The Statue in the Book of Daniel: Part One

In the Book of Daniel, we learn about a statue that’s important in Bible prophecy.

From the statue in the Book of Daniel, we can learn important facts about past and future events and the future return of Christ.

Daniel 2:31

“Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue – an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.”

 

Historical Background of the Statue

• Approximately six hundred years before the birth of Jesus, Babylon reigned as the greatest power in the area we now call the Middle East.
• The ruler of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar attacked and conquered Jerusalem. Daniel was taken captive during the siege. Years of training prepared him to serve in the king’s court. During the siege, Nebuchadnezzar’s military also took with them sacred utensils and vessels from the temple of God.
• One night, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. The king threatened to kill his advisors if they weren’t able to tell him the dream and its interpretation. (Daniel 2:5-11)
• Daniel requested time to interpret the dream. After time in prayer, God revealed the dream and the interpretation to him. (Daniel 2:12-23)
• The king dreamed about a statue with four parts.
  • It had a head of gold.
  • Then a chest was silver.
  • The belly and thighs were bronze.
  • The calf’s legs were made of iron and the feet were iron mixed with clay.
• A large stone crashed into the entire statue and destroyed it. The stone became a mountain that filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:31-35)
• Daniel told the king the meaning of the dream. (Daniel 2:36-45)

The Head of the Statue (Daniel two)

• The head of the statue was made of pure gold. The purity of the gold represented the kingdom of Babylon. Their leader, King Nebuchadnezzar was its only ruler.
• The pure gold symbolized the unique leadership model of Babylon and also their overwhelming power.
• Eventually, after a surprisingly short reign, Babylon was destroyed by a lesser kingdom.
• After hearing Daniel’s interpretation, the king said, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

 

The vision of Beasts relates to the statue – Lion (Daniel Seven)

• More than fifty years after King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel had a vision that was related to the statue in the king’s dream.
• In the vision, he saw four great beasts. Each beast had a companion in the four kingdoms seen on the statue.
  • One beast was a lion with an eagle’s wings. This beast is compared with the kingdom of gold.
  • Another beast was like a bear. This one was the match for the kingdom of silver.
  • The third beast was like a leopard. And this beast was equal to the bronze kingdom.
  • The fourth beast was unlike the others but was indescribable, terrifying, and powerful. Like the mixture of iron and clay, the final beast was a mixture of strong and weak.
• The four beasts are four kingdoms. Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom is compared to a lion in Jeremiah 4:7, Jeremiah 50:44, and to an eagle in Ezekiel 17:

 

 

In the following verse, we read about possibly another statue in the last days.

 

Revelation 13:14

Because of the signs, it was given the power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

 

 

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