The following questions may have arisen in the minds of the readers; and the answers given may be of general help. [50]

      Q. "Is it certain that the four parts of the Statue Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream, and the four Beasts of Daniel 7 symbolize Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome?"

      Answer--No reasonable doubt can be raised as to that. The Word of God declares that Babylon was the head of gold. "You, O king . . . You are that head of gold." It was not the man Nebuchadnezzar personally that was meant, but his kingdom, the kingdom of Babylon of which he was the representative king. For the next sentence says, "After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth." (Daniel 2:39.)

      The second kingdom, unto which Babylon's world-rule passed is stated to be that of "the Medes and Persians." (Daniel 5:28, 31.)

      This kingdom was succeeded by the world-empire of Greece, as shown in the prophecy of Daniel 8, in which "the ram," symbolizing the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, is overthrown by "the shaggy goat" the king of Greece, Alexander ("the large horn that is between his [the goat's] eyes, is the first king.") (Daniel 8:20, 21.)

      The fourth world-power is not mentioned by name in Daniel; but we meet it in the New Testament (Luke 2:1); and this is the only other universal empire that followed--namely Rome. Each of these four in turn held sway over the land and people of Israel. There have been and can be no other Gentile world-powers than these four. This has been all but universally admitted and recognized.

      Q. "Is it certain that the four beasts of Daniel 7 correspond to the four parts of the Statue and refer to the same thing?"

      Answer--This has been fully discussed in the lesson on chapter seven. (See "The Four Beasts.")

      Q. "Has not Rome passed away? Will there be a future revival of the Roman empire?"

      Answer--As a unified world-government the empire of Rome does not now exist. Constantine, one of its rulers, divided the empire into two main parts--the western, of which the city of Rome was the capital; the eastern, the capital of which was Constantinople. The western empire fell before the rude and hardy invaders from the north during the 5th century; the eastern similarly about 1,000 years later. But that was not the fulfillment of Daniel 2--Note the following facts:

• In the prophecy of Daniel 2 and 7 the fourth world-power is to come to its destruction not by natural causes, but by a supernatural judgment-act of God.
• But insofar as Rome passed away, she passed away in the natural course of events.
• Nor was the fourth world-power (and all the whole fabric of Gentile rule) reduced to dust, and fine debris ("like the chaff of the summer's threshing floor") carried away by the wind so that no trace of it was left (Daniel 2:35).
• The power and territory of Rome fell into the hands of other nations. And these, to a great extent, preserved the laws, customs, forms of government, titles of officials, and even the language of the dismembered empire.
• The fourth world-power has never yet come to its predicted end, nor has it ever fully passed away. It continued to exist in its separate constituent fragments, and does still so exist. Like the third world-power (Greece), though after Alexander's death divided between his four generals into four warring principalities, was still in the prophecy considered as the existing third world-power (Daniel 8:8) until superseded by the fourth, so the Roman power also now survives in her present disrupted state. [55]
• But when the demolishing Rock smites the fourth world-power, the latter will have taken the shape of a ten-kingdom federacy organized under one head. This is already indicated in the toes of the Statue--partly iron, partly miry clay--upon which the rock shall strike. More fully and particularly is this shown in the ten-horned beast, the fourth and last of the beast kingdoms (Daniel 7). This fourth beast of Daniel's prophecy is revealed further most fully in the ten-horned Beast of Revelation 13 (and Revelation 17). Here is the fourth world-power of Daniel seen in its final development, just before the judgment stroke of God falls upon it. That this Beast of Revelation 13 is a world-power, and that it is the anti-Christian world-power of the last days is quite plain. (See Revelation 13:2 and 7.) That it is one of the four of Daniel 7 is also certain for there were not to be five such beast kingdoms; that it is the fourth one of Daniel 7 is also evident. The ten-horned beast in Revelation 13 is seen as the embodiment of all Daniel's four--the lion's mouth, the bear's feet, the leopard's general appearance, but it itself is the fourth, the ten-horned beast.
• Now the fourth world-power has never yet been manifested in this ten-kingdom development. Many efforts have been made by historians and commentators to trace such a ten-fold division of the ancient Roman empire; but the futile and self-contradictory results have shown too plainly that Rome has never consisted of any such ten kingdoms. This development has never taken place, but must and will take place in the future--sooner perhaps than we may expect. There will therefore be such a "revival" of the Roman power; and when it comes the stage will be set for the final judgment act of God.

