Daniel 6

 This is a study of Daniel Chapter Six 

READ Daniel 6:1-5 - 'It Pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2. And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was the (1) _____; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was found in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.'

In 538 B.C. Babylon was overthrown by the Persians. Darius the Median was crowned king. In 536 B.C. Darius was dying and Cyrus took over. Between 538 and 536 B.C. the events recorded here took place.

Daniel was still appointed a high position and once again those men in power about him didn't like that Daniel was held in such high esteem. It irked them that a man not even of their own beliefs could gain such a high appointment. They didn't like his perfection, it glaringly exposed their own imperfections. They sought to find a way to discredit him and nothing presented itself, nothing. So they had to devise a way and the biggest difference between Daniel and the men of that time was the fact Daniel worshipped the One True God, while like most Babylonians before them, the Medes and Persians had many gods they prayed to.

Of note the following events told to us in chapter six are actually mentioned in part by Paul in Hebrews 11:33 'Who through faith...stopped the (2) ______  of lions.'

READ Daniel 6:6-10 - 'Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King, Darius, live forever. 7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a (3) _______ of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, 0 king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8. Now, 0 king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he (4) ________ upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.'

Like before when the men against the three captives brought to Babylon with Daniel, sought to have Nebuchadnezzar make a decree that they had to bow down to the golden image erect, these men were seeking a way to get Daniel to do something that would make him offend his own God. Make him choose to defy his own God, something he wouldn't do, or suffer the consequences. They went to the King and lied, saying all the presidents, governors, princes, counselors, and captains have consulted together. Daniel one of the three presidents, the chief president in fact had not been consulted at all on the matter. The king however was deceived. He believed the men when they told them this was a unanimous decision. The fact they wanted to make a royal statute, a decree, that people could only ask the king for anything for thirty days and no others, not man, nor gods.

Of course the king liked the idea that he would be the only one to grant any requests, the only one sought out to do so. He was after all, king. No others were greater than him and this little 30 day decree would prove that to everyone. He and he alone had the power. No god, no other man had that power. And what a power trip it must have been for the king. He agreed. Making it so that anyone not obeying this decree would be cast into a den of lions. Everyone knows being cast into a den of lions is a death sentence and not a very pleasant one. The king knowing that by their very laws once a decree was signed it was in effect and could not be altered. Remember, Nebuchadnezzar couldn't change the decree he'd made either about the bowing down to the image. Both kings were deceived and ensnared by those about them and their own vanity.

When Daniel learned of the decree what did he do?

He went into his house and his windows were opened and he knelt down three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just like he'd been doing and those who sought to put the decree in affect knew this. They knew his custom. They knew Daniel prayed three times a day on his knees to his God. He knew of the decree but he also knew he couldn't follow that decree. He would not betray God that way. He knew it meant being cast into a den of lions and his faith in God was so strong that he knew that if it were his fate to be killed by lions then God's will be done. He wasn't going to stop honoring his God, not even in the face of death, not any more than his three friends had bowed down to the golden statue.

Amazing isn't it, just how desperate those men were to be rid of Daniel.

Think about it, they had gods they prayed to, sacrificed to gods they worshipped. All people had gods of some sort and yet here they were ready to give up their own faith and make all the people in the whole kingdom (and what a huge kingdom is was), give up their gods too. The king liked the idea of course, he would be their one and only god for a full 30 days. You can imagine not many were pleased with the decree but how many of them would rather die than comply? Daniel was prepared to die. He'd rather die than worship any but God.

READ Daniel 6:11-17 'Then these men assembled, and found Daniel (5) ________ and making supplication before his God. 12. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree: Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, 0 king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 13. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, 0 king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, 0 king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will (6) ______ thee. 17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.'

The trap had been laid perfectly and it was sprung.

The men who contrived the scheme were watching Daniel and as they knew would happen, they found Daniel praying to his God. Off to the king they went, eager you can imagine, to tell the king all about the one who dared to defy the king's decree.

First they asked him if he signed the decree, reminding him exactly what it was he'd sign and what the penalty was for disobeying the decree, and of course the king admitted to signing it, even saying it can't be altered. Only when they were sure the king was well reminded of the decree did they tell him that Daniel, one of the captives from Judah isn't following the decree, but they didn't just say that did they? No, they rubbed in the fact Daniel was not regarding the king with the authority he should be regarded with. Basically, Daniel is outright and flagrantly disobeying you king because he doesn't think you have power over him. Surely all should obey the king, why...he was king! But Daniel, one of the king's favored wasn't giving him the honor due him.

The king's reaction to the news? He wasn't very happy. But get this... this is very important.

'Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself.' 

With who? Himself!

Amazing. He wasn't sore displeased with Daniel, but with himself. He knew how valuable a man Daniel was to his kingdom, and sure Daniel might have his own God he prayed to, but everyone had their own gods. He never thought when making the decree that Daniel would be one that held his faith in his God above all else.

He'd been deceived. So he spent the rest of the entire day trying to figure out how to save Daniel.

What happened at the end of that entire day? He'd stalled. The punishment for disobeying the decree hadn't been exacted right away like it might have been. Instead the king took the entire day until he could take no longer and then the men came to remind him that the decree couldn't be changed. Daniel had to be cast into the den of lions. You can bet it was a very unhappy king that had it done. He gave the command. Daniel was brought and cast into the lion's den and the king said this to Daniel-- 'Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.' His God would deliver him, why? Because the king could not so Daniel's God was the only one who could deliver Daniel and the king knew that.

The den was sealed up, no one could go in or get out. It was done. Daniel was punished according to the decree.

So what happened next?

READ Daniel 6:18-24 -- 'Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him; and his sleep went from him. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel; and the king spake and said to Daniel, 0 Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21. Then said Daniel unto the king, 0 king, live forever. 22. My God hath sent his (7) _____, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, 0 king, have I done no hurt. 23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. 24. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.'

The king was obviously upset, he didn't eat anything, didn't want to be entertained, and he couldn't sleep. Have you ever been so worried about something that you could eat, sleep, and you definitely didn't want to have fun and games? I know I have. It's a horrible feeling being that distraught. The king spent the entire night like that. Then when it was very early...get that part? When it was *very* early in the morning, the king didn't wait any longer than he absolutely had to. The night was over and morning was there and he was ran to the lion's den, crying out in agony to Daniel, hoping that Daniel's God had been able to save him. The king didn't have the faith it took to believe that God would save Daniel. He only knew that one of the best men in all his kingdom believed in his God so strongly he was willing to die for Him. This God had to be amazing really, and there was the possibility that He could save Daniel. So the king in agony, his heart overwrought from a night spent worrying over Daniel called into the den of lions. '0 Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?'

Was Daniel's God able to save him?

Daniel answered. 'Then said Daniel unto the king, 0 king, live forever. 22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, 0 king, have I done no hurt.'

The first thing Daniel said to the king was what? 'O king, live forever.' He was giving the king the honor that he could afford to give to him. No, he couldn't worship him above his God, but he nonetheless held the king in high esteem. He gave the king honor first and then he told him what his God had done. An angel had been sent to shut the lion's mouths, he was unhurt, he was innocent of any crime, of any wrong doing. God found him innocent and he'd done nothing against the king either. His not honoring the decree was not done of self-righteous, egoistical ambitions, he didn't think he was better than the king, but his God was the only true God for him and no other would ever be treated as a God for Daniel. He didn't hurt the king. He was innocent and alive.

How did the king react? He was exceedingly glad! He was thrilled! He ordered Daniel brought up out of the den. They checked him all over and found no hurt on him at all, not even a scratch. The lions you can bet those men setting the trap for Daniel kept very hungry, had been thwarted of their meal. Why hadn't Daniel been hurt? Because of his faith in God. Faith is so important.

