The last five kings of Judah before the Babylonian captivity were as follows:
God gave learning and skills in all literature and wisdom to Daniel and his three friends, and Daniel received understanding in all visions and dreams (Dan 1:17). Daniel stayed and lived in Babylon until the first year of king Cyrus (Dan 1:21,
Ezra 1:1–4).
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he wanted interpreted. In order to know if the interpretation was correct, he also wanted the person doing the interpretation to tell him what he dreamed about (Dan 2:5–6). God revealed the dream and interpretation to Daniel in a night vision (Dan 2:17–19):
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of a large image of various metallic elements, which was broken into pieces by a stone, which became a big mountain
(Dan 2:31–35). The Bible often uses the word "mountain" to symbolize kingdom (Rev 17:9–10, Isaiah 2:2, Jer 51:25).
Daniel's interpretation was that the image was four kingdoms (Dan 2:37–40):
- Babylon: 605–539 BC
- Medo-Persia: 539–331 BC
- Greece: 331–168 BC
- Rome: 168 BC – 476 AD
The Fourth Empire (Rome) is also a foreshadowing of a world power that rules the whole world at the end time, where the
little horn (Dan 7:7–8, 23b–24, 8:9) refers to Antichrist at the Great Tribulation, see
Who is the End Time Antichrist? See the
little horn explained below and
is an example of "
The law of double reference" also explained below. The Great Tribulation is
the second half of the Tribulation period.
We await the seven-year Tribulation period that ends with Jesus' second coming, see The Return of Jesus. When Jesus returns, God will set up the
millennial kingdom that will never be destroyed (Dan 2:41–45), see
The Millennial Kingdom and the Great White Throne Judgement.
The ten toes on the feet represent ten kings (rulers) at the Great Tribulation.
The stone in the dream is a symbol on the return of Jesus Christ
(Luk 20:17–18, Mat 21:42, Psalm 118:22, Acts 4:11, 1 Pet 2:6–8, Zec 3:8–10).
The mountain symbolizes the millennial kingdom. The Bible often use the word "mountain" to symbolize kingdom (Isaiah 2:2, Jer 51:25).
Nebuchadnezzar then 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." He made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel requested of the king for his three friends, and he appointed them over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court. (Dan 2:46–49).
Nebuchadnezzar made a 30 meters high image of gold. He then ordered the people to fall down and worship the golden image as they heard the sound of different kinds of music. Anyone who didn't would immediately be thrown into a fiery furnace. Some Chaldeans came to the king and maliciously accused Daniel's three friends of not caring for him; they didn't serve his gods or worship the golden image that he had set up. Nebuchadnezzar in a furious rage ordered Daniel's three friends to worship the golden image or be immediately cast into a fiery furnace. He also asked them who is the god who would deliver them from his hands. They answered him:
"If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." (Dan 3:1–18).
Then Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than it was usually heated, and to throw them into the fiery furnace. Because the king’s orders were urgent and the furnace overheated, the flames killed the men who took them up. Daniel's three friends fell bound in the burning furnace. Four men were then seen unbound walking in the midst of the fire and they weren't injured; and the appearance of the fourth was like the son of a god. Then
Nebuchadnezzar declared to Daniels's three friends that they would come out, which they did. The fire had had no power over their bodies. The hair on their heads wasn't singed, their cloaks weren't harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
Nebuchadnezzar said that their God would be blessed, who had sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him and set aside his command, and surrendered their bodies instead of serving and worshiping any god but their own God. He therefore issue a decree: Every people, nation, or language that spoke anything against their God would be torn limb from limb and their houses laid in ruins, for there was no other god who could rescue in this way.
Then he promoted them in the province of Babylon. (Dan 3:19–30).
Nebuchadnezzar later had a second dream which he told Daniel and wanted him to interpret (Dan 4:8–17 (in some translations 7–14)). Daniel gave the interpretation
(Dan 4:24–27 (in some translations 21–24)): Nebuchadnezzar should be cast out from among the people and must live among the animals of the land for seven periods of time. He will regain his kingdom when he realizes that Heaven rules.
This also occurred (Dan 4:28–37 (in some translations 25–34)). The reason this happened is probably because Nebuchadnezzar was a very proud man who took credit for Babylon's successes. God had to humiliate him to make him understand that it was God who was behind the glory of his kingdom.
Daniel received a vision during Belshazzar's first year. Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, and regent for his father during the latter's long absence from the city. The vision is in many respects a repetition of the first dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. Four great beasts came up out of the sea
(Dan 7:2–7). They symbolize the same powers as above, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Dan 7:17). The Roman Empire is the nation that was in power when Jesus first came. A sort of revived Roman Empire will be in power of the entire world at the Great Tribulation as well (Dan 7:23). Ten rulers are in power (Dan 7:7).
Three of these rulers will be removed by a new ruler, that is Antichrist (Dan 7:8, 24). Antichrist will rule the entire world for 3.5 years, that is, during the second half of the Tribulation period, which is the Great Tribulation (Dan 7:25, Rev 13:5). The remaining seven kings will give their authority to Antichrist (Rev 13:1). Satan is behind Antichrist (Rev 12:3), see Explanation to Satan's Attack on the Woman in the Book of Revelation. The Son of Man will then come with the clouds (Dan 7:13–14).
Jesus claims to be the Son of Man, see the animated video Who Did Jesus Think He Was? Antichrist is cast into the lake of fire (Dan 7:11, 26, Rev 19:20). The millennial kingdom begins (Rev 20:4, Dan 7:27). See also Who is the End Time Antichrist?
