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| 1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed hath Nebuchadnezzar dreams, and his spirit doth move itself, and his sleep hath been against him; |
Dreamed dreams – God gave the dream and sent its interpretation through Daniel, the prophet. SM417:1
Portraying the Gentile rule of earth during the interregnum of God's Kingdom. R5526:2
Simultaneous with Zedekiah's fall and the taking away of his crown. R5526:2
A dream of much more interest to all Christians than it could possibly have been to Nebuchadnezzar himself. CR41:6
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| 2 and the king saith to call for scribes, and for enchanters, and for sorcerers, and for Chaldeans, to declare to the king his dreams. And they come in and stand before the king; |
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| 3 and the king saith to them, 'A dream I have dreamed, and moved is my spirit to know the dream.' |
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| 4 And the Chaldeans speak to the king [in] Aramaean, 'O king, to the ages live, tell the dream to thy servants, and the interpretation we do shew.' |
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| 5 The king hath answered and said to the Chaldeans, 'The thing from me is gone; if ye do not cause me to know the dream and its interpretation, pieces ye are made, and your houses are made dunghills; |
Cut in pieces – Put to death as imposters, letting on that they had a connection with the gods that they did not have. Q95:T
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| 6 and if the dream and its interpretation ye do shew, gifts, and fee, and great glory ye receive from before me, therefore the dream and its interpretation shew ye me.' |
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| 7 They have answered a second time, and are saying, 'Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and the interpretation we do shew. |
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| 8 The king hath answered and said, 'Of a truth I know that time ye are gaining, because that ye have seen that the thing is gone from me, |
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| 9 [so] that, if the dream ye do not cause me to know one is your sentence, seeing a word lying and corrupt ye have prepared to speak before me, till that the time is changed, therefore the dream tell ye to me, then do I know that its interpretation ye do shew me.'
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Tell me the dream – Arguing that if they had supernatural power by which they could explain a dream, the same power could rehearse it. CR41:6
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| 10 The Chaldeans have answered before the king, and are saying, 'There is not a man on the earth who is able to shew the king's matter; therefore, no king, chief, and ruler, hath asked such a thing as this of any scribe, and enchanter, and Chaldean; |
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| 11 and the thing that the king is asking [is] precious, and others are there not that do shew it before the king, save the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.' |
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| 12 Therefore the king hath been angry and very wroth, and hath said to destroy all the wise men of Babylon; |
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| 13 And the sentence hath gone forth, and the wise men are being slain, and they have sought Daniel and his companions to be slain. |
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| 14 Then Daniel hath replied [with] counsel and discretion to Arioch chief of the executioners of the king, who hath gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. |
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| 15 He hath answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, 'Wherefore [is] the sentence so urgent from before the king ' Then Arioch hath made the thing known to Daniel, |
Made the thing known – Evidently Daniel was not with the magicians before the king. Q95:T
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| 16 and Daniel hath gone up, and sought of the king that he would give him time to shew the interpretation to the king. |
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| 17 Then Daniel to his house hath gone, and to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, he hath made the thing known, |
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| 18 and to seek mercies from before the God of the heavens concerning this secret, that they destroy not Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. |
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| 19 Then to Daniel, in a vision of the night, the secret hath been revealed. Then hath Daniel blessed the God of the heavens. |
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| 20 Daniel hath answered and said, 'Let the name of God be blessed from age even unto age, for wisdom and might for they are His. |
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| 21 And He is changing times and seasons, He is causing kings to pass away, and He is raising up kings; He is giving wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those possessing understanding. |
