This Bible prophecy of Daniel 2 gives us powerful evidence that the Bible can be trusted. This urgent, apocalyptic prophecy predicted 2,500 years of history in advance, leading all the way to our day today, impacts every one of us living in these end times. We can be confident that the final event of this prophecy will come to pass just as the rest of it has.
Daniel was written in the 6th century BC. Skeptics have tried to discredit this book by placing the date of its writing at a later time, but archaeological evidence—such as the dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls—helps show that Daniel was indeed written during the time the Bible claims.
As we turn to the second chapter of this apocalyptic book, we find ourselves in the courts of ancient Babylon. The great King Nebuchadnezzar has invaded Judah and taken Daniel and his friends captive, with the intention of educating them in the Babylonian system.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
The chapter begins with the king being troubled by a startling dream. He calls for the best and brightest men of His kingdom to reveal to the king both his dream and its interpretation.
These pagan men accurately declared to the king in Daniel 2:10-11: “There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. [11] And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
These men knew that only a divine power could actually reveal the unknown.
In his fury, the king then announced that all the wise men of Babylon should be killed.
The message soon came to Daniel and his friends, Hebrews who worshipped the God of the Bible. Rather than panic, Daniel calmly requested some time so that he could join his friends in prayer, seeking an understanding of the king’s vision.
Daniel’s Prayer
His prayer is recorded in Daniel 2:20-23: “Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: [21] And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: [22] He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. [23] I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.”
God had revealed the king’s dream to Daniel, who is then quickly rushed into the king’s presence. The king eagerly asks Daniel if he is able to reveal the dream to him.
Daniel responds with great wisdom:
Daniel 2:27-28 – “The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; [28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;”
Here, Daniel is giving all the credit to God. He is also showing the difference between the true God of the Bible and all the other false religions which claim to know the truth.
The Dream is Revealed
Daniel now reveals the dream:
Daniel 2:31-35 – “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. [32] This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, [33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. [34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. [35] Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”
At this time, the king is most certainly on the edge of his seat, hanging on Daniel’s every word. Daniel then confidently precedes to reveal the meaning of the dream to the king:
Daniel 2:36-38 – “This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. [37] Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. [38] 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 clearly identifies King Nebuchadnezzar and his mighty kingdom of Babylon as the head of gold represented in this dream. Gold was a fitting symbol for Babylon, as its wealth and greatness were unrivaled in the ancient world.
Greek historian Herodotus notes that “Babylon surpasses in splendor any city in the known world.”
He goes on to describe the outer walls of Babylon to be 320 feet high, 56 miles long, and 80 feet thick – wide enough to race multiple chariots side by side on top of them. Babylon could also boast of the hanging gardens – one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.
However, much to the king’s dismay, his kingdom would not last forever. Daniel 2:39 states, “And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee…”
The history books are clear that, sure enough, Babylon would be overtaken. The Medo-Persian Empire would become the next world power.
Before Medo-Persia would come to power, the Bible identifies this kingdom by name. Daniel 8:20 specifically states, “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.”
The Persian army, led by Cyrus the Great, conquered Babylon in 539 BC.
Silver was a fitting metal for this kingdom, as Medo-Persia was inferior to Babylon, and used silver as a primary mode of currency.
Daniel continues to boldly reveal the dream’s meaning by describing the 3rd metal in Daniel 2:39: “…and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.”
Historians agree that this next kingdom, led by Alexander the Great, is none other than the kingdom of Greece. The Bible, once again, accurately predicted this kingdom by name, centuries before it rose to power. Daniel 8:21 mentions “…the king of Grecia…” as being the king who would conquer Medo-Persia.
Daniel next addresses the legs of iron in Daniel 2:40: “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.”
A more fitting description could not be given for the next kingdom – the powerful Roman Empire. Known for their dominant army and brutal power, Rome has been given the fitting nickname “the Iron Monarchy”.
This Empire, described in the New Testament of the Bible, ruled during the time of Christ. Roman soldiers whipped Jesus with an iron “cat of nine tails”, drove iron nails into His innocent hands, and pierced His side with an iron spear.
So far, God has revealed the rise and fall of 4 powerful world empires. The history books confirm the accuracy of this amazing prophecy.
But Daniel was not finished. He goes on to describe the feet of this great image, and, with incredible detail, reveals their historical significance:
Daniel 2:41-43 – “And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided… [42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. [43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”
History affirms the Bible’s account that Rome was not overtaken by a single dominant empire but was divided up into sections. These sections are what we know today as modern Europe.
Amazingly, Daniel reveals that these nations would not “cleave one to another” – that is, they would never unite into one dominant kingdom. Incredibly, history reveals that even this very detailed part of the prophecy is accurate.
The Bible mentioned that they would “mingle themselves with the seed men” – this intermarriage of royalty was widespread. But, as the Bible predicted, these nations would not cleave.
- Charlemagne tried to unite Europe, and failed.
- Napoleon tried to unite Europe, and failed.
- Hitler, despite controlling the majority of the continent at one point, and being poised to take control, failed to unite Europe.
Europe has never, and will never, be united into one empire.
The Bible’s predictions have always come to pass and will never fail.
This prophecy of Daniel has revealed 2,500 years of earth’s history with striking, pinpoint accuracy.
There is still one part of the prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled. We can be certain that it will come to pass just as surely as the rest of this prophecy.
Speaking of the days of modern Europe which we live in today, Daniel 2:44 exclaims: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
Daniel clearly states the final event of this ground-breaking prophecy. The God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed.