Verse 37 – The God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom –

• This historic example is not sufficient for building a doctrine that says all kings are placed on their throne by God.

  • There are other historic examples also (Ezra 1:2). From the interpretation of this dream, certain empires can be declared as "God ordained," but it cannot be logically deduced that all kings and world leaders are determined by God.

    
    

• Verse 38 –

  • Wheresoever the children of men dwell –

    • As prophesied by Jeremiah(44) and Ezekiel(29-30), Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt, the last remaining non-Babylonian civilization.

    • While Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom was not worldwide, it covered all the major civilizations, and the minor ones were necessarily obedient to his whims.

      
      

  • He hath made thee ruler over all - Nebuchadnezzar was taking the dominion role of Adam.

    
    

• Verse 39- another kingdom - Note that another kingdom will come, but it will be part of the same image. Nebuchadnezzar's headship over the time of the gentiles is established, though his actual empire would be wrapped into another.

• Verse 41 - The final earthly kingdom shall be divided. This division, along with the introduction of a weaker element, will bring weakness to the image of Nebuchadnezzar.

• Verse 43 –

  • they shall mingle –

    
    

• This is a some what mysterious statement. It is their on and the miry clay that shall mingle themselves.

• In my estimation, this prophesies that the gentile reign will be a mixture of strength and weakness that is commingled together in every corner of human society. There will not be a place where one could go that will not have both elements within the community.

  • they shall not cleave... -

    
    

• These words describe our day perhaps more than any other time in history.

• There is a rift in society that is virtually worldwide and can be summarized by the two parts of the last-days Roman empire: the iron of control, or the clay that can be both mold-able and brittle.

THE DREAM BROUGHT TO CONCLUSION | 2:44-45

• Verse 44 –

  • Later in the book we will discern 10 Kings. At this point, these kings can only be seen as the two parts of the Kingdom.

  • It is interesting that the phrase God of heaven only occurs when gentiles are strong in the context of the passage, and almost all the occurrences are within the exile.

    • It was said to Nebuchadnezzar (v. 37) that the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom.

      
      

  • The proceeding kingdoms of the statue are, no doubt, providentially setup by God, but not specifically mentioned.

    
    

• Here it is specifically said that the God of heaven setup a kingdom once again. Therefore, we have one kingdom set up directly by God in the age of the gentiles, and one kingdom which will be set up in the future.

• God has given express word of His own establishment of the first and the fifth kingdoms. He has given a character testimony of the fourth kingdom, and the second and third kingdoms are simply mentioned.

  • This is the clearest passage of all the Bible to develop the foundation of "Kingdom of God" theology. If your kingdom theology does not align with the basics of this passage, you need a new kingdom theology.

  • Here's what rides on your Kingdom theology-

    
    

• Your views on charismatic theology(speaking in tongues, gifts of healing, miracle workers, etc).

  • Your views on Lordship salvation.

  • Your view of "socialjustice."

  • Your views on the church and Israel.

  • Your views on eternal security.

  • Your views on prayer.

  • Your views on the role of the church in society.

  • Your economic views(socialism/capitalism).

    
    

• The word translated set up is used 35 times in the Bible, and its basic meaning is "to stand."

• A literal translation here could be, God stood up a kingdom.

  • The same word is used at the end of the verse when Daniel says it shall stand forever.

    
    

• A study of the 35 times the word is used proves that it does not allow for a gradual, growing, partial kingdom, but rather is a word that means established. We might say, God of heaven founded a kingdom.

  • Shall never be destroyed - The testimony that the kingdom shall never be destroyed is repeated in Daniel 4:23, 6:26, and 7:14. The word means that the kingdom cannot be injured or damaged in any way. See Daniel 6:22 where the word is translated hurt. Those who have an "already/not yet" view of the kingdom must reconcile their view with this reality.

    
    

• Verse 45

  • cut out of the mountain –

    
    

• A kingdom theology that allows for" building the kingdom" does not align with this passage (nor any other).

• The kingdom is established, in Darby's words," by means of a judicial and destructive act." Darby continues, “It does not act by a moral influence that changes the character of the object on which it acts. It destroys that object by force. It is God who establishes it and gives it that force. The stone does not gradually increase in size to displace the image. Before it extends itself, it destroys the image. When it has become great—it is not merely a right given by God over men, it fills the whole earth—it is the exalted seat of a universal authority. (Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible: Ezra to Malachi.)

• What shall come to pass - The book of Daniel is a summary of the reign of the Gentile kings,and this reign is certain and is made clear in Daniel's dream. The rest of the book is built on this dream, and the entire course of human history from Daniel until the Messianic Kingdom is a fulfillment of the dream.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S RESPONSE | 2:46-49

• Verse 47 –

  • The orthodox belief stated by Nebuchadnezzar should not be taken as a "profession of faith" that would be seen in the church age.

  • Compare the similar and stronger testimony in Daniel 4:34-37.

  • The reason people make assumptions about Nebuchadnezzar's salvation is because they equate belief in God and repentance with salvation. However, God's gift of personal salvation was not in view in this Scripture (nor in any Old Testament passage).

  • Verse 48 - Verses 48-49 could be a postscript, and did not likely happen at the time of the interpretation of the dream (since the three year period of training was not completed).