The Human Statue & the Stone in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (Daniel 2)
"Your majesty, while you were watching, you observed an enormous statue. This magnificent statue stood before you with extraordinary brilliance. Its appearance was terrifying. That statue had a head made of pure gold, with its chest and arms made of silver, its abdomen and thighs made of bronze, its legs made of iron, and its feet made partly of iron and partly of clay.
"As you were watching, a rock was quarried—but not with human hands—and it struck the iron and clay feet of the statue, breaking them to pieces.
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together and became like chaff from a summer threshing floor that the breeze carries away without leaving a trace. Then the rock that struck the statue grew into a huge mountain and filled the entire earth.
"This was the dream, and we'll now relate its meaning to the king.
You, your majesty, king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory, so that wherever people, wild animals, or birds of the sky live, he has placed them under your control, giving you dominion over them all—you're that head of gold.
"After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to yours, and then a third kingdom of bronze will arise to rule all the earth. Then there will be a fourth kingdom, as strong as iron. Just as all things are broken to pieces and shattered by iron, so it will shatter and crush everything. "The feet and toes that you saw, made partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, represent a divided kingdom. It will still have the strength of iron, in that you saw iron mixed with clay. Just as their toes and feet are part iron and part clay, so will the kingdom be both strong and brittle. Just as you saw iron mixed with clay, so they will mix themselves with human offspring. Furthermore, they won't remain together, just as iron doesn't mix with clay.
"During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor its sovereignty left in the hands of another people. It will shatter and crush all of these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. Now, just as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without human hands—and that it crushed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold to pieces—so also the great God has revealed to the king what will take place after this. Your dream will come true, and its meaning will prove trustworthy (Daniel 2.31-45).
The Four Beasts and the Son of Man (Daniel 7)
In the first year of the reign of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel dreamed a dream, receiving visions in his mind while in bed, after which he recorded the dream, relating this summary of events. Daniel said, "I observed the vision during the night. Look! The four winds of the skies were stirring up the Mediterranean Sea.
Four magnificent animals were rising from the sea, each different from the other.
The first resembled a lion, but it had eagles' wings. I continued to watch until its wings were plucked off, it was lifted up off the ground, and it was forced to stand on two feet like a man. A human soul was imparted to it.
Then look!—a second animal resembling a bear followed it. It was raised up on one side, with three ribs held between the teeth in its mouth. Therefore people kept telling it, 'Get up and devour lots of meat!'
After this I continued to watch—and look!—there was another one, resembling a leopard with four birds' wings on its back. The animal also had four heads, and authority was imparted to it.
"After this, I continued to observe the night visions. And look!—there was a fourth awe-inspiring, terrifying, and viciously strong animal! It had large, iron teeth. It devoured and crushed things, and trampled under its feet whatever remained. Different from all of the other previous animals, it had ten horns. While I was thinking about the horns—look—another horn, this time a little one, grew up among them. Three of the first horns were yanked up by their roots right in front of it. Look! It had eyes like those of a human being and a mouth that boasted with audacious claims."
"I kept on watching until the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothes were white, like snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne burned with flaming fire, and its wheels burned with fire. A river of fire flowed out from before him. Thousands upon thousands were serving him, with millions upon millions waiting before him. The court sat in judgment, and record books were unsealed.
"I continued watching because of the audacious words that the horn was speaking. I kept observing until the animal was killed and its body destroyed and given over to burning fire. Now as to the other animals, their authority was removed, but they were granted a reprieve from execution for an appointed period of time."
"I continued to observe the night vision—and look!—someone like the Son of Man was coming, accompanied by heavenly clouds. He approached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. To him dominion was bestowed, along with glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations, and languages are to serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion—it will never pass away—and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."
"Now as for me, Daniel, I was emotionally troubled, and what I had seen in the visions kept alarming me. So I approached one of those who were standing nearby and began to ask the meaning of all of this. He spoke to me and caused me to understand the interpretation of these things.
He said, 'These four great animals are four kings who will rise to power from the earth. But the saints of the Highest will receive the kingdom forever, inheriting it forever and ever.
