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The Dream of Destiny & the March of Empires (Daniel 2)

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Dr. Alexander Kurian

 

​Some Basic Observations

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1. The most comprehensive prophetic insight ever given to man.

2. The sweep of world history from Daniel’s day up to the second coming of Christ.

3. Gentile world empires will rule the world in succession from 605 BC until the second coming of Christ – “Times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). The prophecy deals with the “Days to come” and “Things to come” (Dan.2:28, 29 NIV).

4. It is the history of human civilization.

5. Dan.2:44 clearly answers the question, “When will Christ come back to establish His kingdom?”

6. In Dan.2 these four empires are pictured as four metals in a great statue that King Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream. In Daniel 7 these same world Empires are pictured as four great wild beasts rising up out of the Mediterranean Sea. The first vision characterized the kingdoms as man assessed them – majestic, massive, impressive and glorious. But in Dan. 7 the character of those kingdoms was revealed. It shows God’s appraisal of these gentile kingdoms – destructive, divisive, angry, and cruel.

7. Daniel said more details about the feet and toes as he has said about all the other parts combined. More details also are given about the fourth beast than the first three beasts in Dan.7.

8. Comparison of Dan. 2 & Dan. 7

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Three Future Stages of the Roman Empire

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1. By AD 395 the ancient Roman Empire had split into two political areas of rule - the West (Rome) and the East (Constantinople). This division is depicted in the statue’s two legs. The Holy Roman Empire fell in AD 476, and the Eastern part, the Byzantine Empire, fell in AD 1453. According to Daniel, there is yet to be another division in the Roman Empire; not a division of two (two legs), but of ten (ten toes) which is yet future. The “feet and toes” stage (a tenfold Roman coalition) must follow the “legs” stage. Some form of the Roman Empire must emerge in the end times, it will be in place prior to the Second Coming of Christ, and will experience sudden destruction according to Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 2: 33-34, 42-44).

2. First Stage: A group of ten kings forming a coalition will appear, marking the first stage of the revival of the Roman Empire.

3. Second Stage: A strong leader/dictator will emerge who will consolidate these ten nations (kings/rulers) into a united empire and probably extend its borders.

4. Third Stage: By a special edict or declaration, the power of the united empire will extend to the entire earth. The leader (Antichrist) will declare himself to be the ruler of the world.

 

It appears that the revived Roman Empire described by Daniel is beginning to take shape in the European Union (EU).