DANIEL 2

REVIEW:
We started our study of Daniel and Revelation last time with Daniel Chapter 1. We learned that the Book
of Daniel is divided into two halves:

Chap. 1 - 6:

Theses chapters are made up largely of stories of individuals as they came face to face with life
and death choices. These stories give us divinely inspired models for life choices at the end of
time.

Chap. 7 - 12:

These chapters are principally prophetic. They outline the rise and fall of great empires from
Daniel's time to the end of time. Each prophecy is a repetition and enlargement of the previous
prophecy

In Daniel 1 we saw how Nebuchadnezzar assaulted the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Temple of God. As
the prototype of the antichrist, he took God’s people into captivity along with the sacred vessels of the
sanctuary. He put these sacred vessels in the temple of his god in an effort to use them for pagan
purposes. In addition, Nebuchadnezzar tried to brainwash Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah to forget
their beliefs. He wanted them to become paganized and Babylonian. As a result, he changed their God
given titles to names encouraging loyalty to the God’s of Babylon..

Nevertheless, Daniel and his friends determined to not defile the sanctuary of their souls. They did not give
in to the "customs and peer pressures" of Babylon. They remained true through a time of testing, and as a
reward, God blessed them with wisdom, knowledge, and prophetic understanding. Daniel and his friends
provide a "Type" or "model" of God’s people at the end of time who will unlock the truths of prophecy.

INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 2
People like to know what their future holds. But, no mater how carefully we plan and prepare, no one
knows for sure what will happen to us between now and bedtime! Accidents ax their way into our lives.
We live in a world where good news becomes bad news all too often. But central to the message of Daniel
2 is the truth about a God that cares about our lives with intense interest. Daniel 2 also reveals a God who
knows the pain of our today’s. He is also a God who unfolds a future of hope and meaning for those who
seek him.

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STUDY:
Dan 2:1
The 2nd Year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was most likely between the spring of 603 and the
spring 602 BC. The Bible says he had a dream that troubled him.

Dan. 2:2-3
The "wisest" men of that day were highly trained. They were charged with discovering the will of
the "gods." These were both religious scholars and scientists.

Magicians - the textual scribes of the religious rituals.

Sorcerers, enchanters, conjurers - those who dealt in magic potions
Astrologers - the "scientists" of that day
Chaldeans - supposedly the wisest - the ruling ethnic group

Dan. 2:4-12
1. These advisors try to trick the King into revealing his dream first, so that they can create
an interpretation.
2. They finally admit that they cannot reveal the dream.
3. They tell the king that the dream can only be revealed by the gods "whose dwelling is not
with flesh." In their minds the "gods" are both distant and indifferent.

Side Note: - Babylonian Temples - (A mountain

with a ladder) - Idea that man had to climb up to God
(i.e. Tower of Babel), not that God would come
down to man. Truth - God came down to us -- we
cannot climb up to Him by our own efforts!

2 Key Points:
1. Verse 11 presents a picture of their "understanding" of the "gods." The wise men of Babylon saw them
as distant and indifferent. The did not know the God of Bible who is a close and caring being.

2. They said only the gods could interpret and understand the dream. This is the same point of view
expressed today by many modern religious teachers concerning the books of Daniel and Revelation.

1 Cor. 3:19 - “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh
the wise in their own craftiness.”

Dan. 2:13
Daniel and his friends were to be killed with the other "wise men" even though they weren't
present.

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Dan. 2:14-19 - 2 Key Points:
1. Daniel asks for time. Daniel enlists his friends to pray
for God's help to understand the dream. They hold a
small group meeting. During the night the secret is
revealed to Daniel.

2. As in Daniel 1, Daniel is given a time of testing. After

the time, God provides an understanding of visions and
dreams. Daniel tells us the same thing will happen at the
end of time. After a time, times, and dividing of times
(Dan. 12:4,7) the visions and dreams of Daniel’s
prophecies will be revealed to those who truly love God.
(Daniel 12:9,10)

Dan. 2: 20-23
Daniel praises and acknowledges God as the source of wisdom and knowledge. He is the revealer
of truth and secret things. He is the One who “changes times and seasons.” (v. 21) Compare
this to Dan. 7:25, speaking about the Little Horn Power who "thinks to change times and laws ".
The Little Horn Power (antichrist) will try to do what only God has the right to do.

Dan. 2: 24-30
Daniel is taken to Nebuchadnezzar to interpret the dream. Contrast Arioch’s statement "I have
found" with Daniel’s statement "God has revealed." Notice Arioch takes the credit, while
Daniel gives the credit to God.

Two Key Points:

1. God revealed the dream to "Show what shall be in the latter
days." This vision is for the end of time. (v. 28)

2. God is a personal God. He knows the mysteries and troubles of our

lives. He is interested in giving us peace of mind. (v. 30) Contrast
this with the attitude expressed by the wise men in Verse 11 about of
the distant and uncaring gods.

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The Dream Revealed
Dan. 2: 31-33
The Dream Is Described - The Great Metal Man.
HEAD - GOLD
CHEST & ARMS - SILVER
BELLY & THIGHS - BRONZE / BRASS
LEGS - IRON
FEET - PART IRON, PART CLAY

Sounds like a large graven Image or idol.

This is an impressive "Statue" - but what does it mean?

Three Key points:

1. The value of the metals decreases as you near the end.
- Represents the decline in the beauty of culture and
civilization.

