Lesson 2- Daniel’s First Prophecy
LOOK FOR THESE POINTS
•Daniel sentenced to death.
• When astrology failed.
• Why the human race can never destroy itself.
• Seven words that have stopped the world uniting.
Soon after Daniel's appointment to the royal staff, strife broke out
in the
palace. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, which seemed to contain
evil
omens. He called anxiously for his magicians, astrologers,
sorcerers,
and Chaldeans (scholar-priests) to explain the dream to him. "Tell
your
servants the dream and we will show the interpretation," replied
the wise
men.
Lesson 2 – Daniels First Prophecy
But the king had either forgotten his
dream or wanted to test these "prophets".
"Tell me what I saw in the dream and give
me the meaning," he demanded. The
astrologers were stunned. "Impossible!"
"Unreasonable!" they protested. "Let the
king tell his servants the dream, and we King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream
will give its interpretation."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
A. DANIEL IN TROUBLE
QUESTION 1 (Daniel 2:1-9, page 856)
His anger rising, what threat did Nebuchadnezzar make?
If you do not make known the dream to me, and its ____________,
you shall be ___________. (Verse 5)
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
QUESTION 2 (Daniel 2:10,11, page 856)
What admission did the frightened magicians make about their inability
to reveal the unknown?
“ There is not a __________ on ___________ who can tell the king's
matter." (Verse 10)
Only the gods could do this! (Verse 11)
QUESTION 3 (Daniel 2:12,13)
Nebuchadnezzar was furious! The Babylonian
wise men claimed to have supernatural
insights into the unknown, and
they had failed him. What decree did he
issue?
For answer choose: (a), (b), or (c)
(a) A death decree upon all the wise Daniel and his friends prayed
men of Babylon earnestly to God for help
(b) A decree to implore special help from his god,
Marduk
(c) A decree to destroy all his advisers except Daniel
The Daniel Seminar
B. DANIEL'S LIFE IN THE BALANCE
QUESTION 4 (Daniel 2:13-16)
When Daniel learned that his life and the lives of all the wise men
were in peril, he went straight to the king. What request did he put
before him? (Verse 16)
ANSWER: __________________________________________
QUESTION 5 (Daniel 2:17-18)
On returning to his house after his encounter with
Nebuchadnezzar,
what did Daniel do in an attempt to avert execution? For answer
circle: (a), (b), (c), or (d)
(a) Tried to think of a plan to escape from the city
(b) Blamed God for the trouble he and his friends were in
(c) Suffered a nervous breakdown
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
QUESTION 6 (Daniel 2:19, page 856)
There was only one hope for Daniel and the wise men of Babylon.
Their lives depended upon an answer to prayer. How did God
answer the prayers of the four Hebrews? "Then the secret was
revealed to Daniel in a night
_____________." (Verse 19)
This vision saved not only Daniel and his companions from death,
but all
the wise men of Babylon as well. Notice Daniel’s thanks and
praise to God. Also notice Daniel’s recognition that God rules in
the affairs of people and nations. (Verses 20-23)
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
C. THE KING'S DREAM
QUESTION 7 (Daniel 2:24-31)
So Daniel now knew the secret of
Nebuchadnezzar's dream. When brought
before
the king again, who did Daniel tell him was
the author of the dream? What
was the dream's purpose?
"But there is a ______________
who reveals secrets and has made known
to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in
the __________ ." (Verse 28)
Notice that the king's dream was a
prophecy - something to do with the "last
days".
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
WHAT HAD THE KING SEEN?
"YOU, O KING, WERE WATCHING, AND BEHOLD A GREAT
IMAGE!" (Verse 31)
Nebuchadnezzar had seen a huge man-like image composed of various
metals, with head, body, arms, legs, and feet. The dream ended with a
stone hurtling through space and smashing the image. Its fragments
were blown away like chaff in the wind. The stone became a great mountain,
which filled the whole earth.
QUESTION 8 (Daniel 2:31-35, page 857)
After reading these verses, can you name the various metals of the image
HEAD
CHEST AND ARMS
BELLY AND THIGHS
LEGS
FEET
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D. DANIEL INTERPRETS THE IMAGE
QUESTION 9 (Daniel 2:36-38)
a) Who was represented by the gold head? (verse 37)
ANSWER: King _______________
b) Over which empire was he ruler? (Daniel
1:1)
ANSWER: ____________________
So the head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar’s
kingdom, Babylon (605-538 BC).
