Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzars Statue. Nebuchadnezzar's dream head of fine gold breast and his arms of silver belly and thighs of bronze Legs of iron Feet:

Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue

Nebuchadnezzar's dream

head of fine gold

breast and his arms of silver

belly and thighs of bronze

Legs of iron

Feet: part of iron and part of clay Rock

Meaning of the dream…

• Dan 2:29:– He (=God) who reveals secrets makes

known to you what shall happen.

• In other words:– Nebuchadnezzar's dream is a prediction on

future events !!!

• Can we (a future generation) see these events in history (or future) ?

Help in understanding the dream• Dan 2:38:

– You (Nebuchadnezzar) are this head of gold

• Dan 2:39:– after you shall arise another kingdom (lower

than you) - Silver– another third kingdom of bronze, which shall

rule over all the earth.

• Dan 2:40:– fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron

• Dan 2:41:– feet and toes, part of potters' clay and part of

iron; the kingdom shall be divided

What is the dream about ?

• Certain: Successive kingdoms that arise

• What do these kingdoms have in common ?– Theory 1: they rule over the Jewish State– Theory 2: they rule over the Babylonian

Territory

Geographic Overview

Israel

Theory 1: who rules over Israel ?

• From History:– Babylonian Empire conquered Israel around 600

BC– Persian Empire conquered the Babylonian Empire

around 500 BC– Greek Empire (Alexander the Great) defeated the

Persians around 330 BC– Roman Empire conquered Israel around 60 BC– Last Empire is still to come… (feet of iron and clay

– I believe it’s the Islamic Empire)

Head of Gold

Breast and Arms of Silver

Belly and Thighs of bronze

Legs of Iron

My problem with Theory 1

• There is one big inconsistency with this theory:– Dan 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as

strong as iron. Since iron crushes and smashes all things; and as the iron that shatters all these, it will crush and shatter.

– If the fourth kingdom is the Roman Empire, it did not crush nor smash all things. The Romans never conquered Persia !!!

• Personally, I believe this interpretation is flawed because God’s predictions are always right on the money in every detail !

Theory 2: who ruled Babylon

• From History:– Babylonian Empire conquered Israel around 600 BC– Persian Empire conquered the Babylonian Empire

around 500 BC– Greek Empire (Alexander the Great) ruled Babylon

around 330 BC– The Islamic Empire (culminating in the Ottoman

Empire) ruled Babylon from around 600 AD to 1900 AD

– The Last Empire is a revived Islamic Empire (iron mixed with clay)

Head of Gold

Breast and Arms of Silver

Belly and Thighs of bronze

Legs of Iron

Islamic Empire

The Last Kingdom…

Feet of Iron and Clay

Ahmadinejad: Wipe Israel off the map…

Psalm 83

• Psa 83:4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, so that the name Israel may be remembered no more.

• Psa 83:5 For with one heart they have plotted together; they have made a covenant against You--

• Psa 83:6 the tents of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarites;

• Psa 83:7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the people of Tyre;

• Psa 83:8 and Assyria has joined with them; they have helped the sons of Lot. Selah.

Nations mentioned in Psalm 83

Feet of Iron and Clay

• Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.