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Daniel 2

The Dream Of A Great Statue
"You, O king, were looking and then, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.
Statue. "The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
Stone. "You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2: 31-35)

The Symbols
The symbol used in this prophecy was an idol that was made of precious metals.

- The Pagan View Of Time. The dream was given to Nebuchadnezzar and God used symbols that were familiar to him. The Pagan view of time was a cyclic event that was characterized by a succession of metals from gold to iron. As the ages passed, morality, wisdom and life span decreased until God comes in the dark ages to remove the iron kingdom and starts a new golden age.
  Nebuchadnezzar must have been happy to learn that he was the king of the golden age.
- The Stone. However, God had one change in this view of time. The golden age does not start again in an endless cycle of good and evil. A whole new era is started with an indestructible mountain of rock as the foundation.
- The Curse On The Earth. The fate of the image shows the ravages of the curse on the earth.
  The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron. The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28: 23-24)
  - Devalued (Gold to Iron). The curse diminishes us in value, but magnifies our brutality.
    » Metals. As time progressed from head to toe, the metals became less valuable but stronger. Each successive kingdom would become more brutal and would be an even greater enemy of God.
  - Divided (Legs). The curse divides us.
  - Shattered (Feet). The curse shatters us and brings us down to the dust.
  - Death (Clay). The curse returns us to the earth as dust and clay.
  - Conquered (Stone). The curse allows us to be conquered. The Rock is the final conqueror.
- The Giant Statue. The physical structure of each subsequent nation is represented by the number of body parts which are attached in the beginning when they conquer or when they are defeated in the end.
  - Upper Attachment (Conquering Phase). The total powers that would conquer the previous kingdom.
  - Body Part. The bones along the spinal column indicate the succession of leaders in the empire.
  - Lower Attachment (Defeat). The total broken pieces that exist when it is conquered.

The Bible Interpretation
Head Of Gold - Babylon (609-539 BC)
"This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. "You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. (Daniel 2: 36-38)
Babylon, under the leadership of king Nebuchadnezzar captured Israel and first took the upper class into slavery. It was during this first phase that the prophet Daniel was captured. Twelve years later, the rest of Israel were taken to Babylon after they rebelled against foreign occupation. Their king was removed and their sanctuary destroyed.

One Head and One Neck. The head represents the single strong nation who would rule and it would not be broken up when it was defeated.
» Neck (Seven Cervical Vertebra). Seven kings from the eleventh dynasty placed it or kept it in power before it fell to Persia (609-539). (Nebopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, Neriglissar, Labashi Marduk, Nabonidus and Belshazzar)
Chest And Arms Of Silver - Medo-Persia (539-331 BC)
"After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. (Daniel 2: 39)
The Medes and Persians next conquered Babylon and Cyrus allowed the Jews to go home. He made arrangements to have the temple rebuilt. But the nation was still ruled by foreigners.
Two Arms and One Chest. The two arms are the two empires of the Medes and Persians who succeeded the neck of Babylon. Cyrus II, the Great and Darius the Mede are the two arms at the beginning. They progress to the chest which represents the fact that the Persian empire took sole control because they were more powerful than the Medes.
» Heart. The heart in the chest is Cyrus whom God called by name to show great kindness to Israel.
» Twelve Ribs and Thoracic Vertebra. These are the twelve Persian rulers after Persia took full control and before it fell to Greece (Cambyses II to Darius III).

Belly And Thighs (Hips) Of Brass - Greece (331-168 BC)
The Greeks under the leadership of Alexander the Great were the third conquerors.
One Belly and Two Hips. The belly represents the first phase after they defeated the Persians, when there was one leader. It eventually was divided into four and then two sections at the end.
» Two Hips. These final two divisions are represented by the two hips. They were called the King of the North and the King of the South in prophecy. These two were conquered by the next empire.
» Navel. At the junction of the chest and stomach is the navel, the remnant of the umbilical cord. It has no purpose after the birth and is cut off. Alexander was the navel, who was cut off in his youth. He provided the life and growth of his empire and died at its pinnacle, or its birth.
» Penis. Alexander and his children were cut off (circumcised).

Making a Vow
The region of the body near the loins and hips seem to be associated with a vow. It's basis may be in Eden or in the crippling thigh injury that Jacob received when His name was changed to Israel. » Dislocated Hip. Israel (Jacob). » Right Thigh or Hip. Used to make a vow. » Penis. The sign of joining the covenant was cutting the foreskin. Because the seeds of life are located in this region, a vow may extend to future generations. That may be why we inherited the curse of Adam and Eve. » Mercy Seat. We find rest with a covering for our sins

» Belly. The seat of emotions (liver and kidney). This is the anguish of the temple desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes.
» Five Lumbar Vertebra and Five Fused Sacral Vertebra. Alexander and his four generals whose kingdoms merged.
» The Fall of The Greek Gods. In Daniel 8 the Greek empire was pictured as one with Satanic activity. So it must have been more responsible for corrupting Israel. It was also seen as being influential in the Roman empire. Since God portrayed the nations as a statue of idolatry in this vision, let us look at how God destroyed these famous monuments to the Greek gods in the same way He destroyed the statue of Dagon (1 Samuel 5: 1-7). This symbolic fall of the Pagan gods seemed to pave the way for the domination of the Christian Gods of the iron kingdom.
» Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Burnt down in 356 BC by a mad man, the night Alexander the Great was born. It was restored in 323 BC, the year Alexander died and was destroyed by the Goths in 262 AD.
» Colossus of Rhodes. A 33m (110 ft) statue to the sun god Helios was destroyed in 226 BC by an earthquake. It was broken at the knees and the head and body fell into the sea.
» Statue of Zeus at Olympia. Temple built in 450 BC and the statue in 440 BC. It was destroyed by a fire in AD 462 around the time Rome fell to the Barbarians.