Then the king, obviously aware of why the decree had been presented to him, wise to the scheming of the men against Daniel, had those men all brought in and what did he do to punish them for their trickery against an innocent, upright man the king favored? He had them, and their children, their wives, all thrown to the same lions that hadn't touched Daniel. The lions in their natural fury and perhaps more so from being denied a meal all night long that was right before them, were so enraged and starving that they attacked those thrown to them before they even touched the floor of the den. Obviously if the lions had been subdued in any other manner it was proven that they were still ferocious, vicious, man-eating lions able to devour any in their den. Nothing but God through His angel subdued those lions and it was proven beyond a doubt. No one could accuse the King of tampering with the lions and therefore Daniel was spared by some means the king devised as he sought all the day before to figure out a way to save Daniel. By punishing those that would have Daniel killed, the king showed all in the kingdom what he thought of those who tried to trick him into doing away with those he chose to run his kingdom. He also showed that it was Daniel's God alone who had spared Daniel's life. A God of great power to do such a thing, no wonder Daniel would rather obey his God than follow any decree made by any other.

READ Daniel 6:25-28 -- Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. 26. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the (8) ____ of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.'

Amazing! So amazing! The result of the entire scheme of the evil men who sought to have Daniel killed backfired a hundredfold. The king made a new decree. Not only did people not have to come to him for any petitions, but every man in the whole kingdom men had to tremble and fear before Daniel's God, the living God, forever and ever in a kingdom impossible to destroy whose dominion was to the end. God delivers, he rescues, he works signs and wonder in heaven and in earth, he delivered Daniel from powerful lions.

What a glorious testimony! Amazing and wonderful!

That which was seemingly wrought for man's evil devices was used as an opportunity to exalt God!

Amazing!

Such an important lesson to learn from what were taught here. Yes, we are taught by these miracles too.

The three Hebrews in the fiery furnace would not bow down to a statue- they would not do something they knew to be wrong in God's eyes, upon the punishment of death.

Daniel would not stop doing what he knew God wanted him to do upon the punishment of death.

We are not to do that which we know God doesn't approve, and we are to keep doing what God requires we do, even in the face of death.

If we obey God in all aspects of our lives God will be faithful to us who are faithful to Him.

All by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

(1) first - Daniel 6:2

(2) mouths - Hebrew 11:33

(3) petition - Daniel 6:7

(4) kneeled - Daniel 6:10

(5) praying - Daniel 6:11

(6) deliver - Daniel 6:16

(7) angel - Daniel 6:22

(8) God - Daniel 6:26

Daniel Chapter 5

 This is a study of Daniel Chapter Five 

READ Daniel 5:1 -' Belshazzar the king made a great (1) _____ to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand.'

No longer Nebuchadnezzar, his life is over. Next, we pick up with Belshazzar, learning that feasting and drinking were something he enjoyed. Further on you'll see where Cyrus and his army obviously knew of this feasting and used it to their advantage. Do you remember that statue, the one with the golden head? Well we know the dream interpretation stated that the head of gold would give way to arms and chest of silver, the Babylonian empire would not last and this chapter shows where Babylon ends and the next kingdom begins.

READ Daniel 5:2-4 'Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the (2) ______ which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.'

Obviously the special golden and silver vessels that were stolen from the temple in Jerusalem were not on display for everyday use. They were the spoils of war, but kept elsewhere. Perhaps like good china stowed away for a special occasion? Or even more sacred than that. They were kept locked away as a show piece to a victorious war fought and won. Here Belshazzar commanded that these temple vessels be brought into the feast, these vessel the Jewish people had kept in their holy temple dedicated to the one, true God. He passed the vessels around and drank wine from them praising the gods of what? Gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone. Gods. Not God. He used vessels dedicated to the one true God of Heaven and Earth to honor false gods. Not a very good thing to be doing, not at all. Of course they knew what they were doing. They had those vessels brought out, not because they didn't have any fine vessels of their own, but they wanted to make a point and that being their gods were greater than the Jewish God.

READ Daniel 5:5-9 'In the same (3) ____ came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the (4) _____ ruler in the kingdom. 8. Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.'

In the same hour that the king called for the temple vessels to profane them, what happened? The fingers of a man's hand. Not a man. There was no man standing there, just the finger of a man's hand, a man's hand without a body attached to it obviously. These fingers wrote something on the wall of the king's palace. The king saw the hand writing. Can you even imagine?! Talk about being witness to something supernatural. The king was terrified. Instantly he yelled for his astrologers, the Chaldeans, the soothsayers. Sound familiar? Nebuchadnezzar had given all his spiritual advisors first crack at solving mysteries too. Belshazzar called out for them and told them whoever reads that writing on the wall and gives him understanding of what it says shall be clothed in the finest, wear gold necklaces and will even be the third ruler in all the kingdom! Talk about incentives! All the king's wisemen hurried in but they couldn't read that writing, and if they couldn't read it they certainly couldn't understand what it said. So here we have the king celebrating using the looted temple vessels in his revelry, honoring the gods of precious metals, woods, and stones, suddenly all his partying comes to a halt and he's terrified by this hand writing something on the palace wall. No more celebration. He wants to know what's going on. He was no longer having fun. That hand wrote something and it wasn't good, he knew that it wasn't good, his actions speak loud and clear on that one. So, what happened next?

READ Daniel 5:10-16 -- 'Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. 11. There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12. Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. 13. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14. I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent (5) ______ is found in thee. 15. And now the wise men, the astrologers I have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. 16. And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.'

A little history here. Daniel had obviously fallen into the realm of the unknown, at least to Belshazzar- who was in all actuality Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, but the customs of the time called any paternal ancestor, father, and too any male descendant was called son. The queen called in was Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, so the queen mother, one who would have known of Daniel, who would have remembered when his grandson could have been too young to remember him. Do you recall that Daniel was made ruler over lands and sent to tend to the kings business? He wasn't always right there in the kings palace and who knew how long he was gone away doing his duties.

Well, here we have the queen coming in and telling Belshazzar that there is one that Nebuchadnezzar used when none of his other wise men could help him. So of course Belshazzar wanted this Belteshazzar brought in, who was in fact Daniel. The king inquired of him if he were the one Nebuchadnezzar brought out of Jewry and then went on to say he knew of him and that the spirit of the gods was in him. He then went on and made the same offer to Daniel as he did his wisemen. If Daniel could help him out he'd gain all that the others would have, if they'd been able to read and interpret the writing on the wall. What does Daniel do...

READ Daniel 5:17 -- 'Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to (6) _______ ; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.'

He tells the king he doesn't want his gifts, his rewards, but he will tell him what he wants to know.

READ Daniel 5:18-21 0 thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor; 19. And for the majesty that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21. And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.'

Daniel uses this opportunity to speak quite plainly to Belshazzer, telling about Nebuchadnezzar and how God, the most high, dealt with him. How God gave him all and then Nebuchadnezzar became prideful and God took it all away from him by taking his reason. Only when Nebuchadnezzar realized and admitted that the most high God ruled over all men and gives kingdoms to whom he wanted, only then did God give him back his reason. So Daniel gave Belshazzar a little refresher course on the history of the one who ruled before he did. All of which was in fact, history, well known history at that. If your grandfather goes crazy for seven years and then gets his reason back- this is the stuff that is known especially because of its strangeness, its uniqueness. 

Daniel goes on to say...

READ Daniel 5:22-24 -- 'And thou his son, 0 Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the (7) ______ of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24. Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.'

