Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

Daniel and the Interpretation

With what words did Daniel begin the interpretation of the dream? BR-ASI9 132.7

“Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.” Daniel 2:37, 38. BR-ASI9 132.8

Note.—The character of the Neo-Babylonian Empire is fittingly indicated by the nature of the material composing that portion of the image by which it was symbolized—the head of gold. It was “the golden kingdom of a golden age.” The metropolis, Babylon, as enlarged and beautified during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, reached a height of unrivaled magnificence. The ancient writers, like Herodotus, are found by archaeologists to be generally accurate, except for a tendency to exaggerate as to size in their enthusiastic descriptions of the great city with its massive fortifications, its lavishly ornamented temples and palaces, its lofty temple-tower, and its “hanging gardens” rising terrace upon terrace, which came to be known among the Greeks as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. BR-ASI9 132.9

What was to be the nature of the next kingdom after Babylon? BR-ASI9 132.10

“After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” Daniel 2:39, first part. BR-ASI9 132.11

Who was the last Babylonian king? BR-ASI9 133.1

“In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” Daniel 5:30, 31. (See also verses 1, 2.) BR-ASI9 133.2

To whom was Belshazzar’s kingdom given? BR-ASI9 133.3

“Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” Daniel 5:28. BR-ASI9 133.4

By what is this kingdom of the Medes and Persians, generally known as the Persian Empire, represented in the great image? BR-ASI9 134.1

The breast and arms of silver. (Daniel 2:32.) BR-ASI9 134.2

By what is the Greek, or Macedonian, Empire, which succeeded the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, represented in the image? BR-ASI9 134.3

“His belly and his thighs of brass.” Daniel 2:32. “And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.” Daniel 2:39. BR-ASI9 134.4

Note.—That the empire which replaced the Persian was the Greek is clearly stated in Daniel 8:5-8, 20, 21. BR-ASI9 134.5

What is said of the fourth kingdom? BR-ASI9 134.6

“And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.” Daniel 2:40. BR-ASI9 134.7

What scripture shows that the Roman emperors ruled the world? BR-ASI9 134.8

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” Luke 2:1. BR-ASI9 134.9

Note.—Describing the Roman conquests, Gibbon uses the very imagery employed in the vision of Daniel 2. He says: “The arms of the republic, sometimes vanquished in battle, always victorious in war, advanced with rapid steps to the Euphrates, the Danube, the Rhine, and the ocean; and the images of gold or silver, or brass, that might serve to represent the nations and their kings, were successively broken by the iron monarchy of Rome.”—The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chap. 38, par. 1, under “General Observations,” at the close of the chapter. BR-ASI9 134.10