Removeth kings – God had to do with the setting up and pulling down of the universal governments. R5305:2
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| 22 He is revealing deep and hidden things; He hath known what [is] in darkness, and light with Him hath dwelt. |
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| 23 Thee, O God of my fathers, I am thanking and praising, for wisdom and might Thou hast given to me; and now, Thou hast caused me to know that which we have sought from Thee, for the king's matter Thou hast caused us to know.' |
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| 24 Therefore Daniel hath gone up unto Arioch, whom the king hath appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he hath gone, and thus hath said to him, 'The wise men of Babylon thou dost not destroy, bring me up before the king, and the interpretation to the king I do shew.' |
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| 25 Then Arioch in haste hath brought up Daniel before the king, and thus hath said to him 'I have found a man of the sons of the Removed of Judah, who the interpretation to the king doth make known.' |
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| 26 The king hath answered and said to Daniel, whose name [is] Belteshazzar, 'Art thou able to cause me to know the dream that I have seen, and its interpretation ' |
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| 27 Daniel hath answered before the king and said, 'The secret that the king is asking, the wise men, the enchanters, the scribes, the soothsayers, are not able to shew to the king; |
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| 28 but there is a God in the heavens, a revealer of secrets, and He hath made known to king Nebuchadnezzar that which [is] to be in the latter end of the days. 'Thy dream and the visions of thy head on thy bed are these: |
Maketh known to the king – And indirectly, more particularly, to the watchers. R2976:6
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| 29 Thou, O king, thy thoughts on thy bed have come up [concerning] that which [is] to be after this, and the Revealer of secrets hath caused thee to know that which [is] to be. |
Known to thee – Picture of Gentile rule of earth from the human standpoint. OV82:2
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Thee, O king – Nebuchadnezzar, picturing (as the 'head of gold') not only the Gentile kings, governments, but especially the Babylon. |
| 30 As to me not for [any] wisdom that is in me above any living hath this secret been revealed to me; but for the intent that the interpretation to the king they make known, and the thoughts of thy heart thou dost know. |
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Not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have – Notice how this attitude is shared by Pastor Russell in the following quote: "Though in this work we shall endeavor, and we trust with success, to set before the interested and unbiased reader the plan of God as it relates to and explains the past, the present and the future of his dealings, in a way more harmonious, beautiful and reasonable than is generally understood, yet that this is the result of extraordinary wisdom or ability on the part of the writer is positively disclaimed. It is the light from the Sun of Righteousness in this dawning of the Millennial Day that reveals these things as "present truth," now due to be appreciated by the sincere, the pure in heart." A10 |
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| 31 'Thou, O king, wast looking, and lo, a certain great image. This image [is] mighty, and its brightness excellent; it is standing over-against thee, and its appearance [is] terrible. |
A great image – Representing the four great Gentile universal empires. A253; R419:6, R5564:3, R5854:1; Q82:1
Symbolizing not the people, but the governments. A255
Showing the earthly governments that would rule over the earth during the interim between the overthrow of the typical kingdom of God and the installation of the true King in his Millennial Kingdom glory. R2976:4
The period of time during which these universal empires will have controlled the world must be the Times of the Gentiles. R5564:3
Symbol of the world power in its whole development and final destruction. R3359:4*
Was excellent – From Nebuchadnezzar's, the world's, standpoint. A256; CR42:2
As thus glorious the earthly kingdoms are regarded by the world; but God portrayed the same four earthly governments to Daniel, in chapter 7, as beastly. R166:2, R419:6, R815:2
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| 32 This image! its head [is] of good gold, its breasts and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass; |
Head was of fine gold – Representing the Babylonian empire. R166:2, R419:6, R2976:4, R815:2, R5526:2, R5564:2; SM417:1, SM478:1; PD49/61; A253; OV82:2, OV340:5; CR42:1
Breast and his arms of silver – Representing the Medo-Persian empire. See references to Head was of fine gold.
Belly and his thighs of brass – Representing the Grecian empire. See references to Head was of fine gold.
