The Prophecy of Daniel 2: A Timeline of Empires

Daniel 2

1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, with which his spirit was troubled, and his sleep broke from him.

2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

4 Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if you will not make known to me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

6 But if you show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, you shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it.

8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that you would gain the time, because you see the thing is gone from me.

9 But if you will not make known to me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me the interpretation thereof.

10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on the earth that can show the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

22 He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

23 I thank you, and praise you, O you God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have made known to me now what we desired of you: for you have now made known to us the king’s matter.

24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus to him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known to the king the interpretation.

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show to the king;

28 But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these;

29 As for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind on your bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.

30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that you might know the thoughts of your heart.

31 You, O king, saw, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 You saw till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image on his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

37 You, O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven has he given into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are this head of gold.

39 And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: for as much as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things: and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

41 And whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, for as much as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

43 And whereas you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not join one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 For as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors to him.

47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you could reveal this secret.

48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

The prophecy of Daniel 2 provides a complete chronological chain of events that outlines the history of the world from the time of ancient Babylon until the final establishment of God’s everlasting kingdomLJL 30.3+1.

The King’s Dream and Daniel’s Intervention 👑

In the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon received a dream that troubled his spirit and fled from his memory Daniel 2:1PK 492.1. He demanded that his wise men not only interpret the dream but also reveal the dream itself, threatening them with death if they failed Daniel 2:5PK 492.1. When the wise men could not perform this feat, Daniel and his companions sought mercy from the God of heaven, who revealed the secret to Daniel in a night vision Daniel 2:18-19ST April 29, 1897, par. 2+1. Daniel then went before the king to explain that there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets and makes known what shall be in the latter days Daniel 2:28SSP 14.3.

The Great Metallic Image 🗿

Daniel described a massive image with distinct metallic sections, representing four successive universal empires Daniel 2:31-33PTUK October 18, 1894, page 660.2+1:

• The Head of Gold: This symbolized the Babylonian Empire, existing at the time of the dream, with Nebuchadnezzar as its ruler Daniel 2:37-38PTUK October 18, 1894, page 660.2+1. Babylon ruled from 606 to 538 B.C.PTUK January 31, 1895, page 69.3+1.

• The Breast and Arms of Silver: This represented the Medo-Persian Empire, which was inferior in grandeur to Babylon but eventually supplanted it Daniel 2:39GEP 35.2+1.

• The Belly and Thighs of Brass: This prefigured the Grecian Empire, which began under Alexander the Conqueror and bore rule over all the earth Daniel 2:39PTUK January 31, 1895, page 69.3+1.

• The Legs of Iron: This symbolized the Roman Empire, known for its iron rule and strength to break and subdue all things Daniel 2:40FUMP 7.1+1.

• The Feet of Iron and Clay: This indicated that the Roman Empire would not be succeeded by a fifth universal earthly power, but would instead be divided into ten portions or kingdoms Daniel 2:41-43LIFSK 37.2+1.

The Ten Kingdoms 👣

The division of the Roman Empire into ten kingdoms was completed before the close of the fifth century A.D. Daniel 2:41SITI December 17, 1885, page 758.2. These kingdoms are comparable to the brittleness of iron mixed with miry clay, meaning they would not cleave to one another even through efforts like royal intermarriages Daniel 2:43GSAM 54.1+1. Historians and commentators widely agree that the feet and toes of the image represent these specific divisions of the Roman monarchyRDAC 52.2+1.

The Stone and the Everlasting Kingdom 🏔️

The climax of the prophecy occurs when a stone is cut out of the mountain without hands and smites the image upon its feet Daniel 2:34AMS October 24, 1895, page 330.5. This stone represents the kingdom of God, which will break in pieces and consume all earthly kingdoms Daniel 2:44AMS October 24, 1895, page 330.5+1. Unlike the previous empires, this fifth kingdom is immortal, shall never be destroyed, and will fill the whole earth forever Daniel 2:35, 44KPC 10.1+1.

The Purpose of the Prophecy 📖

The primary design of this revelation was to make known what shall be in the latter days Daniel 2:28KPC 6.2. It serves as an unerring guide to demonstrate that God is the ruling power in the affairs of this world, removing and setting up kings to fulfill His own divine purpose Daniel 2:211MR 49.1. The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof is sure Daniel 2:45LJL 30.3.

Daniel 2

1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, with which his spirit was troubled, and his sleep broke from him.

2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

3 And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

4 Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if you will not make known to me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

6 But if you show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, you shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it.

8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that you would gain the time, because you see the thing is gone from me.

9 But if you will not make known to me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me the interpretation thereof.

10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on the earth that can show the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

22 He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

23 I thank you, and praise you, O you God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have made known to me now what we desired of you: for you have now made known to us the king’s matter.

24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus to him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known to the king the interpretation.

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show to the king;

28 But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these;

29 As for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind on your bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass.

30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that you might know the thoughts of your heart.

31 You, O king, saw, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 You saw till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image on his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

37 You, O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven has he given into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are this head of gold.