Legs Of Iron - Rome (168 BC - 476 AD)
"Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. (Daniel 2: 40)
Note: The first three kingdoms existed in Daniel's day, but Rome did not. So Daniel did not identify it directly by name. Rome was known as the "Iron Monarchy". The Latin word "Rome" means strength, and iron is the strongest of the metals.
Two Legs. Prophetically, Rome was always a nation of two divisions. When Jerusalem was captured, Rome was ruled by the dominant two triumvirate. The two legs of iron represent the northern and southern divisions of Rome as it conquered each Greek division. Politically, Israel was ruled by the Caesars and the Herodians appointed by Rome. Geographically, it later became the Western and Eastern (Byzantine) empire as it declined. The western leg ruled the Christians and the eastern leg ruled the Jews. Religiously, it had two phases, these are Pagan Rome and Papal Rome. Even in its legend, Rome was founded by twin brothers, Romulus and Remus in 753 BC.
There is also a fuzzy transition from the two divisions of Greece to the one nation of Rome because this empire would be seen prophetically as partly Greek. Rome adopted the Greek culture and gods.
» Loins. Seed of life. The Christ came to be circumcised at the beginning of the Roman rule over Israel.
» Thigh. A hand under the right thigh is used to make a vow. God kept His vows by sending Christ, His right hand.
» Knees. The empire submits to Christianity in 312 AD and transitions from a Pagan to a Papal kingdom.
» Legs. The Papacy ruled the western empire after 538 AD. Islam ruled the eastern empire after 610 AD.
» Bones. The absence of spinal bones indicates a period of a new type of leadership, never seen before.
» The Two Legs Of Rome. Let us take a final look at this issue of the division of the leg. The power begins as one and then splits into two on the basis of submission (bending at the knee). One half is larger than the other just like the tibia is larger than the fibula. At the time of the end, there is a drastic change in direction like the foot appearing at right angles to the leg. This change is based on a vulnerability (wounded heel). Then it is shattered and five dominant pieces emerged at the very end in each foot.

- The Religious Leg of Rome. It eventually succeeded in western Rome.
  - Upper Leg (Femur). The Catholic church was the only church.
  - Knee. In 1054, a schism broke out over the issue of authority. The bishop of Rome wanted the primacy.
  - Lower Leg (Tibia and Fibula). It divided the church into the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic faiths.
  - Heel. The vulnerability in the west was the intolerable system of righteousness by works.
  - Foot. The Roman Catholic church splintered after the Protestant Reformation.
    » Five Toes. Only a few politically dominant churches exist among the hundreds of denominations (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran and Baptist/Evangelical).
    » Five Toes. Britain, France, Spain, Italy and Germany are the five strongest nations.
- The Political Leg of Rome. It eventually succeeded in eastern Rome.
  - Upper Leg (Femur). There was one weakened empire.
  - Knee. The Barbarian attacks brought the empire to its knees.
  - Lower Leg (Tibia and Fibula). It broke up into the eastern (Byzantine) and western divisions. The western empire was largely controlled by the church. The eastern empire was the original Roman empire with Christianity as its official religion.
  - Heel. Islam was the vulnerability in the east. It attacked the heel. The empire was ready to reject paganism. So they rejected the idolatry and merged heroes of Judaism and Christianity with the Zoroastrian beliefs to create a new religion. After 600 AD, the religious forces of Islam controlled the eastern empire.
    » Islam. It is interesting to note that after the battle of Karbala in 680, Islam also split into the Sunni and Shi'a on the basis of authority and succession. They will also be shattered at the end when they stumble over the Rock named Christ or He crushes them.
  - Foot. The empires splintered into separate nations.
    » Five Toes. Turkey, Egypt, Babylon, Syria and Greece were the five strongest nations until 1948.

Feet Of Iron And Clay - Europe (476 to the end)
"In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. "As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. (Daniel 2: 41-42)
» Ten Toes. The ten toes are the ten European nations that formed the ten divisions of the Western Roman Empire (476AD to the end of time). The Middle East is the divided nations of the rest of the foot. The Roman empire was divided in the eastern (Byzantine) empire and the western empire. The divided kingdom includes all the nations of Eastern and Western Roman empire. The western empire was plagued by the Barbarians and a Roman army had to help to secure the throne of the Pope by removing three of the most violent tribes. The emperor moved to a new capital in Constantinople and left the western empire and the old capital city of Rome to the church. So in the beginning, at a critical phase of its fall there were ten divisions.
The Final Ten. In the end, the divided kingdom will again have ten distinct sections which are divided internally.
» Iron. The brutal fractured pieces of iron are the remnants of the monarchies.
» Common Clay. These are the Barbarian hordes that overran Rome.

Strong And Weak Kingdoms
Many nations of Europe eventually built their own empires. Like the Romans, they built it through slavery. Here is a map of the colonial empires.
» Strong. Britain, Spain, France and Portugal were some of the strongest political and economic empires in the West during the Colonial era. While the Ottoman Turks ruled the east. Germany became a strong military nation under Adolph Hitler.
» Strong and Small. Italy became a strong religious power because of the presence of the Vatican. Switzerland remained a small nation, but is now a financial giant. Many smaller, less powerful European nations broke away from these major countries.
» Weak. The North African countries and Egypt became weaker nations and never rose to empire status again.

.

