The Dream
“You, O king, were looking and then, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome.

Statue. “The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Stone. “You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2: 31-35)

The Symbols
The symbolism used in this prophecy was an idol that was made of precious metals. The value of the metal decreased as you went from head to toe, but the strength increased.

Metals. As time progressed the metals became less valuable but stronger. Each successive kingdom would become more brutal and would be an even greater enemy of God.

It is important to note that the prophecy was concerned with the empires that conquered or ruled over Israel (His chosen people). This fact becomes important in understanding that the prophecies were not concerned with the size or strength or wealth of an empire. It was concerned with the status of God’s people. Therefore, the prophecy does not mention other great empires because they did not rule over Israel.

The Birth of Empires. Also, in a study of history, it appears that many of the great civilizations that people thought would have appeared in prophecy emerged after the great empires of this prophecy and during the reign of Rome when the prophecy says that the kingdoms will be divided. The few civilizations that began to emerge during the Greek period, were local, unorganized and tribal. China was mostly organized after 221 BC, the native American Hopewell culture emerged after Christ (100-400AD) and the Olmecs before, the Vikings and most of Europe and Russia were Barbarians.

The Pagan View of Time. The dream was given to Nebuchadnezzar. God used symbols that were familiar to him. The Pagan view of time was a cyclic event that was characterized by a succession of metals from gold to iron. As the ages passed, morality, wisdom and life span decreased until God comes in the dark ages and removes the iron kingdom and starts a new golden age.

Nebuchadnezzar must have been happy to learn that he was the king of the golden age.

The Stone. However, God had one change in this view of time. The golden age does not start again in an endless cycle of good and evil. A whole new era is started with an indestructible mountain of rock as the foundation.

The Statue. The physical structure of each subsequent nation would be represented by the number of body parts which are attached at the phases where they conquer or are defeated.

Statue of Daniel 2 The Interpretation

Head of Gold – Babylon (609-539 B.C.)

“This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. “You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. (Daniel 2: 36-38)

Babylon, under the leadership of king Nebuchadnezzar captured Israel and first took the upper class into slavery. It was during this first phase that the prophet Daniel was captured. Twelve years later, the rest of Israel were taken to Babylon after they rebelled against foreign occupation. Their king was removed and their sanctuary destroyed.

Bulb One Head and One Neck. The head represents the single strong nation who would rule and it would not be broken up when it was defeated.

Chest and Arms of Silver – Medo-Persia (539-331 B.C.)

“After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. (Daniel 2: 39)

The Medes and Persians next conquered Babylon and Cyrus allowed the Jews to go home. He made arrangements to have the temple rebuilt. But the nation was still ruled by foreigners.

Bulb Two Arms and One Chest. The two arms are the two empires of the Medes and Persians who succeeded the neck of Babylon. They progress to the chest which represents the fact that the Persian empire took control after and were more powerful than the Medes. The heart in the chest is Cyrus who was called by God to show great kindness to Israel.

Belly and Thighs of Brass – Greece (331-168 B.C.)

The Greeks under the leadership of Alexander the Great were the third conquerors.

Bulb One Belly and Two Thighs. The belly represents the first phase after they defeated the Persians, when there was one leader. It eventually was divided into four and then two sections at the end. These two divisions were called the King of the North and the King of the South in prophecy. These final two divisions are represented by the two thighs. These two were conquered by the next empire.

Legs of Iron – Rome (168 B.C. – 476 A.D.)

“Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. (Daniel 2: 40)

NoteNote: The first three kingdoms existed in Daniel’s day, but Rome did not. So Daniel did not identify it directly by name. Rome was known as the “Iron Monarchy”. The Latin word “Rome” means strength, and iron is the strongest of the metals.
Bulb Two Legs. Prophetically, Rome was always a nation of two divisions. The two legs of iron represent the northern and southern divisions of Rome as it conquered each Greek division. Geographically, it later became the Western and Eastern (Byzantine) empire as it declined. Religiously, it had two phases, these are Pagan Rome and Papal Rome.

