A Walk Through History
(Past, Present, Future)
Daniel 2:29 & 31 – 36
By: JB Hall
Introduction: Today, I’d like us to take a walk through history, from the ancient Babylonian Empire to eternity future.
Here, in the Book of Daniel, God foretells the kingdoms of the world, beginning with the then current reigning empire, the Babylonian Empire with Nebuchadnezzar as its king; and ending with the reign of King Jesus over the entire earth.
You and I stand at a unique vantage point in history. We can look back through history and see that the prophecies made by God in the Bible that relate to events up to our day, came to pass just as predicted.
This then, should give us great confidence that what has been prophesied that is yet future for us, will come to pass just as surely as the prophecies of our past have.
Let’s begin our trek through history by examining King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
The image he dreamed of was an overview of the kingdoms of the world that God showed him – from his (Nebuchadnezzar’s) reign until Jesus reigns supremely over all the earth.
The interpretation of the dream is found in Daniel 2:37 – 44.
The image consisted of:
Head of Gold
Breast and Arms of Silver
Belly and Thighs of Brass
Legs of Iron
Feet, part of Iron and part of Clay
History Past
1. Head of Gold
A. Verses 37 & 38 reveal that the head of gold represented King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire.
B. World History books reveal the existence of the Babylonian Empire, with King Nebuchadnezzar as its king.
2. Breast and Arms of Silver
A. Verse 39a says, “And after this shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee…”
B. This of course, would be the Medes and Persians, or the Medo-Persian Empire.
C. Daniel 8:20, likening this kingdom to a ram with 2 horns, says this, “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.”
D. Daniel, Chapter 5 records an event where King Belshazzar, the then reigning king of the Babylonian Empire, held a drunken party, and desecrated the captured vessels of the Jewish temple by using them to serve alcoholic beverages to his guests, and to toast his gods.
E. While this perverted party was in progress, Daniel 5:5 says, “In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”
F. Terrified, King Belshazzar had Daniel come in to interpret the words the fingers wrote.
G. Daniel gave the interpretation in Verses 26 – 28: “This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.” “TEKEL: Thou are weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” “PERES: Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and the Persians.”
H. Verses 30 & 31 of that chapter record the fulfillment of the prediction, which happened that very same night: “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.” “And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.”
I. Thus, the second kingdom that was prophesied, the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, came to power just as predicted.
3. Belly and Thighs of Brass
A. This kingdom would be the Grecian Kingdom under the reign of Alexander the Great.
B. Its coming was prophesied again in Daniel 7:6, and is likened to a leopard.
C. Alexander the Great was known for his speed in conquering opposing peoples and kingdoms.
D. Again this kingdom is prophesied in Daniel 8:5 – 8 & 21 – 22; and here Alexander the Great is likened unto a rough goat.
E. Daniel 8:21 says plainly, “And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.”
F. His kingdom is again prophesied in Daniel 11:3 & 4, even giving detail of how Alexander would die in his prime; and that his kingdom would be divided between 4 individuals who were not his family members.
G. Here’s what Daniel 11:3 & 4 say, “And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.” “And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for other besides those.”
H. We know of course, from studying world history, that Alexander the Great was not succeeded in power by his sons or other family members; but his kingdom was divided between his four generals: “Ptolemy reigned in Egypt to the south; Antigonus in Asia to the north; Seleucus in Babylon and Syria to the east; and Cassander in Macedonia to the west…” (Gill)
I. Thus, the third kingdom that was prophesied, the Grecian Kingdom under Alexander the Great, and its subsequent break up, were accurately predicted.
4. Legs of Iron
A. The legs of iron represented the Roman Empire.
B. World History books are replete with information about the powerful Roman Empire.
C. Thus, we see that those kingdoms that were prophesied that would arise prior to our time in history, came to power and were defeated and replaced exactly as predicted.
D. From our vantage point in history, we can look back and see the absolute accuracy of the fulfillment of these prophecies of past history.
History Present
1. The Messiah and His Church
A. Isaiah, Chapter 53 prophesies of a coming Messiah Who would bear the iniquities of the world in his suffering as a substitute Sacrifice for them.
B. Galatians 3:8, reiterating Genesis 12:3 & Genesis 17:5, says this, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”
C. Romans 10:12 records the fulfillment of this prophecy, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all them that call upon him.”
D. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
E. Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah Who would make the supreme sacrifice for all men, Jew and Gentile alike, has come, and now offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life to anyone and everyone who will come to him.
F. Revelation 22:17 issues the invitation based upon the sacrifice Jesus has made for everyone.
G. Here’s what it says, “And the Spirit and the bide say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.”
H. So, we see that the prophesied Messiah, Who would pay the penalty of sins for all mankind, has come and made the payment just as predicted.
I. Now then, He stands ready, even as I speak to you, to forgive your sins and give you eternal life, if you are willing to come to Him, relinquish your sins to Him, and receive Him into your life to be your personal Savior.