The Breakup Of The Roman Empire |
Tribe | Location
--- | ---
Ten Toes
Western Rome | Europe
1 | Franks | France
2 | Allemani | Germany
3 | Lombards | Italy
4 | Suevi | Portugal
5 | Anglo-Saxons | England
6 | Burgundians | Switzerland
7 | Visigoths | Spain
8 | Heruli | Extinct (493)
9 | Vandals | Extinct (534)
10 | Ostrogoths | Extinct (538)
Divided Foot
Byzantine Empire | Middle East
The Lombards occupied Italy after the Heruli and Ostrogoths.
In another lesson three of the ten nations fell. Will three nations in the old Roman empire be conquered again to establish the pattern. Which three, if any, will be conquered again? From Daniel 11: 40-45, it seems that the nations in danger of being overthrown are Iraq, Egypt and either Iran or Libya.
The Final Ten. You may be wondering about the "ten nations" of Europe. As of 2007, the European Union consists of about 27 nations. These include nations that are not a part of the original Roman empire (Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland). It does not include other nations that were part of the eastern empire. The prophecy captures a moment in time. You will see this in the division of the Greek empire. Daniel 2 hints of probably two divisions with the ends of the two arms. Daniel 7 clearly demonstrates four divisions. However, Daniel 8 clearly shows a sequence of one empire followed by four. Then Daniel 11 adds more detail by showing that after a period of four divisions the empire will settle down into two divisions. History shows that before the empire settled into four divisions, there was a turbulent period when many powers were trying to obtain a piece of the empire. Prophecy does not deal with all the phases and temporary triumphs. It chooses a significant snapshot of time. At the end of time, Revelation 17 hints that there will be ten powerful kings once again in Europe. They will act in only two weeks to fulfill the prophecy. In the past, as the little horn was establishing its power during 530-538 there were ten significant tribes. In the last days, as the little horn establishes global dominance once again it will be through a group of ten with seven stronger members. Therefore, prophecy only chooses to concentrate on the ten divisions.

The Destiny Of Europe
The Bible predicts that Europe will never unite again as one nation. They will try, but they will not stick together. The futility of these efforts is described in these words.
"And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. (Daniel 2: 43)

1. Feet of Iron and Clay. They will be as divided as a mixture of iron and clay. Rome became a divided kingdom around 476 AD. This is symbolized by the two feet of iron and clay. The iron represents strength. The clay represents weakness. The ten divisions of the Roman empire contained both strong and weak nations. The Bible predicts that they will never unite as one nation.
2. Combine in the Seed of Men. The territory of the old Roman empire was largely dominated by four major families. Most of these monarchies ended in 1918. They will try to unite by marriage. After the Dark Ages, Europe tried to unite by marriage but was never successful. Queen Victoria became the most famous as the "grandmother of Europe". Her children and grandchildren married into most of the royal houses of Europe.
   » Many Failed Efforts. Many leaders have tried to unite the kingdom through many wars. Charlemagne, Otto the great, Charles IV, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Bismark, the Ottomans, Kaiser Wilhelm and Adolph Hitler all tried ... and failed! Only the church has ever succeeded in controlling the leaders of the European nations.
   » European Union. Since the 1940's they have tried an economic union. The politicians have been trying to go beyond the economic union to create a political union of one nation. In 2000 they introduced a standard currency. They were hoping to ratify a constitution in November 2006. The rules state that all 25 members must agree before it can be implemented. The first nine nations approved because their politicians decided in a parliamentary vote. (Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain). But the tenth country did not. Not even a symbolic appearance of ten heads formed. But in two countries the choice was left to the popular vote and the people rejected it. On May 29, 2005 the French voters said no by a 55% majority. On June 1, the Dutch said no by a 66% majority. Britain canceled elections. As of 2007, politicians are trying to schedule parliamentary votes to avoid the popular vote. God says that they will not unite again.
   Over the years this economic union has tried to maintain the appearance of one political union. However, Britain never changed their currency and the recent 2008 economic turmoil involving the financial problems of the PIIGS nations (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) have dealt a serious threat to this "union". Germany stepped in to manage these economies to prevent them from leaving the union. The strict austerity measures are not popular but Germany is again in a critical political and economic role at the end of time.

   European Unity
   Daniel 2: 43 states that the divided kingdom of Rome will not stick to each other. In the past, many different attempts have been made to unite Europe by (marriage, war, religion and economics). In view of current attempts to unite Europe, it seems to suggest that these efforts will eventually fail. In the past God used other armies to prevent this complete political union. This time it will probably be the Second Coming that ruins these plans.

