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JustTheBible |
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Daniel's Prophecy |
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What does it mean to you? |
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JustTheBible |
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In the second chapter of Daniel's book, Daniel himself writes what happened in the second year of king Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Daniel 2:1). "...Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams: and his spirit began to feel agitated, and his very sleep was made to be something beyond him." At the king's demand, Daniel, inspired by Jehovah reveals to the king the misterious dream that the king himself had forgotten.But Daniel reveals also to the king the meaning of that dream. But let us first see what the king dreamed. |
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The Misterious Statue |
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In his dream,the king saw a big statue, that was built from 5 different materials: the had was made of Gold, the breasts and the arms were made out of silver, the belly and the thighs were made out of copper, the legs were of iron and the feet were partly of iron and partly of molded clay -Daniel 2:31-33.
Daniel reveals to the king what these difeerent parts of the statue represent: the head represents the king himself (Daniel 2:37,38) or the entire Babylonian dynasty; the arms and breasts represent another kingdom, that would come second to the Baylonian Empire, wich Daniel describes as weaker than Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom (Daniel 2:3a); the belly and thighs of copper represent a third kingdom, coming to rule the world (Daniel 2:3b); the legs of iron represent a fourth kingdom, wich Daniel describes to be "strong like iron" (Daniel 2:40); "the feet and the toes...of molded clay of a potter and partly of iron, the kingdom itself will prove to be divided, but somewhat of the hardness of iron will prove to be in it".This proves to be a fifth kingdom. In the last part of his dream, Nebuchadnezzar sees a massive rock, or a stone beeing cut out not by hands, and it strucks the image on its feet of iron and clay crushing them. (Daniel 2:34). One of the last statements Daniel makes while interpreting the king's dream is the one written at Daniel 2:44: "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin.And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people.It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to time indefinite." |
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Who are these kingdoms? |
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Since Daniel's explanation begins with the head, which is the Babylonian Empire, it is not difficult to understand who the other kingdoms are. The book "Pay attention toDaniel's Prophecy", at page 51 explains: "Medo-Persia replace the Babylonian Empire as dominant world power in 539 BCE." Thus, the second kingdom from Nebuchadnezzar's dream was Medo Persia.The same book explains the identity of the third kingdom, the thighs and belly of copper: "...the persian empire began to collapse and Alexander established Greece as the hew world power."The fourth kingdom prophetically seen by the Babylonian king, had to be the one coming after Greece. History shows that Rome became the biggest world power after Greece's downfall.But Rome never actually disappeared, during the century, another political power grew out of what were Rome's collonies.Thus, the Anglo-American world power was an outgrowing of the Roman Empire, being a part of the iron feet.
But what about the feet and toes of molded clay and iron? Some claim they are a description of the fourth kingdom, Rome.Since Rome was truelly divided, politically and socially.And the fact that Jesus was born and killed during the reign of this empire would make it easier to claim that God's kingdom was indeed established during it's dominance.But, some things don't seem to fit! |
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What are the feet of clay and iron? |
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Daniel 2:41 says: "And whereas you beheld the feet and the toes to be partly of molded clay of a potter and partly of iron, the kingdom itself will prove to be divided, but somewhat of the hardness of iron will prove to be in it, forasmuch as you beheld the iron mixed with moist clay" Some say this verse definitely makes a refference to verse 40, where Daniel speaks of the Roman empire.Could these feet of clay and iron be a discription of that fourth empire or are they simply the description of a fifth kingdom? The book "Pay attention to Daniel's prophecy" at page 55, paragraph 26 says: " Logically the feet and toes of "iron mixed with moist clay" would symbolize the final manifestation of human rule, that would exist during "the time of the end" - Daniel 12:4. Why is it so? We must remember that the vision of Nebuchadnezzar began with the Bbaylonian empire and continued with the following world powers that would come in time, powers that would continue untill the big stone would hit the feet of iron and moist clay and would crush them, it itself becoming a mountain filling the whole earth.All of Daniel's prophecies have a fulfillment in the final part of days, or in the time of the end. Jesus also spoke of the last days, and apostle Paul mentioned them also describing them at 2 Timothy 3.Evidently Rome was not the last world power, since it has been almost 2000 years since it was shattered.All the current events prove that we are the ones living during the time of the end thus during the reign of the feet of clay and iron ( For more details about the time of the end, please check the refference HERE. ) What is the world power now in control? Just as the feet were made both of iron, thus being strong, but also of clay, being weak, so the world today is divided politically into many organizations and governments, some ironlike hard, extremely repressive, others weak or soft like clay.We are, thus living in the final part of days, during the existence of the feet of iron and clay. |
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Another beast... |
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Daniel's book is not the only one presenting visions... The book Revelation can help us better understand who exactly are the feet of iron and clay presented in Daniel's prophecy. Chapter 13, The apostle John has a vision in wich he sees a beast, rising from the see, having seven heads and ten horns, and on every horn having a crown. This extraordinary beast had some features very similar to those seen by Daniel in some of his visions.(For a detailed explanation of the beasts seen by Daniel, read "Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy" - published by Jehovah's Witnesses) This beast represents as it's obvious from the context, the six world powers of the world by John's time (Egypt, Asyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome) and a seventh kingdom that would be coming in the future.Both Daniel's and John's visions are strongly connected to the time of the end. Since God's Kingdom has not yet taken over fully the world, the human governments still functioning and the Armagheddon still not having happened, it is obvious that both Daniel's and John's visions deal with these days we live in... |
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Are you ready for what the end of the world will bring ? |
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