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History Written in Advance
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. —Daniel 2:1 Jeff Mezera Although dreams have been used by God to communicate to man, they are ..actually quite uncommon in Scripture. Dreams were given by God to faithful men such as Jacob and Joseph, but also to those with no relationship to him including Abimelech (Pharaoh of Egypt) and the king of Babylon. “[The] Babylonians had such trust in dreams that on the eve of important decisions they slept in temples, hoping for counsel” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary). King Nebuchadnezzar expected his wise men to tell him his dream without having heard it first, and to interpret it. If they did not do so, they would die. He said, “The thing is gone from me” (Daniel 2:5) suggesting that he had forgotten the dream. The New American Standard translates the Hebrew as, “The command from me is firm.” If he had forgotten it, any guessed dream would be as good as any other. Perhaps he was testing these wise men to determine how wise and loyal they really were. For anyone to explain a dream without first knowing it would demonstrate supernatural power. The king does seem to have thought that if the dream was not explained soon, the event predicted might take place and then the interpretation would be too late. He dreamed about a large image of a man with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, body and thighs made of copper, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay. A stone cut without hands struck the statue on its weak foundation and the entire image was crushed. Then the stone grew until it became a mountain and filled the entire earth. Even under normal circumstances this would be a difficult dream to interpret, but God told Daniel what it meant. Daniel said, “There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days” (Daniel 2:28). Nebuchadnezzar was “the head of gold” (verse 38), and “the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (verse 37). Although Nebuchadnezzar himself was the object of the prophetic dream, Daniel stated, “After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee” (verse 39). This makes it clear that the nations that ruled over Israel, as well as much of the world, were the object of the prophecy. The gold of the image represented the kingdom of Babylon. One head shows both the compactness and unity of the Babylonian empire. It had one sovereign. Historically it was known for its art, science, and its “hanging gardens,” one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was called the “golden city.” The Medes and Persians The kingdom that would supersede Babylon is named: “Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5:28). “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom” (verse 30 and 31). The angel Gabriel also identified this successor kingdom when he told Daniel that “the ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia” (Daniel 8:20). This kingdom was pictured by the chest and arms of the image. The two arms show the two parts of the Medo-Persian kingdom. In Daniel 8:3 they are symbolized by one horn of a ram being higher than the other, illustrating how the Medes were higher (stronger) than the Persians. This portion of the image was silver, a metal inferior to gold. While the joint reign of the Medes and Persians was powerful, the Babylonians were known for being scientists and astronomers, something the Persian empire never matched. They were also inferior in antiquity, wealth, luxury, and magnificence, though they did have more ambition than their predecessor. The ruler of this kingdom could not do everything as he pleased because he was accountable to other leaders. The later kings of Persia even lost the grandeur and wealth of the first in their line and were not as unified as Babylon. That may be one reason they fell to Greece so swiftly under the armies of Alexander the Great. Another may have been Persia’s use of conquered armies to fight their distant battles. After the first big loss, a “collapsing domino” effect began. Greece Daniel said there would be a “third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth” (Daniel 2:39). The angel Gabriel identified this successor kingdom as Greece (Daniel 8:21). Alexander the Great conquered nearly the same territory as the Medes and Persians. Under Alexander it became one kingdom; after his death it was divided among four of his generals. In Daniel’s day, the Greeks consisted of several isolated tribes which had not yet come together as a nation. The name of the third conquering empire, Greece, could only be known centuries before through divine inspiration. The Hebrew word used is Strong’s #3125, yavaniy from Strong’s #3120, Yavan or Javan. The Javanites were the Ionians or the predecessors of the Greeks. Sometimes the translators update the names of countries to make it easier for modern readers to understand. For example, most translations of Joel 3:6 mention the Greeks long before they were ever