   The French Connection.
   Vive La France! The French have been instrumental in fulfilling prophecy several times.
   - Early Protestant. The earliest keepers of the faith under persecution were the French. The Waldenses, Albigenses and the Huguenots spread their faith under threat of annihilation by the church and state.
   - Rise Of The Papacy. The church was given the western Roman empire in 538. Under Clovis, the French kept it in power. He converted to Catholicism in 508 BC and proceeded to conquer the Goths.
   - Fall Of The Papacy. It was Napoleon in the French Revolution that caused their fall in 1798.
   - Atheism. Simultaneously, the French Revolution unleashed the "beast from the abyss", when it introduced atheism and secularism.
   - Rise Of The United States. It helped the United States during their fight for independence to defeat England who was their perpetual enemy. It also helped to double the size of the country through the Louisiana Purchase. 530 million acres of land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains was sold for 60 million francs ($15 million) on 30 April 1803.
   - European Union. It stopped the union of Europe by opposing Hitler and by being the first to reject the constitution in 2005.
   - European Union Revised (The Second Great Lisbon Earthquake). In 2007, the French prime minister, Nicolas Sarkozy helped to wrangle a treaty that bypasses the popular vote and placed the vote in national parliaments where it is virtually guaranteed success. As a consequence of this new treaty a new 2.5 year position of President of the European Union will replace the current unwieldy six month leadership by the ruler of one of the member countries.
     The Lisbon Treaty was accepted on 19 October 2007 and it will be voted in on December 13 in Lisbon. Then the parliaments of the 27 member nations will vote on it during 2008. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a closet Catholic, is considered to be the de facto first president who will take office on 1 January 2009. So, between 1 January 2009 and 20 January 2009 when the new United States president takes office, the prophecies of Revelation 17 can be fulfilled by two men who have the same goals. Any union of Europe will not succeed and the final attempt at union will be destroyed because of the disastrous repercussions of submission to the United States and the Catholic church.
   - Establishing The Beast. At the end of 2008, France will hold the last six month turn as leader of the Union under the old treaties and it will work towards getting the votes of the 27 member countries ratified. So it will be the last to bring the beast to power that will begin to rule in January 2009. An unexpected global financial crisis at the end of 2008 stopped any ambitious events.
   - Mediterranean Union. Sarkozy also proposed a Mediterranean Union, that would form a link between Europe and Africa. It joins Southern Europe, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. This basically includes the rest of the Old Roman Empire. Seven EU countries (France, Italy, Portugal Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Malta) would be members of both groups. Opposed to the membership of Turkey or any Muslim dominated country in the EU, Sarkozy said in his acceptance speech after his election May 6, 2007:

     > "I want to reach out to all of the people of the Mediterranean to tell them that it's all unfolding in the Mediterranean. That we must overcome all the hatred and leave in its place the great dream of peace and the great dream of civilization. I want to tell them that the time has come to build at its center a Mediterranean Union, that will link Europe and Africa . "What was done for Europe 60 years ago, we will do today for a Mediterranean Union.

     He proposes that all governments bordering the Mediterranean meet in France in June 2008 to lay the foundations for this union.
     » Barcelona Process. On 27-28 November 1995, a conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs met in Barcelona to construct a framework of political, economic and social relations between the Member States of the European Union and Partners of the Southern Mediterranean. Sarkozy's current plan seems to be designed to build on this relationship.
     » Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. This includes the members of the European Union and 10 Mediterranean Partners (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey). Libya has observer status since 1999.
     » Middle East Uprisings (January 2011). Across North Africa and the Middle East the poor of the former French colonies and territories are demonstrating for fair and decent wages and conditions and freedom. Without any real leaders there is a fear that extremists will fill the vacuum. The unrest started in Tunisia and spread to Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Bahrain and Libya. The treasures of Egypt were looted and by February 12 the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia had resigned. Christian South Sudan voted to secede from the Muslim north.
   - Babylon The Great And "Freedom Fries". It also confronted Babylon the Great when it would not approve the United States invasion of Iraq. This is allowing the prophecy to come through that says "he shall come to his end and no one shall help him". Daniel 11: 45.
     Incidentally, the last person who tried to disobey a prophecy and rebuild an empire was Saddam Hussein. The Gulf War ended his ambitions and his life and destroyed his country.
   - Mutiny. So in the future, the French may be the leaders of the group that revolt and turn against the persecuting force. Revelation 17: 12-18. Something forces them to form an uneasy alliance after they refused to support Babylon the Great during the Middle East campaign. (Daniel 11: 45). It ends in mutiny. Vive La Liberté!

Stone - The Second Coming (Future)
"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
"Just as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation can be trusted." (Daniel 2: 44-45)
It is during the days when the kingdom is divided that God will set up His kingdom. God combined the image of the shattered earth with the cause, the Rock. The rain from heaven brings the curse in Deuteronomy 28: 23-24.

1. First Coming (The Stone From Mount Zion). The Stone comes from a mountain. It is cut from that mountain. This mountain is the kingdom of heaven. From it a new kingdom is established in Christ.
   The Chief Stone In Zion. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. (Isaiah 28: 16)
   Christ takes possession of that kingdom as we will see in Daniel 7. Something happens in heaven before the stone strikes the earth and after the kingdom was divided in 476 AD.
   » Without Hands. An event that is not by human activity.
   Not Of Human Origin. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Hebrew 9: 11)
   » Cutting The Stone. Christ is the stone. The cutting out of the stone is not just the incarnation of Christ which occurred about 4 BC. It must be another event which occurs after the division of the toes or "in the days of those kings" (476 AD) when Christ was crowned King and given a kingdom.
   - Incarnation (4 BC). He came to earth as a human born supernaturally of the Seed of God.
   - Anointed (27 AD). He was anointed as both Priest and King at His baptism.
   - Crucifixion (Crowned King) (31 AD). He was inaugurated as High Priest after the crucifixion. Only after that time did He formally have the right to be King. We know that He became king immediately after because of the prophecy of the seven seals and since the king distributed the gifts at Pentecost.
   - Given A Kingdom (31 AD). He was given the earth after the judgment of heavenly powers expelled Satan.
   - Setting Up A Kingdom (1844). Later we will learn that Christ begins the judgment of earth and takes legal possession of His kingdom before the Second Coming. During the time of the divided kingdom He seals and selects His people from among the living and the dead.
   - Takes Physical Possession Of The Kingdom (Second Coming). Jesus takes possession of His people and begins direct rule. It is only at the Third Coming that He takes possession of the land.
   We can look at the life of David to see the same set of events. The kingdom belonged to the tribe of Judah, yet it was in possession of the tribe of Benjamin. He was anointed king as a youth but it was several years before he took possession of the kingdom and began to rule.
2. Second Coming. The Stone destroys the image after it is cut out of the mountain.
   After the Second Coming, God destroys the kingdoms of the earth.
   The Stone That Crushes To Powder. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Matthew 21: 42,44)
3. Third Coming. The Stone establishes another mountain.
   It is only after the thousand years, after the third coming, that the New Jerusalem comes to earth and God sets up His throne on the earth.

