THREE VISIONS OF THE PROPHET DANIEL
The Prophet Daniel received these prophecies from the late 7th century to the mid 6th century BC. The 3 Visions concern 4 historical empires that succeeded each other.
Vision of Daniel chapter 2:
the Statue: "to take place in the final days"
[Daniel 2:28] circa
604BC
Vision of Daniel 2:31-45
1. Head of fine gold | Babylon [vs. 38 Daniel to Babylonian king "you are the golden head"] Babylon destroyed by Persians 539BC |
2. Chest and arms of silver | Persian Empire. Alexander the Great begins the conquest of the Medo-Persian Empire in 335BC. Persians defeated by Alexander the Great in 333 at the Battle of Issus |
3. Belly and thighs of bronze | Greeks of Alexander the Great. Greeks split into 4 different kingdoms. Two of those kingdoms: Greek Egypt and Greek Syria fought for control of Judah. The 4 Greek kingdoms were conquered by Rome in campaigns from 197-63BC |
4. Legs of iron, feet part iron , part clay | Romei and her province of Judea. In the 4th century Rome split into the Western Empire centered in Rome and the Eastern Empire centered in Constantinople [2 legs]. Rome will be conquered by a 5th kingdom |
5. The stone that struck the statue - Jesus "the cornerstone" | "..the God of heaven will set up a kingdom it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms and itself last forever" [2:44-45]. The Kingdom of Heaven on earth = the New Covenant Churchi |
Vision of Daniel 7: the 4 Beasts: [vision circa 555BC]
1. Lion with wings | Babylon [Lion with wings was the royal symbol of Babylon] |
2. Bear with 3 ribs in its mouth | Persians conquer the 3 provinces of Babylon: Lydia in 546BC; Babylon in 539BC; and Egypt in 525BC. |
3. Leopard with 4 wings and 4 heads | Alexander the Great and his 4 generals who won his victories and who will divide his empire |
4. 4th beast with 10 horns | Rome with her 10 client kings who rule her 10 provinces [or 10 Caesars from Augustus Caesar and the birth of Christ to Vespasian and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the end of the Old Covenant] |
Daniel chapter 8: The Ram and the He-Goat: [vision circa 553BC]
Ram with 2 horns | The Persian empire was formed from the Medes and the Persians |
He-goat with one horn | Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire (invasion 336BC; victory at Arbela in 331 BC) |
He-goat's one horn becomes 4 | Alexander the Great's empire is divided among his 4 generals (323 BC) |
The little horn that grows toward the "Land of Splendor" | The Seleucid Greeks expanded the empire from Syria to Asia Minor to the Indus River and became the largest of the 4 Greek empires dominating even the Promised Land of the Jews 200-142BC. |
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 1998 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.