called by that name. Interestingly enough, Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon states that this word in Hebrew is probably the same as Strong’s #3196 which is translated “wine” or “winebibber.” The “belly” of the image also aptly describes Alexander the Great’s penchant for luxury and drunkenness, and the desires of the flesh. The belly and thighs were made of copper (Strong’s #5174, usually translated brass or bronze), a baser metal than gold and silver. The two thighs might refer to his principal successors, Selucidae and Lagidae, the Syrian and Egyptian kings. Alexander directed that he should be identified as the “king of all the world” and the prophecy states that he would rule “over all the earth” (Daniel 2:39). This same kingdom is pictured in the image of a he-goat with a horn between its eyes. When the horn grew strong it was broken off, illustrating how Alexander the Great was cut off in his prime at age 33. Brass is a strong metal, but it cannot be used to hammer other metals as can iron, which was the strongest of the metals in the image. The Fourth Beast Daniel does not name the kingdom that succeeded Greece, but he does give clues to identify it. In the seventh chapter Daniel stated that he “desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet” (Daniel 7:19, ASV). The term “iron” suggests strength, a strength greater than those that preceded it. Iron is used for hammers and anvils. Daniel chapter 9 states that Messiah would be cut off and Jerusalem destroyed (Daniel 9:24-27). The ruling power when that happened was Rome. In less than one hundred years after Alexander’s death, all the divisions of Alexander’s empire had become subject to Rome, the next great ruling power over the nation of Israel. The Roman Empire crushed and trampled its enemies. The nations they conquered stopped being empires and became subject to the Romans. Rome’s primary objective was to plunder and rule other nations. Just as two arms illustrated the eastern and western parts of the Medo-Persian empire, the two legs illustrate Rome’s eastern (Byzantium or Constantinople) and western empire (with Rome as its capital); the toes illustrate the eventual division of this power into ten kingdoms. Feet and Toes of Clay The prophecy continues: “Whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay” (Daniel 2:41, ASV). This last ruling power was illustrated by a mixture of iron and clay which shows a degeneration or weakness in the foundation. Clay is imitation stone. Daniel calls the stone that struck the image the “kingdom which shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). Because that stone is the Kingdom of Christ, imitation stone illustrates an “imitation kingdom,” or an empire claiming to be the kingdom of Christ. The iron illustrates how this “feet” kingdom would come out of the Roman Empire. It was mixed with clay, an imitation kingdom. In effect, it was a mixture of church and state. As clay is soft when wet, but brittle when baked, the bold claims of this “kingdom” were weak. Historically the Roman Empire evolved into the “Holy Roman Empire.” While the pieces tried to preserve their unity, the prophecy states that “they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay” (Daniel 2:43, ASV). The intermarriage connections between the rulers of the European countries composing this “empire” were devised to preserve the power of the rulers and their connection with Rome, but in the end it only brought revolution against the concept of the divine right of kings. It was a weak foundation indeed! The end of this prophecy leads us to the kingdom of Christ when “the God of heaven [will] set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). Daniel 7 In Daniel 7 these same four empires appear again but are symbolized as beasts: a lion, bear, leopard, and a “terrible beast.” In the previous chapters Daniel interpreted the dreams of others; here he experienced the dream and an angel interpreted it. He was told that “these great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise out of the earth” (Daniel 7:17, ASV). These are the world empires from Daniel’s perspective. In this dream the four beasts came out of the sea. The first was a lion. The Babylonians used winged lions in much of their art and imagery to represent themselves. Nebuchadnezzar is called a lion in Jeremiah 4:7. The wings were plucked and it was made to stand on the ground like a man. This represented his humbling and recognition of the true God on high after he became a beast for seven years, for “a man’s heart was given to it” (Daniel 7:4). The next beast was a bear, raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth. This empire was Medo-Persia, ferocious as a bear. It was raised up on one side, showing more strength on one side than the other, which is similar to one horn higher than another in the earlier dream. Sir Isaac Newton suggested that the three ribs represented the countries Medo-Persia conquered to gain supremacy: Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt. The third beast