SERMON: “Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Part 2” (Dan. 2:40–49)
“Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Part 2”
(Dan. 2:40–49)
Series: “Daniel:
God’s Sovereign Plans” #7 Text: Daniel 2:40–49
By: Shaun
Marksbury Date: July 20, 2025
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: PM Service
I.
Introduction
What does the future of this world look like? There are many theories, even among
Christians. On the one hand, some take a
more optimistic view of history, believing things will continue to get better
until Christ comes. Conversely, others
see history on a more dystopian trajectory, believing that there will be a
rapid decay of both morality and global conditions before the return of
Christ. Of course, we must look to see
what the Bible says.
This evening, as we go over the closing pieces of King
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, we will see just what God has revealed. Last time, we began looking at Daniel revealing
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation.
Daniel said in v. 28 that “there is a God in heaven who reveals
mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in
the latter days.” The Lord also revealed
the information to Daniel, a fact of which the king knows, as Daniel describes
both the dream and its meaning.
In the dream, there was an imposing and frightening
image. Daniel says in vv. 32–33, “The
head of that statue was made of fine
gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” Each of these four sections represent four
kingdoms of human history — Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. That history ends when a great stone —
Christ’s kingdom — strikes the statue, grinding it to powder, and becoming a
majestic mountain.
We only considered the dream through the first three
kingdoms last time. This evening, as we
consider the remaining portion of this passage, we will note three aspects to
it. First, we’ll note the concluding
kingdom(s) of man (vv. 40–43). Second, we’ll
note the coming divine kingdom (vv.
44–45). Third, we’ll note the
current recognition of man (vv. 46–49). As
we consider these, we’ll see just what we should expect in the future.
II.
First, Note the Concluding Kingdom(s) of Man
(vv. 40–43)
Then there will be
a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all
things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these
in pieces. In that you saw the feet and
toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom;
but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron
mixed with common clay. As the toes of
the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will
be strong and part of it will be brittle.
And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine
with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another,
even as iron does not combine with pottery.
The text seems to speed through the first three kingdoms,
slowing down here. These verses all
focus on the fourth and final kingdom.
Of course, as we’ve noted before, critical scholars today believe this
is describing Greece and the fracturing it experienced after Alexander the
Great’s death. However, no one else in
history interpreted it this way, from Josephus to the apocryphal book of 2
Esdras to the early church fathers.[1] That view only came about because some modern
scholars don’t want to believe that Daniel was revealing human history back in
the sixth century; they don’t believe in the God of heaven who reveals
mysteries!
This is actually Rome, which would have been a young, weak,
insignificant village town at this time.
Rome would become more powerful over the centuries, though, slowly
building a military force and winning battles such as the decisive battle of
Carthage in 146 BC. As the MacArthur
Study Bible notes, Rome even employed “armies in iron armor known as the Iron
Legions of Rome.”[2] The weak became strong, and it eventually
conquered all the Grecian Empire in 63 BC.[3]
There’s more than strength attributed to the Roman Empire;
there’s also brutality. As one
commentary notes, “Five terms are utilized in this verse (‘breaks,’ ‘smashes,’
‘breaks to pieces,’ ‘crush,’ ‘break’) to emphasize the tremendous power this
fourth kingdom would exert. Rome ruled
the nations with an iron hand and like a huge iron club shattered all who
resisted its will.”[4] This included the land of Israel, and, of
course, the New Testament opens on a world ruled from Rome.
Again, though you will pick up a few commentaries and run
into modern skeptics who say otherwise, most commentators agree that this
kingdom of iron is Rome. Disagreement
amongst believers comes with the identification of the feet and toes,
though. Some see vv. 41–43 as speaking
of ancient Rome. However, there is
evidence to suggest that this is foretelling of a future empire that arises from
the remnants of the Roman Empire.[5]
The real question is in vv. 44–45. Some see the great stone as representative of
a spiritual kingdom of Christ which began in the first century. It then spread through the world through
gospel proclamation. While there’s an
undeniable link between the gospel and this kingdom, the stone’s actions are
also violent and suggest a termination of human history.[6] It seems wrong to read this as saying that
Christ’s kingdom will exist peaceably along with the kingdom of man until it is
conquered through conversion. We’ll talk
more about that in a few minutes.
Instead of seeing the feet as a part of ancient Rome, we
should see it as a connected yet future kingdom (or set of kingdoms). This is because God gives us a parallel to
this vision in Daniel 7. There, we see four
beast representing the same nations, but with the fourth producing ten horns,
one of which would be a wicked ruler (7:19–20).
There, we read that there would be war with the saints until the Ancient
of Days comes and the saints take possession of the kingdom (vv. 21–22). There’s much more to see in that chapter, but
in short, the two visions seem to describe a division that grows out of Rome
which will last until the return of Christ, which means that this is still
future.
