The Book of Daniel is outstanding among the books of the Old Testament. There are many parallels between this book and the Revelation of Jesus at the end of the Bible. Both the Apostle John, who transcribed the Revelation, and Daniel are described as being “beloved.” Please see John 13:23 and 21:7, and Daniel 9:23 and 10:19. It is from Daniel that we get the concept that the Tribulation will be seven years long. The prophecies in Daniel are so astounding that liberal detractors try to claim that it was written after the fact.

It is from Daniel that we get the stories of the Fiery Furnace, the Lion’s Den, and the Hand Writing on the Wall. The Book of Daniel, to my knowledge, is the only book in the Old Testament that contains the testimony of a Gentile (Nebuchadnezzar) who came to believe in God. (Daniel 4:34-37)

King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, and he refused to tell his “wise men” what the dream was about. Only Daniel, through the revelation of God, could both describe and decipher the dream of the king.

The dream was of a magnificent statue with a head of gold, a chest of silver, belly and loins of bronze, legs of iron, and toes of iron and clay. Daniel interpreted the dream of the statue informing the king that he, the king, was the head of gold. After the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom another, inferior, kingdom would follow. This was represented by the chest and arms of silver. After that there would be another kingdom, represented by the belly and loins of bronze. Finally, there would be the mighty kingdom of iron that would smash everything, represented by the iron legs.

From history and from further visions given to Daniel, we know that the four kingdoms shown by the statue were the Babylonian, Mede-Persian, Greek and Roman Empires. What is of interest to us today is the fourth kingdom, Rome. It is very graphic that there were two legs which show us how the Roman Empire was split into two parts by Constantine; the eastern Byzantine Empire and the western Roman Empire.

Although the Roman Empire disintegrated centuries ago, today we are witnessing the reassembling of that empire in the form of the European Union. New name, same bunch of countries. Fitting into End Time Prophecy are the ten toes of the image, representing the final form of human government. These appear to parallel the ten horns, representing power, and the ten crowns of the Beast of the Revelation 13:1.

The ten toes are partly of clay, representing man, and partly of iron, representing dictatorial government. Or does the iron represent something else? Scripture says that “they will mingle with the seed of men.” (Daniel 2:43) Who are they that are mingling with the seed of men? Perhaps the final ten rulers will be demonic or under demonic control. This, too, fits well with End Time Prophecy.

The interpretation of the image is wonderfully concluded by its being destroyed by a Rock not of human hands. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that all the kingdoms shown by the statue will become like chaff before the Kingdom that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 2:44) Amen, and Amen! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!