Judgment By Heaven In Favor Of The Saints | Angels And The Wicked Judged By The Saints | Judgment Of The Wicked By God
--- | --- | ---
1844 | 7 Last Plagues | Second Coming | Millennium | Third Coming
Old Earth |  | Earth Partially Destroyed |  | Hell |  | New Heavens And Earth
Stone Cut Out Of A Mountain | Stone Strikes The Earth | Stone Becomes Another Mountain

The mountain represents God's sanctuary and truth. Zion is called the "mountain of the Lord's house."
In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it. (Isaiah 2: 1-5)
Summary: Nebuchadnezzar attacked the sanctuary in Jerusalem and destroyed it. God shows this pagan king that there is a sanctuary far removed from this earth in heaven that he cannot destroy. The Rock who is Christ will come from that sanctuary and destroy all the kingdoms of the earth.
The prophecy indicates that the kingdom will be established after the nations are divided in 476, but the Rock will destroy the earth after the kings lose their crowns. This will happen sometime after World War 1 in the days of modern Europe when the crowned heads lose their power (1918). In the place of the kings of the earth, God will establish a Sanctuary kingdom that will never be destroyed again.

Christ
Christ is the Rock that will appear at the end of the world to rescue the saints, smash all worldly powers and begin a government of righteousness on the earth.
Jesus is the Rock and the chief corner stone according to Acts 4: 11 and Ephesians 2: 20.
and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10: 4)

The Future Of Europe And The Old Roman Empire

Attempts to Unite Europe by War and Marriage and Economics |
Empire | Section of Roman Empire
--- | ---
Roman | Area in the purple border
Charlemagne | France, Germany, North Italy
Napoleon | France, Belgium, North Italy, Corsica, Malta, Egypt, Sweden, Spain, Naples, Switzerland, Austria, Germany. Allies: Spain, Russia, Bavaria
Hitler's Third Reich | Except England, Spain, Egypt, and Middle East
European Union (2004) | Except North Africa, Eastern empire and some of the Baltic region. Not fully political
Ottoman Empire | Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Israel, North Africa, Macedonia, Cyprus, Crete, Serbia, Albania, Romania, Moldova, Yugoslavia
Kings | # | Sample of Nations by Marriage
--- | --- | ---
England | 14 | Spain, France, Germany, Russia, Denmark, Romania, Prussia, Canada
Spain | 13 | France, Greece, England, Portugal, Austria, Sicily, Denmark, Germany
France | 11 | Spain, Portugal, England, Belgium, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Germany
Norway | 11 | France, Sweden, Prussia, Denmark
Denmark | 14 | Russia, England, Spain, Iceland
Russia | 8 | Greece, Spain, France, England, Prussia, Denmark, Sweden
German Reich | German Allies | Neutral | Undefeated Roman Empire
--- | --- | --- | ---
Major Family | Region of Influence
--- | ---
1 | Hapsburgs | Austria (from 1282, 1804-1918), Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) and Hungary (from 1526 - 1918). Holy Roman Emperors (from 1438 - 1806), Spain (1516-1700)
2 | Hohenzollerns | Principally Germany and Prussia (ended in 1918)
3 | Romanovs | Russia (1613-1917). It was not part of the Roman empire
4 | Ottomans | Ottoman Empire (1917-18). Turkey, Balkans, Middle East
World War 1 started when Arch Duke Ferdinand, one of the Hapsburgs, was assassinated in 1917. After the war, in the Treaty of Versailles, Europe largely abandoned these monarchies.
Queen Victoria ("The Grandmother of Europe"). She married a German prince and their nine children married into the royal houses of Prussia, Denmark, Austria, Russia, Spain, Waldeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Battenburg, Darmsatt, and Scotland (the prime minister of Canada). Her grandson became King of Romania and other grandchildren married into the royal families of Denmark, Netherlands, Romania, Spain and Germany.

In a future lesson we will learn that at the very end of time there will be a turbulent union of the old empire or part of it which survives long enough to accomplish one goal. This is to give power to the United States and the Catholic church. This authority is used to persecute the true church of God. In the end, the union collapses in violence against each other. They will be as successful in uniting the old empire as Hitler was. It is a relationship forged in resentments which will not last.
The prophecy is quite clear. The pieces of the old Roman empire will not unite under one leader as one unified peaceful country. But they will try. They will be divided at the Second Coming.
A strict reading must conclude that all the territory will not unite as one. But the European Union is only part of the territory. So would a successful union of these countries violate prophecy?
Some of the unification methods mentioned by prophecy were tried by Europe and they all failed. So an analysis of the history of the regions and the prophecy seems to suggest that God will even act to destroy any significant union until one significant moment in time when it is time for its final destruction. Only those headed for destruction will see this as a triumph.
The Beast Is Revived. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that was and is not and will come.
The Mysterious Ten Kings. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
One Goal. They have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.
Persecution. These will wage war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called and chosen and faithful.
The Will of God. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. (Revelation 17: 8, 12-14, 17)
There is the answer to any final union. The beast is healed and allowed to revive so that it can be destroyed. God allows them to unite long enough to persecute His people so that He can destroy them.