Daniel points out that Belshazzar didn't humble his own heart at all, even though he knew what Nebuchadnezzar had gone through. He points out that Belshazzar brought the vessels from the One, True God's temple and let him and all his people drink wine in them, praising false gods, gods that mean nothing because only the true God should be honored so, and Belshazzar has not honored him at all. Daniel tells him outright, it'd God's hand that wrote that writing on the wall. The God he's neglected, forgotten, and rejected.

Daniel uses this opportunity not for personal gain, he doesn't want anything from Belshazzar. He takes time to point out who the message is from and why it was given before even revealing the meaning, impressing upon Belshazzar that even though he knew better from history, he's not learned the most important lesson the God, the most high is ruler and not the false gods that abound.

Finally Daniel tells him what it says...

READ Daniel5:25-29 'And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27. TEKEL; Thou art (8)_______ in the balances, and art found wanting. 28. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

The message is not good, as Belshazzar already suspected and feared. Obviously the language was unknown or the wise men would have interpreted it. Perhaps it was written in the Samaritan, the true Hebrew a language that Daniel used prior to his captivity. We know that no one but Daniel could read this message and as in times past, God through His Spirit gave Daniel the wisdom needed.

Also obvious by the interpretation, each word is really a short sentence. Mene, numbered. Tekel, weighed. Upharsin, from the root of peres, divided.

God, the One Belshazzar defied, holds the fate of the Babylonian kingdom in His hands. He's numbered the days of Babylonian Kingdom even though it's at its height of glory, a kingdom one would thought would stand forever. Because of his pride, Belshazzar has been weighed in the balances and found wanting. The kingdom would be given to the Medes and Persians. What an interpretation!

The king immediately gave all that he said he would to Daniel if he made the writing known, even though Daniel told him that wasn't why he was helping him.

What happened next...

READ Daniel 5:30,31-- 'In (9) _____  night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.'

Wow! That night Belshazzar was killed and Darius of the Medes took the kingdom.

Historically, we know that the Persian soldiers had emptied a channel of the Euphrates River and made their way into the city, killing and fighting their way to the palace. They found the king and killed him, even though the king had been warned. With the takeover by the Persians, the Babylon rule had ended, just as foretold.

That conclude Daniel Chapter 5. May God bless us as we continue to study.

(1) feast - Daniel 5:1

(2) temple - Daniel 5:2 

(3) hour -  Daniel 5:5

(4) third - Daniel 5:7

(5) wisdom - Daniel 5:14

(6) another - Daniel 5:17

(7) vessels - Daniel 5:23

(8) weighed - Daniel 5:27

(9) that - Daniel 5:30

Daniel 4

 On this page we will study Daniel 4:1-37

READ Daniel 4:1-3 -- 'Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2. I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an (1) ____________ kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.'

King Nebuchadnezzar is now ready to speak to all the people, nations, and languages, of God. The wonders and signs of God. He praises God to all of them claiming how great are God's signs, how mighty are God's wonders. He even goes so far as to proclaim that God's kingdom is everlasting. That isn't a minor point there. The King, the ruler of his own amazing, earthly kingdom is announcing to all that there is one God and amazing God, an everlasting God with his everlasting kingdom. Yes, very astounding. Not only has Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed God as everlasting, he's going to go on to tell all about God chastising him and his humiliations. He'll confess of his pride and vanity and how God dealt with him. Nebuchadnezzar truly has a repentant spirit and he wants God's majesty to be known. Surprising too, or not, the king is no longer claiming that his own kingdom won't change. He's surrendering fully to God. Amazing.

READ Daniel 4:4-18 -- 'I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my palace: 5. I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6. Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them, but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 8 But at the last (2)_____ came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 9. 0 Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10. Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11. The (3) ___  grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth; 12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 14. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 15. Nevertheless, leave the (4) _____ of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth; 16. Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given onto him; and let seven times pass over him. 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 18. This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, 0 Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

Oh! Another troubling dream! Let's look at a few points about the verses above.

First, the king was resting in his house. He'd subdued many small nations around him such as Phoneicia, Egypt, Syria, Judea, and Arabia. He had to be a little uhm, shall we say, full of himself for all that he'd managed to do, to conquer. He was resting from all the conquering and all he'd done and just when he was resting, God sends him another troubling dream. No rest for the king now.

Secondly, we have to realize that Nebuchadnezzar wasn't scared by much, right? He was a fighting man, used to the horrors of battling. He'd probably looked death in the face more than once and managed to overcome his adversaries. Sending any outward sign probably wouldn't have had the impact of a dream. We know that from the previous dream he didn't take too kindly to not understanding dreams that troubled him. Maybe the horrors of war didn't trouble him, but his own dreams seemed to be able to get the better of him. We could probably say they terrified him, hmn? So God choosing this means to get to Nechadnezzar was perfect really.

Thirdly, once again the king calls in his magicians and his soothsayers and the like and this time he ~tells~ them the dream. The last time he couldn't even remember the dream and his soothsayers told him- what? They told him it was impossible to give him what he wanted. This time, the king tells him his dream and they ~still~ can't interpret it for him! What a blow to their egos, yes? Only the prophet of God could give the king what he wanted.

Fourth, how appropriate was the dream vision of Nebuchadnezzar's rule. A tree in the midst of the earth. This tree reached to heaven, and the leaves were pretty. There was external beauty for the tree just as Babylon was a gorgeous kingdom. Gorgeous and glorious, the kingdom had outward and inward beauty. The picture depicted in this dream talks of the beasts, and the fowl, and all flesh being fed by the tree, such magnificent in representing how the kingdom of Babylon was run. King Nebuchadnezzar knew how to take care of his people, his kingdom.

Fifth, that grand tree was ordered to be cut down. Not a good thing, right? But even in that order there is care for what's left of the tree. The stump and roots are left and protected so they don't rot. Protected to flourish again? Cut down not to destroy it, but for a purpose. One day not too distant the wicked aren't going to have that kind of protection are they? Root and branch will be destroyed. READ Malachi 4:1 'For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall (5) ____ them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.' Not so here with this tree.

Sixth, 'Let seven times pass over him' As a plain and literal narration, it's a literal time. Seven years. A time in the literal translation is one year, however as a symbol prophetically a 'time' is a prophetic year.

Seventh, only by God allowing it did Nebuchadnezzar attain the status he did. Humans like to take pride in themselves and their own actions and forget that it is only because God allows that they are given such positions.

Eighth, it's wonderful to note that Nebhuchadnezzar admits that God is the true God over all other supposed gods. He wants Daniel to figure out this dream for him, telling Daniel that he knows that the 'spirit of the holy gods is in thee'.  Let's read on.

READ Daniel 4:19-27 --'Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 20. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22. It is (6) ____, 0 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. 23. And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24. This is the interpretation, 0 king, and this is the deecree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king; 25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the (7)_______  do rule. 27. Wherefore, 0 king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.'

What did Daniel do upon receiving Nebuchadnezzar's request? Did he rush to interpret it? No. He took a full hour with troubled thoughts plaguing him. No wonder he was troubled. Having to give someone the interpretation of a dream that isn't something you know they'll want to hear can be cause for contemplation, and troubling contemplation at that. Finally the king having let Daniel dwell on the dream spoke up. He came right out and told Daniel not to let the dream or the interpretation trouble him. That was nice of him wasn't it? He obviously suspected that Daniel was troubled by something and he was trying to reassure him that no matter what he could tell him.

Daniel answered the king after that and said what? The dream is for them that hate the king, and the interpretation to his enemies. Meaning those who hate the king are going to be happy to hear what Daniel had to say, and obviously Daniel wasn't among those hating the king and it troubled him. The tree Daniel told him represented him, the king himself. The king had dreamed of himself. The judgements given in the dream to that tree, to the king were conditional though, to teach the king that heavens do rule, that God ruled, not the king. In kindness, Daniel tells the king to let his counsel be acceptable, to stop sinning, to show mercy to the poor. Daniel obviously hoped by counseling the king would listen and maybe this whole matter wouldn't happen, things would be tranquil instead.

