Topics Research

Question

How does historicism read Daniel 2, and what is the textual basis for identifying the four kingdoms as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome?

Topics

BABYLON

City of: Built by Nimrod (GEN 10:10); in the land of Shinar (GEN 10:10; 11:2); capital of the kingdom (DAN 4:30; 2KI 25:13); gates (ISA 45:1,2; JER 51:58); splendor (ISA 14:4); Peter writes from (1PE 5:13).

Empire: Founded by Nimrod (GEN 10:10); extent at time of Nebuchadnezzar (DAN 2:37,38; 4:1; 6:1); at time of Ahasuerus (EST 1:1; 8:9; 9:30). Government: limited monarchy (EST 1:13-19; 8:8; DAN 6:8,14,17); tyrannical (EST 3:7-15; DAN 3).

Prophecies concerning: PSA 87:4; 137:8,9; ISA 13; 14:4-26; 21:1-10; 46:1,2; 47; JER 21:4-10; 25:12-14; 50; 51; DAN 2:21-38; 4:10-26; 5:25-29; 7; HAB 1:5-11; ZEC 2:7-9.

Figurative Babylon: REV 14:8; 16:19; 17; 18.

PERSIA

Empire extending from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces (EST 1:1; DAN 6:1). Government restricted by constitutional limitations (EST 8:8; DAN 6:8-12).

Rulers: Darius (DAN 5:31; 6; 9:1); Artaxerxes (EZR 4:7-24; 7; NEH 2; 5:14); Cyrus (2CH 36:22,23; EZR 1; ISA 41:2,3; 44:28; 45:1-4,13).

Prophecies concerning: ISA 13:17; 21:1-10; JER 49:34-39; 51:11-64; EZK 32:24,25; 38:5; DAN 2:31-45; 5:28; 7; 8; 11:1-4.

ROMAN EMPIRE

Rulers: Augustus Caesar (LUK 2:1); Tiberius Caesar (LUK 3:1); Claudius Caesar (ACT 18:2); Nero (PHP 4:22).

Citizenship: By birth (ACT 22:28); by purchase (ACT 22:28). Rights of citizens (ACT 16:37; 22:25-29). Right of trial (ACT 25:16). Right of appeal (ACT 25:10,21).

Note: The Nave's entry for ROMAN EMPIRE is notably brief compared to BABYLON and PERSIA, yet the NT canonically confirms Rome's ruling status through multiple Gospel references.

DANIEL

Jewish captive, also called Belteshazzar. Educated at king's court (DAN 1). Interprets visions (DAN 2; 4; 5). Promotion and executive authority (DAN 2:48,49; 5:11,29; 6:2). Prophecies (DAN 4:8,9; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; MAT 24:15). Wisdom (DAN 1:17; EZK 28:3). Devoutness (DAN 2:18; 6; 9; 10; 12; EZK 14:14).

IRON

Articles made of: Rods for scourging (PSA 2:9; REV 2:27; 12:5; 19:15); idols (DAN 2:33; 5:4,23); yokes (DEU 28:48; JER 28:13,14); furnace (DEU 4:20; 1KI 8:51; JER 11:4).

Figurative: 2SA 23:7; JER 15:12; 1TI 4:2.

Key connection: The iron rod of Ps 2:9 reappears in Rev 2:27; 12:5; 19:15, while the iron of Dan 2:33 (legs) reappears as iron teeth in Dan 7:7,19 -- creating a vocabulary chain across Daniel and into Revelation.

STONES

Figurative: Of temptation / "Stone of Stumbling" (ISA 8:14; ROM 9:33; 1PE 2:8); of Christ "a Tested Stone" (ISA 28:16); rejected cornerstone (PSA 118:22; MAT 21:42-44; MRK 12:10; LUK 20:17,18; ACT 4:11; 1PE 2:4); true foundation (ISA 28:16; MAT 16:18; 1CO 3:11; EPH 2:20; REV 21:14); water of life (1CO 10:4); impenitent heart (EZK 36:26); white stone (REV 2:17).

