Chapter 41

Prophetic History of the World

*** Among the captives taken at Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, who were the most prominent?
“Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.” Dan. 1:6.

*** Who was Nebuchadnezzar?
“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.” Dan. 1:1.

*** What caused sleep to depart from Nebuchadnezzar?
“And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.” Dan. 2:1.

*** When he applied to his magicians for an interpretation of his dream, what did they say?
’The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said. There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter... And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. ” Dan. 2:10, 11.

*** In his anger, what decree did the king make?
“For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.” Dan. 2:12.

*** To avoid suffering the consequences of the decree, what did Daniel do?
“Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.” Dan. 2:16.

*** After he and his three companions had prayed to God about the matter, how was the interpretation made known?
“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.” Dan. 2:19.

*** Afterward, when Daniel was brought in before the king, what question was asked him?
“Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?” Dan. 2:26.

*** What humble and impressive answer did Daniel return?
“There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.” Dan. 1:28.

*** What had the king seen in his dream?
“Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.” Dan. 2:31.

*** Of what were the different parts of the image composed?
“This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.” Dan. 2:32, 33.

*** What did the king see happen to the image?
“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.” Dan. 2:34.

*** What then took place?
“Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors;... and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” Dan. 2:35.

*** Having told the dream, how did Daniel proceed to explain the head of gold?
“Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou are this head of go/d.” Dan. 2:37, 38.

*** What was to be the nature of the next kingdom after Babylon?
“After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” Dan. 2:39, first part.

*** Who was the last Babylonian king?
“In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, bring about threescore and two years old.” Dan. 5:30, 31; see verses 1, 2.

*** To whom was Belshazzar’s kingdom given?
“Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. ” Dan. 5:28.

*** By what symbol is the Medo-Persian empire elsewhere represented?
“The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.” Dan. 8:20.

*** What beast was seen to come against him?
“An he-goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth... And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.” Dan. 8:5-6.

*** What was the result of this contest?
“And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns... Therefore the he-goat waxed very great.” Dan.8:7-8.

*** What did the goat represent?
“And the rough goat is the king of Grecia.” Dan. 8:21.

*** By what is Grecia represented in the image?
“And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.” Dan.2:39.

*** What is said of the fourth kingdom?
“And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.” Dan. 2:40.

*** Where is such a power brought to view?
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” Luke 2:1.

*** What was indicated by the mixture of clay and iron in the feet and toes?
“And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided.” Dan 2:41.

*** What is to take place in the days of these kings?
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44.

*** Can there be any doubt regarding the fulfillment of this prophecy?
“The great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation there of sure.” Dan. 2:45.