THE VISION OF THE GREAT IMAGE

It is written in Dan 2:31-45” Thou, O king, saw, 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…and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth…Thou o king…art this head of gold. 39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron… 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron…the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken…they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another… 44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom…shall consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 …God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

The scriptures above were written by Daniel about a year after he was taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (Dan 2:1). This was a year after Jehoiakim, king of Judah rejected God and burnt the scrolls (Jer 36). Nebuchadnezzar had had a dream of which he sought interpretation from all the wise men of Babylon. No man could tell him his dream nor the interpretation. So he sought to kill all the wise men in the land for they could not tell him his dream and its meaning. Daniel was among the wise in the king’s palace in those days and he sought the interpretation of the dream from God. The scripture above was God’s answer given to Daniel for the king to save the lives of Daniel and his companions. What was the dream about? The dream was a revelation from God to Nebuchadnezzar concerning the events that shall come to pass from his days as king of Babylon (606-535 B.C.) to the millennial reign of Christ and His saints at His Second coming (Dan 2:38-45, Isa 66:22-24, 1 Corinth 15:24-28, Rev 21-22). So then, this is another vision concerning what shall be in the time of the end. Is it not amazing that all things that shall be are written in the Word of God so that men are without excuse? And that it takes the wise to search it out? But yet the people of God do not know. Even the prophets prophesy unto them lies saying “peace, peace” when there is no peace.

The great image of the dream which comprised of 5 different materials (gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay) represents 5 great world empires. These are: Babylon (Iraq), Medo-Persia (Iran), Greece, Rome, and Revised Rome which will be made up of 10 kingdoms in the days immediately preceding the second coming of Christ (Dan 2:44-45, 7:23-24, Rev 17:12-17). The sure interpretation of the dream is as follows:

1. The head of gold (Dan 2:32, 35, 38). The head of gold of the great image represents the first of 5 kingdoms in the vision. It represents Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom (Dan 2:37-38, Jer 15:4, 24:9, 25:1-12, 29:18). The 5 kingdoms mentioned in the vision succeeded each other as the time came for them to fulfill God’s plan for the earth, and each in turn was absorbed into the succeeding kingdom. Babylon conquered Israel and many nations on the earth in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, about 616-606 B.C., and continued in power for 70 years. (Dan 9:2, Jer 25). Nebuchadnezzar reigned 43 years and was succeeded by Evil-Merodach (2 Ki 25:27, Jer 52:31), and Nabonidus and Belshazzar who reigned jointly until Babylon was overthrown (Dan 5).

2. The breast and arms of silver (Dan 2:32, 35, 39). This part of the image symbolizes the Medo-Persian Empire which succeeded Babylon at the end of the 70 years’ captivity of the Jews. The two arms of silver symbolize the two nations making up the dual kingdom, the Medes and the Persians (now Iran). This kingdom was inferior to the Babylonian Empire as silver is to gold. It was not inferior in power for it overthrew Babylon, but in form of government, wealth, luxury, and glory (Isa 13:19). In Babylon, the king was the absolute power (Dan 5:19), but in Medo-Persia the law was superior to the king who could not alter a law even for the best good of his subjects (Dan 6:1-14). Similarly in the 3 rd and 4 th kingdoms that followed Medo-Persia, the forms of government were inferior as well as their wealth and glory. The Medo-Persia Empire continued until Alexander the Great who founded the old Grecian Empire in 334 B.C.

3. The belly and the thighs of brass (Dan 2:32, 35, 39). This part of the great image symbolizes the 3 rd Empire after Babylon. This is the Grecian Empire under Alexander the Great. This Empire became the greatest in territory of all the first three kingdoms. Alexander started from Greece and Macedon and conquered all the territories of the first two kingdoms ( Babylon and Medo-Persia), and even some parts of India. The Grecian Empire began to decay with the death of Alexander. His vast territory was divided into four parts. We shall write to you concerning these divisions in the days to come.

