1. The Millennial Man Print This Page
The vast kingdom of Babylon was opulent and prosperous,
yet Nebuchadnezzar the king stirred in his royal bed. How long would this
golden era last, he wondered, and what would become of his powerful empire
when he was gone?
With these disturbing questions in mind, the mighty
monarch drifted off to sleep. That night, a vivid image of a towering
multi-mineral man flashed into his mind with a panorama of color unlike
anything he had ever experienced. Throwing aside his embroidered covers,
the
king jumped out of bed and shouted to his bodyguards: "Call all the
magicians and astrologers to come at once. I must know the meaning of this
dream!"
The king's wise men were roused and herded into the
presence of the bewildered sovereign. "And the king said unto them, I have
dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream." Daniel
2:3.
One of the phony prophets smugly responded, "Tell your servants the dream,
and we will give the interpretation." But as often happens with dreams,
the
details had already grown cloudy in Nebuchadnezzar's mind.
These men had claimed divine insight, but the king was
beginning to doubt their abilities. This would be the perfect test. "Tell
me
the dream and the interpretation, and you will be rewarded," the king told
his counselors, "otherwise I will cut you in pieces and turn your homes
into
dumps!"
The magicians and astrologers had no choice but to admit
that they were powerless to explain the king's dream without first hearing
it. Furious with these imposters, the king commanded that all the wise men
of Babylon be gathered for execution. However, the Lord still had one
person
in Babylon who could explain the dream of the colossal Millennial Man.
1. Why did God give the Babylonian king this
dream?
Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth
______ and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the
latter days.
Answer:
NOTE: In this dream of the multi-mineral image, God
outlined for all future millenniums the rise and fall of the empires that
would have a direct influence on His people.
2. When the king's counselors failed to reveal
and
interpret the dream, what was Nebuchadnezzar's command?
Daniel 2:12 The king ... commanded to _____ all the
wise
men of Babylon.
Answer:
NOTE: The astrologers and magicians of Babylon claimed
to
have supernatural power, but when they could not reveal the dream to the
king, they were shown to be impotent imposters. If the king had recalled
the
dream, they would have simply manufactured a bogus interpretation. In his
rage, Nebuchadnezzar commanded all the wise men to be slain-even those who
were not present. Among those absent from the first meeting with the king
was a God-fearing captive named Daniel, who had just been trained for the
king's service.
3. When Daniel learned about the death decree,
what
did he ask of the king and what did he tell his friends?
Daniel 2:16 Daniel went in, and desired of the king
that
he would give him _____ , and that he would shew the king the dream.
Daniel 2:17, 18 Then Daniel went to his house, and made
the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That
they
would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret.
Answer:
NOTE: Daniel requested a little time from Nebuchadnezzar
and promised that he would reveal the dream and its meaning. The king, who
was still desperate to know the significance of his vision, granted
Daniel's
request. Then he and his friends appealed to the only Source who could
reveal the king's dream. They prayed to the God of heaven.
4. When the Lord revealed the dream to Daniel, to
whom did he give praise and credit?
Daniel 2:23, 28 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou
God
of my fathers... There is a _____ in heaven that revealeth secrets.
Answer:
NOTE: The rise and fall of empires may appear as if
happening by the will of men, but Daniel's prayer of praise clearly
reveals
the essence of divine intervention. Nothing happens that God is not
already
aware of and has not allowed. Sometimes we may not understand what is
happening in our world today or why, but it is comforting to know that God
is still sovereign. Only Daniel could reveal the dream to the king, yet he
clearly gives the credit to the One who revealed the dream to him--the God
of heaven.
5. What two objects did Daniel say the king saw
in
his dream?
Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold, a great
_____ .
Daniel 2:34 Thou sawest ... that a stone was cut out
without hands.
Answer:
NOTE: The first thing the king saw was a great image
made
of the following mineral elements:
1. The head was of gold.
2. The breast and arms were of silver.
3. The belly and thighs were of brass.
4. The legs were of iron.
5. The feet of iron and clay.
Next, the king saw a stone that had been cut without
hands. At this point, King Nebuchadnezzar was no doubt sitting spellbound
on
the edge of his throne.
Daniel had related the dream precisely as God had given
it
to him. Now the king eagerly waited, wondering what the dream meant.
Daniel proceeded to explain the interpretation as the
Lord
had revealed it to him, and we would do well to take it just as He gave
it.
The only safe way to interpret the Bible and prophecy is to allow the
Bible
to explain itself.
6. What does the head of gold represent?
Daniel 2:38 Thou art this _____ of gold.
Answer:
NOTE: The king was regarded as the head of the state.
This
is why Nebuchadnezzar represented Babylon, the empire that began the
prophecy. Neo-Babylon ruled the world from 612-539 B.C. as one of the
mightiest empires of antiquity--one that could aptly be described as the
head of gold. Notice that the prophecy begins with Daniel's time.
7. Would the Babylonian kingdom last forever?
Daniel 2:39 After thee shall arise _____ kingdom
inferior
to thee.
Answer:
NOTE: Babylon's supremacy would not last forever.
Succeeding kingdoms, inferior to Babylon, would rule in their turn. Just
as
silver is inferior to gold, so the kingdom that followed Babylon enjoyed
diminished glory. Led by Cyrus in 539 B.C., the Medo-Persian empire
conquered Babylon and reduced it to ruins. The Medes and Persians were the
ruling world power from 539-331 B.C. During their reign, all taxes had to
be
paid in silver.