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| 33 its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron, and part of them of clay. |
His legs of iron – Representing the Roman empire. See references to Head was of fine gold. Two legs represent the strong Roman empire, East and West, Rome and Constantinople; each, in turn, was the Roman capital. OV341:3, OV192:1; R3359:4; SM478:1
That Rome held universal sway in the time of our Lord's birth is shown in Luke 2:1, "There went out a decree f." A253; CR42:1
If Israel had accepted Jesus as King, the Messianic Kingdom would have been established at this point. Foreseeing their failure, God pictured the extension of Gentile supremacy in the feet of the image. OV82:2
His feet – The toes are kingdoms, corresponding to the ten horns of the beast of Dan. 7:7. R3359:4*
Being represented in the present divisions of the Roman empire in Europe. R5854:1; SM478:1
The kingdoms now in existence, represented in the feet, received their power and authority originally from the Papacy or some of her protesting daughters who crowned them to reign "by the grace of God." R815:2
It is upon the feet of this image that the Armageddon crash of God's Kingdom is pictured as falling--grinding the entire image to powder. R5854:1
Part of iron – Represents civil governments. SM478:1; PD49/61; A254; R3359:5*, R2976:5
Some places the iron is more prominent and some places the clay. The iron, which has the strength, is usually the most prominent. Q96:T
Part of clay – Imitation stone; stone being the symbol of the true Kingdom of God. A254; Q:81:1, Q96:T; SM417:3; R5564:5
Represented ecclesiasticism as it is now mixed up with the politics of the ten kingdoms of Europe. SM478:1, SM417:2; PD49/61; A254; R5526:2, R3359:5*, R2976:5; Q81:1
The commingling of the iron and clay represented that blending of church and state known as the Holy Roman empire. OV82:2
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Feet – The last part of the body. In this case it is the 'body' of the Roman Empire.
Iron – The strength of the civil power of Rome.
Clay – The ecclestiacal power of the 'Holy Roman Empire.' |
| 34 Thou wast looking till that a stone hath been cut out without hands, and it hath smitten the image on its feet, that [are] of iron and of clay, and it hath broken them small; |
Till that a stone – The true Kingdom of God, Christ and the Church. A254; CR42:3; SM417:2, SM479:2; OV82:3; R2976:5, R3293:2
The fifth universal empire, Messiah's Kingdom. There have been two unsuccessful attempts to establish this fifth empire-- one by Papacy and the other by Napoleon. OV340:5
A small stone, a Little Flock. R2375:1
Messiah, Head and Body. R3293:2
The holy mountain referred to in Isa. 11:9. R5575:4
During its preparation, while being cut out, it might be called an embryo mountain, in view of its future destiny; as the Church is sometimes called the Kingdom of God. A255
The New Jerusalem "coming down from God out of heaven." (Rev. 21:10) R654:5, R2606:3
When he gives the saints with Christ their Lord the heathen for an inheritance; when he gives the Kingdom under the whole heavens to the people of the saints. R658:5
The Gentiles, not fully out of power; but, their lease expiring, their eviction begins.
The Times of the Gentiles is the period between the time that the image was set up or came into power and the time that the stone is to smite the image upon the feet and crush its power. Q82:1; SM478:1; OV82:3
Was cut out – During the Gospel age this "stone" kingdom, the true Church, is being formed, "cut out." A255; OV82:3
Without hands – Without human aid. SM479:1
But by the power of God. R2606:3, R3359:4*, R654:5; OV191:5, OV429:3
Smote the image – The preparatory step to the establishment of Messiah's Kingdom. R5526:2; OV341:1; B99
The impact is prominently noted throughout the Scriptures as a "time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation." (Dan. 12:1) OV83:T
The little period of 40 years between 1874 and 1914 is, in the Scriptures, called the "Day of Vengeance," the smiting time preparatory to the inauguration of the Kingdom of righteousness. R1874:5
We expect this smiting in 1915, not 1914. Q96:4
If Zedekiah's dethronement should be dated BC 588, it would make the date 1932. My conviction, however, favors 1914. SM480:T
This smiting, we believe, is near at hand (1915 comment), the present war in Europe being intended of the Lord to weaken the nations and prepare them for the next stage of trouble. R5673:5
It is the smiting by this Kingdom that is preparing for the wreck of all the kingdoms of earth. R1692:6, R5916:6
The dominion of earth. R2375:1, R5575:3; A262
The Kingdom of God, when first set up at the introduction of the Millennial age, will be small; but, as soon as set up in power, it will smite the "great image" of earthly rulership. R5575:2
