15). (7) No identification is made of the saints as Jews or Gentiles. There seems to be no Jewish nationalistic emphasis here, as there will be later.75. Bible lessons blended with science, theology, modern-day life lessons and logic. Ceremonial Laws When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. They surely knew this text to be messianic, but they had always applied it to the Gentiles. Pope Francis Issues Call for Peace on Anniversary of Russias Invasion of Ukraine. In the Old Testament, the expression son of man was used most frequently in reference to men, who were merely (as opposed to God) human. (5) While the process involves wicked kings and nations and the suffering of the saints, the culmination is the establishment of Gods eternal kingdom. We are not to base our thinking and actions on circumstances, but upon the Scriptures. (2) While the timing of the fulfillment of divine prophecy may seem remote to the recipient, it still has relevance for him. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. (10) What effect did the vision have on Daniel, and why? All of this is by divine design. The first beast was lion-like, with wings like that of an eagle.79 Its wings were plucked from it; if this happened in mid-air, he must have plummeted to the ground. (5) Prophecy is not written as hype but revealed to produce the hope of glory and endurance in present tribulation.
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