Daniel 2:41

And whereas thou sawest 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, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

Unlike the previous empires, Rome was never defeated. It divided into the eastern and western ‘legs’ with the eastern leg [Byzantine] outlasting the western portion by about 1000 years). Since the demise of the western portion, parts that made up the old empire have had their day at ruling; The Ottoman Turks, the French under Napoleon, The Germans, the Dutch, the Spanish and of course, the British Empire. Even America (USA) was founded by people from the old Roman Empire. As we come to this verse we are told of a phase of the (Holy) Roman Empire of which our secular history knows nothing. It is reasonable to conclude that it is yet to come, something that is confirmed in subsequent verses and chapters of this book. We are told this final phase of the Holy Roman Empire will consist of feet and toes, partly potters clay and partly iron – not a good mixture for these two will not stick together. This kingdom will be divided, yet there will be the strength of iron in it. The Antichrist will NOT unite but will divide. There will always be deserters.

Daniel 2:42

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.

This verse hints at the strong part of this kingdom ruling over the ‘partly broken’. This easily fits the era of Antichrist. More on this as we get to chapter 11; Daniel’s view of a future yet to become history.

Daniel 2:43

And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

It is easy to just read over this verse and continue with the interpretation; however, if we read carefully there is a strange remark. We are told that, just as iron was mixed with miry clay in the vision, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men. Who are the ‘they’? From the context, and the fact that they mix themselves with the seed of men, would seem to exclude them from being the seed of men themselves. Chuck Missler (among others) sees this as an allusion to the Nephilim (offspring of fallen angels?). The first mention of these beings is in Genesis 6, the flood came to wipe them out, but we read they still existed (DNA) after the flood (Gen 6:4) only to be finished off by Joshua and then finally by David (remember Goliath & his brothers?). However Jesus said: “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Luke 17:26). Might it be that the Nephilim (offspring) of fallen angels are set to make a return as part of a major End Time? Perhaps this may be the fallen angels themselves and their offspring. (For more on this subject see ‘Alien Encounters’ by Dr Chuck Missler & Dr Mark Eastman.

Daniel 2:44

And in the days of these [future] 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.

This verse confirms that the final phase of the Roman Empire is a future not yet lived out, for ‘in the days of these kings….”. The simple fact that these kings have not yet reigned and from the context it is clear that they must reign – nor have they been destroyed, nor has the God of heaven set up a world government (which is the whole subject of the dream), shows that this is yet to be fulfilled. But when it is fulfilled it will be the end of man’s rule and the beginning of God’s eternal kingdom that will stand. 1,000 years later it is the Great White Throne Judgement and eternity for all will be in one of two places. None will be left in the grave.

Daniel 2:45

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

JIV NOTE: Jesus Christ calls himself the “CORNER STONE.” [Ephesians 2:19-22] “the stone cut out of the mountains without human hands”

There are those who would try to suggest that all prophecy has been fulfilled, and that Christ’s kingdom was established at His first coming in and through the church. Furthermore, it is proposed that the church is now to fill the earth and subdue it in the name of Christ; but this seems to be faltering if not coming to a stop. Churches have rituals, liturgies, routines, and a bulletin but the Holy Spirit is often missing. Today’s church is fill with unequally yoked memberships.

One of the underlying points is a non-literal interpretation of scripture, particularly in regard to prophecy. The emphasis is on getting people into the church (nothing wrong with that on the surface) but at the expense of watering down the word of God so as not to be ‘offensive’ (and there we have a two-fold and real problem – to present a sinner with a gospel that says he is a sinner on his way to hell unless he repents and puts his trust in Jesus, is always going to be offensive until such a person is brought under conviction by the law – see Psalm 19:7 / Rom 7:7 / Gal 3:24). By watering down the gospel message and not presenting the law, the modern church becomes nothing more than a caring social club. A group that will yield to popular opinion, and political correctness every time. The church today is a mix of unequally yoked people; some believers, some just religious, and some unsaved or members of the “praise team” musical talent. How does the Book of Acts play out today if and when the worship service is unequally yoked worshipers?

As even a casual reading of this chapter (and these last few verses in particular) will show, this simply cannot be, because the church is not a political kingdom but it has been made just that. The kingdom that God establishes here will be a Theocracy. The fact that the church exists alongside political ‘kingdoms’ in the world today shows that the church is not the stone cut without hands, for once that stone smites the feet of the image, it all comes crumbling down and there will be no more opposition. The fact that the church has opposition in this order of things shows that it cannot be the kingdom that Daniel sees in his vision. It is also clear that the stone that is cut from the mountain is done so without hands, i.e. supernaturally. Jesus Christ our Rock! (See 1 Corinthians 10:4; Deut. 32:4; 2 Sam 22:2; Ps 18:31; Is 51:1; Matt 16:18; Acts 4:11; Matt 21:42-44; 1 Peter 2:8)

Psalm 2 – Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron – this hasn’t happened yet! We are too busy today claiming His love and ignoring his justness. We miss or ignore the full meaning of God’s Love. It also means He loves JUSTICE.

Daniel 2:46

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

Nebuchadnezzar makes the classic mistake of worshiping the instrument and not the source. Daniel had already made the point that it was not because of his ability, but rather it was because of the God of heaven that he was able to interpret the king’s dream.

Daniel 2:47

The king answered unto 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 thou couldest reveal this secret.

Neb didn’t get it! The dream wasn’t to show Nebuchadnezzar that God can reveal and interpret dreams, but to show him that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of men. It is He who puts one down and raises another up,“he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” (Dan 2:21). As Jesus said to Pilate:“Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:11).

Nebuchadnezzar will get another warning that it is God and not him that is running the show, but as we will see in chapter 5, he once again misses the point and is humbled before God and man in dramatic fashion! Keep in mind Jeremiah 33:10…”God says, I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar…”Also keep on mind that God influences but does not interfere with Free Will.

Daniel 2:48-49

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 Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

So Daniel is promoted and ensures that his friends are too. As a result of these four Jewish young men the wise men of Babylon were spared from being cut in pieces and their houses being made a dunghill. Were they grateful? The answer is an emphatic NO! In fact as we move into chapter three we will find these wise men conspiring against Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abed-nego) and trying to get them killed. Their principle motivation; jealousy. After all they represented the greatest minds in the kingdom but had been made to look foolish by four teenage Hebrew slaves.