The present smiting of the nations is under Kingdom control. The fact that some of the members of the Kingdom class are still in the flesh does not mitigate at all against this thought. R5632:1
We see all about us evidence of the beginning of the smiting, shaking and overturning of the present powers preparatory to the establishment of the Kingdom. B170
The smiting will not come from the Church in the flesh, with carnal weapons, but from the Church in Kingdom glory, backed by divine power. R5716:4
Not until the Church is complete, and Christ takes to himself his great power to reign, and the Gentile times end, will this heavenly power be hurled against the image. OV82:3; A255
It is the Heavenly Father that will do the smiting. You and I have nothing to do with that. Q82:2; CR42:4
The impact will be so sharp and so thorough as to leave nothing of Gentile supremacy. R5527:4, R5854:1; SM479:1
Upon his feet – The very last part of the image. CR42:4
Present earthly governments. R668:5
The Roman empire still exists, not in the form in which it was first recognized, but in the fact that it was a combination of church and state and the two, uniting, sought to rule all Europe and the world. Q96:T
It is upon the feet of this image that the Armageddon crash of God's Kingdom is pictured as falling. R5854:1
Of iron and clay – Civil and ecclesiastical powers. B78
The decaying power of the Roman dominion. R815:2
Brake them to pieces – Not gradually, but suddenly. R3359:5*
The crushing comes at the end of the age, preparatory to the establishment of Messiah's Kingdom. OV341:1; R654:5
The present step (1915) is the war of the nations. The next will be Socialism--attempted Socialism--and the third step, anarchy. R5632:2
Not until Immanuel shall take his great power and reign and bind Satan will there be permanent peace. R2361:1
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A stone – The true Kingdom of God.
Without hands – i.e., this is not the work of man.
His feet that were of iron and clay – This is the union of church (clay) and iron (state, civil power) of Europe. The United States is not part of this picture for here we have no king and the union of church and state is against the law - (consider the first ammendment to the Constitution.) – see R5854:1. |
| 35 then broken small together have been the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, and they have been as chaff from the summer threshing-floor, and carried them away hath the wind, and no place hath been found for them: and the stone that smote the image hath become a great mountain, and hath filled all the land. |
Then – When the time came for the setting up of the Fifth Universal empire. A260
The iron – The Roman empire; civil power. A254; B78
The clay – Ecclesiastical power. A254; B78
The brass – The Grecian empire, which still has a measure of life. A253, A260
The silver – The Persian empire, which still has a measure of life. A253, A260
The gold – The Babylonian empire. A253
Together, all the evil kingdoms of the prince of darkness. R2606:3
Broken to pieces – Their utter destruction. R2338:5
Together – Struck once--shattered all together. R3359:5*
Sir Isaac Newton observed: "All the four beasts are still alive, though the dominion of the first three be taken away." HG74:2
Like the chaff – Ground to powder in the great time of trouble. R5575:3, R2314:1, R5632:1
The Armageddon crash of God's Kingdom is pictured as falling--grinding the entire image to powder. R5854:1
The impact will be so sharp and so thorough as to leave nothing of them--they will cease to be. R5527:4
And the wind – A great war. R3414:3
No place was found – Graphic description of the end of Gentile governments. OV83:1; R5527:4, R668:5
So long as these governments would be here, they and Messiah's Kingdom could not cooperate. R5526:2
And the stone – See comments on Dan. 2:34. After it had done the smi R3359:5*
Became – Spreading, in its various parts, as do earthly governments. D642
Gradually expanding. R2375:1; SM479:2
Its own power and dominion will be established as fast as by its varied influences and agencies it crushes and scatters the powers that be. B78
A great mountain – Kingdom. D642; R654:5, R409:6, R2606:3, R2976:6, R5181:2, R5182:2
Many years will doubtless pass before this prophecy will be fulfilled. R5182:2
Not by poor human efforts will God's Kingdom come. R658:5, R414:5
Filled the whole earth – Having broken to pieces the evil kingdoms of the prince of darkness. R2606:3, R654:5
And not only the place where the image stood. SM479:2
A worldwide Kingdom. R5181:2
As a spiritual unseen power, but with human representatives who can be seen. R219:4
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Summer – Summer here is Strong's 7007 which only appears here. According to professor Strong this means 'Harvest.'