39 And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: for as much as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things: and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

41 And whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, for as much as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

43 And whereas you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not join one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 For as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors to him.

47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you could reveal this secret.

48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

The prophecy of Daniel 2 provides a divine outline of world history from the time of Babylon through the rise and fall of four universal monarchies, culminating in the establishment of God's eternal kingdom Daniel 2:31-45LIFIN 42.1+1.

The Crisis of the King's Dream 🌙

In the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a dream he could not recall Daniel 2:1PK 492.1. Dissatisfied with the evasive answers of his magicians and astrologers, he demanded they tell him both the dream and its interpretation under threat of being cut in pieces Daniel 2:5-9PK 492.1+1. The wise men admitted their limitation, stating that only the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh, could reveal such a matter Daniel 2:11FE 410.2. This failure represented the inherent limitations of human wisdom when compared to the discernment of the Most HighYI November 24, 1903, par. 1. Daniel intervened, requesting time to seek the God of heaven, who subsequently revealed the secret in a night vision Daniel 2:14-19PK 494.2+1. Daniel then appeared before the king, not claiming personal wisdom, but testifying that "there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets" and makes known what shall be in the "latter days" Daniel 2:27-30SITI September 10, 1885, page 550.3.

The Four Universal Monarchies 🏗️

The dream featured a great image of excellent brightness and terrible form, composed of different metals that decreased in value but increased in strength until the feet Daniel 2:31-33ESH 7.1+1.

• The Head of Gold (Babylon): Daniel explicitly told Nebuchadnezzar, "Thou art this head of gold" Daniel 2:38LIFIN 42.1. Babylon, the first universal empire, reached the summit of its glory under Nebuchadnezzar but fell because it imputed its power to false godsSDP 102.2+2.

• The Breast and Arms of Silver (Medo-Persia): Following Babylon, an "inferior" kingdom arose, represented by silver Daniel 2:39GEP 35.2. This was the Medo-Persian Empire, established after Cyrus destroyed the Babylonian kingdom in 538 B.C.ESH 7.1+1.

• The Belly and Thighs of Brass (Grecia): The third kingdom of brass, which bore rule over all the earth, was the Grecian monarchy under Alexander the GreatFUMP 6.4+1. Alexander's rapid conquests are also symbolized in later visions by a leopard with four wings and a swift goat from the west Daniel 7:6+1ESH 12.1.

• The Legs of Iron (Rome): The fourth kingdom was as strong as iron, breaking in pieces and bruising all that preceded it Daniel 2:40PTUK January 31, 1895, page 69.3. This is universally identified as the Roman Empire, which bore an iron sway over the world and was the power in place during the census of Caesar Augustus Luke 2:1FEE 81.2+1.

The Divided State of Earthly Power 👣

The feet and toes of the image, being part iron and part clay, represent the division of the Roman Empire into ten kingdoms Daniel 2:41SITI January 6, 1887, page 3.8+1.

• Division: Rome was divided between A.D. 356 and 483 into various parts, such as the Ostrogoths, Vandals, and HunsLIFIN 42.1+1.

• Mingling without Cleaving: Just as iron does not mix with clay, these kingdoms would attempt to unite through the "seed of men" (royal intermarriages) but would never truly cleave to one another Daniel 2:43FEE 114.2.

• Deterioration: The transition from gold to iron and clay represents a moral and spiritual deterioration as nations forget GodRH February 6, 1900, Art. A, par. 9+1.

The Kingdom of God (The Stone) ⛰️

The climax of the prophecy is the appearance of a stone cut out of the mountain without hands Daniel 2:34ARSH April 10, 1900, page 232.9+1.

• The Blow: The stone smites the image not on its head or legs, but specifically on its feet of iron and clay Daniel 2:34ARSH December 10, 1857, page 37.1. This indicates the kingdom of God is set up "in the days of these kings"—the divided nations of Europe Daniel 2:44MON 40.1+1.

• Total Destruction: When the stone strikes, all earthly kingdoms are broken to pieces together and become like chaff that the wind carries away, leaving no place for them Daniel 2:35AMS October 24, 1895, page 330.5+1.

• The Mountain: The stone then becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth, representing the everlasting kingdom of God given to the saints of the Most High Daniel 7:27SYNPT 331.2+1.

• Divine Agency: Being "cut out without hands" signifies that this kingdom is established by God alone, not by human agency or political effortSDP 102.2+1.

The Timeline of Fulfillment ⏳

Predicted events in the book of Daniel have historically occurred within their allotted times, providing a sure foundation for faithGC88 323.2. While the first four empires have passed, we are currently living in the "toes" of the image, waiting for the final smiting by the stoneARSH December 13, 1853, page 181.28+1. The establishment of this kingdom involves two states of destruction: the breaking of earthly powers at Christ's second coming and their final consumption at the end of the thousand years 2 Thessalonians 2:8+1ARSH September 18, 1856, page 154.3. Then, the meek shall truly inherit the earth, and the kingdom of God shall stand forever Matthew 5:5+1ARSH May 9, 1854, page 121.15+1.