8. What metal would represent the kingdom that
followed Medo-Persia?
Daniel 2:39 Another third kingdom of _____ ... shall
bear
rule over all the earth.
Answer:
NOTE: The brass kingdom of Greece came into power when
Alexander the Great conquered the Medes and Persians at the battle of
Arbela
in 331 B.C., and Greece remained in power until about 168 B.C. Greek
soldiers were called "brazen coated" because their armor was all bronze.
Notice how each succeeding mineral depicted in the image is less valuable,
yet more enduring than the one before it.
9. What metal represents the fourth kingdom?
Daniel 2:40 The fourth kingdom shall be strong as _____
.
Answer:
NOTE: The iron monarchy of Rome conquered the Greeks in
168 B.C. and enjoyed world supremacy until Rome was captured by the
Ostrogoths in A.D. 476. Rome is the kingdom that dominated the world when
Jesus Christ was born. Notice how Daniel foretold a thousand years of
world
history with unerring accuracy. The rise and fall of these four world
empires--Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome-are clearly foretold in
the
Bible and proved by the history books.
10. What would happen after the fall of the Roman
Empire?
Daniel 2:41, 42 The kingdom shall be _____ ... As the
toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall
be partly strong, and partly broken.
Answer:
NOTE: When the Roman Empire began to crumble in A.D.
476,
it was not overtaken by another world power. Instead, barbarian tribes
conquered the Roman Empire and divided it--just as Daniel prophesied. Ten
of
these tribes evolved into modern Europe. They were the Ostrogoths,
Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Alemannians, Sueves, Anglo-Saxons, Heruls,
Lombards, and Burgundians. Seven of them still exist today in Europe. For
example, the Anglo-Saxons became the English, the Franks became the
French,
the Alemannians became the Germans, and the Lombards became the Italians.
11. Would these 10 kingdoms ever succeed in
uniting?
Daniel 2:43 They shall mingle themselves with the seed
of
men: but they shall not _____ one to another, even as iron is not mixed
with
clay.
Answer:
NOTE: Through marriage, alliances, and treaties, men
have
vainly attempted to reunite the European continent. All throughout
history,
leaders such as Charlemagne, Napoleon, Kaiser Wilhelm, Mussolini, and
Hitler
have fought to build a new European empire; but these words of Scripture
have stopped every single would-be world ruler. Revelation 13 tells us
there
will be another attempt to establish a universal religion, but Daniel's
prophecy clearly states that the world will remain politically divided for
the rest of Earth's history.
12. Who will set up the final kingdom?
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the
God
of _____ set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.
Answer:
NOTE: The next great universal kingdom will be the
kingdom
of heaven, which is described in Matthew 25:31-34.
13. What does the stone do to the other world
kingdoms?
Daniel 2:34, 35 A stone was cut out without hands,
which
_____ the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them
to
pieces. ... And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain,
and
filled the whole earth.
Answer:
NOTE: The stone that was cut without human hands
represents God's kingdom. It will not be a conglomeration of earthly
kingdoms, but a total replacement (Revelation 21:1). The Scriptures
declare
that when Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will completely consume all
the
kingdoms of earth and establish an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44). What
exciting news! Jesus Christ is coming again! All history is moving toward
this climactic conclusion, when the Son of God shall return in majesty to
bring in the kingdom of everlasting righteousness. King Nebuchadnezzar may
have thought that he had defeated the true God when he besieged Jerusalem
and plundered the temple (Daniel 1:1, 2), but he was shown very quickly
that
God is ruler over all. Human events are under His control, and ultimately
He
will win the conflict. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the 10
divisions of the Roman Empire may have sought to usurp divine authority
and
destroy the people of God, but all earthly kingdoms will eventually be
crushed by the coming of Christ. Thank God, He will win the great
controversy!
14. After hearing Daniel's clear interpretation
of
the dream, what did Nebuchadnezzar say about the Lord?
Daniel 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of
a
truth it is, that your God is a _____ of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a
revealer of secrets.
Answer:
NOTE: Having seen that God has complete control of world
events, even Nebuchadnezzar readily acknowledged that the God Daniel
served
was above all the heathen gods of Babylon. How quickly the picture had
changed! Daniel and his friends, because of their faithfulness to God,
were
elevated from their initial captivity in Babylon to positions of prominent
leadership for the kingdom (Daniel 2:48, 49). God always honors those who
honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30).
15. Recognizing that God is in full control of
earthly events, are you willing to let Him have full control of your life?
Your Answer?
Answer:
Yes
No
I have already given him my life
Supplemental Study
Gold = Babylon
The head of gold represented Babylon, which was the ruling
world
power from 612-539 B.C.
Silver = Medo-Persia
The chest of silver represented Medo-Persia, the ruling world
empire from 539-331 B.C.
Bronze = Greece
The thighs of bronze represented Greece, the dominant world
ruler from 331-168 B.C.
Iron = Rome
The legs of iron represented Rome, which enjoyed world
supremacy
from 168 B.C.-A.D. 476.
Iron and Clay = the Divided Empire
The feet that were partly iron and partly clay represented a
divided empire that would not cleave together. No single power has ruled
the
world since A.D. 476, and it will remain divided until Christ's return.
Copyright © 2004 by Amazing Facts Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed copy for individual's use only. Provided by
www.bibleuniversity.com Bible School website.
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