Daniel 2 and the second coming of Christ

I want to have a look at Daniel 2 to see if there is agreement about
this, or what points are contended. I would be interested to see what
others think of the following interpretation:

In the vision of Daniel 2 there is an image made of metal, a head of
gold, arms of silver, chest of bronze, thighs of brass, legs of iron,
feet of iron and clay, then a stone comes and smashes it to pieces and
this fills the whole earth.

We are told that the head of gold is Babylon and that another kingdom
would come after which was inferior.
We are also told that the kingdom of iron and clay would be a divided
kingdom.
The stone kingdom is identified as the Kingdom of God.

So far so good, we know that after Babylon the Mede and Persians
overthrew them, followed by Greece then Rome.
The Medes and Persians and the Greeks are specifically mentioned in
Daniel 8 confirming this interpretation.

So we have:

Gold = Babylon
Silver = Medo-Persia
Bronze = Greece
Iron = Rome
Europe = Iron and Clay
Stone = God's Kingdom

The main alternative theory to this is the preterist interpretation
which says the stone kingdom started at the birth of the Christian
church.
The problem with this is that the Stone smashes the feet of Iron and
Clay so it occurs after the Roman Empire had finished.

While it is true that the stone is a symbol of Christ, there are two
aspects to Christ's work, those who fall and are broken on the stone
will be saved, but those on whom it falls will be crushed Matt 21:44 /
Luke 20:18. It's this second aspect that is emphasised in the stone
kingdom of Dan 2.
So although it's true that the Christian church was born at the death
of Christ, this vision focuses on the second coming of Christ which
brings earthly empires to an end and pulverises them to nothing.
Isaiah 8:14-15; Dan 2:34-35, 44-45 all point to the destruction of
those who reject God. Perhaps this recalls the picture of Christ's
return when all the nations will mourn Rev 1:7.

In terms of the symbols, gold was common in the time of Babylon and was
used extensively in their temples as noted by the historian Herodotus.
The Medes and Persians were culturally inferior to Babylon and adopted
much of their civilization. Later the Persians conquered the Medes and
so became the main power. Silver was used by the Persians in the
taxation system, and was the common standard of money rather than gold.
Bronze was the principle means of exchange among the Greeks according
to Ezekiel 27:13. The Greek army used bronze in their armour, helmets,
shields and even weapons.
An Egyptian pharaoh who wanted to avenge himself against the Persian
was told in an oracle, "revenge would come from the sea in the hands
of the men of bronze."
This answer was regarded with scepticism until some shipwrecked Greek
armies in their bronze armour arrived on the Egyptian shores. So the
king allied himself with the Greeks.
The Roman army used iron swords, shields, armour, helmets, and in
particular an iron spear "pilum" that could serve as a javelin.
The iron symbolised its strength, Rome crushed and smashed other
nations.
Its highly organised system of politics helped it administer regions
that were far away from Rome. This led to the Roman Pax Romana, and
those who resisted Rome were cruelly crushed such as the Gauls.
The feet of Iron and Clay is not a new kingdom as it contains iron, but
represents a diluted form of the Roman power. Since the fall of Rome
there has not been a similar unity in the world, although many
dictators have tried to conquer the world and failed.
The world is not a mixture of strong and weak nations.
Clay is related to the potters clay of Isaiah 64:8. The potter is God
and we are the clay, and so clay carries a religious significance.
So a new power took over after the fall of Rome, a religious power -
Christianity.
This corrupt form of Christianity gained power after the fall of Rome
and became a political power.
In this age there are many kings rather than one king, they try to be
united but repeatedly fail. The EU, NATO, New World Order are all
attempts to unite the world, but finally all human kingdoms will be
broken by the coming of Christ.
As for the stone kingdom, whereas metals were used in idols, stone was
used to build the temple. This stone is not of human origin and becomes
a mountain which is a symbol of a kingdom, the mountain of Zion (Psalm
48:2). God is a rock in which we can take refuge but means destruction
for the wicked on whom it falls.
This stone smashes human kingdoms and is itself eternal.
This message tells us that Christ is going to return soon. He is the
rock that smashes the feet bringing an end to human kingdoms.

God Bless

Marc
.

Relevant Pages

  • around casual mathematical stroke
    ... "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to ... and the wind carried them away; but this stone that smote ... But after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, ...
    (sci.crypt)
  • Re: Using two one-way-functions => no one-way-function anymore
    ... Thus thou sawest till that a stone was cut ... and of clay, ... "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to ... But after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, ...
    (sci.crypt)
  • between his rational gesture
    ... "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to ... and the wind carried them away; but this stone that smote ... But after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, ...
    (sci.crypt)
  • by suspicious distant mayor
    ... part of iron and part of clay. ... Thus thou sawest till that a stone was cut ... and of clay, ... But after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, ...
    (sci.crypt)
  • Re: Daniel 2 and the second coming of Christ
    ... gold, arms of silver, chest of bronze, thighs of brass, legs of iron, ... We are told that the head of gold is Babylon and that another kingdom ... We are also told that the kingdom of iron and clay would be a divided ... The stone kingdom is identified as the Kingdom of God. ...
    (uk.religion.christian)
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