Awesome Truths and Amazing Facts
Richard Vaughn

Today: “Prophecy – The future told in advance – Daniel 2 - Part 2”
Last week we were studying Daniel chapter 2. We read the entire chapter and last weeks article was explaining what occurred. We already explained the first 45 verses and will now resume. 
In verses 46-49, the king was astounded and remembered the dream as Daniel revealed it. He then placed Daniel in a position of high honor along with his three friends.
Amazing Fact - Daniel 2, written in the 6th century before Christ, accurately forecasted the future of the world from Daniels time to the second coming of Christ. In review we discover in verse 38, the head of gold kingdom was Babylon and it ruled the world from 612 BC to 539 BC. (73 years). It was known for its magnificent displays of wealth, especially the hanging gardens of gold and the golden winged lions that were all throughout the kingdom.
Next, in verse 39, the chest and arms of silver kingdom was the Medes and the Persians who overthrew Babylon in 539 BC and ruled the world as the Medo-Persian Empire from 539 BC to 331 BC. (208 years).
The third kingdom, thighs of bronze or brass was Greece. With Alexander the Great leading its armies, they took over rule of the world as the Grecian empire from 331 BC to 168 BC. (163 years) Alexander conquered the Medes and the Persians at the battle of Arbela. At the time of Daniel's writing this prophecy, Greece was only a fishing port.
Then in verse 40, the brass kingdom was crushed by the iron monarchy of Rome represented by the two legs of iron. That final battle was the Battle of Pydma in 168 BC. The two legs represented the two great divisions of the Roman Empire, eastern and western Rome. Rome ruled the world from 168 BC to 476 AD. (644 years). Between the years 351AD to 476AD, a series of invasions by barbaric tribes from northern Europe completely overran the Roman Empire and brought it to its knees. In 476 AD the fall of the Roman Empire was complete. There would NEVER be another nation of men that would rule the earth again. Verses 41-43 reveals the feet part of iron and part of clay, the ten toes symbolized the 10 nations that would arise out of the fall of the Roman Empire. Some would be strong (iron) and some would be weak (clay). Just as iron and clay would not adhere, neither would these nations be able to adhere.
The ten nations that arose out of the Roman Empire were the Alemanni (Germany), the Franks (France), the Bergundians (Switzerland), the Suevi (Portugal), the Anglo-Saxons (England), the Visigoths (Spain), the Lombards (Italy), the Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoths; the last three nations are no more.
Verse 43 talks about the mingling of seeds. There were numerous marriages between royalties of different nations, but they failed to unite the divided nations. A world divided to this day, from 476 AD to 2003 AD, no one nation has ever ruled the world again. Some have tried and failed. For example: Charlemagne tried and failed. In the 7th century he launched 53 expeditions against 14 nations. Spain had Charles the 5th try in the 16th century and failed. France had Louis the 14th try in the 18th century and failed. Treaty of Ulrecht in 1713. Napoleon tried in the 19th century and met his waterloo in 1815. Kaiser Wilhelm, Adolph Hitler and Mussolini all failed in the 20th century. Because God's prophecy can't fail. Verse 43 is the time we live in. The time of the end. The great stone that will strike the feet is the Rock, Jesus Christ and His second coming.
The study of Daniel 2 is important for a couple of reasons. First, the prophecy occurred early in the reign of the first kingdom. God accurately forecasted the world’s future, with three successive kingdoms and no more world kingdom. We now live in the time of the toes, awaiting Christ's Second Coming. The Second reason this prophecy was important is because it lays a foundation for the prophecy naming the beast that will arise from one of these kingdoms that will be disclosed in Daniel chapter 7. Next week we will explore Daniel chapter 7, written around 553 BC when Daniel was about 70 years old. There are some exciting revelations, as you will discover the meaning of the 4 great beasts and the little horn power.
Next Week: “Prophecy – The future told in advance – Daniel 7 - Part 1”