You may wonder, though, how this is possible since it seems
the Roman Empire fell. Historians look
to the deposition of the Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus in AD 476 as a
conventional date of Rome’s “fall,” but that’s not the whole story. The Roman Empire was never truly conquered or
fell, but rather, waned in influence, experienced invasions, and changed over
time.
Just as v. 41 here describes this as “a divided kingdom,” the
Roman Empire fragmented and transformed.
For instance, the Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople lasted for nearly
a millennium more, until the Ottoman Turks conquered it and renamed it Istanbul. In the West, what became the Roman Catholic
Church continued the legacy, with the popes adopting the title of “Pontifex
Maximus” (which was once held by Roman emperors). In AD 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne the
“Emperor of the Romans” and lauded the Roman Empire; this “Holy Roman Empire”
continued in western Europe until the nineteenth century and the Napoleonic
Wars. Much of Europe continued Roman law
and traditions, and its influence, just as its ruins, remains today.
While there’s not a direct line of succession of Roman
Emperors, there are cultural, legal, religious, and political threads of
continuity that connect the Roman Empire to modern Europe. In fact, we’ve even seen some of the
imperialistic tendencies arise from time to time, such as in Nazi Germany. While European nations have a passing
commitment to democracy today, we’ve still seen other authoritarian tendencies
with the suppression of free speech and rights, such as the arrests of citizens
over controversial social media posts. Such
was especially the case during COVID, where freedom of movement and commerce
was only afforded those who received a certified mark known as a vaccine. With globalism still being a driving force in
Western nations, it is not inconceivable that another Roman Empire will one day
arise from the ashes, even electing an autocratic leader as a proverbial
phoenix to handle future crises.
Because the text here doesn’t specifically talk about the
Antichrist, we’ll leave that for another time.
Still, we might wonder about these ten toes or nations here. It’s difficult to say whether Daniel (or the
Lord) intended for us to see this as exactly ten nations, as Daniel has already
used the number ten as a hyperbolic way of describing completion (Daniel 1:20). It may be symbolic of a greater number of
confederated nations, or it may also refer to exactly ten.[7] But it will be a world power that mirrors and
reflects ancient Rome.
However, there is a problem here. Note that the feet are of “miry clay” as the
KJV has. This is iron mixed with clay,
like pottery. That means that, while
there is strength, there is also significant weakness, as well. This isn’t an alloy, like two metals mixed
together; these remain separate materials, though they have the appearance of
connectivity.[8] In other words, this confederation is weak
and vulnerable.[9]
Verse 43 continues the description, noting that “they will
combine with one another in the seed of men.”
The ESV translates this “mix with
one another in marriage.” Intermarriage
of some kind is a possible interpretation here (cf. the language of Ezra 9:2). Genetic manipulation, cloning, and other
scientific endeavors do bear dark possibilities for the future.
However, there is
another possibility here. One
commentator explains that the mingling is the strong with the weak, as in
strong nations and weaker peoples coming together under the Antichrist.[10] Perhaps the global alliance or new world
order will be billed as humanitarian and egalitarian rather than elitist. It may promise to some kind of Marxist
vision, bring in the impoverished nations and lower classes together into one
global community. However, such attempts
at utopia will not endure.
Globalism, with its centralized federal government, will
only create more problems than it solves.
Treaties can be broken,[11] and the “feet” of such endeavors will
prove too weak to keep the kingdom of man standing. The inevitable conclusion is
infighting and fracturing with the union.
The end-times worldwide government will fail.
Its vulnerability is true
of all human attempts. Even the best of
human governments are human at best. And
all of our efforts will eventually bow before the Lord, as we see next.
III.
Second, Note the Coming Divine Kingdom (vv.
44–45)
In the days of
those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be
destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush
and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out
of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the
clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what
will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is
trustworthy.
Daniel now briefly mentions the fifth and final
kingdom. Those who are amillennial or
postmillennial will see this as the church and the progress of the gospel
message. However, the imagery suggests a
complete and violent overthrow of the world’s kingdoms and a termination point
for human history apart from God. This
can only describe the second advent of Christ and His establishment of a
kingdom.
It will come “the days of those kings,” meaning at the time
of the revived Roman Empire. The kings
mentioned here cannot be all the four kingdoms, as Christ did not even come
until the fourth kingdom. Rather, this
is talking about a confederation of kings or kingdoms (rulers or nations) which
will be present in the last days when Christ physically returns to earth (which
seems supported by the vision of the ten horns in Daniel 7). At that time, He will smite the nations as
pottery (Isa. 30:14; Jer. 19:11; Rev. 2:27), and He will set up His physical
kingdom.
At that point, as the LSB translates it, God will “cause a kingdom to rise up.” This will be the coming Isaiah 9:6–7
kingdom:
For a child will be born to us, a
son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His
name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of
Peace. There will be no end to the
increase of His government or of
peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to
uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish
this.
