## Pinnacles in Prophecy

## Daniel 2:36-45; Daniel 7

GOD’S OUTLINE OF WORLD HISTORY

- King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream.

1. His wise men of his realm could not tell him what it was or give an interpretation of his dream.

2. This made the king angry; he commanded their death.

3. Daniel volunteered to tell him the dream and the interpretation of it (v. 14-16).

4. God revealed it to Daniel (v. 19).

5. Daniel revealed it to the king (v. 27- 35).

I. The Dream.

A. A huge image, a colossus, a human form-so huge and brilliant that it was terrifying to see.

B. Description:

1. Head = gold

2. Chest & Arms = silver

3. Belly & Thighs = brass

4. Legs = iron

5. Feet & Toes = iron mixed with clay

6. A stone, cut out of a mountain, without hands...

a. Rolls down mountain and into the feet of the image...

b. Crushes the image and it falls...

c. Stone then grows into a great mountain and fills the entire earth....

II. The INTERPRETATION (v. 36-45)

A. Daniel began by asserting God’s Sovereignty (37-38).

Note: His courage to speak the truth to the King.

B. Daniel progressively interpreted from the head to the feet.

1. Passage of time represented from the head to the feet.

2. Metals become more inferior as one progresses from head to the feet. .

a. Inference: Quality of these kingdoms deteriorate with the passage of time.

b. Man is not going to get better and better with time.

3. Terrifying appearance: Terror and cruelty of government.

4. Metals grow stronger as they decline in value.

5. Image is top heavy: Atomic weights of metals decline. (Gold-197; Silver-107-; Bronze - 63; Iron-55)

C. Head of Gold represented Babylon (v. 38).

1. "You are the head of Gold."

2. This establishes that the head of gold represented a mighty king- dom; a world-wide power.

3. Dan. 7:1-4... Lion Kingdom

4. What we know from history, archeology.

D. Chest & Arms of Silver (v.39)

1. "After thee shall arise another kingdom, inferior to thee." (inferior in that it lacked unity and authority)

2. History records the Medo-Persian Empire followed the Babylonian Empire (Dan. 5:28).

3. Dan. 7:5... Bear Kingdom

E. Belly & Thighs of Brass (v.39)

1. A "third kingdom which shall bear rule over all the earth" (39).

2. History proves the third kingdom was Greece, under Alexander the Great.

3. Dan. 7:6...Leopard Kingdom

F. Legs of Iron (v. 40)

1. Fourth Kingdom: Roman Empire

2. Legs divide empire divided in 364 A.D.

3. Dan. 7:7

G. Feet and Toes (v. 43)

1. Composite: Iron and clay mixed...do not adhere.

2. 10 toes = ten kings/kingdoms shall be in existence...(v.44)

3. Inference: weak, disunity,

4. Dan. 7:8 - Anti-Christ

H. Fifth Kingdom: Stone comes and crushes the Feet & Toes.

1. Type of Stone: "without hands" (Jesus)

2. Kingdom grows until it fills the earth. (Replaces all other kingdoms).

3. This Kingdom is eternal.

4. Description of the Kingdom of Christ (Millennium)

5. Dan. 7:9-14

III. THIS IS GOD’S OUTLINE OF GENTILE WORLD HISTORY

A. We believe we are in the "Feet/Toes" stage

1. The Power represented by the Ten Toes is in some stage of formation at the present time.

2. The EEC could be the re- establishment of the Roman Empire.

a. The Maastricht Treaty...12 nations of Europe met in the Netherlands, Feb.7, 1992.

1) This could create a single European currency by 1999.

2) It would eliminate travel and passport restrictions.

3) It would formulate joint monetary policies.

4) This would lay the found- ation, for future cooperation on topics ranging from defense to environmental protection.

b. These are the same countries that are in the EEC.

c. They envision a "United States of Europe" - a revived Roman Empire.

d. Involves the same peoples and lands approximately.

B. Many of these promises are yet to be fulfilled.

1. The Stone/Mountain Kingdom cf. David’s throne...Millennial Reign.

2. The Great Tribulation & the Anti- Christ (Dan. 7)

3. The Deliverance of Israel by Christ & their conversion.

C. All in Harmony with the Great Themes of Prophecy....

1. The Premillennial Coming of Christ.

2. The Pretribulation Rapture of Christ.

3. The Nation of Israel (covenants and promises still valid.)

We live in most exciting times. It is very possible that we may see these things come to pass in our lifetime!