Feet of Iron and Clay –

Europe (476 to the end)

“In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. “As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. (Daniel 2: 41-42)
The Roman empire was divided in the eastern (Byzantine) empire and the western empire. The divided kingdom includes all the nations of Eastern and Western Roman empire. The ten toes are the ten European nations that formed the ten divisions of the Western Roman Empire (476 A.D. to the end of time). The Middle East is the divided nations of the rest of the foot. The emperor moved to a new capital in Constantinople and left the Western empire and the old capital city of Rome to the church. It was plagued by the Barbarians and a Roman army had to help to secure the throne of the Pope by removing three of the most violent tribes. So in the beginning, at a critical phase there were ten divisions.

The Final Ten.

In the end, the divided kingdom will again have ten distinct sections which are divided internally.
The Final Ten. You may be wondering about the “ten nations” of Europe. As of 2004, the European Union consists of about 25 nations. These include nations that are not a part of the original Roman empire.

The prophecy captures a moment in time. You will see this in the division of the Greek empire. Daniel 2 hints of probably two divisions with the two arms. Daniel 7 clearly demonstrates four divisions. However, Daniel 8 clearly shows a sequence of one empire followed by four. Then Daniel 11 adds more detail by showing that the empire will settle down into two divisions after a period of four divisions.

History shows that before the empire settled into four divisions, there was a turbulent period when many powers were trying to obtain a piece of the empire. Prophecy does not deal with all the phases and temporary triumphs. It chooses a significant snapshot of time.

At the end of time, Revelation 17 hints that there will be ten powerful kings once again in Europe. They will act in only two weeks to fulfill the prophecy.

In the past, as the little horn was establishing its power during 530-538 there were ten significant tribes. In the last days, as the little horn establishes global dominance once again it will be a group of ten.

Therefore, prophecy only chooses to concentrate on the ten divisions. Strong and Weak Kingdoms
Many nations of Europe eventually built their own empires. Like the Romans, they built it through slavery. Britain, Spain, France and Portugal were some of the strongest political and economic empires in the West, while the Ottoman Turks ruled the east. Germany became a strong military nation under Adolph Hitler.
Italy became a strong religious power because of the presence of the Vatican.
Switzerland remained a small nation, but is now a financial giant. Many smaller, less powerful European nations broke away from these major countries.
The North African countries and Egypt became weaker nations and never rose to empire status again. Here is a map of the colonial empires. The Destiny of Europe
The Bible predicts that Europe will never unite again as one nation. They will try, but they will not stick together. The futility of these efforts is described in these words.
“And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. (Daniel 2: 43)

  1. Feet of Iron and Clay. They will be as divided as a mixture of iron and clay. Rome became a divided kingdom around 476 A.D. This is symbolized by the two feet of iron and clay. The iron represents strength. The clay represents weakness. The ten divisions of the Roman empire contained both strong and weak nations. The Bible predicts that they will never unite as one nation.
  2. Combine in the Seed of Men. They will try to unite by marriage. After the Dark Ages, Europe tried to unite by marriage but was never successful. Queen Victoria became the most famous as the “grandmother of Europe”. Her children and grandchildren married into most of the royal houses of Europe. The territory of the old Roman empire was largely dominated by four major families. Most of these monarchies ended in 1918.
    Many Failed Efforts. Many leaders have tried to unite the kingdom through many wars. Charlemagne, Otto the great, Charles IV, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Bismark, the Ottomans, Kaiser Wilhelm and Adolph Hitler all tried … and failed! Only the church has ever succeeded in controlling the leaders of the European nations.

    European Union. Since the 1940’s they have tried an economic union. The politicians have been trying to go beyond the economic union to create a political union of one nation. In 2000 they introduced a standard currency. They were hoping to ratify a constitution in November 2006. The rules state that all 25 members must agree before it can be implemented. The first nine nations approved because their politicians decided in a parliamentary vote. (Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain). But the tenth country did not. Not even a symbolic appearance of ten heads formed. But in two countries the choice was left to the popular vote and the people rejected it. On May 29, 2005 the French voters said no by a majority of 55%. On June 1, the Dutch said no by a majority of 66%. God says that they will not unite again.