"I wanted to learn the precise significance of the fourth animal that was different from all the others, extremely awe-inspiring, with iron teeth and bronze claws, and that had devoured and crushed things, trampling under its feet whatever remained. Also, I wanted to learn the significance of the ten horns on its head and the other horn that had arisen, before which three of them had fallen—that is, the horn with eyes and a mouth that uttered magnificent things and which was greater in appearance than its fellows.
"As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom.
So he said: 'The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trampling it down and crushing it. Now as to the ten horns, ten kings will rise to power from this kingdom, and another king will rise to power after them. He will be different from the previous kings, and will defeat three kings. He'll speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One. He'll attempt to alter times and laws, and they'll be given into his control for a time, times, and half a time. Nevertheless, the court will convene, and his authority will be removed, annulled, and destroyed forever. Then the kingdom, authority, and magnificence of all nations of the earth will be given to the people who are the saints of the Highest One. His kingdom will endure forever, and all authorities will serve him and obey him.'
"At this point the vision ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts continued to alarm me, and I lost my natural color, but I kept quiet about the matter."
The Ram and the Goat (Daniel 8)
"During the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, saw a vision after the earlier vision that had appeared to me. As I observed the vision, I looked around the citadel of Susa in Elam Province. While I watched, I found myself beside the Ulai Canal.
"Then I turned my head to look—and behold!—a two-horned ram was standing beside the canal. The two horns grew long, the first one growing longer than the second, with the longer one springing up last. I watched the ram charging westward, northward, and southward. No animal could stand before him, nor was there anyone who could deliver from his control. He did as he pleased and exalted himself.
"As I watched and wondered, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat had a distinctive horn between its eyes. It approached the ram with the two horns that I had observed while standing beside the canal, and charged at him, out of control with rage. I saw it approach the ram, overflowing with fury at him, and run into him with the full force of its strength. The goat shattered the ram's two horns, and the ram could not oppose it. So the goat threw him to the ground and trampled him. No one could rescue the ram from its control.
Then the goat grew extremely great, but when it was strong, its great horn was shattered. In its place, four distinctive horns grew out in all directions." "A somewhat insignificant horn emerged from one of them. It moved rapidly against the south, against the east, and against the Glory.
Then it moved against the heavenly army. It persuaded some of the army to fall to the earth, along with some of the stars, and it trampled them. Then it set itself as great as the Prince of the army, from whom the daily ritual was abolished, in order to bring low his sanctuary. Because of the transgression, the army will be given over, along with the daily ritual, and the horn will cast truth to the ground, prospering while it continues to act."
"Then I heard one holy person speaking, and another holy person addressed the one who was speaking: 'In the vision about the daily ritual, how much time elapses while the desecration terrifies and both the Holy Place and the army are trampled?' He told me, 'For 2,300 days. Then what is holy will be restored.'"
"After I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. All of a sudden, there was standing in front of me one who appeared to be valiant. I heard the voice of a man calling out from the Ulai Canal, 'Gabriel, interpret what that fellow has been seeing.' "As he approached where I was standing, I became terrified and fell on my face. But he told me, 'Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.' "While he had been speaking with me, I had fainted on my face, but he touched me and enabled me to stand upright on my feet. Then he said, 'Pay attention! I'm going to brief you about what will happen at the end of the period of wrath, because its end is appointed.
The ram that you saw with a pair of horns are the kings of Media and Persia. The demonic goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn between its eyes is its first king. The shattered horn and the four that took its place are four kingdoms that will come from his nation, but they will not have his strength.
Toward the end of their rule, as the desecrations proceed, an insolent king will arise, proficient at deception. Mighty will be his skills, but not from his own abilities. He'll be remarkably destructive, will succeed, and will do whatever he wants, destroying mighty men and the holy people. Through his skill he'll cause deceit to prosper under his leadership. He'll promote himself and will destroy many while they are secure. He'll take a stand against the Prince of Princes, yet he'll be crushed without human help.
The vision about the twilights and dawnings that has been related is trustworthy, but keep its vision secret, because it pertains to the distant future.'
Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and ill for days, but afterward I got up and went about the king's business. Nevertheless, I was astonished by the vision, and could not understand it."
