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[[@page.4.3.1]]

4.3.1 - Nebuchadnezzar's Dream and Daniel's Vision

In order to understand the significance of the symbols which John saw in the book of Revelation, we need to first become familiar with some of the things which Daniel was shown pertaining to Gentile dominion and the time of the end. Although the book of Daniel contains a tremendous amount of material which bears upon the book of Revelation and the activities of the Antichrist, we will limit our examination to two main passages which deal with the sequence of kingdoms leading to the second return of Christ. (See our discussion of The 70th Week of Daniel elsewhere.) The first of these is Nebuchadnezzar's dream consisting of an image made up of differing metals which Daniel interprets (Dan. [[2:31-45|bible.27.2.31-27.2.45]]). The second is Daniel's night vision of four vicious beasts which arise from the sea (Dan. [[7:1-28|bible.27.7.1-27.7.28]]).

When these two passages are compared, it becomes evident that they represent two different perspectives on the same subject: four major world kingdoms which constitute the times of the Gentiles during which Israel will be precluded from full control of her land and her promised blessing in the Messianic Kingdom. Each of the passages begins with a description of the Babylonian kingdom of which Daniel was currently a captive (having been deported from Jerusalem, Dan. [[1:1-6|bible.27.1.1-27.1.6]]) and closes with the final Gentile kingdom being destroyed by God's kingdom on earth.

Several aspects are seen from a comparison of the related passages:Most conservative interpreters, who believe the book of Daniel to be inspired (Mtt. [[24:15|bible.61.24.15]]; Mark [[13:14|bible.62.13.14]]), interpret the four metals and four beasts as representing the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.3

Gentile Kingdoms4
KingdomBeautiful Statue
(Seen by Nebuchadnezzar: Man's Perspective)
Dan. [[2:31-35|bible.27.2.31-27.2.35]]
Vicious Beast
(Seen by Daniel: God's Perspective)
Dan. [[7:1-28|bible.27.7.1-27.7.28]]
Babylon (Dan. [[2:38|bible.27.2.38]]).Head of gold (Dan. [[2:32|bible.27.2.32]], [[37|bible.27.2.37]]).Like a lion with eagle's wings (Dan. [[7:4|bible.27.7.4]]).5
Medo-Persia (Dan. [[2:39|bible.27.2.39]]).Chest and arms of silver (Dan. [[2:32|bible.27.2.32]]).Like a bear with three ribs (Dan. [[7:5|bible.27.7.5]]).6
Greece (Macedonian, Dan. [[2:39|bible.27.2.39]]).Belly and thighs of bronze (Dan. [[2:32|bible.27.2.32]]).Like a leopard with four wings and four heads (Dan. [[7:6|bible.27.7.6]]).7
Rome (Dan. [[2:40|bible.27.2.40]]).Legs of iron (Dan. [[2:33|bible.27.2.33]]).A unique beast dreadful and terrible (Dan. [[7:7|bible.27.7.7]], [[19-20|bible.27.7.19-27.7.20]], [[23-25|bible.27.7.23-27.7.25]]).8
Rome divided and dispersed (Dan. [[2:41-43|bible.27.2.41-27.2.43]]).Feet party of iron and partly of clay, [ten] toes (Dan. [[2:33|bible.27.2.33]], [[41|bible.27.2.41]]).Ten horns, a little horn, slain (Dan. [[7:8|bible.27.7.8]], [[11|bible.27.7.11]]; Rev. [[19:20|bible.87.19.20]]+).
Millennial Kingdom (Dan. [[2:44-45|bible.27.2.44-27.2.45]]).9 Stone cut without hands, strikes image, fills entire earth (Dan. [[2:32|bible.27.2.32]]).Son of Man (Dan. [[7:13-14|bible.27.7.13-27.7.14]], [[18|bible.27.7.18]], [[22|bible.27.7.22]], [[26|bible.27.7.26]]).


Notes

1 "How sobering a thought that God sees the nations of the earth as wild beasts." -- Donald Grey Barnhouse, Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971), 236.

2 "The preciousness of the metal deteriorates from the top of gold to the clay of the feet, and there is a corresponding lower specific gravity; that is, the gold is much heavier than the silver, the silver than the brass, the brass than the iron, and the clay in the feet is the lightest material of all. The approximate specific gravity of gold is 19, silver 11, brass 8.5, and iron 7.8. . . .While the materials decrease in weight, they increase in hardness with the notable exception of the clay in the feet. The image is obviously top heavy and weak in its feet." -- John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute, 1971), 63.

3 "The interpretation of the royal image of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. [[2:31-43|bible.27.2.31-27.2.43]]) and of the four corresponding beast figures of the night vision of Daniel (Daniel [[7|bible.27.7.1]]) as the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman world empires is found as early as Irenaeus (died A.D. 202) and in Josephus and the Jewish Rabbis. Luther says: 'Upon this interpretation and the meaning all the world is harmonious, and fact and history strongly prove it.'" -- Erich Sauer, The Dawn of World Redemption (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1951, c1964), 172.

4 See [Tim LaHaye, and Thomas Ice, Charting the End Times (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2001), 88].

5 See also Rev. [[13:2|bible.87.13.2]]+.

6 See also Dan. [[8:20|bible.27.8.20]]; Rev. [[13:2|bible.87.13.2]]+.

7 See also Dan. [[8:21-22|bible.27.8.21-27.8.22]]; [[10:20|bible.27.10.20]]; [[11:2-4|bible.27.11.2-27.11.4]]; Rev. [[13:2|bible.87.13.2]]+.

8 See also Dan. [[9:26|bible.27.9.26]].

9 See also Rev. [[20:4-6|bible.87.20.4-87.20.6]]+.


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