2. The strength of the metals increase as you near the end.

- Represents the increase of military might as we near
the end.

3. The iron has two phases. The Iron goes all the way to the end
- first the legs of iron and then the iron of the feet.

Dan. 2: 34-35
The Bible says a Stone is cut out without hands. We will see in a few minutes what this represents. But
first, note that the rock strikes the image at the feet. This is symbolically significant. In the Pagan
worship, the worshippers would bow down at the feet of the Pagan statues to pray. Notice, the Rock
strikes at place of false worship.

The Dream Interpreted:

Dan. 2: 36-38

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 Head of Gold = Babylon (606-539 BC)

Dan 2:39
Chest of Silver = Medo-Persia (539-331 BC)

Isaiah 13:1, 17-19 - (The Medes are stirred up to destroy Babylon)

Dan. 5:25-31 - (Babylon is given to the Medes & The Persians)

Dan 2:39
Belly & Thighs of Bronze = Greece (331-168 BC)

Dan. 8:20-21 - Greece follows the Medo-Persian Empire

Dan 2:40
Legs of Iron = Rome (168 BC - 476 AD)

Note: The first 3 kingdoms existed in Daniel's day, but Rome did not. So Daniel
did not identify it directly by name. Historically, Rome was known as the "Iron
Monarchy". The Latin word ROME means strength. And iron is the strongest of
the metals.

Dan. 2:41-43
Divided Kingdom = 10 Divisions of Roman Empire
(476 to the end of time)
1. Rome became a divided kingdom around 476 AD. 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.

2. After the Dark Ages, Europe tried to unite by marriage but was never successful. The territory
of the old Roman empire was largely dominated by four major families.

Habsburgs - Austria (from 1282, 1804-1918), Bohemia & Hungary (from 1526 -
1918), Holy Roman Emperors (from 1438 - 1806), Spain (1516-1700)
Hohenzollerns - Principally German & Prussia (ended in 1918)
Romanovs - Russia (1613-1917)

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 Ottomans - Ottoman Empire (Turkey, and middle east area) (ended 1917-18)

One of the Habsburgs (Arch Duke Ferdinand) was assassinated in 1917, starting WW. I. After
the war, in the Treaty of Versai, Europe largely abandoned these monarchies.

Key Point:
Verse 43 indicates that God’s kingdom would be established
after the failure of these kings to unite by marriage. World
War 1 is the event that marks the end of these monarchies.
Today Europe is ruled by socialist states or democracies.

Dan 2: 44-45
"In the Days of These Kings" means in the days shortly following the failure of the monarchies of Europe
to unit by marriage in the mingling of the “seed of men,” God will set up his kingdom.

"It shall not be left to other people" & "it shall stand forever" means that God's kingdom shall not fall to
another as the kingdoms of antiquity and the monarchies of Europe fell. In contrast, it will last forever.

Dan. 2: 46-49
Daniel and his friends are rewarded for both revealing and interpreting the dream.
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges Daniel's God as the most high God.

SOME KEY POINTS - THOUGHTS

1. The Image makes you think of an Idol.
2. The world kingdoms are linked to Idolatry (paganism and false worship).
3. World kingdoms are completely destroyed (the false worship destroyed).
4. Christ's kingdom takes the place of the great world empires.

The Identity of the Rock:

I Peter 2:6-8
- The Chief Corner Stone - Precious to those that believe, A stumbling block to those that don't.

Isaiah 28:16

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 - A Foundation (Corner) Stone.

I Cor. 10:4
- The ROCK was (is) Christ.

Luke 20:17-18
- Christ will "break" or convert those who fall upon Him (i.e.- those that "fall to their knees in
repentance and seek His truth). He will "grind to powder" those on whom He "falls." (i.e.- those
who reject Him, He will judge, and reject. )

Key Point: Jesus is the Rock

The Identity of the Mountain:
Daniel 2:45

1. The Stone comes from a mountain.

2. The Stone destroys the image.
3. The Stone establishes another
mountain.

Isaiah 2:1-5 - The mountain represents God’s sanctuary and truth.

- Zion is called the “mountain of the Lord’s house.”

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 he cannot destroy. The Rock who is Christ will
come from that sanctuary an destroy all the kingdoms of the earth. The
prophecy indicates this will happen sometime after World War 1 in the

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days of modern Europe. In the place of the kings of the earth, God will
establish a Sanctuary kingdom that will never be destroyed again.

THESE SMALL GROUP STUDY MATERIALS MAY BE COPIED AND USED AS HANDOUTS FOR SMALL GROUP BIBLE
STUDIES. IN THAT USE ONLY, THEY MAY BE PROVIDED AT NO COST, OR ONLY FOR THE DIRECT COST OF
COPYING.

THEY MAY NOT BE SOLD OR MARKETED IN ANY WAY, OR FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE, AS A
PROFIT MAKING ACTIVITY.
CREDITS: Works of the Following Authors Have Been Referred To During The Development Of These Materials,
and Credit Is Hereby Given For Their Influence and Input, and For The Possible Inclusion In Various of the Individual
Write-ups of Information From Their Works:

GOD CARES, Vol. 1, “The Message of Daniel For You and Your Family”, C. Mervyn Maxwell, Pacific
Press Publishing Association, 1981.

SEMINARS UNLIMITED - Prophecy Seminar Series, by Mark Finley, Speaker/Director of It Is Written

International Television Ministry, Thousand Oaks, California.

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