QUESTION 10 (Read carefully Daniel 2:39,40)
Now notice the other parts of the image.
THE CHEST AND ARMS OF SILVER
THE BELLY AND THIGHS OF BRONZE
THE LEGS OF IRON
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that these
three metals represented three major kingdoms
that would follow Babylon. According
to history, which three kingdoms were they?
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
THE SILVER: MEDO-PERSIA Conquered Babylon by 538 BC
THE BRONZE: GREECE Defeated Medo-Persia by 331 BC
THE IRON: R OME Overcame Greece by 168 BC
The four metals, then, represented:
BABYLON MEDO-PERSIA GREECE ROME
SCAN EXIBIT 1: Page 12
Write the names of the metals in the left column and the names of the
kingdoms they represent in the right column.
E. THE FEET OF THE IMAGE
QUESTION 11 (Daniel 2:33; 41-43, page 857)
Next look at the feet. Of what odd mixture were the feet and toes made up?
“ Partly of _______ and partly of _______ .” (Verse 33)
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
E. THE FEET OF THE IMAGE
QUESTION 11 (Daniel 2:33; 41-43, page 857)
Next look at the feet. Of what odd mixture were the feet and toes made up?
“ Partly of _______ and partly of _______ .” (Verse 33)
What did Daniel say the mixture of iron and clay meant?
"The kingdom shall be ___________ ." (Verse 41)
The feet of iron and clay pointed forward nearly 1,000 years from Daniel’s
time to the break up of the Roman Empire. This break up took place in western
Rome between the fourth and sixth centuries AD, when distant barbarian tribes
overran the empire. In time, their descendants developed into various nations
in Europe. Eastern Rome continued until the fall of Constantinople to the Turks
in 1453.
QUESTION 12 (Daniel 2:43)
What did Daniel predict about future attempts to unite these divided nations?
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
"They will not ____________ to one another." (Verse 43)
"Just as iron does not ___________ with clay." (Verse 43)
Many attempts have been made
throughout history to reunite the
Roman Empire, only to fail. A form
of unity for a brief time is predicted
in Revelation 17:12, 13, but this
points to a competitive system
rather than to true adhesion. Potter’s
clay will stick to iron to a point,
but the bond is not lasting. It is always
brittle and easily broken.
READ EXHIBIT 2: Page 13
FOR FACTS ABOUT ROME’S BREAK UP AND
ATTEMPTS TO REUNITE EUROPE
From the head of gold to the feet of iron and clay, the image prophecy
has been fulfilled to the very letter. 2,500 years of history have proved
Daniel totally accurate.
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
Daniel Said: “They will not READ EXHIBIT 2: Page 13
adhere to one another.” FOR FACTS ABOUT ROME’S
These seven words have BREAK UP AND ATTEMPTS TO
stood in the way of world REUNITE EUROPE
unity for more than 1,500
years. This is a most From the head of gold to the feet
of iron and clay, the image
remarkable prophecy
prophecy! The four has been fulfilled to the very
kingdoms rose and letter. 2,500 years of history have
fell just as predicted. We proved Daniel totally accurate.
are now living in the era
of iron and clay - a
fragmented world, just as
predicted
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
F. A DRAMATIC END AND A NEW BEGINNING
QUESTION 13 (Daniel 2:44,45, page 857)
What happened to the image in the closing scene of the vision? "Inasmuch as
you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, and that it
______________ , the iron, the bronze,
the clay, the silver, and the gold - the
great God has make known to the king
what will come to pass after this." (Verse
45)
The falling stone and the destruction of the image
point to the end of the long human struggle
for control of the world. A New World is to rise
from the chaos.
In past history, campaigns for world unity were largely based on political
ambition or religious zeal. A far more urgent cause exists today – sheer
survival of our race and planet.
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
In its divided state, the world cannot cope with the destructive
forces of our time - ruin of the environment, nuclear threat,
collapsing
economies, crime, famine, overpopulation, and exhaustion
of resources. Total cooperation and quick action through
single world government are now seen as urgent. The great
physicist Albert Einstein warned:
“ONE WORLD OR NONE”
A NEW WORLD ORDER IS PRECISLEY THE MESSAGE OF
DANIEL. BUT WHO WILL FULFIL THE GLOBAL DREAM?
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
QUESTION 14 (Daniel 2:44)
Who will set up the New World order?