Threshingfloors – Most translations render this in the singular - Threshingfloor.
Thus this should read 'became like the chaff of the Harvest threshingfloor'. |
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| 36 This [is] the dream, and its interpretation we do tell before the king. |
This is the dream – Containing a great political chart of the world's history for the last twenty-five centuries. R662:1*
Tell the interpretation – Daniel is the introduction to John; the book of John is the completion of Daniel. Daniel is first John; John is second Daniel. They are two parts of the same book, using the same symbols and hieroglyphics and treating the same course of events. R662:1*
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| 37 'Thou, O king, art a king of kings, for the God of the heavens a kingdom, strength, and might, and glory, hath given to thee; |
A king of kings – A king over kings; the first one represented in the image. Q95:2
Nebuchadnezzar was made the representative ruling head of human dominion--Lord of earth. B96
The greatness of Babylonia dates especially from the time of the overthrow of Israel. At that time God recognized it and it became the universal empire. Q80:1
The God of heaven – Man's present efforts to rule are not in defiance of Jehovah, but by his permission, for a limited time. A251
Hath given thee – There the Gentile kingdoms, or "Powers that be, were ordained of God." (Rom. 13:1) A253
Saying to the Gentiles, I will not be ready to set up my Kingdom for some time. In the interim you may have opportunity to demonstrate what you can do for the world. Institute the best government that you can. R5564:4
They are all Gentile governments and not representatives of God. All these kingdoms are demonstrating various principles of government. HG569:6
We are interested in these kingdoms because we are interested in mankind in general, and we may pray for them such wisdom as God sees best. R5205:1
A kingdom – For the opportunity to see what he could do with it. R5204:4
The first kingdom in the image. Previously God had his own kingdom of Israel in the world, during which time there could be no other universal empire. Q81:1; R2497:2; HG48:2
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| 38 and whithersoever sons of men are dwelling, the beast of the field, and the fowl of the heavens, He hath given into thy hand, and hath caused thee to rule over them all; thou [art] this head of gold. |
And the fowls – Almost the same language addressed to Adam. B96; HG49:1
Into thine hand – And not into the hand of his dead father, Nabopolassar, as some suppose. R1978:5
Each of the five universal monarchies existed a long time before universal dominion was given into its hand. B100
Thou – Babylon, represented by Nebuchadnezzar. A253; OV340:4; SM417:1
It was under Nebuchadnezzar's administration that the Babylonian empire reached its zenith. R2497:2
Art this head – The representative head of earth. B96; R2497:2
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| 39 And after thee doth rise up another kingdom lower than those, and another third kingdom of brass, that doth rule overall the earth. |
Another kingdom – The succeeding Medo-Persian empire. A253; PD49/61; OV340:4
These are all Gentile kingdoms and not representatives of God. All these various kingdoms demonstrate various principles of government. R5204:5
Had only one nation been permitted to experiment with the race, we would not have known whether other nations might have been successful if given the opportunity. R5204:5
Third kingdom – Grecia. A253; OV340:4
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| 40 And the fourth kingdom is strong as iron, because that iron is breaking small, and making feeble, all [things], even as iron that is breaking all these, it beateth small and breaketh. |
Fourth kingdom – Rome. A253; OV340:4