    The French Connection.
    Vive La France! The French have been instrumental in fulfilling prophecy several times.

    • Early Protestant. The earliest keepers of the faith under persecution were the French. The Waldenses, Albigenses and the Huguenots spread their faith under constant threat of annihilation from the church and the state.
    • Rise of the Papacy. The church was given the western Roman empire in 538. Under Clovis, the French kept it in power.
    • Fall of the Papacy. It was Napoleon in the French Revolution that caused their fall in 1798.
    • Atheism. Simultaneously, the French Revolution unleashed the “beast from the abyss”, when it introduced atheism and secularism.
    • European Union. It stopped the union of Europe by opposing Hitler and by being the first to reject the constitution.
    • Babylon the Great. It also confronted Babylon the Great when it would not approve the United States invasion of Iraq. This is allowing the prophecy to come through that says “he shall come to his end and no one shall help him”. Daniel 11: 45.
      Incidentally, the last person who tried to disobey a prophecy and rebuild an empire was Saddam Hussein. The Gulf War ended his ambitions.
    • Mutiny. So in the future, the French may be the leaders of the group that revolt and turn against the persecuting force. Revelation 17: 12-18. Something forces them to form an uneasy alliance after they refused to support Babylon the Great during the Middle East campaign. (Daniel 11: 45). It ends in mutiny. Vive La Liberté!
      Stone – The Second Coming (Future)
      “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
      “Just as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation can be trusted.” (Daniel 2: 44-45)

      It is during the days that the kingdom is divided that God will set up His kingdom.

      1. Judgment.

      The Stone comes from a mountain. It is cut from that mountain.

      This mountain is the kingdom of heaven. From it a new kingdom is established in Christ. Christ takes possession of that kingdom as we will see in Daniel 7.

      Something happens in heaven before the stone strikes the earth and after the kingdom was divided. This is after 476 A.D.
      The cutting out of the stone is not the incarnation of Christ which occurred about 4 B.C. It must be another event which occurs after the division or “in the days of those kings”. Later we will learn that Christ begins the judgment and takes legal possession of His kingdom before the Second Coming. During this time He seals and selects His people from among the living and the dead. After He has formally declared who belongs to Him, then He comes to rescue them.

      2. Second Coming.

      The Stone destroys the image after it is cut out of the mountain.
      After the Second Coming, God destroys the kingdoms of the earth.

      3. Third Coming.

      The Stone establishes another mountain.

      It is only after the thousand years, after the third coming, that the New Jerusalem comes to earth and God sets up His throne on the earth.

      The mountain represents God’s sanctuary and truth. Zion is called the “mountain of the Lord’s house.”
      In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it. (Isaiah 2: 1-5)

      Key point Key Point: Nebuchadnezzar attacked the sanctuary in Jerusalem and destroyed it. God shows this pagan king that there is a sanctuary far removed from this earth in heaven that he cannot destroy. The Rock who is Christ will come from that sanctuary and destroy all the kingdoms of the earth. The prophecy indicates this will happen sometime after World War 1 in the days of modern Europe when the crowned heads lose their power. In the place of the kings of the earth, God will establish a Sanctuary kingdom that will never be destroyed again.

      Christ
      Christ is the Rock that will appear at the end of the world to rescue the saints, smash all worldly power and begin a government of righteousness on the earth.
      and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10: 4)
      Jesus is the chief corner stone according to Acts 4: 11 and Ephesians 2: 20.

      Errors in the Catholic View of Prophecy

      With an ultimate goal of political domination, there are several events in the Catholic prophetic view that drives them to certain actions. Some of these are incorrect and they must change their strategy:

      The Error-A revived Roman empire

      This probably led them to start and nurture the European economic union. With the western preoccupation with money and their disregard for the spiritual, this was certainly an alliance that the governments would pursue, so it was in the best interest of the church to start and nurture this union.