The human statue and the stone in Daniel 2 represent five kingdoms. The four beasts and the Son of Man in Daniel 7 represents the same five kingdoms in Daniel 2 but provides new information that was not revealed in Daniel 2. The vision in Daniel 8 gives new details about three of the five kingdoms (the second, third and fourth) that was not revealed in Daniel 2 and 7.
The first four kingdoms are earthly kingdoms. The fifth kingdom is a heavenly kingdom belonging to the Son of Man. The fifth kingdom (the stone from heaven) will overthrow the four earthly kingdoms by striking the fourth kingdom. The fourth kingdom is the embodiment of the first three kingdoms. The fourth kingdom is the feet carrying the other three kingdoms.
1st Kingdom: The Kingdom of Babylon
Babylon is the winged Lion (Chapter 7). The wings represent Babylon’s worldwide sphere of influence. The wings of the Lion were cut off would mean that the power of influence of Babylon were reduced. The Lion is made to stand as a man after its wings are cut off. Babylon (the lion) becomes a man with four identifiable parts (the head, the breast with two arms, the belly with two thighs & two legs and the feet with ten toes). The four identifiable parts are four kingdoms. Babylon is the kingdom from which all the other kingdoms will rise to power. For any kingdom to rise to power, it must acquire the kingdom of Babylon.
Babylon is the head of the lion man (chapter 7) and the head of gold of the human statue (chapter 2). The lion man (chapter 7) is the same revelation as the human statue (Daniel 2). Each part of the man represents four kingdoms. Each kingdom is identified with human body parts (chapter 2) and different animals (chapter 7). Babylon is both the lion man and the head.
2nd Kingdom: The Kingdom of Mede and Persia
The kingdom of Mede and Persia overthrew the kingdom of Babylon. Mede and Persia is the Breast with two arms of silver (chapter 2), the Bear (chapter 7) and the Ram (Chapter 8). In Daniel 2, the next kingdom that succeeded the head of gold is the breast with two arms of silver. Mede and Persia is one kingdom (breast) with two arms of government (Mede and Persia). In Daniel 7, the next kingdom that succeeded the winged Lion is the bear which was raised on one side. “It was raised up on one side, with three ribs held between the teeth in its mouth”. This means that the kingdom has two arms of government but one arm of government is stronger than the other. Persia was stronger than Mede. The three ribs refer to the three kings that were to rise in Persia. In Daniel 8, the kingdom of Mede and Persia is described as a Ram with two horns with second horn higher than the first. “…the first one growing longer than the second”. Persia, even though it came second in power, was stronger than Mede. To identify himself as the ram, the King of Persia wore a jeweled ram’s head of gold instead of a diadem. Hebrew for ram springs from the same root as Elam/Persia.
3rd Kingdom: The Kingdom of Greece
The Belly of Brass (chapter 2), and He-Goat (chapter 8) is the Kingdom of Greece. The huge horn on the he-goat refers to a single man who rules a vast empire (Greece). The huge horn is Alexander the Great who almost conquered the entire world in 12years. The he-goat is Greece which came under Alexander’s rule. The-goat ran over the two horned Ram. The Grecian empire overthrew the kingdom of the Mede and Persians. Alexander was king of Graeco-Macedonia when he began his world conquest. Caranus, the first king of Graeco-Macedonia, was led by goats to Edessa, the seat of his kingdom, which he called aege, that is, “goat city”.
“Then the goat grew extremely great, but when it was strong, its great horn was shattered. In its place, four distinctive horns grew out in all directions": At the height of Alexander’s conquest, he died. At Alexander’s death, his kingdom was divided into four kingdoms. The two thighs of brass and two legs of Iron (chapter 2), the Leopard with four heads (chapter 7) and the He-Goat with four horns (chapter 8) are the four kingdoms of Greece. Alexander was succeeded by four of his generals instead of his sons. He is the huge horn. His generals are the four horns. The four horns of the he-goat in Daniel 8 are the four heads of the Leopard Beast in Daniel 7. The four wings of fowl indicate that the kingdom is spread to the four points of the compass across the world. The two legs of iron were stronger than the two thighs of bronze. The north and south kingdoms were stronger than the east and west kingdoms of the Grecian empire.