While Christ began to fulfill this in His first advent or
coming, He did not establish His earthly government. We are spiritually made citizens of His
kingdom today, but His kingdom has not yet destroyed the kingdoms of man. That is still yet on the horizon.
Again, Christ’s coming kingdom will be physical. It will “crush and put an end to all these
kingdoms.” It physically interacts with
the kingdoms of the statue, and v. 45 reemphasizes that. And just as it was future to Nebuchadnezzar,
it is still future to us, for we still live in the times of the Gentiles.
This is the kingdom that “will not be left for another
people” (v. 44). Now, while it is not
entirely clear here, this is talking about the restoration of a believing
nation of Israel which Christ will rule over, and that will be a 1,000-year
reign (Rev. 20:1–10). Some counter with what
Christ said in Matthew 21:43–44, where He takes the kingdom away from Israel,
but that was a temporary stripping. Paul
clarifies in Romans 11 that the Jews experience a “partial hardening has
happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (v. 25) and
that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (v. 29). Though they are enemies of the gospel today,
they remain beloved of God (v. 28), and just as He showed mercy to the
Gentiles, He will show mercy to them, as well (vv. 30–32). They will have the kingdom one day, by God’s
electing grace.
After that will come the consummation of the age,[12]
when “He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished
all rule and all authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24). At that point, the kingdom becomes the
eternal kingdom, which “will itself endure forever” (Dan. 2:44). Both of these words would be important for
the Jews in exile to hear!
Meanwhile, Nebuchadnezzar must have been dumbfounded, as he
should.[13] God has revealed this mystery through
Daniel. Let’s see how he responds next.
IV.
Third, Note the Current Recognition of Man (vv.
46–49)
Then King
Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to
present to him an offering and fragrant incense. The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely
your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries,
since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him
many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and
chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel
was at the king’s court.
This momentous revelation causes the king to forget his
dignity. It was unheard of for a king to
bow before a slave,[14] and
yet, that is how upending this moment of prophecy was. He is so amazed by what God has done that was
not even upset that the word wasn’t that his kingdom would last forever.[15]
The king is not only paying homage to Daniel as divine. Rather, he treats Daniel as a representative
of the God of heaven;[16] it
“is likely his way of honoring Daniel’s God.”[17] He presents him with and offering and incense
(or “sweet odors,” NASB footnote).
Daniel likely would have been uncomfortable with all of this, though,
since Daniel made it clear that glory should go to God alone.[18]
Still, the king does acknowledge God and promote Daniel, just
like with Joseph (Gen 41:39–43). He
would be the ruler of the province of Babylon, the central district in the
empire.[19] Moreover, since Daniel had a connection with
the divine that all the other wise men lacked, the king placed Daniel over
them.
Daniel took advantage of this moment to remember his
friends. As such, Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego are placed in key administrative roles, as well (though this will
place them in a key position of temptation in chapter three[20]). Daniel, though, would serve his roles in the
royal court, perhaps where he could be an immediate adviser to Nebuchadnezzar.[21]
Nebuchadnezzar was on the right track, but he was not yet
converted. He was happy to acknowledge
one God above the others, but he was not yet ready to reject the others. In fact, as we’ll see in the next chapter, he
is still willing to associate with the kingdom of man and challenge divine
authority.
The question is whether we will want to challenge the stone
of stumbling. If we do, we will find
ourselves broken along with the rest of humanity one day. On the other hand, if we bow to Christ as the
true King of kings, rejecting other authorities in our lives and submitting
ourselves to Him, then we will find ourselves as part of that kingdom that He
is already building.
V.
Conclusion
Throughout this chapter, we have seen the sovereignty of God
over the affairs of man. That means that
God already rules, and He dictates our affairs.
He controls history, and He has declared the future. We must bow to what He has declared in His
Word and draw hope from His gospel promises.
Let’s be faithful until He calls us home, or until that day He calls
history to a close.
[1] Stephen R. Miller, Daniel,
The New American Commentary, (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers,
1994), 18:96.
[2] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1230.
[3] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures,
1985, 1, 1335.
[4] Miller, 18:95.
[5] Ibid., 18:97.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid., 18:99.
[8] Pentecost, 1335.
[9] MacArthur, 1230.
[10] Leon J. Wood. A
Commentary on Daniel (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1973), 71.
[11] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be
Resolute, “Be” Commentary Series, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2000), 32.
[12] Paul P. Enns, The
Moody Handbook of Theology, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1989), 70.
[13] Wiersbe, 33–34.
[14] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Da 2:46.
[15] Matthew Henry, Matthew
Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume,
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1433.
[16] Miller, 18:103.
[17] Barry, et. al., Da 2:46.
[18] Miller, 18:103.
[19] Barry, et. al., Da 2:48.
[20] Ibid., Da 2:49.
[21] Pentecost, 1337.