The present governments of Europe are the Roman empire under a new gloss, or pretense. Their laws, methods and ambitions are those of the Romans exactly; but, deceiving and being deceived, they call themselves Christian kingdoms. R5673:4
The Roman empire still exists as a combination of church and state although there has been a disintegration between the iron (civil) and the clay (ecclesiastical) powers. A254; Q96:T
Strong as iron – The iron empire, Rome, was by far the strongest and endured longer than its predecessors--in fact, it still continues in the nations of Europe. A253
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Break in pieces – This phrase, describing the crushing power of the Gentile governments, is used by the Lord to describe His work of crushing these very Gentile powers. Note this in vs. 34, 44 and 45 (especially note additional comments on vs 44). |
| 41 As to that which thou hast seen: the feet and toes, part of them potter's clay, and part of them iron, the kingdom is divided: and some of the standing of the iron [is] to be in it, because that thou hast seen the iron mixed with miry clay. |
Feet and toes – The present divisions of the Roman empire. A254; OV340:5; R5854:1; SM405:4
Today we have the division of the nations known as Christendom--Protestant and Catholic--as represented by the toes of the image. OV82:2, OV83:7
The ten toes are also pictured in the ten horns of the terrible beast of Dan. 7. OV83:7
America is not included directly, only indirectly. R5854:1
Part of potters' clay – Ecclesiastical powers. Q96:T, A254
Part of iron – The civil power. A254; Q96:T
The kingdom – The Holy Roman empire. A253; Q81:1
Shall be divided – The Roman empire passed through the course foretold--first united, then divided. R662:3*
Strength of the iron – The iron, or civil power, is usually the most prominent. Q96:T
Iron mixed with miry clay – Religious and civil power mixed--an imitation of stone which is the symbol of the true Kingdom of God. A254; Q81:1; R5673:5
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The feet and toes – "The ten toes of the image represent the ten divisions of the Roman Empire, though they have varied over the centuries. France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Spain, Portugal, Lombardy, Romania, and Ravenna."
Part of potter's clay – See Psa. 2:6-9 |
| 42 As to the toes of the feet, part of them iron, and part of them clay: some part of the kingdom is strong, and some part of it is brittle. |
As the toes – These ten divisions of the Roman empire now exist as France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Spain, Portugal, Lombardy, Romania and Ravenna. HG12:6
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| 43 Because thou hast seen iron mixed with miry clay, they are mixing themselves with the seed of men: and they are not adhering one with another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. |
Thou sawest iron – Civil power. A254
Mixed with miry clay – Ecclesiastical power. Q96:T, A254
The gloss of nominal Christianity covering the civil power, outwardly resembling Christ's Kingdom. R5564:5; Q81:1
Mingle themselves – Blend together in confusion, Babylon. A254
Shall not cleave – Not thoroughly amalgamate. A254
When the miry clay becomes dry and "brittle" it loses its adhesive power. The iron and clay now shows signs of dissolution and will quickly crumble when smitten by the "stone," the true Kingdom. A254
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Iron mixed with clay – Civil power (kings) intertwined with the churches (clay), i.e., church-state union.
They – The clay, the (supposed) church.
Shall mingle themselves – Nominal church.
With the seed of men – With the civil power. They were supposed to remain seperate from the seed of men because they were supposed to be Abraham's seed (as the body of Christ) - Gal. 3:29.
So then, we see that the correct understanding of this mixture of iron and clay is the union of church and state. This is what is smitten.