We're not told how the king felt at that point by Daniel's interpretation of his dream, but let's read on to a year later.

READ Daniel 4:28-33-- All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my (8)_______? 31. While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, 0 king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee. 32. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it unto whomsoever be will. 33. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagle's feathers and his nails like bird's claws.

Well, as we can see, Nebuchadnezzar didn't heed the warning of Daniel. His pride only grew. '~I~ have built.' 'by the might or ~my~ power' 'for the honor of ~my~ majesty' Yes, the king certainly was filled to over brimming with pride and self-love. He claimed all that was done was by his own power, for his own honor. So a full year later the dream the king had come true. God forewarned, God then acted. For seven years the king was mad, and treated as such. For seven years he was left to eat grass, sleep outside and his comely countenance was gone, instead his hair was long and wild, his nail like claws. Picture it if you will. The king reduced to a mad man.

READ Daniel 4:34-37-- 'And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up, eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, I (9) ________ the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting, dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36. At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me 37. Now Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase'

What a change of heart! The whole reason Nebuchadnezzar suffered so was to teach him that God is first and foremost, that to God be the glory and majesty and that he can boast all he wants, but in the end he needs to know who truly reigns. To his credit, as soon as his reason was given back to him, the king was quick to praise God. He blessed the Most High, praised and honored God, announced that God's dominion was everlasting and his kingdom would go from generation to generation. He didn't stop there, he went on the say that all the people of the earth are nothing. That God will do according to His own will, in heaven and earth, that none could stop God. With such praise on his lips he was quickly given back all that was taken from him, and then some. He also continued to praise God, knowing that the prideful are abased, they're brought low and he had seven long years that proved that to be true.

This is the last Scripture record of Nebuchadnezzar. This decree is dated in the authorized version, says Dr. Clarke, 563 B.C., one year before Nebuchadnezzar's death; though some place the date of this decree seventeen years before his death. It's safe to say that he didn't relapse into idolatry, or let his pride overcome him.

Nebuchadnezzar was an amazing man, God chose him, touched his life in many ways and used him in His glory. The golden head of the great prophetic image was the Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar had ruled in and now the king was no more, but the lessons learned from him and how God worked in his life are lessons for us still today.

May God Bless Us All!

(1) everlasting  - Daniel 4:3

(2) Daniel - Daniel 4:8

(3) tree - Daniel 4:11

(4) stump - Daniel 4:15

(5) burn - Malachi 4:1

(6) thou - Daniel 4:22

(7) heavens - Daniel 4:26

(8) majesty - Daniel 4:30

(9) blessed - Daniel 4:34

Daniel 3

 On this page we will study Daniel 3:1-30

READ Daniel 3:1 'Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits; he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.'

Because the statue was erected after the dream, some 23 years, it's easy to assume it was made with some reference to the statue of Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

The fact it was made of gold only goes to show that King Nebuchadnezzar wasn't all that happy about the fact there would be ~other~ kingdoms after his own.

He didn't make just a head of gold and display it, he made a huge golden statue, head and body.

He definitely didn't try to portray the other metals signifying a change from one kingdom to the next, though Daniel was very explicit in his description of the dream and the image. No where in his interpretation did he mention a golden image, he did however mention the head was gold.

Read Daniel 2:32 'This image's head [was] of fine gold…'

A 90 foot tall statue- pedestal and all. Though whether or not it was pure gold is something that is in doubt. Being overlaid with thin gold plates would have given the image it's completely gold appearance.

Imagine it if you will.

90 feet tall!

That's 15 - 6 ft tall men.

An 8 story high building.

5 Giraffes (18ft tall each)

From the heel to the top of the head of the Statue of Liberty is 111 ft, so just shy of that 21 ft.

90 feet, that was one huge statue.

READ Daniel 3:2-7 - 'Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the (1)______  which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5. That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of (2) ____, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up; 6. And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and (3)________ the goIden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

The 90 ft tall statue was worthy of a dedication. This statue was an amazing monument and worthy of being dedicated, right? All the princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and rulers were gathered there for the occasion. Today we would call that a huge celebration! Think the President, Prime Minister, some other important figure holding a huge gathering and inviting many a dignitary, but not stopping there everyone is invited to this huge dedication.

But… we can't imagine anyone in our day and age commanding all those in attendance to fall down and worship …anything!

Idol worship was common back in Nebuchadnezzer's era. People worshipped many an idol representing various gods.

Nebuchadnezzar wanted people to bow down and worship the image of gold that represented him and his kingdom.

The command went out for such to happen though and what was the penalty for not bowing down?

READ Daniel 3: 6 'And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.'

WHAT?! Cast where? Into a burning fiery furnace. In other words if you didn't fall down and worship this 90 foot tall golden statue you were going to be put to death very painfully! If that wasn't enough incentive to bring a person to their knees, well… it'd be the last incentive they'd be subject to. Also of note vs 6 contains the first mention to be found in the Bible of the division of time into hours. It was probably the invention of the Chaldeans.

READ Daniel 3:8-12 - 'Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever. 10. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image; 11. And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12. There are certain (4)____ whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee; they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Tattletales! Oh yes, it would be noticeable if someone didn't bow down when everyone is commanded to do so, everyone, that doesn't leave much room for anyone who doesn't want to stand out in the crowd for not bowing.

The Chaldeans- remember they were asked to interpret the king's dream and failed miserably- they took note of three Jews, important Jews at that- set over the kings affairs- who didn't bow down as ordered during the decree. They not only took note they hurried to the king himself and made sure he knew that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego hadn't obeyed the king's command. How wonderful it was to be able to disgrace these Jews who were nothing more than slaves brought out of Jerusalem to Babylon and taught their ways, who through Daniel usurped those who had been dedicated to the king and eager to please him in all ways. 

Obviously Daniel himself must have been absence on business, because we can rest assured he would have been right there with his three companions, not bowing to the statue and yet there is no mention made of him.

What happened when the three, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tattled on?

READ Daniel 3:13-18 - 'Then Nebuchadnezzar in his (5) ____ and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15. Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not (6) ______ thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Rage and fury. It's easy to get the picture. Nebuchadnezzer wasn't a little mad, he wasn't a touch upset upon hearing that there were those who didn't do as he commanded. The king was furious! In his fury he ordered the men to be brought to him, and not just taking the Chaldeans at their word, he asked the three outright if it were true, but before they could answer he was already giving them an opportunity to fix what might have been an oversight on their behalf. He didn't want to have these three men put to death. He knew there hadn't been an oversight, how could there have been? Yet he was going to let them fix things, show the Chaldeans and everyone that they too would worship him. 

What did the three say to his gracious offer to spare their lives? They tell him outright that they will not serve the king's gods, nor will they worship the image. They were not going to avail themselves of this second and most gracious opportunity to spare their own lives. They heldfast to their faith, a faith that decreed that they would have no other gods before God. A Faith that decreed they not worship idols. They told the king that if their God wanted he would deliver them from death, from the king's decree and if He didn't, oh well.. because they weren't going to do as the king wanted.

How bold! How incredible. Such faith, such conviction.