J. The fulfillment of present history confirms that it has also been accurately predicted.
History Future
1. The Rapture
A. The next event to occur in history on God’s prophetic timetable is what we commonly call the rapture.
B. This is an event when Jesus will come back in the air and catch up unto Himself, all that are saved; those who have died, and those who are still alive.
C. This event is introduced to us in I Corinthians 15:51 & 52: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
D. Verses 53 – 54 of that chapter explain that this is the event when our corruptible, or natural mortal bodies, will be changed into incorruptible, or spiritual eternal bodies.
E. I Thessalonians 4:13 – 18 give the detail of just how this is going to take place.
F. Let’s read this passage of scripture…
G. So, the Lord Jesus will descend, but will stop in the air, not touching down on planet earth; and will catch away all that are saved.
H. The dead will be resurrected first.
I. Their bodies will be changed into immortal bodies, and their spirits will be reunited with their new and improved immortal bodies in midair.
J. Next, those who are still alive will not die, but will be changed on the way up.
K. These both, the saved dead, and those still living when this event occurs, will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air.
L. All who are raptured then will never be separated from the Lord again for all eternity.
2. The Tribulation Period
A. The Tribulation Period will be a period of 7 years that follows the rapture of the church; in which the most terrible time ever experienced on planet earth will take place.
B. Matthew 24:21 says, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
C. This will be a time when the world is ruled by a vicious tyrant, and many will die at his hands.
D. It is prophesied in Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
E. Daniel 11:36 & 37 describe this one world ruler this way: “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that which is determined shall be done.” “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god, for he shall magnify himself above all.”
F. II Thessalonians 2:3 & 4 agree with this description: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
G. In the book of Revelation this one world ruler is called the beast.
H. In Revelation 13:16 – 18 we are told how he will control people’s ability to conduct business, which will give him a means of demanding their complete devotion.
I. Listen: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:” “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
J. Verse 15 of that chapter tells us that the beast’s false prophet will “…cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
K. This savage imposter, claiming to be God and demanding that all people worship him, along with his false prophet, will be destroyed in the eternal lake of fire, though.
L. Revelation 19:20 records this destruction: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
3. The Second Coming of Jesus and His 1,000 year reign.
A. Revelation 20:1 – 3a describe the binding of Satan; the one who had indwelt and empowered the beast. He will be bound for a thousand years, during which the Lord Jesus will reign over planet earth.
B. Listen, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,” “And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled…”
C. At the time of Satan’s binding, Jesus will return and set up His kingdom on earth, during which the saints will, according to Revelation 20:4b, reign with Christ a thousand years.
D. At the end of this 1,000 year reign Satan will then be loosed for a little season.
E. Revelation 20:7 says, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,”
F. He will again go out to deceive the nations again, and will gather them together to surround the city of Jerusalem to make war against it.
G. God will step in at that point, and will destroy Satan forever.
H. Revelation 20:10 describes this event, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
4. The Judgments
A. The children of God and the lost will be judged at different times; at least one thousand years apart.
B. Both judgments will be to evaluate their works; not to determine where they will spend eternity.
C. This determination will already have been made by each one’s decision to receive or reject Jesus Christ as Savior while in this present world.
D. I Corinthians 3:11 – 15 describes the judgment of the Christian as being a time of receiving or losing rewards.
E. Verse 15, though, gives the conclusion: “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
F. Romans 14:10 and II Corinthians 5:10 inform us that all Christians will stand and appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
G. At least 1,000 years later, the lost will stand to be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.
H. This judgment is described in detail in Revelation 20:11 – 15.
I. This too, is a time of evaluating the deeds done in the body; not a time of determining one’s eternal destiny.
J. At the end of this judgment, the lost will still be cast into the lake of fire.
K. Revelation 20:15 concludes this judgment by saying, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
5. Eternity
A. After the judgment of the lost, which is the final judgment, Revelation 21:1 – 2 say this, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
B. Revelation, Chapters 21 & 22 give much detail about this eternal city which will be the capital city of the new earth where the saints will dwell for all eternity.
C. The size, the construction materials, the environment, and the presence of the Lord for all eternity there, will make this city the perfect dwelling place for those who have chosen to receive the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior.
D. I Corinthians 2:9 says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
E. Oh how glorious the future is for those who choose the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Savior, and God to be their God.
In Conclusion:
You and I stand at a unique and exciting vantage point in history.
From where we stand in history, we can see that the prophecies given hundreds of years prior to their fulfillment, came to pass just as predicted.
This should give us great confidence that the prophecies given concerning our future will also come to pass just as predicted.
So then, in light of this reality, where do you stand in relationship to Jesus? Is He your personal Savior? Has there been a moment in time when you by faith invited Him into your life?
If not, will you do that right now?
Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