Symbolical: Of the kingdom of Christ (DAN 2:34,45).

Key: Nave's explicitly classifies DAN 2:34,45 as "SYMBOLICAL -- Of the kingdom of Christ."

CLAY

Man formed from (JOB 33:6); used by potter (ISA 29:16; 41:25; 45:9). Figurative: JOB 4:19; PSA 40:2; ISA 45:9; 64:8; JER 18:6; ROM 9:21. Symbolical: DAN 2:33-41.

GOLD

Symbolical: DAN 2:32-45; REV 21:18,21. Figurative: ECC 12:6; JER 51:7; LAM 4:1; 1CO 3:12.

MYSTERIES

Of Redemption: DEU 29:29; JOB 15:8; PSA 25:14; PRO 3:32; AMO 3:7; MAT 11:25; 13:11,35; MRK 4:11; LUK 8:10; JHN 3:8-12; ROM 16:25,26; 1CO 2:7-10; 2CO 3:12-18; EPH 1:9,10; 3:3-5,9,18,19; 6:19; COL 1:25-27; 2:2; 4:3,4; 2TH 2:7; 1TI 3:9,16; HEB 5:11; 1PE 1:10-12; REV 10:7.

Key chain: Dan 2:28 raz (H7328, Aramaic secret/mystery) -> LXX mysterion (G3466) -> NT apokalypsis (G602). The vocabulary trajectory runs from Daniel through Paul to Revelation.

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Parables: Sower (MAT 13:24-30); mustard seed (MAT 13:31,32); leaven (MAT 13:33); treasure (MAT 13:44); pearl (MAT 13:45); net (MAT 13:47-50); king's reckoning (MAT 18:23-35); householder (MAT 20:1-16); marriage feast (MAT 22:2-14); ten virgins (MAT 25:1-13); talents (MAT 25:14-30; LUK 19:12-27).

"My kingdom is not of this world" (JHN 18:36). Does not consist of meat and drink (ROM 14:17).

KING

Called KING OF KINGS (EZR 7:12; EZK 26:7; DAN 2:37). Divinely authorized (DEU 17:15; 1SA 9:16,17; 16:12; 1CH 22:10; 2CH 2:11,12; PRO 8:15; DAN 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; HOS 8:4; 13:11).

Key: DAN 2:21 and 4:17 establish that God removes kings and sets up kings -- the sovereignty framework for the four-kingdom sequence.

ANCIENT OF DAYS

An appellative of Jehovah (DAN 7:9,13,22).

Appears only in Daniel 7, in the judgment scene where the fourth beast is judged. The chiastic pair (Dan 2 / Dan 7) means the stone's action in Dan 2 corresponds to the Ancient of Days' judgment in Dan 7.

PROPHECY

Inspired (ISA 28:22; LUK 1:70; 2TI 3:16; 2PE 1:21). Sure fulfillment (EZK 12:22-25,28; HAB 2:3; MAT 5:18; 24:35; ACT 13:27,29).

OT Messianic passages quoted in NT include: PSA 118:22,23 with MAT 21:42 (rejected cornerstone); ISA 9:7 with DAN 7:14,27 with LUK 1:32,33 (everlasting kingdom); ISA 28:16 with ROM 9:33; 1PE 2:6 (foundation stone).

Related Topics Discovered

SECRET (Nave's)

DEU 29:29; 1SA 16:7; DAN 2:28,47; AMO 3:7. Connects to the raz/mysterion chain -- God reveals secrets to his prophets.

SILVER / BRASS

Silver: PRO 17:3; 25:4; ZEC 13:9; MAL 3:3; EZK 22:18-22. Brass: DEU 8:9; 1CH 22:14; EZK 22:20; DAN 2:32,39. Both metals in Daniel 2's image, representing the second and third kingdoms.