"And in the days of these kings the ______________ will set up a
kingdom which shall never be destroyed." (Verse 44)
“And it shall stand _______________.” (Verse 44)
REVIEW OF DANIEL’S FIRST PROPHECY:
QUESTION 15 (Daniel 2:19-23, 26-28, 36-45, pages 856-857)
Who was the real interpreter of the king's dream? Please read these verses
carefully before answering. Also read 2 Peter 1:20 (page 1166). Tick the
correct statements below.
Daniel conjured up the dream and its interpretation out of his own mind.
God revealed some of the details to Daniel but left him to work out the rest.
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
Daniel had inborn psychic powers by which he forecast these
coming events.
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he had no more wisdom
within him to reveal the future than any other person living.
Every part of the dream and the interpretation were revealed by
God.
Prophecy is of no private interpretation. We must go to the
Bible for both the prophecy and the keys to its interpretation.
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
QUESTION 16
Not only Daniel, but practically all the Bible prophets tell us that God's kingdom
will come. This is one of the great certainties of the future. Would you like to
have a place in the everlasting kingdom? Would you like to write YES?
_________
How will God’s Kingdom Come?
Unit 3, “THE NEW WORLD ORDER” has the answer.
OPTIONAL QUESTIONS TO THINK THROUGH
1) What main message was God trying to get across to Nebuchadnezzar
and to us by this unusual dream?
2) Why did God give the message to Nebuchadnezzar in such a way as to
create this crisis? Could he not have inspired Daniel to give the message
direct?
3) The image started with gold and ended in clay. Can you see any
significance in this?
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
REVIEW QUIZ
(Matching Items)
Look for the correct answers to the questions in the right hand column, (a) to
(j). Answer on the lines provided. As there are more answers to draw from than
questions, you will need to use them all.
1) What was the king’s problem that caused
a) Palestine
him not to sleep?
b) Babylon
c) the people
2) Who was the originator d) Daniel
of the king’s dream e) God
and its interpretation? f) Greece
3) What did the parts of g) God’s future kingdom
the image represent?
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
4) What kingdom did h) the Roman Empire
the legs of iron represent
5) What did the coming i) a dream
of the stone represent? j) kingdoms
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy Exhibit 1
THE IMAGE INTERPRETED
Symbol Meaning
HEAD OF
BC605-538)
CHEST OF (BC638-331)
THIGHS OF (BC331-168)
LEGS OF (BC168-AD476)
FEET OF
AND
THE (AD476-
“CUT OUT WITHOUT
HANDS”
(
Exhibit 2
FACTS ABOUT ROME’S BREAK-UP
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
Between AD350 and 650, western Rome was overrun by successive waves
of Germanic invaders. Boundaries fluctuated so rapidly that no single map
could give an accurate picture at any one time of the disintegrating empire.
Eastern Rome fell to the Turks in 1453. The following chart lists the European
kingdoms which resulted from the overthrow of the west
Anglo-Saxons............................England Visigoths ...................................................Spain
Franks .......................... ………..France Su..........................................................Portugal
Alemanni ..................................Germany Ostrogoths ..................disappeared from history
Burgundians .........................Switzerland Vandals .......................disappeared from history
Lombards................................. Italy Heruli ..........................disappeared from history
ATTEMPTS TO REBUILD A UNITED EUROPE
The Roman Empire has been named "History's Humpty Dumpty".
Since its downfall in AD476, "all the king's horses and all the king's
men" have failed to "put Humpty together again". Six notable
rulers who tried to unite Europe by military force were:
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
Charlemagne (of the Franks) . . 8th century Napoleon (of France) ............ 19th century
Charles V (of Spain) ............... 16th century Kaiser Wilhelm (of Germany) . 20th century
Louis XIV (of France) ............. 18th century Adolf Hitler (of Germany) ....... 20th century
Peace-pacts, trade agreements, and inter-marriage between
ruling families, especially in the period between 1850 and 1914,
also failed. The fragments have not "adhered".
Says historian Charles Downer Hazen: "Europe has always
refused to be dominated by a single nation or a single man. It has
run the risk several times in its history of passing under such a
yoke, but it always, in the end, succeeded in escaping it.“ (Modern
European History, page 229)
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
NOTES:
Lesson 2- Daniels First Prophecy
Jesus is soon to return The Dream is
Certain and the Interpretation is sure.