4th Kingdom: The Seleucid Grecian Empire
The two feet with ten toes (chapter 2) and the beast with ten horns (Chapter 7) is the Seleucid Grecian Empire. The fourth kingdom is one of the four kingdoms of the Grecian Empire that gained dominion to become an independent powerful kingdom. Alexander’s kingdom was initially divided into four to the East, West, North and South. The North later took control over the East and the West. With the East and West absorbed by the North, the Grecian Empire was now made of only two kingdoms (The North and South). The Northern kingdom was powerful and thus became an independent kingdom. The North was called Seleucid while the South was called Ptolemy.
"A somewhat insignificant horn emerged from one of them…. Toward the end of their rule, as the desecrations proceed, an insolent king will arise...” (Daniel 8): Different kings ruled the two separate kingdoms. After a long time, a small horn (a king) arose from one of them. The little horn which rose in the latter kingdom of the Greece (Seleucid) in Daniel 8 is the same little horn in the fourth beast in Daniel 7. After seven kings had ruled In the Seleucid Empire, the 8th king rose to power after bringing down three potential kings (horns).
The 8th king who rose to power is Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He is the little horn.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes called himself the god Zeus made manifest. Antiochus Epiphanes means “god manifest”. He was the Greek king of Seleucid Empire from 175BC until his death in 164BC. This man has been recorded down in the history of Israel as the worst king that has ever ruled Israel. The Jews called him, Antiochus Epimanes which means, “The mad One”. Rabbinical sources refer to him as harasha meaning “the wicked”.
“Different from all of the other previous animals, it had ten horns. While I was thinking about the horns—look—another horn, this time a little one, grew up among them: Three of the first horns were yanked up by their roots right in front of it”: Antiochus Epiphanes rose as the 8th king of the Grecian-Seleucid Empire. He was raised in Rome. He was not the rightful heir to the throne but gained kingship by trickery. He came to power only after getting rid of three rightful rival claimants; Seleucus IV and his two sons (Demetrius and the young Antiochus).
“that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them…. He'll attempt to alter times and laws (Chapter7) “destroying mighty men and the holy people” (Chapter 8): Antiochus IV Epiphanes persecuted Jews for keeping the Law of Moses. A man could not keep the Sabbath or celebrate the traditional feasts, nor even admit that he was a Jew. A decree was issued ordering the neighboring Greeks to act in the same way against the Jews. They obliged them to partake of the Grecian sacrifices, and put to death those who would not consent to adopt the customs of the Greeks (Daniel 7.21 & 25). Many Jews were slain to death. Others were given to the flames for death. Events of the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes are recorded in the book of Maccabees (2 Maccabees 7; 2 Maccabees 5.11-27).
they'll be given into his control for a time, times, and half a time: Antiochus IV Epiphanes persecuted the Jews for three and a half years.
Then it set itself as great as the Prince of the army, from whom the daily ritual was abolished, in order to bring low his sanctuary. Because of the transgression, the army will be given over, along with the daily ritual, and the horn will cast truth to the ground, prospering while it continues to act": He killed Onias III, the high Priest (the prince of the army). Then, he stopped the cereal and animal sacrifices in the temple. He profaned the temple in Jerusalem by bringing into the temple, things that were forbidden, so that the altar was covered with abominable offerings prohibited by the law. He dedicated the temple to Olympian Zeus and the temple on Mount Gerizim to Zeus, the hospitable. He trampled on all the saints of Israel.
He'll take a stand against the Prince of Princes, yet he'll be crushed without human help: Antiochus IV Epiphanes who had thought himself to be a god, suffered and died without being hit by any human. God stroke him (2 Maccabees 9.4-10).