      The Actual Prophecy states: that there will not be a revived political Roman empire in Europe. God stated that the ten toes of the image of Daniel 2 will not cleave to each other.
      What will occur is that there will be a separate political Europe controlled by the church as it did in the dark ages. But European nations will be politically independent. All ten of the original nations in the region of the old Roman empire will not unite as one nation. The original Roman nations included northern Africa. These are now Muslim nations and would not form a single government with Europe. The remaining seven original nations will probably not unite as one nation.

      Error number 2: Fall of the United States-In its attempt to be the spiritual ruler of the world, the church saw the communism of Russia and the secularism of the West as enemies of God and the leadership of the church. Since communism directly challenged God and directly caused many to abandon the faith – the church chose communism as the first system to fall. This policy was in agreement with the United States policy on communism, so both leaders cooperated in the downfall of the Soviet Union.

      The Actual Prophecy states Prophecy sees the final powers as the Catholic Church, the United States of America and the teachings of the Pagan systems as the last three powers. Paganism by itself is not a tangible political power like the country of the United States but it is the ideology that people will adopt.

      But the United States will not fall like the Soviet Union, rather the church will learn that it must find a way to influence the laws and politics of the United States. After this, it can control the country to do its will.

      Prophecy sees the church controlling the European union but cooperating with and relying more on the United States as its source of military strength to enforce religion.

      Error number 3 talks of the Worldwide appearance of Mary and the Christ-The church is hoping that this appearance will immediately convince all the world to obey its commands.

      But the Actual Prophecy does predict a counterfeit appearance of Christ. And it does predict that all the world will follow this powerful union of the Church with the United States of America.

      Error number 4 is Devotion to Mary-The church is convinced that obedience to the messages given in the Fatima visions and other visions of Mary will cause heaven to be totally on their side so that they can act out their will without worrying about public opinion. They are guaranteed success if they follow the visions.

      But the Actual Prophecy is that This attitude will lead them to do the things predicted by prophecy. They must rely on false prophecies, miracles and visions as a sign of their special approval by God. But this policy will lead to disaster since it places them against God.

      The Antichrist Blasphemes

      Several parallel prophecies record the blasphemous words of the antichrist. Blasphemy involved at least two sins that eventually affects the good name of God and leads to unacceptable (vain) worship. These are claiming to be God and claiming to forgive sins.

      Daniel 7:25

      And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time, times and the dividing of a time

      Great words against God. Boasts

      “… the power of the priest is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world. … thus the priest may be called the creator of the Creator …” – The dignity of the priesthood by Liguori, page 33

      And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it.” – Liguori, Duties and Dignities of the Priest, page 27

      Innocent III has written: “Indeed, it is not too much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods.” – The dignity of the priesthood by Liguori page 36

      Change Times and Laws

      The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ.” “The Pope has the authority and often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ.” Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcopal Caption (The Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris’ Ecclesiastical Dictionary.

      The Pope is of great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws … The Pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man, but of God, and he acts as vicegerent of God upon earth.” – Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Ribliotheca, “Papa,” Article 2, translated

      The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the Church had changed … the Sabbath into Sunday, not by command of Christ, but by its own authority.” Canon and Tradition, page 263

      Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; — she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” – Reverend Stephan Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, “On the Obedience Due to the Church,” chapter 2, page 174. (Imprimatur, John Cardinal McCloskey, archbishop of New York.)

      Wear out the saints

      Experience teaches that there is no other remedy for the evil, but to put heretics (Protestants) to death; for the (Romish) church proceeded gradually and tried every remedy: at first she merely excommunicated them; afterwards she added a fine; then she banished them; and finally she was constrained to put them to death.” – Cardinal Bellarmine famous champion of Romanism cited by Schumucker page 76

      That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a competent knowledge of history . . . It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings.” — W. E. H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, volume 2, page 32, 1910 edition.