The Great World Empires.
People often ask why certain great empires were not included in prophecy. It is important to note that the prophecy was concerned with the empires that conquered or ruled over Israel (His chosen people). This fact becomes important in understanding that the prophecies were not concerned with the size or strength or wealth of an empire. It was concerned with the status of God's people and who was in charge of the covenant, because that is where the spiritual battles would occur. Therefore, the prophecy does not mention other great empires because they did not rule over Israel.
For this same reason, after the Jews rejected Christ and the covenant was made with the Gentiles, only the divided Roman empire that controlled the Christians were the focus, not the eastern Islamic empires that controlled Israel.
» The Prophetic Game. It is like a game of tag or football where team Satan chases the runner who has the ball (the covenant). Prophecy is simply the announcer who broadcasts the plays and the scores and the schedule. There may be other great players in the audience but they have not formed a team that is willing to play the game.
» The Birth Of Empires. Also, in a study of history, it appears that many of the great civilizations that people thought would have appeared in prophecy emerged after the great empires of this prophecy and during the reign of Rome when the prophecy says that the kingdoms will be divided. The few civilizations that began to emerge during the Greek period, were local, unorganized and tribal. China was mostly organized after 221 BC. The Aztecs (100-650 AD) and the native American Hopewell culture emerged after Christ (100-400AD) and the Olmecs before (1200-400BC). The Vikings and most of Europe and Russia were Barbarians. The height of the Mayan civilization was 250-900AD and they first met Christians in 1519. None of these controlled the Jews or the Christians and most emerged after Christ.
The Ottomans (1300-1922) ruled the Jews after they lost preeminence to the Christians as the people of the covenant.

Abraham | Isaiah | Jeremiah | Daniel and Ezekiel | John
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Israel (12 Tribes) | Jews (2 Tribes) |  | Jews | Byzantine | Islamic | Ottoman | Britain
Egypt | Assyria | Babylon | Persia | Greece | Rome | Christians | Rome | Papacy | Europe | USA
Yin | Olmec | Zhou Dynasty | Tsin Dynasty | Hopewell, Aztec | Mayan | Vikings | Russia

» The Prophets Of The Captivity. Abraham prophesied about captivity in Egypt and Isaiah about the Assyrian captivity. Jeremiah prophesied about Babylon. Daniel and Ezekiel prophesied about Babylon until the end of time. John prophesied about the period after Christ until Babylon the Great.

Repetition And Enlargement
This is the first in a series of apocalyptic prophecies that show the succession of empires remaining on the earth.
It also demonstrates how the earth will be destroyed by the curse.
A Legal Stoning
Greece And Rome. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
Crushed To Powder By The Rock. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28: 23-24)
The curse even links Greece and Rome together as a future prophecy will do (Daniel 4 and 7).

The Stoning Of The Earth
Text | Event | Meaning
--- | --- | ---
Numbers 15: 32-36 | Death penalty for sin | Stoning to death
Deuteronomy 28: 24 Exodus 32: 19-20 | The curse for idolatry and rebellion | Grinding the idol to powder by raining large chunks of powder
Daniel 2: 24 | A Rock strikes the kingdoms of the world | Jesus is the Rock who conquers the kingdoms of the world
Revelation 6: 16 | Mountains and Rocks fall on the wicked | The wicked try to hide under the rocks at the Second Coming
Revelation 16: 21 | Seventh Plague | Hail stones falls on the wicked at the Second Coming

David And Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
King David, a type of Christ also killed a metal-clad giant with a rock and a sword to liberate Israel.

- Champion (Verse 37). A champion volunteered to defeat the enemies of Israel by the power of God.
- Giant (Verse 4-7). Both champions defeated a giant dressed in metal.
- Lion And Bear Defeated (Verse 34-36). The champion defeated the lion an bear (Babylon and Persia),
- Bronze And Iron Metal (Verse 6-7). He faces a giant dressed in brass armor and iron spear (Greece and Rome). Greece and Rome are linked together again.
- 40 Days (Verse 16). The giant torments the righteous between 40 and 42 periods of time.
- Killer Rock (Verse 40, 49-50). The first champion kills the giant with a rock in his forehead. The last champion kills the giant with the mark in his forehead with the rock on his feet.
- Sword And Iron Spear (Verse 51). A sword struck the giant (Revelation 19: 15).
- Carcass Eaten By Birds And Beasts (Verse 46). The birds feast on the carcass of the wicked (Revelation 19: 17-18).
- 600, 60 and 6 (Verse 4, 7). This "number of man" appears in the measurement of another giant statue (Daniel 3: 1) and the great beast of Revelation 13: 18. These numbers are associated with Goliath's height and armor - man's strength. David chose to ignore a man-made armor (verse 38-39) and relied on the name of the Lord (verse 45-46). The end-time righteous have the name of God sealed in their forehead (Revelation 14: 1).
- The King From The East (verse 12). David was from Bethlehem, east of the battle positions on the dry river bed called the valley of Elah (verse 2-3). The kings from the east are those who represent the victorious forces of God crossing a dry river in a crucial battle.
  Cyrus, the Persian king from the east, dried up the Euphrates to defeat Babylon in the Battle of Opis (539 BC).
  YHWH and Jesus, the Kings from the east, dry up the Euphrates to defeat Babylon the Great in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16: 12).
- Two Mountains (Verse 3). Both armies stand on a mountain with the battle in the valley. In the end all the wicked stand in the valley as they are stoned with fire from Mount Zion (Revelation 20: 9).
  At the ratification of the covenant the tribes stood on two mountains as they said the blessings from mount Gerizim in the south and curses from mount Ebal in the north (Deuteronomy 11: 29).