"Then I heard one holy person speaking, and another holy person addressed the one who was speaking: 'In the vision about the daily ritual, how much time elapses while the desecration terrifies and both the Holy Place and the army are trampled?' He told me, 'For 2,300 days. Then what is holy will be restored'"(Daniel 8.13-14)": The ban on the lawful temple sacrifices, the desecration of the temple and persecution of the saints had to last for 2300days (6.4yrs), almost 7years. Within the seven years, the Jews were persecuted for three and a half years (Daniel 7). The desecration of the temple began by midweek (mid of the seven years) (Daniel 9.27). The desecration lasted for 1290 days (about 3.5 years) (Daniel 12.11). The seven years’ period began in 171BC after the death of Onias III (2 Maccabees 4.33-38). Afterwards, Antiochus IV collaborated with the Hellenized Jews to implement non-Jewish laws. By midweek, i.e. after three and a half years, in 168BC, the cruelty of Antiochus IV grew and he set his heart completely against God and his temple. He stopped the sacrificial and cereal offerings and dedicated the temple to Zeus Olympios. The desecration of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes ended on the Chislev 25, 165BC. Fortunate were those who entered the season after the purification of the temple (Daniel 12.11-12).
"As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom (Daniel 7.21-22): Antiochus IV Epiphanes succeeded in all his activities against the kingdom of Israel until the time came for God’s holy ones to take over the kingdom. Antiochus Epiphanes was stripped of his royal authority over Israel, and Israel enjoyed independence under the rule of the Hasmoneans (the Jewish family that had started the rebellion against the Seleucid rule). The holy ones were those who were faithful to God in keeping the Old Covenant laws even in the face of death. By their trials and death, they were purified and counted worthy to assume kingship over Israel (Daniel 11.33-35). Some of them (Judas Maccabaeus and his followers) made war against the tyrants. They defeated Antiochus IV Epiphanes and took Judea away from Seleucid rule. The family of Judas Maccabaeus (the Hasmoneans) ruled Judea until the time of the Romans. Octavian Augustus and Mark Anthony took Judea away completely from the control of the Hasmoneans in 37BC. Even at the time that the Hasmoneans were ruling over Judea, the Jews living in the other Seleucid territories were still being persecuted till the time of the end (Daniel 12.7). When Jesus established the heavenly kingdom by his death on the cross, many of God’s holy people came to life. I believe that these faithful saints who suffered under the little horn were resurrected.
"A somewhat insignificant horn emerged from one of them. It moved rapidly against the south, against the east, and against the Glory. Then it moved against the heavenly army. It persuaded some of the army to fall to the earth, along with some of the stars, and it trampled them. Then it set itself as great as the Prince of the army: The stars represent the anointed ones (the priests and prophets) in Israel. The stars also represent those who teach others the law of God. The little horn made war against the teachers and the anointed ones in Israel. It killed the Prince of the army (the high priest) and the saints (the army).
5th Kingdom: The Kingdom of the Son of Man
The stone which grew to become a mountain and filled the whole earth (chapter 2) and the Son of Man (chapter 7) is Jesus Christ. During earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, he identified himself as the Son of Man (Mat. 11.19; 12.32) and the chief corner stone (Eph. 2.20). He is the stone on which many will stumble and grinds to powder anyone it falls on (1Pe 2.6; Mat 21. 42-44). He is the living stone on which many other stones will be built. He is the first among many brothers. The kingdom of the Son of Man was established in his death and resurrection. Many people are forcing their way into the kingdom. One day, this kingdom will be the only kingdom on the earth.
Nebuchadnezzar in his dream, saw a stone fall from heaven and dash a human statue at its feet and shattered it into pieces. The feet of the statue was the Seleucid dynasty. Though Judas Maccabeus and his followers had succeeded to overthrow the Seleucid reign in Judea, Seleucid still ruled in many other territories till the time of the Romans. When Augustus Caesar of Rome rose to power, he took control of the land of Israel and overthrew the Seleucid dynasty. The Lord Jesus was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus. Caesar Augustus laid the foundations that transformed Roman Republic into an Empire. The Seleucid Empire was the last empire before the arrival of Jesus Christ. The Roman Empire (the Leopard Beast in Rev. 13) rose to power only after the Lord’s departure from the earth.
The kingdom of the Son of Man, though it looked small like a mustard seed, is growing very big to rule the whole earth. His kingdom is just like yeast which leavens the whole batch of flour. In the future, the Lord Jesus will rule the whole earth.