4. The legs of Iron (Dan 2:33-35, 40). This part of the image symbolizes the old Roman Empire which followed Greece in the domination of the world. This kingdom was to be stronger than all the preceding kingdoms as iron is stronger than gold, silver, and brass. This is the fourth kingdom to dominate the world as understood from the book of Daniel. The two legs of iron represent the eastern and western divisions of the old Roman Empire. The western division was governed from Rome and the eastern division from Constantinople. After this kingdom, there will yet be two more kingdoms which will reign over the world before the second coming of the Lord to set up the kingdom of God on the earth forever.

5. The feet and toes of iron and clay (Dan 2:33-35, 44). This part of the image is yet future from today. It represents the future revised Roman Empire which will consist of 10 kingdoms ruled by 10 kings. We shall write to you in the days to come concerning these kingdoms, their kings, and what shall be of them. This last part of the image is the last empire that will rule the world immediately before the second coming of Christ. This also is the Empire that will rule the world during the days of the tribulation. This last part of the image was to be destroyed by the stone from heaven. This Empire also known as Revised Roman Empire is to be a divided kingdom, partly strong and partly weak, as symbolized by the two materials of the feet and toes. They are to be a conglomerate of 10 kingdoms to be ruled by 10 kings during the first 31/2 years of Daniel 70 th week until the rise of the Antichrist when all the 10 kings shall give their power to him (the beast) during the last 31/2 years (in the great tribulation) to rule the world (Dan 2:44-45, 7:7-14, 17-25, Rev 13:1-18, 17:8-17, 2 Thess 2:1-12). These 10 kingdoms represented by the ten toes will exist in the days before the second coming of Christ and will be destroyed at His coming (Rev 17:8-17, 19:11-21).

6. The stone that smote the image (Dan 2:34-35, 44-45). This stone symbolizes the kingdom of heaven headed by our Lord Jesus Christ who will, at His second coming destroy the kingdoms of this world (Dan 2:35, 44-45, 7:13-27, Matt 24:29-31, 25:31-46, Zech 14:1-21, 2 Thess 1:7-11, 2:4-8, Jude 14, Rev 11:15, 19:11-20:7). Is it not written that our Lord Jesus Christ is “the stone” as in Isa 28:16-17, Psa 118:22, Matt 21:44, Eph 2:19-22, and 1 Pet 2:6-8? The phrase “without hands” is an expression emphasizing the absence of all human instrumentality and effort, and the act of God alone (Dan 2:45, 8:25, Job 34:20, Lam 4:6). This kingdom of Christ, represented by the stone which became a great mountain that filled the whole earth, will stand forever, even forever and ever. It is the millennial kingdom of heaven ruled by Christ and His saints.

Now, why is this dream so important? Because it reveals all the kingdoms of this world from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to the time Christ comes to set up His millennial kingdom in the earth. Of all these kingdoms, only the Revised Roman Empire, a consortium of ten kingdoms, is yet to form. This kingdom shall form shortly and shall continue a short space before giving all her powers to the Antichrist (Rev 17:8-17). This would be the last kingdom to rule the world after which the kingdom of God shall be established on the earth and shall remain forever, never to be removed. This kingdom is not the European Union (the EU) as some men may say. It is not the United States either. On the contrary, the United States is currently been used by God to prepare the way for these ten kings who shall rise shortly. We testify of what we have heard from the Lord and what He has revealed to us from His word. That which is concealed shall be revealed in its time. A word is enough for the wise.

Brethren, the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer for the coming of the Lord is at the doors. Witness to others around you. Tell them about the Lord’s coming and the need to be steadfast and holy in all things. Work for the Lord now while there is still time and store up rewards in Heaven where moth and rust does not destroy. Be filled with the knowledge of His will for the present times and seasons so you can remain steadfast unto the end. Behold, the Lord cometh to do a strange thing in the land; the whirlwind of the Lord goes forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind; it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he has done it; until he has performed the intents of his heart. And for those who do not believe the words of our testimony now, in the latter days you shall fully consider them. Now, you, strive not to be amongst them. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.