Babylon And Babylon The Great

Sky or Heaven | Vomit
--- | ---
Babylon | Head | Babylon the Great |
7 rulers | 7 Neck Vertebra | 7 Heads
Persia | Chest | -
2 nations | 2 Arms | 2 Beasts
12 kings | 12 Ribs | 12 Tribes
10 ? | 10 Fingers | 10 Horns
Greece | Belly | Church persecuted by the ten horns in the belly of the beast
10 nations | 5 lumbar, 5 sacral vertebra
Little Horn | Penis
Fused Coccyx | United Church
Rome | Anus | Dung |
Legs | Ten horns become trampled dirt
Europe | Feet, 10 toes
Rock | Christ
Earth Of Clay | Dung

Why is the last power on earth called Babylon the Great?
But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn. (Deuteronomy 21: 17)
Babylon returns again as a strong Babylon the great. As the first born of the evil empires he gets double the inheritance, so he gets to rule twice. The firstborn is also the beginning of his father's strength, coming out of his loins. So the emergence of Babylon coming out of the loins of Greece is the connection to the Greco-Roman empire. However, his seed will be spilled on the earth, becoming useless, because his seed will become dung on the earth. The leader of Babylon will never sire a nation. His seed and name will be cut off.
Let us use the symbol of the statue with the symbol of devouring the people to see how the history of the world is portrayed. To understand this you should have already read about the meaning of the symbols in the process of eating.

- Babylon ("Mouth"). Babylon chewed up and swallowed Israel.
- Persia ("Chest, Ribs"). The people passed through the Persian empire. Later you will learn the amazing way of how the 12 tribes are represented by the 12 ribs (7 true ribs, 3 false ribes and 2 floating ribs).
- Greece ("Belly"). They ended up in the bowels of Greece.
- Rome ("Loins"). A companion prophecy says that Rome will have some elements of the Greek empire in it. The Greeks contributed their religion, language and culture to the Romans.
  Let us look at the anus and the loins to find these elements.
  » Penis ("The Little Horn Or The Antichrist"). Have you ever wondered why God used circumcision as a sign of the covenant? The loins are the seat and beginning of power or strength. Rome gives birth to the Antichrist who is also known as the one little horn (penis). God uses circumcision of the penis to represent His role in fulfilling the covenant. Christ was the Seed of Life, cloaked in human form, Who would be cut off and buried for sin, but having the ability to rise again and give life.
  Here we have the Antichrist, the little horn, usurping this role of Christ. But while Christ was circumcised, the uncircumcised little horn will be castrated. While Christ can rise from the dead and bear fruit, the Antichrist is impotent. God has a sense of humor. Christ is virile. The Antichrist is impotent with a little penis and a big mouth full of boasting about his prowess.
  The Little Penis With The Big Mouth. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. (Daniel 7: 8 and Revelation 13: 5-6)
  » Christ, The Horn. So Christ is the horn of God who came out of the Roman Empire to be circumcised ("cut off").
  » A Minor Problem. How can we have the little horn coming out of Rome when it is coming out of the Greek period (the belly and the thighs). Some sources choose only the parts below the knee to represent Rome, while others include the upper legs as part of Rome because the word for "thighs" means sides or buttocks. Therefore, the penis would be dangling at the end of the Greek empire down into the Roman empire. If the "belly and thighs" are supposed to be the "belly and the hips" up to the point where the legs begin then that seems to be the answer. Also, when the Maccabeans unlawfully merged the priesthood with the royalty they separated the house of Judah.
  » The Corrupted Seed. Christ was God who came to be born in the form of man. At the same time, the Greco-Roman religion which had a practice of making gods out of dead emperors began to make gods out of living men. This corrupted seed that is partly Greek and Roman is represented by the loins.
  » Coccyx. The five fused bones of the coccyx represent the last five phases of the united church.
  » Dung. Waste passes through the anus and Rome is viewed as a source of dung in the end.
  Have you ever wondered why Moses ground the golden calf to powder and made Israel drink it (Exodus 32: 19-20)? According to the curse, the idols will be smashed to powder (Deuteronomy 28: 24).
  If the wicked drink this powder then their god will be excreted out of them like dung! This is God laughing at the wicked. How can you cut down a tree, build a house, cook and make a fire to warm by it then make a god to worship? In this image God is saying how can you worship your own dung?
- Europe ("Intestines"). During the reign of these kings the wicked will go down to the earth as dirt.
- Babylon the Great ("Spits Out Israel"). The powers at the end of the world are a mixed symbol of Rome and Babylon. The entire statue is now gold as Babylon claims all empires and holds two classes of people.
  » The Fate of the Wicked ("Dung"). They will go out through the anus as dung. This happens during the reign of the remnants of the Roman empire which somehow becomes like Babylon in the end.
  Speak, Thus says the Lord, the corpses of men will be like dung on the open field, and like the sheaf after the reaper, but no one will gather them. (Jeremiah 9: 22) (Also Jeremiah 25: 33)
  » The Fate Of The Righteous ("Regurgitated Seed"). So Babylon chews up and swallows the church again at the end. They will be ejected from the bowels, out of the mouth of the evil empire. Revelation also says that Babylon spits out three unclean spirits like frogs. Like Pharaoh, these go after the righteous during their final exodus.
  On their way back from the bowels and the loins of Rome and its little horn, the righteous come back through the previous powers. This is why another prophecy says that their dominion will be taken away but they will have an extension of life granted to them (Daniel 7: 12). When we come up into the mouth of Babylon, they will grind us under their teeth by persecution and God will force the king to spit us out.
  Vomit. ... I will punish Bel in Babylon, And I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth. And the nations will no longer stream to him. Even the wall of Babylon has fallen down! (Jeremiah 51: 44)
  » The Birth Of A Child. How can we relate the ten horns and the ten fingers? The image of the end time church as both a pregnant woman and the child that she bears gives us a picture.
  Wicked Hands. At the end, when the church is seen as fleeing from Babylon, she is also described as a woman in labor pains. Like Pharaoh and Herod, Babylon is waiting with ten grimy fingers for the delivery of the child so that they might destroy the baby. Think of the ten horns as the ten fingers grasping for the child.
  Righteous Hands. In addition, her ten fingers also grasp her belly because of the labor pains in the Greek phase (Jeremiah 30: 6; 4: 31) and grasping her chest in the Persian phase as her heart fails in fear of what is coming (Luke 21: 26) and then grasping her head in sorrow in the Babylonian phase when they are trampling us with their ten toes and attacking us with their ten horns.
  » The Birth Of Twins. The wicked are still born. The righteous are born as a healthy son.