READ Daniel 3:19-25 - Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one (7) ______ _____ more than it was wont to be heated. 20. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace, 21. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25. He answered and said, Lo, I see (8)____ men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

We know for a fact that the king was enthralled with Daniel and it was Daniel that asked for his friends to be given positions of power and such. The king hadn't hesitated, he instantly granted Daniel's wish for his friends. So here we have a king whose second in command isn't going to be too thrilled with this turn of events, and yet even so the king had a kingdom to rule. He ~was~ the king! He was to be obeyed! He had to uphold authority. He could not make a decree and go back on it. As it was he'd given a decree and then he offered these three favored a second chance to obey it when death was warranted the first time around. So being magnanimous in his offer he probably had never entertained the idea that they would refuse his offer, yet they did. The king's reaction?

He became so furious his visage- his facial features- were distorted as he looked upon the three that dared to disobey him, that dared to throw his graciousness back in his face and in front of all those around them. Fury. Have you ever seen anyone so angry they just changed right before your eyes? What did the fury do? Make them red-faced, contorted and twisted their normal features, yes, fury is frightening to behold and the king was just that furious. What did he do in his fury? 

He ordered that the furnace where these three traitors were to be thrown to their unimaginably painful deaths be heated seven times hotter that normal. Seven times hotter! He was going to make sure they suffered, make sure that they were burned completely and utterly for their disobedience. The king told his mighty men to bind them up and throw them into that furnace, no more chances for them to bow down and obey now, they'd taken Nebuchadnezzer's graciousness and slapped him in the face with it, they sealed their fate. Unfortunately for the mighty men that grabbed up the three- dressed them well, more clothes to burn you see- and took them to the furnace, the fire was so hot it killed them as they were throwing the three inside. HOT fire! Surely the king hadn't meant to sacrifice the mighty men, they were being obedient to him, they weren't the ones who hadn't bowed down and disobeyed him. Nevertheless they died doing their duty to the king, but what happened to the three disobedient men? Shock. Astonishment so much so he stood up, peering into the fire. Quickly he asked his counselors whether or not they threw three men into the fire, why? He asked because he saw four men in the fire! The counselors told them they had thrown three in and yet the king told them there were four and they were walking around in the fire unhurt! The fourth was like the son of God.

Wow! Not only were those three disobedient men alive and unharmed there was someone else in there. Obviously not referring to Jesus, but a son of God, a supernatural figure of some sort was in there with the three. Nebuchadnezzer refers to him as an angel later. So there we have it. Nebuchadnezzar had the audacity to throw three of God's chosen into the fiery furnace to kill them, even after he'd witnessed the power of their God back when Daniel interpreted the vision for him. His audacity was rewarded with a vision of God's power, not only the spared lives of the three but the vision of another supernatural being in the fire walking with them. How amazing is that? To have God's power so revealed. Once again God showed Nebuchadnezzaer who was the one and only true God. No other god they worshipped could have saved others under similar circumstances.

READ Daniel 3:26-30 - Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth of the midst of the fire. 27. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and (9) ____________ his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any God, except their own God. 29. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.

Witnessing this miracle, Nebuchadnezzar called into the fire for the three to come out. The three hadn't taken it upon themselves to walk out, they remained in there with the fourth like to the son of God, an angel, until they were told to come out by the king. Leaving the fiery furnace that had killed the very men that had brought them to the furnace to throw them inside, it was that hot, the three stepped out and miraculously the fire hadn't touched them at all whatsoever, they didn't even stink of fire. With the tangible proof before them, the fourth in the furnace was forgotten as the three were closely examined by everyone! It was a miracle unlike anything they had ever seen before in their lives. Nebuchadnezzar was so awed that he said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.'

Here is a God worthy of worship. Here is a God that changed the king's word, that just wasn't done! No one could change a decree once the king issued it, no one. God did when He spared the three from the death decree made by Nebuchadnezzar. Knowing that only the true God, a God worthy of worship could have ever done that Nebuchadnezzar goes on the make a new decree. Everyone was order not to speak anything amiss against the God of the three or they would die and not by fire, they'd be cut in pieces and their houses would be made dunghills. Oh yes, those very men who dared to bring the three in before the King for their failure to bow down and worship, those men who most likely wanted to see these three slaves- turned important men - killed were now ordered not to speak against their God or they would be killed. Talk about a backfiring situation. 

Not only were they all under orders not to speak against the God of the three, the three men were promoted! Promoted into even higher positions. Of course Nebuchadnezzar was far from stupid. He'd witnessed the power of the true God and he wasn't going to do anything to garner His wrath. What wonder, what amazing faith, and reward of that faith. What witness for God to all the nations and peoples of that time. Amazing!

Praise God who works in such wondrous, mysterious, and miraculous ways!

This concludes our study on Daniel Chapter Three

May God Bless Us All

(1) image Daniel 3:2

(2) music Daniel 3:5

(3) worshiped Daniel 3:7

(4) Jews Danie 3:12

(5) rage Daniel 3:13

(6) serve Daniel 3:18

(7) seven times Daniel 3:19

(8) four Daniel 3:25

(9) delivered Daniel 3:28

Daniel 2 Pt 4

 On this page we will study Daniel 2:43-49

Picking up from our last study of Daniel 2:39-42, lets recap.

We learned of the various kingdoms portrayed by the great dream image Nebuchadnezzar dreamed, a dream interpreted by Daniel, a prophet of God.

We also studied a bit on the various theories people have had concerning the ten toes of the image, toes of iron and clay combined.

Let it suffice us to say they do represent ten kingdoms, and we take the interpretation as literal and logical considering how all the previous kingdoms came into being.

The Ten Kingdoms—

Ten kingdoms which the Roman empire (legs of iron) were divided into.

The division was made between the years 351 AD and 476 AD, 125 years from the middle of the fourth century to the last quarter of the fifth century. Studying the works of the historians, none place the beginning of the division of the Roman empire before 351 AD. There is also a very general agreement that it closed in 476 AD.

Those dates are a precise timeline which each of the ten kingdom rose on the ruins of the Roman empire. There are some differences of view among historians which isn’t odd at all considering the entire period was one of great confusion. The map of the empire of Rome had many revision, very sudden and very violent changes as hostile conquerors entered their land and their paths were crossed time and time again, making for much confusion. All historians however agree that out of the land of Western Rome ten separate kingdoms were established. We can even assign these kingdoms safely between the established dates 351AD and 476AD.

These ten kingdoms, without concerning ourselves right now with the exact time of their individual establishment are as follows—Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, Lombards

The connection between these and some of the modern nations of Europe, is still traceable in the names, as England, Burgundy, Lombardy, France, etc. Such authorities as Calmet, Faber, Lloyd, Hales, Scott, Barnes, etc., concur in the foregoing enumeration. (Look up Barnes's concluding notes on Daniel 7- Barnes' Notes on the Old and New Testaments, 14 Volumes By: Albert Barnes)

Just a little note here, some like to object that Rome was divided before the ten kingdoms into and Eastern and Western divisions. Obviously the two legs symbolize this division, and the ten toes further divisions.

Let us continue on with Daniel. READ Daniel 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not (1)______ one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Rome was the last Empire that was so all encompassing around the land God chose for His people. When Rome fell there followed nothing like it ever again. When the kingdom of Rome fell that power fell with it as well.

The iron of Rome was mixed with clay. There was no longer cohesiveness, and there will never be man ever able to unite all that territory again. History has proven this beyond a doubt. How long have we gone, right up until our present day without any one world kingdom, one world ruler? Can you even imagine such a thing? I can’t. The Bible certainly tells us prophetically that it will never happen- even if attempts are made towards that end.

Being part of iron and part of clay, the divided kingdoms, powers, countries would survive until the end when a stone not cut by human hands smite it’s feet, breaking it into pieces and scattering them to the wind, forever. Until that day however the toes would be partly broken and partly strong, iron mixed with clay. History denotes this without question. Shall any endeavors to unite the kingdoms into one succeed? No. Some have tried through marriage alliances, but the Bible says clearly-' They shalt not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.'