      Q. "Is that kingdom of Daniel 2:44 the same as that which was announced by John the Baptist, and that which was established on Pentecost?"

      Answer--The kingdom is one; but it has different phases and manifestations. Daniel's prophecies concern the earthly sovereignty of the kingdom, in which respect it is inseparably connected with Daniel's nation and people, the people of Israel. Both Nebuchadnezzar's dream and the prophecy of Daniel 7 have to do with the destruction and abolition of the Gentile world-kingdom, and the establishing in place of it of God's world-wide rule over all the earth.

      Upon the destruction of the Statue, the Rock which smote it fills all the earth.

      And in Daniel 7 the Divine judgment is executed upon the fourth beast, and then the kingdom and the dominion which had been the beast's, the greatness of the kingdom--not up in heaven, but "under the whole heaven," is "given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him." (Daniel 7:27.)

      The outlook here, as in most other Old Testament prophecies, is that of world-rule; and in that sense the "kingdom" has not yet been established on the earth. (Comp. Revelation 11:15.)

      When John the Baptist announced the kingdom as "at hand" the devout Jews had no other conception than that which the prophetic scriptures held out. It is (or should be) needless to say that all that was predicted in the scriptures will be faithfully fulfilled. Whatever other mistakes the Jew may have made--and he made some grievous ones, especially regarding the conditions of receiving the kingdom--he was not mistaken when he took the prophecies at what they said, at their face-value. The kingdom of God according to Old Testament prophecy will be nigh again when the day of fulfillment draws near. (See Luke 21:31.)

      But in Matthew 13 the Lord Jesus, in a series of parables, unfolded the mysteries of the kingdom. Now a "mystery," in the New Testament usage, is a secret hitherto unrevealed. (See how the word is used in Ephesians 3.) Concerning the kingdom there were mysteries which up to that time had not been made known. The Lord Jesus first set out these mysteries in the kingdom-parables of Matthew 13. And in these "mysteries" we see the kingdom as it began on Pentecost, and as it still exists today.

      It will be noticed that the kingdom which God will set up "in the time of those kings," in Daniel 2:44, did not first begin to exist when the great statue was smitten. It had been in existence before that. The kingdom, represented there as the "rock" that was "cut out, but not by human hands" and which struck the statue upon its feet, had existed before it descended in judgment upon the Statue.

      It is not said that the statue was destroyed in order that this kingdom might come into existence, but it is this kingdom that smites and destroys the Statue as its first act, at the time when it is being set up on the earth. This is the act of taking possession, when the beast, and the kings of the earth, who are associated with him, and their armies, shall come to their final and utter destruction; and Christ and His saints shall take over the rule (Revelation 11:15; 19:11-20:6).

      Q. "What kings are those spoken of in Daniel 2:44 ('in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom')? Are they the kings of the four kingdoms signified by the head, arms and breast, belly and thighs, legs and feet of the Statue?" [56]

      Answer--The kings spoken of in Daniel 2:44 could not be the rulers of the four successive world-powers, for those were not contemporary; they must be the kings of the last world-power, in its ten-fold division ("the toes"). The fact that there were to be such a number of kings in the fourth world-power in its last form is seen plainly in the symbolism of the ten horns of the fourth beast. (Daniel 7:24.)

      Q. "To what passage in Daniel did Christ refer when He mentioned 'the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet'?" (Matt. 24:15.)

      Answer--In three places the abomination that causes desolation is spoken of in Daniel:

1. obscurely in 9:27--"on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate," (compare also 8:13, "the transgression that maketh desolate," (ASV) which undoubtedly refers to the same kind of thing).
2. "they will set up the abomination of desolation." Daniel 11:31.
3. in Daniel 12:11, "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days."

      If the Lord had reference to one of these, rather than the others, it is the one in chapter 12:11. All have to do with an "abomination" (an idol) that would be brought in, and set up in the sanctuary of the temple. This will mark the breaking out of the Great Tribulation, and the warning signal for immediate flight for believers in and near Jerusalem.