We should remember that there was another time when those who were spiritual (as was claimed by the Nominal Church) mingled themselves with the seed of mankind, i.e., before the flood. See Gen. 6:2,4,13. We remember that God destroyed that arrangement too. |
| 44 'And in the days of these kings raise up doth the God of the heavens a kingdom that is not destroyed to the age, and its kingdom to another people is not left: it beateth small and endeth all these kingdoms, and it standeth to the age. |
In the days – From 1874 to 1914 AD. C128
While they still have power. A262[A261:3]; B99[B99:2], B170; R5631:5
Now the Day of the Lord has come. Earth's rightful King takes his great power and begins his reign while yet the powers of darkness hold their places. R1161:3
Of these kings – The last of the Gentile powers, the so-called Christian kingdoms of Christendom, represented in the toes of the image. A262[A261:3], A254[A253:3]; D623[D623:4]; OV340:6
"Kingdoms of this world," (Matt. 4:8) Gentile kingdoms, permitted to hold sway until the time of Messiah's Kingdom – and no longer. R4799:3[R4799:3]
So also Babylon existed before it conquered Jerusalem and Medo-Persia before it conquered Babylon. All kingdoms must first exist and receive superior power before they could conquer others. B99; HG75:3
The ten powers, representative of the Roman empire, before they are destroyed in the "Day of the Lord." R112:6, R798:4, R82:2
Whether the strife will extend beyond the boundaries of Roman rule we do not know. CR494:6
Shall the God of heaven – Not by poor human efforts. R658:5, R414:5
It is Jehovah's work to set up Christ's dominion. "I will give thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." (Psa. 2:8) A309
Set up – To exalt his Church. C115
Gradually establish in power and authority. A262; R2375:1, R5181:2
The first step in the setting up of this Kingdom was the raising of the sleeping saints in 1878. R5631:5
The Church is the Kingdom now only in the prospective sense that a babe is a man. When we are glorified with our Head, that will be our exaltation, the heavenly Kingdom "set up." R397:4
In the full sense when The Christ is complete, every member glorified. R5193:1; B77
The inauguration of Messiah's Kingdom in the world. R5328:2, R5181:2
It is set up before the kingdoms of earth fall. R60:5*
Earth's rightful King begins his reign while yet the powers of darkness hold their places. R1161:3
The setting up of this Kingdom will mean, of course, the overthrow of all the kingdoms of this earth. R307:5
The two cannot long stand together. R1161:3
Our setting up must be before the plaques which are represented as destroying earthly kingdoms. R112:6
A kingdom – Present representatively throughout the Gospel age, unrecognized by the world. D623; R397:4
This is a prophecy of restitution, because any prophecy of the Kingdom of Christ and his saints is a prophecy of restitution. HG336:3
It shall have no successors, for the others will all be destroyed. R2976:6
The Kingdom for which our redeemer himself taught us to pray. R1776:5, R2724:4, R2976:5; D429
Established on the principles of justice and equity, based upon the golden law of love to God and men. R420:5, R166:6
When the Day of the Lord is fully under way, all the tribes of earth shall mourn because of him (Matt. 24:30) who is now assuming contr R748:4
Never be destroyed – Unlike the changing Gentile kingdoms represented in the image. D623
The righteous King shall take possession of earth's governments. R2724:4
Not be left to other people – As the power of the image shifted from one people to another. D623
It shall have no successors, for the others will all be destroyed. R2976:6
But it – The Lord's Kingdom, which is even now engaged in the shaking and overturning work. B170
Our Lord assured his faithful that, at the time of the establishment of his Kingdom and the overthrow of Gentile power, the overcoming Church would be with him and have a share in that work. D624; CR493:5
Break in pieces – "As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers." (Rev. 2:27) A256; D429; R507:3, R2691:6
When the Kingdoms would be given to "the people of the saints of the Most High," they were to "smite them in pieces as a potter's vessel" This intimates that in some sense the Lord will take possession before they have been completely overthrown. R5631:5, R3293:4
Utter destruction in a great time of trouble. R2375:1, R2338:5, R5328:2; A255
Not by bloodless revolution of the ballot box, but by a "time of trouble." (Dan. 12:1) R1563:6
The intimation is that the catastrophe coming upon our civilization will be a sudden one. The Scriptures do not say that the trouble will come in an hour, or in one day, or in one year. R5328:2
The great ones of earth will not voluntarily resign their power and offices but will have to be driven off their thrones. The saints, however, fight not with carnal weapons and will have nothing to do with this driving. R1156:1
Thus by "breaking in pieces" --throwing down--"the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ," and "he shall reign forever." (Rev. 11:15) R409:3
The "kingdoms of this world," even while being crushed by the Kingdom of God, will be quite ignorant of the real cause of their downfall. C129
At the time of the establishment of the Kingdom and the overthrow of Gentile power, the overcoming Church would be with him and have a share in that work. D623
The grand blessings of restitution are already begun in this trouble, which is a blessing in disguise, breaking in pieces and removing the present governments and systems represented in Nebuchadnezzar's image. R852:1
And consume – Jezebel shall be "eaten by dogs" --the nominal church will be cast down and consumed. R235:5
All these kingdoms – Not people. R419:6
The nations of Europe and America. R2691:5
Surely every one which formed part of the old Roman empire. Whether the strife will extend beyond the boundaries of the Roman rule, whether it will involve America, we do not know. CR494:6; R5854, 1
No nation on earth can now be said to have God's special fatherly providence over it. R1561:6
Present governments are pictured as beastly, and God's saints should rejoice in the promise of their overthrow. R1563:6
Therefore we can neither labor nor pray for the perpetuation of the governments of this world. R798:4
Shall stand for ever – The next, fifth, universal empire, under Messiah. R2976:6, R2145:1; A260
The world needs a "strong government" to hold it in check and bring blessings and happiness to every creature. R2145:1
The kingdoms of this world, being all overthrown, will be re-established on principles of justice and equity, based upon the golden law of love to God and man. R420:5
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In the days of these kings – Not just any kings will do, no, it must be in the days of these kings, i.e., in the days of the nations of Christendom.