The history of Europe is a running commentary on the exact fulfillment of these words. From the time of Canute to the present age, it has been the policy of reigning monarchs, the beaten path which they have trodden in order to reach a mightier scepter and a wider sway. The most recognizable occurrence of this in history is none other than Hitler during his reign as he sought to conquer the surrounding lands and people and put to death those not fit for his kingdom, his dictatorship. Before him it was Napoleon. He ruled in one kingdom and wanted by alliance the others he could not get by force.

Iron mixed with clay- it’s just not a cohesive joining and it never will be, never. Many attempt has been made to mingle, but nothing has lasted- as prophecy so predicted.

It isn’t too surprising that mankind will forever seek to obtain a one world kingdom of sorts, not what we’d call it today. But even now people envision a future of one world union, a joining. It won’t happen. None of the powers are willing to give up their individuality, and none are strong enough to conquer by force no matter how they might try. The Bible will not be proven wrong.

READ Daniel 2:44-45 - And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven ___ up a kingdom, which shall never be (3) _________; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great (4)___ hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Who would eventually set up a single Kingdom- it’s not man. God is to do so. The end of this prophecy takes us to the point where, as we pray the Lord’s prayer and this is so familiar to many- ‘Thy kingdom come’ God’s kingdom will come.

No longer will man rule in any manner. The great image is completely and utterly destroyed. In its place God sets up his kingdom for his righteous. But when is this kingdom to be established? God’s word doesn’t leave us in the dark. We might not know the exact date of His coming, but He gives us signs, and more prophecy to study so that we may get an approximation as to what generation may see this wondrous Godly kingdom ushered in. We’ve dates up to 476AD already with the establishment of the ten kingdoms. Kingdoms that will in some manner or form still exist when God sets up the final kingdom. It’s obvious that the kingdom God is to set up, isn’t Jesus’ coming. For the division of Rome didn’t take place until many years after that, and it’s more than obvious we still live in a world with many different countries. Even Jesus knows that the kingdom His Father will establish is not at hand during his life upon earth- 

READ Matt 26:29- ‘But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s (5) _______.’

Christ did not set it up before his ascension either. READ Acts 1:6 - ‘When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the (6)________ to Israel?’

Flesh and blood cannot inherit it.  READ I Cor. 15: 50- ‘Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.’ It is a promise to the apostles, and to all that love God.  

READ James 2:5 –‘Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?’ 

The little flock receives a promise. READ Luke 12:32 – ‘Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Only by going through a lot of tribulation the saints are to enter the kingdom.  READ Acts 14:22 –‘Confirming the souls of the disciples, [and] exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Christ shall judge the living and the dead and then it’ll be set up.  READ 2 Tim. 4:1- ‘I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. Christ shall come in his glory with all his holy angels.

READ Matt. 25:31-34 - When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

READ Daniel 2: 46-49 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and (7)__________ Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your (8)___ is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 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. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the (9)____ of the king.

We’ve taken four studies to get through the second chapter of Daniel, studying at length the interpretation of the dream which Daniel revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar. Here at the end of the chapter as Daniel concludes his interpretation just imagine the scene.

All those soothsayers, all the magicians, the Chaldeans, all the wise men of the king’s kingdom (we can only imagine how numerous they were), all of these men were unable to give the king what he wanted and there stands young Daniel, not even a Chaldean, not even from their lands but a captive trained up by them and this young man alone could answer the king.

Can you imagine what those man had to have been thinking when they saw the king fall on his face and worship Daniel? When the king commanded that they offer oblations and sweet odors to him? They had to be totally blown away by it all, there is no other way to imagine it taking place. The impossible had been made possible. You can be sure that they didn’t like being upstaged like that, no, not at all. The king was ecstatic. You might think he’d be otherwise, having been told his kingdom wasn’t going to last forever, but he was thrilled that Daniel made known this vexing dream, he couldn’t even remember, to him.

Obviously there was more said- the king goes on to tell Daniel that his God is the God of Gods. Daniel wasn’t going to take the glory upon himself, he definitely wanted God praised for it was He who had revealed it to Daniel. The king goes on to give riches to Daniel and not only riches, but power. Men are considered great when they have these two things, aren’t they? Daniel was made ruler over the whole province of Babylon, chief of the governors over all the wise men. Daniel was rewarded, but he hadn’t acted thinking he would be so. He wanted to reveal God to these people, and be God’s servant. As one who was faithful to God, he was as a result rewarded beyond anything he could have possibly imagined. Again, Daniel wasn’t selfish even after being given all that wealth and power. What did he do? 

‘Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.’

He asked the king that his fellow companions, those who had been with him since their initial captivity, those who had stood by him, prayed with him, he asked that they two share in this reward. At his request they were placed over all the goings on of Babylon, and Daniel himself sat in the gate of the king. The gate was the place where councils were held, and matters of chief moment were deliberated upon. The record is a simple declaration that Daniel became chief counselor to the king.

~

This concludes our study on Daniel Chapter Two

May God Bless Us All!

(1) cleave Daniel 2:43

(2) set Daniel 2:44

(3) destroyed Daniel 2:44

(4) God Daniel 2:45

(5) kingdom Matthew 26:29

(6) kingdom Acts 1:6

(7) worshipped Daniel 2:46

(8) God Daniel 2:47

(9) gate Daniel 2:49

Daniel 2 Pt 3

 History Prophesized --  Biblical proof of the Bible's validity, of God's reality.  Prophecies that have come to pass! If these prophecies have come to pass, the rest will as well!

(Daniel 2:39-42 Discusses the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream that God gave Daniel the prophet interpretation of. 

Synopsis: Head of Gold- Babylon, Arms of Silver- Medo-Persia, Belly and Thighs of Brass- Greece, Legs of Iron- Rome, Feet and Toes of Iron and Clay- Ten Kingdoms that followed Rome. In-Depth Biblical/historical study follows.)

Daniel 2 -  

Verse 39. And after thee shall arise (1)_______ kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

Nebuchadnezzar reigned forty-three years, and was succeeded by the following rulers: His son, Evil-merodach, two years, Neriglissar, his son-in-law, four years, Laborosoarchod, Neriglissar's son, nine months-- which, being less than one year, is not counted in the canon of Ptolemy,  Nabonadius, whose son, Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, was associated with him on the throne, and with whom that kingdom ended. 

The Fall of Babylon. (We need to know this history because it is this very history that was predicted in advance by Daniel interpreting the Babylonian king's dream. Prophecy that came to pass. Prophecy that proven to be true would mean all of that prophecy would be true. If all the prophecy is true then we have a prophecy that leads right to our Savior's second coming! So please, take the time to read this history, no matter how boring it may seem to those who are not interested in such things. Read it once and know that the Bible is absolutely true, reliable, something we need to know!)

Neriglissar, two years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, broke out a fatal war between the Babylonians and the Medes, which undermined the entire Babylonian kingdom. Cyaxares, king of the Medes, also called Darius, in Dan. 5: 13- called for help from his nephew, Cyrus, of the Persian line, wanting help against the Babylonians. Until the third year of Belshazzar, the eighteenth of Nabonandius, the Persians and Medes seemed to be winning, claiming success after success. Then as Cyrus warred against the city of Babylon itself, those inside claimed provisions for twenty years, and their impregnable walls seemed like they’d keep them safe. They even taunted Cyrus thinking they were safe from him. God, however had found them wanting as the balances were weighed and His will could not be thwarted.

