In the
book of Daniel's first vision it is noted that Babylon (the head of
gold) was the first of the four empires. The stone (Christ) strikes the
fourth empire on it's ten toes. Then after the image representing the
four empires is destroyed the stone becomes the great mountain that
fills the whole earth. This mountain is then interpreted as the
Government of God on the earth. It fills the whole earth and it is not
left to "other" people. In other words God's people will possess this
government.
Daniel 2:31. You, O
king, saw, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness
was excellent, stood before you; and the form of it was terrible. 32.
This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver,
his belly and his thighs of brass, 33. His legs of iron, his feet part
of iron and part of clay. 34. You looked until that a stone was cut out
without hands, which struck the image upon his feet that were of iron
and clay, and broke them to pieces. 35. Then was the iron, the clay, the
brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became
like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them
away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the
image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36. This is
the dream; and we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.
37. You, O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given
you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38. And where ever the
children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the
heaven has he given into your hand, and has made you ruler over them
all. You are this head of gold. 39. And after you shall arise another
kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall
bear rule over all the earth. 40. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong
as iron: for as much as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things:
and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41. And where as you saw the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and
part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of
the strength of the iron, for as much as you saw 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 broken. 43.
And where as you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44. And in the days of
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed: 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
for ever. 45. For as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass,
the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the
king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and
the interpretation of it sure.
In these next
two chapters are Daniels second and third vision of the same things,
with greater details. In chapter you can see the beast in revelation 13.
In chapter 8 the angel names Medo-Persia and Greece, yet the fourth Rome
not named. However in
Daniel 11 the
Roman conquest of the Grecian empire is described in detail. Just as the
book of Revelation describes the Roman Empire that is ruling during
Johns visions.
Daniel 7:2.
Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the
four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3. And four great
beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 4. The first was
like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings of it were
plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the
feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. 5. And behold another
beast, a second, like a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and
it had three ribs in mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said
thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh. 6. After this I beheld, and look
another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a
fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 7.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast,
dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron
teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the
feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it;
and it had ten horns. 8. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came
up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the
first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes
like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9. I beheld
till the thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did sit, whose
garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool:
his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before
him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11. I beheld then
because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld
even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the
burning flame. 12. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their
dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and
time. 13. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of
man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought him near before him. 14. And there was given him dominion,
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages,
should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall
not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
......... 27. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the
kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the
saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and
all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Daniel 8:1. In
the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me,
even to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. 2. And
I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at
Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a
vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. 3. Then I lifted up mine eyes,
and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two
horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other,
and the higher came up last. 4. I saw the ram pushing westward, and
northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him,
neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did
according to his will, and became great. 5. And as I was considering,
behold, a he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and
touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his
eyes. 6. And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen
standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7.
And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler
against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was
no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the
ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the
ram out of his hand. 8. Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when
he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four
notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. ....... 15. And it came to
pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the
meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
16. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called,
and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17. So he
came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon
my face: but he said to me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of
the end shall be the vision. 18. Now as he was speaking with me, I was
in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set
me upright. 19. And he said, Behold, I will make you know what shall be
in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end
shall be. 20. The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of
Media and Persia. 21. And the rough goat is the king of Greece: and the
great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22. Now that
being broken, where as four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand
up out of the nation, but not in his power. ....
Revelation 19
which will not be copied and pasted to conserve space prophesies the end
of the Roman empire in 1453 A.D. Revelation 20-22 are highly illustrated
prophecies of age of promise that these these prophecies in Daniel laid
out.
|