Daniel received another vision during Belshazzar's third year. It's a continuation of the previous dream and vision. The vision begins that he saw a ram, which
symbolizes Medo-Persia (Dan 8:3–4, 20). The higher horn of the two represents
Persia, which became the dominant power of these two powers. The one-horned goat is Greece under Alexander the Great (Dan 8:5–7, 21). When he died, four of his commanders divided the kingdom (Dan 8:8, 22). Out of one of them came a new little horn in power. It was Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the ruler of Syria, known as
one of the most cruel tyrants in history (Dan 8:9–14, 23–25).
The little horn also refers to Antichrist at the Great Tribulation. This principle is called "The law of double reference": It's the principle of associating similar or related ideas that are usually separated from each other over a long period of time, and are blended into a single prophetic picture. The picture has a short-term fulfillment and a long-term fulfillment. In this case, Antiochus is the short-term fulfillment, who becomes a foreshadowing to Antichrist who is the long-term fulfillment. This is a common feature of biblical prophecy, both in the
Old Testament and in the New Testament. It presents a prophetic picture of
common events in parallel. While God is speaking of a single prophetic event, he is simultaneously speaking of another future event. Usually the first event is in the near future and will foreshadow the second event which will be bigger and further away in time. This principle has the following properties: - The two events have similarities.
- There is a partial fulfilment in the short-term fulfillment. That's why we know it's "the law of double reference". It fulfills some, but not all, of the prophesy.
- The short-term event often foreshadows the long-term event.
- The ultimate fulfillment of prophesy occurs in the long-term event.
On the last day of Belshazzar's life, he had a great feast for a thousand of his lords
(Dan 5:1), at the same time as the Medo-Persian army invaded the city. He drank wine from the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone (Dan 5:3–4). At the same time the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote on the wall (Dan 5:5). Only Daniel could interpret the text (Dan 5:8, 13–17). The text was as follows: "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN" (Dan 5:25–28). The interpretation was: MENE: "God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end". TEKEL: "You are weighed on a wave and found too easy".
UPHARSIN: "Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians".
During the first year of Darius, Daniel noticed that the Jews had to serve the king of
Babylon for 70 years (Dan 9:1–2, Jer 25:11–12). The knowledge of the 70 years caused Daniel to pray a lot (Dan 9:3–19). While Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel came to Daniel (Dan 9:20–21). The angel spoke of 70 weeks (Dan 9:24–27).
The word "weeks" doesn't necessarily mean weeks of days. It's a generic term meaning "a series of seven" and can be applied to years, see 5) The 69 Weeks in the Book of Daniel in When Did Jesus Die and when Was He Born? See also time 47:36–59:24 in Daniel's AMAZING 70-Week Prophecy EXPLAINED!
Darius appointed 120 satraps to rule over the entire kingdom, with three high officials over them, one of whom was Daniel (Dan 6:1–2). The king even planned to put him over the whole kingdom (Dan 6:3). The other high officials and the satraps
then tried to find grounds for accusations against Daniel (Dan 6:4). They persuaded the king that anyone who prayed to any god or man for thirty days, except to the king, would be thrown into the lions' pit (Dan 6:6–9). Because Daniel continued to pray to his God, he was thrown into the lions' pit (Dan 6:16–17). However, God protected Daniel from the lions (Dan 6:22–23). Daniel prospered under the reign of Darius and Cyrus the Persian, under the rule of Medo-Persia (Dan 6:28).
Daniel received a revelation in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia (Dan 10:1). Daniel hadn't gone back to Israel with his people to rebuild the temple which occurred in the first year of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1–11). Daniel was about 90 years old when he received this revelation, served the king, and had lived most of his life in this country. He is still very concerned about his people and had mourned for three weeks (Dan 10:2–3). The understanding of this revelation came in a vision. Daniel saw a man in this vision (Dan 10:5–11). His appearance was very similar to the appearance of Jesus whom the apostle John later saw in another vision
(Rev 1:12–18). It's very likely that the man Daniel saw was a pre-incarnated Jesus Christ (Dan 10:11, 18–19). This man heard Daniel even as he began to mourn but was hindered by a demonic power from Persia until Archangel Michael came to his aid (Dan 10:12–13). He came to tell Daniel what would happen to his people in the future (Dan 10:14). The detailed prophesies in this vision are consistent with the following historical facts:
- The Persian king Xerxes I (see The Book of Esther), the fourth king of the First Persian Empire, will attempt to conquer Greece in 480 BC (Dan 11:2).
- Alexander the Great will appear (Dan 11:3).
- Alexander's kingdom will be divided by four commanders (Dan 11:4).
- There will be an ongoing conflict between Egypt (south) and Syria (north) during the next 200 years after the death of Alexander the Great, which is detailed and historically accurate (Dan 11:5–20).
"The law of double reference" (see above) also occurs in these prophecies:
- Antiochus IV Epiphanes enters Israel. He hates the Jewish people and wants
to stop their worship of God (Dan 11:21–45). He will be a foreshadowing of
the coming Antichrist about what he will be like at the Great Tribulation.
- It's believed that Antichrist will come to the Jews at the beginning of the
seven-year Tribulation period and confirms a peace covenant with them
(Dan 9:27a, 11:21–12:13). He will use deception to achieve his goals, see
Who is the End Time Antichrist? From the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, 1290 days will pass, and blessed is he who waits for and reaches the end of 1335 days, a little more than 3.5 years (Dan 12:6–12).