While seeming secure and relying on that security they didn’t allow themselves to believe they were in any danger. Cyrus however was adamant and wasn’t giving up easily. Using very strategic thinking he plotted and planned to take the city during an annual festival.                                                        

Using the River Euphrates to get into the city was his only option. He had to use his great resources and divert the water from the city. Using three different groups of soldiers he had one group turn the river at a given hour into an artificial lake just a short ways above the city. The second group were station to enter the city were the river normally would have. The third went about 15 miles below where the river entered the city. The two groups stationed to enter the city were told to do so as soon as the diverted water allowed them access and it being night they were to sneak in to the palace of the king and capture or kill him.

The plan worked, but only because the Babylonians were so secure in the fact they were safe they gave into the festivities heartily as only those not fearful could. Had they been on guard things would have been different. Even the palace gates within the city were left open they were so unconcerned with the goings on of their enemies.

The great neglect cost them everything. As they slept that night secure in their kingdom, they woke up overthrown by their enemy, the king of Persia.

Belshazzar died fighting, and the feast of Belshazzar in the fifth chapter of Daniel reads as such. ‘In that (2)_____ was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.’

God’s prediction had come to pass, Babylon the head of gold gave way to the Medes and Persians and that kingdom was never to equal the grandeur of Babylon, never.

God had predicted the city of Babylon would become a heap, the habitation of beasts of the desert. READ Isa. 13:19-22

{13:19} And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. {13:20} It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. {13:21} But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. {13:22} And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in [their] pleasant palaces: and her time [is] near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

To become so isolated and empty obviously the king of Persian couldn’t make it his seat of authority. In fact that went to Susa in the province of Elam, east to Babylon and set on the Rive Choaspes part of the Tigris.

Darius took down the gates of the city, and beat down the walls from two hundred cubits to fifty cubits. This was the beginning of its destruction. With the protective walls gone it was open to all sorts of ravaging bands. Xerxes returning from Greece stole the tremendous wealth in the temple of Belus and destroyed the edifice. Alexander the Great tried to rebuild it but died before that was accomplished. In 294 BC, Seleucus Nicatro built a new Babylon near the old, taking from the old city liberally to do so. The old city lay in complete and utter ruin. Near the end of the 4th century the Persian kings used what was left of the enclosure for wild beasts. At the close of the 12th century the few remaining leftovers of what was once Nebuchadnezzar’s grand palace were so filled with snakes and other venomous reptiles that people could no longer explore them.

And today where there is hardly anything left to mark where the most glorious of kingdoms even existed. God’s word was true. To those living in the time and splendor of Great Babylon, they would never envision such devastation, never and yet God predicted as much and it came to past just as He said it would. God’s word is true, His prophecies unfailing.

"And after thee shall arise another (3) ______ inferior to thee."

The use of the word kingdom here, shows that kingdoms, and not kings, are depicted by the different parts of this image mentioned, and so when it was spoken to Nebuchadnezzar, "Thou art this head of gold," although the personal pronoun was used, the kingdom, not the person of the king, was clearly meant.

Medo-Persian Kingdom - The kingdom that came after Babylon was Medo-Persia.

This kingdom is represented by the arms of silver on that great image shown to Nebuchadnezzer. The silver meaning obviously that it would be inferior to the gold that was Babylon.

Just how was the kingdom a lesser kingdom?

Obviously power wasn’t an issue because Cyrus put into subjection all the East from the Aegean Sea to the River Indus, and erected the most extensive empire that up to that time had ever existed. But it was inferior in wealth, luxury and magnificence. It didn’t have the pomp that Babylon had at all, it didn’t have the glory in riches that marked Babylon as a great city.

Strictly from a Biblical viewpoint the main event in the Babylonian rule was the captivity of the children of Israel. Under Medo-Persian rule Israel was restored to their own lands.

As a benevolent act on his part, Cyrus gave the conquered city over to Darius, his uncle. In 536 BC two years later, Darius died and so did the king of Persia- Cambyses, Cyrus’s father. With Cyrus sole ruler of the empire now it would be this year that ended Israel’s 70 years of captivity. The famous decree went forth for the Jews to return to their lands and rebuild their temple. (See Ezra 6:14) From the first of the great decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem the restoration was completed in the year 457 BC during the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, it is also the beginning of the 2300 day of Daniel chapter 8, the most important prophetic era mentioned in the Bible (Daniel 9:25) You will see this all unfold as we continue our in-depth study.

After seven year, Cyrus left the kingeom to Cambyses, his son. Cambyses ruled for seven years and five months up to 522 BC. Eight rulers with varying lengths of reigns starting at 7 months to 46 years, each held the throne until 336 BC. They are as follows—

Smerdis the Magian, seven months, in the year B.C. 522, Darius Hystaspes, from B.C.521 to 486, Xerxes from B.C. 485 to 465, Artaxerxes Longimanus, from B.C. 464 to 424, Darius Nothus, from B.C. 423 to 405, Artaxerxes Mnemon, from B.C. 404 to 359, Ochus, from B.C. 358 to 338, Arses, from B.C. 337 to 336, 

The year 335 BC is marked as the first year of Darius Codomanus, the last of the line of the old Persian kings.

This man, according to Prideaux, (The Old and New Testament connected in the history of the Jews -- By Humphrey Prideaux) ‘Was of noble stature, of goodly person, of the greatest personal valor, and of a mild and generous disposition. Had he lived at any other age, a long and splendid career would have undoubtedly have been his. But it was ill-fortune to have to contend with one who was an agent in the fulfilment of prophecy; and no qualifications, natural or acquired, could render him successful in the unequal contest. " Scarcely was he warm upon the throne," says the last-named historian, "ere he found his formidable enemy, Alexander, at the head of the Greek soldiers, preparing to dismount him from it. "

The reason for the contest between the Greeks and the Persians are better left to historians devoted to such matters. It is enough to say that the deciding point was reached on the field of Arbela, 331 BC, where the Grecians, though only one to twenty in number as compared with the Persians, were entirely victorious; and Alexander became absolute lord of the Persian empire.

Grecian Empire. –

"And another third kingdom of brass shall bear rule over all the earth," said Daniel.

It’s amazing how we so few words the prediction of the kingdoms following one after the other was made.

Grecia come after Medes and Persians, and is known as the third great universal empire of the earth.

When Alexander finally defeated the king of Persia (Darius) and the man was dead, the new ruler could begin to branch out to other lands, conquering them as he went. A Grecian fable about the sons of Jupiter, Bacchus and Hercules, comes to mind here as Alexander fancied himself a son of Jupiter as well. With absolute arrogance he gave the cities he overthrew to his soldiers, letting them do as they willed to those therein and a blood-thirsty lot they were. Alexander himself was also known to have killed his own friends in bouts of drunkenness. Gratifying his lusts was prominent. At the urging of others all of them drunk, he razed the city and palace of Persepolis, one of the most magnificent palaces in all the world. History states that after an excessive amount of drinking he was taken over by a violent fever and died 11 days later in either May or June of the year 323 BC, only 32 years old. 

More notable distinctions in the history of the Grecian empire will be noted further in other prophecies, let’s continue on.

READ Daniel 2:40 - VERSE 40. ‘And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as (4)____; for as much as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.’

Iron Monarchy of Rome –So far, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia are in order noted to be representative of the head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, and the thighs of brass, something acknowledge by all. However the fourth kingdom has brought in room for diverse views and differing of opinions. What is symbolized by the fourth element in the great image, the legs of iron? What kingdom rose after Grecia? Really there was only one so those who like to nitpick haven’t very much to go by. History itself is the recorder of what kingdom came up after Grecia, one kingdom and one only and that was Rome. Rome conquered Grecia and ruled everything.