      He is a heretic who does not believe what the Roman Hierarchy teaches. — A heretic merits the pains of fire. — By the Gospel, the canons, civil law, and custom, heretics must be burned.” — Directory of the Inquisitors 148, 169

      The church may by Divine right confiscate the property of heretics, imprison their persons, and condemn them to the flames.” – Vatican II

      II Thessalonians. 2:3-4

      This was the fate of heretics or those suspected of heresy. According to the church, only death has worked to stop heresy. Therefore, do not expect them to use any other method in the future.
      Excommunicate
      1.) Force
      2.) Monetary fines
      3.) Banishment
      4.) Confiscate property
      5.) Torture
      6.) Death by fire

      the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God [the church], showing himself that he is God

      The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man (…) he is as it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power.”
      – Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, 1763, Volume VI, ‘Papa II’, pages.25-29

      The pope is the supreme judge of the law of the land … He is the vicegerent (replacement) of Christ, who is not only a Priest forever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords.” – La Civilia Cattolica, March 18, 1871, quoted in Leonard Woosely Bacaon, An inside view of the Vatican Council (American Tract Society ed.), page 229

      Daniel 8:11-12

      And he magnified himself even to the prince of the host” – [Jesus Christ], and “… it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered

      The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh.
      Catholic National July 1895

      All the names which are attributed to Christ in Scripture, implying His supremacy over the church, are also attributed to the Pope.” Bellamin, “On the Authority of Councils,” book 2, Chapter 17

      Daniel 11: 36-37

      Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.

      All the faithful must believe that the Holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff [the Pope] possesses the primacy over the whole world, and the Roman Pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and is true vicar of Christ, and head of the whole church, and father and teacher of all Christians; and that full power was given to him in blessed Peter to rule, feed, and govern the universal Church by Jesus Christ our Lord.” — First Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ, “Eternal Pastor,” published in the fourth session of the Vatican Council, 1870, chapter 3, in Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom. volume 2, page 262

      … we find in obedience to the words of his priests – Hoc est Corpus Meum – God Himself descends on the altar, that he comes whenever they call Him; and as often as they call Him, and places Himself in their hands, even though they should be His enemies. And after having come, he remains, entirely at their disposal; they move Him as they please, from one place to another; they may, if they wish, shut Him up in the tabernacle, expose Him on the altar, or carry Him outside the church; they may, if they choose, eat His flesh, and give Him for the food of others. ;Oh how great is their power!’ – The Dignity of the priesthood by Liguori page 26,27

      ” Hoc est Corpus Meum ” means “This is my body”.

      The power referred to is transsubstantiation and the power of the priest in moving the eucharist (bread) which is supposed to be the real body of Christ. With this act, they have God at their control.

      Revelation 13: 5-7

      There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them

      666 (The Number of his Name)
      There are two main methods by which the number 666 is interpreted.

      1. Gematria. Assigning numerical values to each letter in a chosen language. In languages, such as Latin, this is a legitimate method since their numbers were actually letters and the practice of adding the letters that had numerical value was known. This form of word play was called chronogram.

      Modern variations of this (in languages that do not have a numerical equivalent to letters) is to do the following:
      * Assign a number based on its order of appearance in the alphabet.
      * Adding the total number of letters.
      * Using a modern system of numerical assignments.
      * Use several languages.
      2. Symbolic. By looking at the symbolic use of numbers in other Bible prophecies.

      666 is derived by many by adding the numerical value of other people’s name. This is done using many ancient numerical systems or by simply counting letters. But some of these systems are irrelevant because they do not use any methods known to the ancients at the time of the prophecy. At the time the prophecies were given, the Romans were in power. Since their numerical system included letters of the alphabet, one could get the “number of your name” by adding the letters in your name that are equivalent to numbers.
      Therefore, any other system (like counting the number of letters in your name) are invalid.

      A Latin title of the Pope is Vicarius Filii Dei which means “vicar of the son of God”. The name adds up to 666. It is only one of several other pieces of evidence that is combined with other statements of prophecy which identifies this power as the little horn.