19. Daniel's Dream of End Time Events God's Purpose for Man

Chapter 19
Daniel’s Prophetic Dream of End Time Events

While we may be reverting back and forth from the Old Testament to the New, its purpose is to show how each event fits into the plan of God for mankind. As brought out before, the prophecy of the Messiah coming forth was given to several prophets of God, including Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.  Daniel was visited by the Angel Gabriel to help interpret the dreams that came to him.  In addition, Daniel had, at an earlier time, other visions, dreams, and interpretations to support what Gabriel said to him regarding its interpretation. Daniel interpreted Babylonian’s King Nebuchadnezzar’s visions, along with later interpreting his grandson King Belshazzar dream. Daniel even interpreted the hand writing on the wall prophesying Belshazzar’s death the very night he died.

Daniel also had a vision regarding political events in history that would follow the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar.  His vision was of the image of a man with the head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, and legs of iron with feet of iron and clay. In the vision, the gold was superior to the silver, silver superior to brass, and brass superior to iron and clay.

Daniel interpreted the dream as such:

• The head of gold represented the Babylonian Empire, which was superior to all empires at that time
• The breast and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persians, who would later conquer the Babylonian Empire. This world empire had two parts – represented by two arms of silver. The Persians and the Medes became united and conquered Babylon. Today, these empires would consist of the areas around Iran and Iraq.
• The belly and thighs of brass represented Greece, which was inferior to silver. The Grecian Empire would conquer the Medes and the Persians, and would later be divided among four generals after the death of Alexander the Great. This modern-day division of the Grecian Empire would be Greece, Syria, Turkey, and parts of Africa.
• The Roman Empire was not named as such in the Book of Daniel; however, we know by history they were the part of the image of iron and clay. Rome governed with an iron rule, taking up a great deal of the image (at least half) because of its long legs. The Roman Empire was divided into the Eastern and Western empire. The ten toes represent ten kingdoms. Some of the empires were ruled by dictatorship and some by a more democratic type of government.

Sixty-five years after Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the Babylonian Empire fell through his grandson, King Belshazzar, and was conquered by the Persian Empire. In addition, both Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophesied that Babylon would fall in the exact way that was described by Daniel (Jer 51:33-37).

Daniel Stayed on in Babylon

As some of the Israelites were migrating back to Israel, following the conquest of the Medes and Persians over Babylon, Daniel stayed on in Babylon. He was given rulership over the whole realm of the Medo-Persian kingdom. He was chosen for such a position because the kings liked the “excellent spirit of God” in him. By this time, Daniel was a very old man of around 90 years at this time. [i]

Let’s go to Daniel 9:25-26 to look at some of the prophecies given to him regarding end-time events:

Dan 9:25-26 "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince,there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself… This was prophesying Jesus’ crucifixion....And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. NKJV   This part of the verse takes us up until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

It is at this time that the mysterious Age of Grace – or the Church Age – comes in as a parenthetical, but is never mentioned in light of Jewish prophecy.

Finally, the last one week of years (7 years) comes on the scene.

Dan 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;  But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined,is poured out on the desolate." NKJV

All the way through the last chapter in the Book of Daniel, prophesy was given as to what will happen during the “yet to come” Tribulation Period.

What was written by the Prophet Daniel corresponds with the Book of Revelation, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Malachi, and Isaiah. The end-time Tribulation Period is also spoken of in the Book of Matthew, chapters 24 & 27, Luke, chapter 21, and Acts 2.  If then, you can understand that the Tribulation Period is about Jews and Israel, and not the Church, then End Time scripture will open up to you in a way you have never seen before.

It is so important to rightly divide the Word of God to glean the truths of what God is saying to us today. 

Click here to view Chapter #20 - The World in Chaos

End Notes

[i] Marilyn Hickey Ministries, Revelation Encounter & End-Time Prophecy. Page 21,23,24