March 10, 2011 – Daniel 2

I got this from Wikipedia. It is one theory from this prophesy.

“The identification of the gold head is not disputed, as the text clearly indicates that it represents Nebuchadnezzar himself, and by extension, the Babylonian Empire. However, in this view, the second kingdom, represented by the chest and arms of silver, is identified with the combined Medo-Persian empire (which commenced when the Persian king Cyrus the Great defeated Babylon.) The third kingdom, represented by the belly of bronze, is thought to be the Hellenic empire of Alexander and his successors. The fourth kingdom of iron legs then becomes the Roman Empire.”

Something that is not discussed in the different theories, or at least not discussed in a way that makes sense, is the reason the iron and tile are mixed. I think, in looking at the politics that Christ was dealing with in His time that could point to the Jewish authority that has some control during the Roman Empire. Christ being the stone that starts the toppling, but the weakness of the mixture allowed for the crumbling. Rome was so spread out that they began to have issues controlling their borders. Even though they set down the Jewish revolt in 70 AD by destroying Jerusalem, they border skirmishes continued and eventually led to Rome’s downfall. Meanwhile, Christianity grew to become a mountain that would envelope the world. Even though there is debate about this prophesy’s meaning, I think it is one of the most clear prophesies in the Old Testament.

I also think it is interesting that the King does not trust the wise men to tell him the meaning of the dream after he tells them what the dream was. He requests that they tell him what the dream was as well as its meaning.

This story is developed into one of my favorite Veggie Tale songs, or combination of songs, about Daniel and the Dream and the Rule and then the Lion’s Den.