Patterns And Types Of The Righteous And The Wicked
The righteous and wicked have a structurally similar life pattern.

- The Righteous (Green Tree). The righteous rise from the dust of the earth in brokenness and grow up to heaven.
  - Earth. The righteous are made of clay, but in the recreation they are being raised from death to life again.
  - Roots. Christ is the integrated root system in the life of the nation of Israel.
  - Two Branches. Two separate branches are grafted into Israel, the Jews and the Gentile Christians.
  - Head (Leaves). The two branches are scattered, but they look like one united, integrated whole at the top.
  - Fruit. The righteous tree bears fruit.
- The Wicked (Image Of An Idol). The wicked begin in glory and disintegrate and fragment into the dust of the earth.
  - Fruit. They have no fruit or hair. They are bald.
  - Head. The wicked begin in glory and then disintegrate in value.
  - Two Branches (Legs). The two branches of the image never unite again.
  - Roots (Feet). The wicked further divide and disintegrate and do not unite as one in the clay.
  - Earth (Feet Of Clay). The wicked are shattered and scattered like shards of broken pottery.
  The Plan of Salvation says that the wicked seed must fall into the earth and die. Then, if the sunlight of God shines on it and it is watered by the Holy Spirit, it will rise again and become a righteous tree that bears fruit.

Antichrist Patterns And Types Of Christ
Notice how the leaders of these kingdoms appear to be a type of how Christ was viewed by His enemies. Christ was treated as one who violated Israel just as these potential conquerers had. They are Antichrist.
Man-Gods. All of these men were the first in a series of rulers who aspired to be given the status of gods while they were alive. Prior to this, many societies conferred deity only on their dead kings who had great accomplishments.

- Nebuchadnezzar (Head). The first two cervical vertebra are called the atlas and the axis. The atlas supports the skull so it is named after the Greek god Atlas who bears the world on his shoulders. The axis allows the neck to rotate. Christ was the donkey who bore the burdens of the world. Christ also went around like a homeless Man or a wild animal just like Nebuchadnezzar, keeping the covenant for seven years with Israel.
  I am Great. He praised his achievements as if he were divine and solely responsible for them (Daniel 4: 30).
- Cyrus The Great (Heart). He was the heart in the chest of the High Priest with 12 disciples (Isaiah 45: 1-13).
  Achaemenid Dynasty. The kings of this dynasty that began with Cyrus thought that they were divine.
  It would be interesting to know if the Jewish prophecy made him believe that he was god.
- Alexander The Great (Navel And Scrotum). He was a great warrior who was cut off at age 33 and his kingdom was eventually divided into two unequal parts. The larger part arose last because the Egyptian portion remained the same while the Seleucid kingdom swallowed up the rest until it became the largest.
  » No Blood Heirs. All his heirs and family were murdered after his death so he had no successors.
  Christ is a great warrior Who was cut off at age 33 without a wife or natural children. His kingdom was divided among the Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles will be larger than the Jews and they came last.
  » A Wife And Children For Jesus? No! According to the curse He should have nothing and no one.
  He Desired To Be God. He required divine honors to be paid to him while he was alive.
- Julius Caesar And Augustus (Penis And Scrotum). A member of the first Triumvirate. He was betrayed by a friend and murdered on 15 March 44 BC. Cut off with a knife at the foot of the statue of Pompey in the temple of Venus by orders of the senate. He was stabbed 23 times and His body lay on the floor for about 3 hours.
  Jesus is a member of the only Trinity. He was betrayed by a friend and murdered by the orders of the Sanhedrin around March/April in the beginning of Spring. He was cut off with a sword in His side.
  » No Blood Heirs. Augustus died without a heir and he adopted Tiberias and made him co-emperor in 13 AD, setting a precedent.
  Saviors. Julius Caesar and Augustus started the first cult of living god-saviors among Romans.
- The Last Antichrist (Rear End and Feet). The one who sits on the throne, pretending to be God will be trampled and smashed to pieces and excreted like dung.
  Jezebel was trampled b horses, eaten by dogs and her skull and the palms of her hands and feet remained. It must have given them diahrrea because they excreted her out between the time Jehu left her after trampling her and ate and said he should bury her. Possibly less than an hour.
  God. He will sit in the temple of God declaring that he is God.

Study to show yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 15 | Time: 70 minutes Print: 13 pages
Copyright Updated : June 7, 2005. December 2007. July 2010. January 2011 Credits: Author: Laverna Patterson. Editor: Patterson (January 2008) Some of these observations are original insights from the Holy Spirit. e.g. The physical connections of the body parts. Most images and all maps were created by Laverna Patterson and are the property of teachinghearts. In 2007, this entire lesson and its maps and other lessons were stolen, the copyright removed and placed on another site.