was a leopard with four wings of a bird and four heads, and dominion was given to it (Daniel 7:6). The lion had two wings, this beast had four. A leopard is known for its speed, illustrating that Greece was swifter than Persia as it marched from one victory to another under Alexander the Great. The four heads demonstrate the four divisions of the Grecian empire after Alexander’s death. The last beast was “dreadful” and “terrible.” Similar to the metal in the image of the earlier dream with legs of iron and ten toes, this beast had “iron” teeth, and ten horns. Zechariah 1:18 defines four horns as four empires which scattered and wasted the Jewish nation. These ten horns were to arise out of this beast —the empire of Rome. A Tree Cut Down “Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: … I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me” (Daniel 4:1,4,5, ASV). The king saw a large tree with fruit and food for all. It had a great height and great spread until a watcher from heaven came, cut it down, scattered its fruit, and cut off its branches. It was to be banded with brass and iron. Then in the dream the symbol changes from a tree to a man: “Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him” (Daniel 4:16). The dream is recorded in the Babylonian language, not in Hebrew, and must have been near the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, since it is the last we hear of this king. The dream was so disturbing to Daniel that he had to withdraw for an hour before he could interpret it. Daniel had to break the bad news: “It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth” (Daniel 4:22). God would punish him and make him live as a beast for seven years, until he recognized what Jehovah had given him. After this period of time his senses returned to him: “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:34, ASV). Compared to the other dreams and prophecies in the book of Daniel, although this one appears quite simple, something lies hidden beneath. As ruler over the Babylonian kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar became a beast for “seven times” just as the four nations of Daniel 7 acted as beasts as they reigned over Israel and the world. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, these nations appeared as majestic; Daniel perceived them as beasts. The dream also stated that the “stump with its roots in the ground” would be bound “with a band of iron and bronze around it” (Daniel 4:15, Net Bible) which restrained it from growing for “seven times.” Typically, this suggests that Israel itself would be restrained for the same period of time, as if to protect it for a later blossoming. These same metals are mentioned in the prophecy of Isaiah regarding Cyrus, the king who conquered Babylon: “Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and … I will go before thee … I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron … For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me” (Isaiah 45:1-4, ASV). God used Cyrus to free the Israelites from the bondage of captivity, breaking in pieces the Babylonian nation that subdued them for years. Many who doubt the inspiration of Scripture say that Daniel’s predictions are too precise, that surely this book had to have been written after the events described, but the evidence for the dating of Daniel, and the language in which it was written, point to its origin in the Babylonian period. The prophecies of this book provide strong evidence of the inspiration of Scripture, and how the events of world history were described centuries in advance.{FOOTNOTE: Editor’s note: Daniel is represented by eight Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest dating to about 125 B.C. [Martin Abegg, Jr., Peter Flint, and Eugene Ulrich, “The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible”; Harper, San Francisco, 1999, p. 482]. Daniel was cited as prophecy as well [4Q174] and is in both the Hebrew and Septuagint texts. This strongly implies an original writing long before 165 B.C. (in the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, to whom the skeptics apply much of Daniel 11).} Seven Times The events of the “seven times” outlined in Leviticus 26 are also quite precise in their predictions for Israel. Just as the phrase “seven times” is mentioned four times in Daniel (4:16,23,25,32), it is also mentioned four times in Leviticus (26:18,21,24,28). Iron and brass are mentioned in both places as oppressive powers which would hold Israel in restraint: “I will break the pride of your power [Israel’s power as a nation]: and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass” (Leviticus 26:19, ASV). There are seven main subjects in Leviticus 26 each increasing in the scale of punishment: 1. Barrenness and famine (verses 18-20). The same metals seen in Daniel 4 and Isaiah 45 are mentioned as methods of procuring Israel’s repentance and return to Jehovah. This was meant to break the pride of Israel’s power, showing the strength of the other powers which would invade them. The sky was to become like iron, and the earth like bronze, showing disaster in a land dependent upon rain as a blessing from the Lord. As predicted in verses 27-29, in the time of Babylon some of the Israelites became cannibalistic (Jeremiah 52:6; Lamentations 4:10). 