Daniel Two sets the foundational storyline and thus is more important than Daniel Chapter Nine.
Here is my advice regarding the Book of Daniel. Study Daniel two. Know it well first. Then you will be ready to move on to the other chapters. It is very common for Bible prophecy students to spend a lot of time studying the ninth chapter of Daniel. That’s understandable. It’s the “sexy” chapter. You get to do the math and come up with the exact date of Jesus’s first arrival. Yes, it is fascinating. And it has huge ramifications for us now. But Daniel Two surpasses all of the other chapters for one key reason. It is the foundation, upon which the rest of the book sits. The visions and prophecies that follow build, upon the key elements of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. In essence, it builds out the details of the vision. When we get to chapters eleven and twelve, we read of amazing details. One can read the last two chapters and see some important details of future events.
A clear template
Every biblical prophecy passage is important. And we should study every prophetic book in the scriptures. But, in my studies, I’ve come to the conclusion that Daniel lays out a clear template. And the template serves as an important guide to those who will face the final days before the return of Jesus. The Christian church will face the worst persecution of its history. It has already begun but will reach a devastating climax. Secularists and believers of other faiths can also find guidance in the Book of Daniel. If one desires to know what events will transpire in the final days–they are written in every chapter of Daniel’s book.
And it is important to note. It is an error to believe that there are only four kingdoms in the famous vision of Daniel’s statue. I have written previous articles that refer to four because it’s the commonly held view. Actually, there are six. The final kingdom has two phases that are divided by centuries. Iron, and then Iron mixed with clay. The fifth kingdom is a resurrection of sorts of the fourth one and will arise at the end-of-days–not too long from now. The sixth kingdom is the stone that demolishes the entire statue. That’s the kingdom of Christ.
Author’s note:
This is another article in a series that will consider the Book of Daniel from a big-picture perspective. Or, as some would describe it, ‘A view of Daniel from ten-thousand feet.’ This is not a typical overview. It is not an in-depth view. Instead, I stand back or get above it and look at it from a better angle. We can learn a lot if we do that with every book of the Bible.
Daniel two. From ten-thousand feet
As I did in the first of this series, I’ll give a few highlights of the chapter. Each highlight points to a key element. And each element, though having a historical component, will also appear in the final days before the return of Christ.
Here we go with a few of those key elements found in Daniel Two.
- An evil king will rise to power. Like Nebuchadnezzar, the last evil king will rule as a supreme leader. He will be in full control of his kingdom. He will answer to no one else. But, in contrast to popular fiction among many Bible teachers, this evil ruler will not reign from Europe.
- The evil king, the antichrist, will rule with utter brutality. On a whim, as Nebuchadnezzar did, he will execute tens of thousands. He will tear people “limb from limb” and leave “houses…laid in ruins.”
- Prayer will surpass food and water as the daily source of strength for every Christian. Christians will learn to pray as Daniel prayed.
- Praying Christians will be among the wisest men and women on earth. The wisdom of God will be imparted to those who pray most earnestly.
- Living in the final days will require great boldness and faith. The church will declare the truths of God to the meekest and the proudest. Declare the truth, and trust the Lord for the outcome.
- The final king, the antichrist, will know that his days are short. Actually, three and a half years once Satan indwells him. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream revealed the end of his own kingdom and also that of the antichrist’s reign.
- Every Middle Eastern and Arab nation that was a part of Daniel’s original statue will once again be reunited under the rule of the antichrist. This fact is missing from the fictional Russian and European model of Bible prophecy.
- The final kingdom will be divided. The antichrist will rule it, but he will hold precarious control over all the nations. And his control will be centered in the Middle East, not the entire world.
- And last, and most important. Jesus will defeat the antichrist and set up his 1,000-year reign.
https://thewritelife.tech/2019/03/27/ezekiel-warns-gog-the-false-christ/
Below, you’ll find Daniel two. The entire chapter.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Daniel Two: 1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams. His spirit was troubled. And his sleep left him.
2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.
6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.”
8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time. Because you see that the word from me is firm.
Tell me the dream or else!
Daniel Two: 9 If you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.
11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed. And they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
15 He declared to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.
16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Daniel Two: 17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions.
18 And told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery. So that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
Daniel Two: 21 He changes times and seasons, he removes kings and sets up kings, he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 he reveals deep and hidden things, he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Wisdom from God saved the righteous
Daniel Two: 24 Therefore Daniel went into Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.”
26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked.
28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. And he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these.
29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this. And he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.
30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living. But in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.
Daniel Interprets the Dream
Daniel Two: 31 “You saw O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.
32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest, and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze.
33 Its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces.
35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar was a type of the antichrist
Daniel Two:37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory.
38 And into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom. Strong as iron because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.
41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom. But some of the firmness of iron shall be in it. Just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay.
We see the last kingdom of mankind in Daniel Two.
Daniel Two: 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.
43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.
45 Just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Daniel’s Promotion
Daniel Two: 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him.
47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts. And made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.
White Stone Watcher
Hello readers,
I have served as a children and youth pastor for over three decades. It was a great honor and pleasure to serve the Lord in that way. It has been my prayer, that many of them will learn of Jesus’ love and decide to commit their lives to follow Him.
I wrote the fiction story, ‘White Stone Watcher’ for them and their parents. In the story, we see a young man, and his best friend, Amanda. They face the normal challenges that today’s kids face at school. But with one huge difference.
Their challenge is twelve feet tall to be exact with an enormous set of six wings. Just like the prophet Isaiah saw in the throne room of God. He is a Watcher, an angelic being who is still invisible to Amanda. The messenger from God is about to lead both on a spiritual journey. They find they cannot escape the unseen war that rages all around them. They will become key players that God will use in the battle between the Sons of Darkness and the Children of Light.
I invite you to pray about a youth who might enjoy and benefit from this story. As the world grows darker, our youth must become aware that the Lord is calling them to join the Children of Light in the fight for what is righteous. We are all involved, whether we realize it or not. If they do not go to church, maybe they will read a book about someone just like them facing challenges at school.
God is calling them.
Praying for the youth, and a great awakening.
Pastor Doug
Let me know what you think.