In Daniel 2, we read of a dream King Nebuchadnezzar had. The dream, as God revealed to Daniel, was of a great image "whose splendor was excellent…and its form was awesome" (verse 31). Daniel goes on to describe this image, which had a head of fine gold, chest and arms of silver, the belly and thigh of bronze and then the legs of iron, but with the feet of a mixture of iron and miry clay. This mixture has a fundamental flaw, being partly strong and partly weak.

Daniel then gives the interpretation. He explains in verses 38 and 39 that Nebuchadnezzar had seen a depiction of four mighty, world-dominating empires that would succeed the one then existing. The head of gold symbolized Nebuchadnezzar, as he represented the great empire of Babylon. It was a fabulously wealthy empire, militarily, politically, and economically irresistible. But it was succeeded in 538 BCE by the Medo-Persian Empire, not as wealthy, but still with the same nature-aggressive, ruthless, dominating.

The belly and thighs of brass represented the third empire under Alexander the Great. Alexander united the Greek states and went on to conquer Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt. He then invaded northern India and almost made it to the Ganges-a colossal military feat!

Verse 40 describes the fourth empire. All of these empires were manifestations of the same spirit and attitude and within a similar structure in the same area of land-that of Europe and the Middle East. This fourth empire was characterized by iron, symbolic of the Roman Empire, with the focus now in Europe. Again, it was to be powerful militarily, politically and financially.

It is interesting to note in verse 42 that the toes were unlike the legs in that they had the strength of iron, but the weakness of clay. At the same time, these toes do exactly what our human toes do. They give support and power to the whole. In verse 44, God refers to the toes as kings. These 10 kings-or authorities or nation states-combine and work together to give that power to the rest of the structure. At the time those 10 powers come together, God says He will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Obviously, this has not yet occurred.

So what do we see? What is it we can know concerning the image-these four world-dominating powers? They are empires, a grouping, or perhaps a federation of nation states under one central government. They are empires that will be powerful, wealthy and politically and militarily unmatched by any other. We can know from history that their predecessors have had an aggressive, intolerant and domineering attitude. We also know that some form of the fourth empire will be in existence at the time of Jesus Christ's return to set up His Kingdom that will stand-forever. WNP