This cannot refer to the 4 universal empires as being the kings because ancient Babylon had long since ceased to be. So much so that for a long period of time, scoffers of the Bible suggested that it had never even existed. These scoffings only stopped when the ancient city had been discovered by archeologists.
It shall break in pieces – The kingdom of God does the breaking in pieces of Christendom. Yet, even now in its embryo state, their is a breaking in pieces going on. See comments on Eze. 9:2 'slaughter weapon.'
Here we see God's Justice in operation. He does to the Gentile governments what they did to the people they had rule over. (See vs. 40)
The Kingdom of God strikes the toes of the kings of Christendom (most appropriately symbolized by the city of Rome). Remembering that Rome is the capital of Italy, notice how God has portrayed this in the geography of the land. In this picture, the island of Sicily is the stone which smites the Roman Empire (Italy) on its toes.
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| 45 Because that thou hast seen that out of the mountain cut hath been a stone without hands, and it hath beaten small the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king that which [is] to be after this; and the dream [is] true, and its interpretation stedfast. |
That the stone – Representing the true Church, the Kingdom of God. A255; R2375:1, R5564:5, R1408:2; OV82:3; PD49/61
At first, insignificant in size and seeming powerless to the world. R5575:3
God's Kingdom will not remain small, but will gradually expand until it shall fill the whole earth. R2375:1, R5575:2; SM417:2
Was cut out – Carved and shaped for its future position and greatness. A255
Of the mountain – Mountains, kingdoms of the earth. R654:5
Without hands – Not by human hands, but by the power of the truth. A255; R5673:5
Supernaturally; quarried out of the "earth" by the Lord. OV341:T, R5575:3
And that it – When complete, when entirely cut out, it will smite and destroy the kingdoms of this world. A255
Brake in pieces – Smite the image and grind it to powder. This smiting is near at hand. R5673:5
The smiting will come from the Church in Kingdom glory, backed by divine power. R5716:4
Messiah, Head and Body, shall overrule so that the nations of earth shall be broken to shivers. R3293:5, R5631:5
The present terrible war (1914) is not the great time of trouble in the fullest sense of the word, but merely the forerunner. The great time of trouble will be brought on by anarchy. R5526:3
The dream is certain – The stone is rolling; the hill is steepening; the impetus becomes terrible very soon, and 20 years will amply suffice to destroy old things and fit the earth for the new. R1705:3*
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| 46 Then hath king Nebuchadnezzar fallen on his face, and to Daniel he hath done obeisance, and present, and sweet things, he hath said to pour out to him. |
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| 47 The king hath answered 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, since thou hast been able to reveal this secret.' |
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| 48 Then the king hath made Daniel great, and many great gifts he hath given to him, and hath caused him to rule over all the province of Babylon, and chief of the perfects over all the wise men of Babylon. |
Over all the wise men – The expectations of the Magi (Matt. 2:1-12) may have arisen from Dto the time of Messiah's advent. R1674:6
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| 49 And Daniel hath sought from the king, and he hath appointed over the work of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and Daniel [is] in the gate of the king. |
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