The beginning of Christianity the Roman empire consisted of the whole south of Europe, France, England, most of the Netherlands, Switzerland, and south Germany, Hungary, Turkey, and Greece, as well as parts of Asia and Africa. Gibbon (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Early Sources in Classics) says of it; ‘The empire of the Romans filled the world. And when that empire fell into the hands of a single person, the world became a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal; and it was impossible to fly.’ Rome was clearly depicted by its iron rule, but even Roman was to fall. 

READ Daniel 2:41,42 - VERSE 41. ‘And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be (5)________; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly (6) ______.’

Rome in pieces- Before it was dividing into the ten kingdoms of toes made up of the weaker element of clay mingling with iron, Rome ruled with an iron will more so than any previous kingdom. History notes that the luxury and degenerate behavior of the nation as a whole and its individual rulers easily weakened it’s strong hold, which made the coming divisions of the kingdom possible, all predicted by God through Daniel His prophet many years before. Dividing the Roman empire into ten kingdoms. The question here is what kingdoms do the ten toes represent?

It’s rather easy if you take a natural, straightforward interpretation of God’s word, but harder if you wish to interpret it otherwise to suit other agendas those not of God. There are Romanists universally that will cling to errors along with some Protestants. In a book by H. Cowles, D. D there is an exposition on this- the errors are glaring really. He states that the third kingdom was Grecia during the lifetime of Alexander only, but we know it is kingdoms, not kings that God was talking about. He goes on to say, the fourth kingdom was Alexander's successors and that the last kingdom had to end a the manifestation of the Messiah. That God set up His kingdom then and the image was destroyed.

To touch on a few facts of the matter, given that one erring viewpoint we’d have to say that the Babylon empire was only Nebuchadnezzar, and that Persia was solely Cyrus, and Alexander, Grecia. It would put off the entire statue if we started picking it apart by king rather than kingdom rule. Even by this erring theory the first, second, and third kingdoms would have been long ago over and we would have been into many more than what the image represented if we were to go by the pick and choose supposition of Cowels.

Clearly Alexander's successors did not constitute another kingdom, but a continuation of the same, the Grecian kingdom of the image.

When Persia conquered Babylon, the second empire comenced and when Grecia conquered Persia, the third began. Alexander's successors, four leading generals,did not conquer his empire, and erect another, they simply divided among themselves the empire which Alexander had conquered, and left ready to their hand.

‘Chronologically,’ says Professor Cowel, ‘the fourth empire must immediately succeed Alexander, and lie entirely between him and the birth of Christ.’ Chronologically, we say, it is impossible.

The birth of Christ didn’t usher in a fifth kingdom as you’ll see when we continue our study. Cowel overlooks almost the entire duration of the third division of the image, confusing it with the fourth, and leaving no room for the divided state of the Grecian empire as symbolized by the four heads of the leopard of chapter 7, and the four horns of the goat of chapter 8. ‘Territorially,’ Professor Cowel goes on, ‘it [the fourth kingdom] should be sought in Western Asia, not in Europe; in general, on the same territory where, the first, second, and third kingdoms stood.’ Why not Europe? Each of the first three kingdoms possessed territory which was peculiarly its own. Why not the fourth? Analogy requires that it should.

And the third kingdom was a European kingdom? It rose on European territory, and took its name from the land of its birth? How did Grecia ever occupy the territory of the first and second kingdoms? Only by conquest. Rome did the same. Thus far as the territorial requirements of the professor's theory are concerned, Rome could be the fourth kingdom, as truthfully as Grecia could be the third. ‘Politically,’ he adds, ‘it should be the immediate successor of Alexander's empire’. . . changing the dynasty, but not the nations.’ 

Analogy is against him here.

Each of the first three kingdoms was distinguished by its own peculiar nationality. The Persian was not the same as the Babylonian, nor the Grecian the same as either of the two that preceded it. Analogy requires that the fourth kingdom should possess a nationality of its own, distinct from the other three. And this we find in the Roman kingdom, and in it alone. The grand fallacy which sustains this whole system of misinterpretation, is the too commonly taught theory that the kingdom of God was set up at the first advent of Christ. It can easily be seen how fatal to this theory is the admission that the fourth empire is Rome. For it was to be after the division of that fourth empire, that the God of heaven was to set up his kingdom. But the division of the Roman empire into ten parts was not accomplished previously to A.D. 476; consequently the kingdom of God could not have been set up at the first advent of Christ, nearly five hundred years before that date.

Rome must not, therefore, from their standpoint, though it answers admirably to the prophecy in every particular, be allowed to be the kingdom in question. The position that the kingdom of God was set up in the days when Christ was upon earth, must, these interpreters seem to think, be maintained at all cost. 

Such is the ground on which some appear, at least to be standing upon. It is for the purpose of maintaining this theory we have to prove the fourth empire came into being as the others did, one after the other in a logical order that holds fast to all the previous points. We can’t bend prophecy to fit out theories. We have to look at history in its entirety and work from there. 

Christ did not smite any image when He lived and died. He did not conquer as in times past we’ve seen the kingdoms conquered. The prophecy states the image becomes chaff and is blown away and the stone becomes a mountain fill the whole new earth. This did not happen. Christ’s life and death were not wrought in violence and overthrowing, there is no possible way if we’re to look through history and place things in perspective to the great image of Daniel, that we can say a Christ was a conquering kingdom. There was no smiting, no breaking anything into pieces. To lull yourself into that belief would defy all the previous predictions, those already accepted as having happened. God is not contradictory. When all the previous kingdoms were conquered none were smitten and broken to pieces, none were obliterated and no place found for it. We have to understand that the violent overthrowing with wars and strife are predicted and not to be ignored. That they weren’t said to be each totally obliterated, dashed to pieces by a stone cut out of a mountain without hands, says a lot. There is going to be more violence such as none of the other kingdoms were conquered with when that last kingdom is set up, not a quiet take over without nary a sound. It is really absurd to take on the theory of Cowel and others like him and believe that we are already living in the time of the last kingdom that conquered so magnificently it did so in a way no other had to date.

Do those toes, those made of iron and clay represent the ten divided kingdoms of the Roman empire? Yes. Facts speak for themselves. Simply- The great image of chapter 2 is parallel with the vision we find later in chapter seven of the four beasts. The fourth beast in chapter seven represents the very same image of the iron legs. The image of chapter 2 is exactly parallel with the vision of the four beasts of chapter 7. The fourth beast of chapter 7 represents the same as the iron legs of the image.

There are ten horns on that beast and they match up very naturally to the ten toes of the great image and in that vision the horns are noted to be ten kings to arise. Obviously they’d be ten individual kingdoms such as the other kingdoms were entities unto themselves. We know from Daniel’s interpretation that he uses the words king and kingdom interchangeably. In vs. 44 he says that, ‘in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom.’

This shows that at the time the kingdom of God is set up, there will be a plurality of kings existing together. It cannot refer to the four preceding kingdoms; for it would be absurd to use such language in reference to a line of successive kings, since it would be in the days of the last king only, not in the days of any of the preceding, that the kingdom of God would be set up. 

This will conclude this week's study (Daniel 2:39-42) and next week we shall begin with the Ten Kingdoms and what kingdoms they are in fact symbolically representing. 

Thank you for joining me in this study, it is my prayer that God grant us all understanding and help us to learn more and more of that which he’d have us know. May Jesus’s grace rest upon all of us and it is in His name I ask this. Amen.

Because the study of Daniel chapter 2 is very lengthy it will be broken up into several pages.

This concludes Daniel 2B The study of Daniel 2:39-42

(1) another Daniel 2:39

(2) night  Daniel 5:30

(3) kingdom Daniel 2:39

(4) iron Daniel 2:40

(5) divided Daniel 2:41

(6) broken Daniel 2:42