2. Extermination of cattle by beasts of prey, and childlessness (verse 22, ASV): “I will send the beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your ways shall become desolate.” The nation would be attacked by beasts and would become desolate. Surely this is a reference to the beasts of Daniel. 3. War and plague, and famine (verse 25). Israel would live in fear of their enemies and their enemies would eat Israel’s crops. While this happened many times whenever Israel disobeyed, it also happened at the time of the Babylonian conquest. 4. Overthrow of idols (verse 30). While this happened in the time of King Josiah, the last good king before the invasion of Babylon (2 Kings 23:25; 2 Chronicles 34:5), its complete fulfillment resulted in the destruction of Israel when Israel declined spiritually even further after the death of the king. 5. Overthrow of cities (verse 31). God used Nebuchadnezzar to do this. 6. Dispersion of the inhabitants (verse 33). This also happened in the time of Babylon (Lamentations 5:2) and in the period of the reign of the “beasts” of the prophecy. 7. Desolation of the land (verse 34). This was literally fulfilled when the people were carried off to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:21). Leviticus states that Israel would be attacked by beasts and taken into captivity, being punished “seven times.” Nebuchadnezzar, the first of many powers that would reign over Israel, was punished and made a beast for “seven times” illustrating how the other beasts of Daniel would rule over Israel for “seven times.” How long a time is this? It cannot be seven literal years since Israel was in captivity to Babylon for seventy years. 2,520 Years Daniel speaks of a period of a “time, times, and an half” (Daniel 7:25, ASV; 12:7). In Revelation the same words are used (Revelation 12:14), and also repeated as “1,260 days” (verse 6), and “forty two months” (Revelation 11:2; 13:5). The Greek word used in Revelation for “times” (Strong’s #2540, kairos) is also used by the Septuagint in Daniel 12:7 and for the “times” of Daniel chapter four. Forty-two months is the same as 1,260 days, so these months each have thirty days. A “time” therefore is 360 days (twelve months of thirty prophetic “days” each). This was true of Nebuchadnezzar. He was a beast for “seven times,” seven literal years. Since a “time” in prophecy is a 360-day year, “seven times” of 360 days is a period of 2,520 days. Nearly every Bible expositor defines the seventy weeks (490 prophetic days) in Daniel 9 as 490 literal years, a period which prophetically points to the death of Jesus Christ. Some prophets were told to use this principle of interpretation. Ezekiel was to lie on his side for forty days to represent forty years, for the Lord had “appointed thee each day for a year” (Ezekiel 4:4-6). The Lord punished Israel forty years corresponding to the forty days in the wilderness when they spied out the land (Numbers 14:28,33,34). These “seven times” picture a period in which the Israelites were punished for their disobedience. The beastlike nations depicted in these prophecies were to rule over Israel for 2,520 literal years, a period beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, since it was his dream. His invasion of Jerusalem in 607-606 B.C. marked the subjugation of Israel to other empires. Counting off 2,520 years beginning in 607 B.C. ends at 1914 A.D. Leviticus 26 states that one of the punishments would be the scattering of the Israelites and that they would lose their nationhood. That had its beginning in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. The first world war began in 1914, and one result was that Israel was able to take the first steps to becoming a nation. On December 9, 1917, near the end of the war, British General Sir Edmund Allenby captured Jerusalem. The British parliament recognized the Zionist hopes for a homeland, and in the Balfour Declaration promised to support the establishment of a Jewish state. It was not until after the second world war that Britain fulfilled that promise and Israel became a homeland for the Jews. Daniel’s depictions and descriptions of each of the four empires are not only remarkably precise, they contain details about each empire so accurately written in advance that only God himself could have known it. The calculation of the “seven times” in relation to the loss of statehood of the nation of Israel in the days of the first empire, and the creation of the nation of Israel after more than two thousand years of being scattered throughout the earth, provide evidence of the inspiration of Scripture. This should increase our faith that the Lord will provide salvation for the human race when that stone which strikes the image grows to fill the whole earth and becomes the kingdom of God. |