      Q. "In the prophecy of the 70 weeks (Daniel 9)--(1) does a day stand for a year? (2) What proof that there is a gap between the 69th and the 70th week? (3) Have the things foretold in v. 24 not been fulfilled?"

      Answer--(1) No. The "weeks" spoken of are not weeks of days. The Hebrew word translated "week" is a numeral, signifying simply "a seven," a period of seven; without stating what. It is used most often of a seven of days, of course, because that is the commonest time measure; but the word itself does not indicate what kind of sevens are meant. The context must show that. Now in the context here it is years that are spoken of (see Daniel 9:1f). A "day" never means a "year" in prophecy or anywhere else, unless it be directly so stated.

      (2) The evidence that between the 69th and 70th week there is a gap, lies in the wording of the prophecy itself. The seventy sevens are divided into three sections: seven--sixty-two--one. Why the first seven sevens are mentioned separately we are not told. It has been surmised that they measure the 49 years during which (presumably) the city was rebuilt. But there is no mention of any interval or occurrence between the first seven and the sixty-two sevens. So, so far as indicated in the prediction, the sixty-nine sevens (483 years) run without a break. Then we are told:

      (a.) that after the sixty-ninth week the Anointed One shall be cut off, and shall have nothing;

      (b.) that the people of the "ruler who will come" shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. This was fulfilled about 40 years after the Anointed One (the Christ) was "cut off" And still there is no mention of the last, the 70th, week. Here is evidently an intermission.

      (c.) Finally we are told that "he"--the above mentioned "prince who is to come"--a ruler of the people that had destroyed Jerusalem--shall make a firm covenant with many for one week. This then is the 70th week; and the midst of it marks the beginning of the "time, times, and half a time," the 1260 days, three and a half years, of the great time of trouble.

      Some, trying to show that the 70 weeks are continuous, have made "prince who is to come" to mean Christ. But that interpretation is wholly out of keeping with the facts and with the rest of the prophecy.

      (3) Daniel's prophecy has reference to his people, Israel; and his holy city, Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24). Though Christ's sacrifice has provided all things, and though we today are enjoying the spiritual blessings of Christ, yet relatively to the nation of Israel and their holy city, these six promised things of Daniel 9:24 have not actually been reached. Nor will they be attained by them until the close of that 70th week which will mark the national conversion and restoration of Israel, and the end for ever of "the times of the Gentiles."

      Q. "What is the bearing of Daniel's prophecies upon the events in the world today?"

      Answer--We see in Daniel's prophecy the sketch and outline of future things; of the working of evil forces; of the purpose and methods of God; of the outcome and end of the present world-order. Like all [57] other prophecy, yes, and all scripture, the prophecy of Daniel is many-sided, and inexhaustible in its lessons, and of perpetual application. "When these things begin to take place . . . " said the Lord Jesus to His disciples (Luke 21:28)--clearly then He expected them to observe, and to recognize in the events that were taking place in the world the approaching fulfillment of God's prophetic word. For how many soever the applications and fulfillments in principle, of prophecy, it always has a definite final and complete fulfillment.

      Can we see anything taking shape in the world today, answering to the plan of Daniel's prophecies? Is there anything in the air looking to the formation of a final anti-Christian world-power, a confederacy of nations headed by a man who bears the lineaments of that "little horn" and that "insolent king" described in Daniel's visions? There is surely a curious resemblance between the dictators of our day and the great last world-dictator, the head of the last Gentile world-power. John concluded from the prevalence of the antichrists in his day that the final antichrist was on the way, and that the last hour had come.¹

      Can we infer nothing from what we see? Do the totalitarian governments correspond to the picture of that last form of rule--godless, ruthless and persecuting, as we see it depicted in Daniel 7:7, 21, 25; 8:23-25; 11:36-39; Revelation 13:12-17? If so, it would be safe to conclude that we are at least in the penumbra of those fateful days, and that Christ's saints may look up and lift up their heads for the time of their redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:28.) This is the more immediate bearing of Daniel's prophecy on our time. But that the whole book is replete with great meaning for us, practical lessons, solemn warnings, encouragements and consolations, surely the reader of these studies has perceived. Like many other books of the Bible it points to the glorious final triumph of God, and shows how greatly worth while it is for the stranger and pilgrim of the earth to be true to Him who will come and will not tarry.

[LOD3R 55-59]