Christ and the Saints Replace Fourth Beast
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The four beasts of Daniel 7:1-28 span over 2,500 years, from Nebuchadnezzar’s reign to the Return of Christ. Here is how we know this. Recall that the fourth beast is described from Dan 7:19-26. Prior to Dan 7:19, in the introduction of more detail about the fourth beast, it states in Dan 7:18, “But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”
Many other prophecies in the Bible explain that the saints rule with Christ. But there are two other verses here in Daniel 7:1-28, which prove most emphatically that this is true. Notice Dan 7:22: “Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”
Dan 7:26 concludes by summarizing what happens to the fourth beast after it “shall wear out the saints of the Most High” (Dan 7:25), when it says that the saints then “shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.” Now Dan 7:27, again speaking of the saints: “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” (Dan 7:27).
We have established that the four beasts continue until Christ’s Return brings the last beast to an end. But who are the four beasts—the four kingdoms?
What Are the Four Kingdoms?
Now we must turn our attention to Daniel 2:1-49. It also contains a parallel prophecy spanning the same 2,500-plus years concluding, as we will see, with Christ’s Second Coming. This prophecy pictures a giant man consisting of four metals (gold, silver, brass, and iron mixed with clay), which represent four very large and powerful kingdoms, with the first starting in Daniel’s time.
So then, the “great image” of Daniel 2:1-49 symbolizes four world-ruling governments.
For several verses, Daniel discussed with the Chaldean (Babylonian) King Nebuchadnezzar certain matters that had come to the king in a dream. Nebuchadnezzar was king of an empire that he had established approximately 600 years prior to Christ’s time.
The king’s court magicians were not able to interpret what only God could explain. God’s purpose was to reveal, through Daniel, that there is an Almighty living God who rules the entire universe—and holds sovereignty over all kings, governments and nations on Earth. The humanly wise King Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge beyond the existence of other human kings and their many false gods. But it was God’s purpose to reveal to this human king the existence of His government and that it rules the universe. He also intended to make plain His great purpose in bringing that government to the earth “in the latter days” (Dan 2:28).
Several verses introduce and describe the image (statue) of a giant man. Let’s read: “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). This is clearly an image of a man, but one that is constructed of four distinct parts.
Then, Dan 2:34-35 describe a great supernatural “stone that smote the image [and] became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” Note that Dan 2:34 states that the stone “was cut out without hands.” This is because God, not men, had formed it. We will discuss this momentarily.
Since the “stone” shatters the image and replaces it, eventually encompassing the entire earth, this can only be the Government of God coming to Earth. Notice: “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead…This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner” (Acts 4:10-11).
This verse identifies Christ as the stone of Daniel 2:1-49. When God’s kingdom is established, we have already seen that the saints “possess the kingdom” (of God). Again, many verses show that they rule with the returning Christ. Christ’s identity is proven and clarified in Dan 2:44-45, which describe “the God of heaven set[ting] up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed…it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” The end of Dan 2:45 adds, “and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.” Notice that God does His own interpreting, requiring no help from me or anyone else.
God leaves no doubt as to whether these prophecies will be fulfilled. He has spoken them—and they will happen! This is why it is so important for you to comprehend—really grasp—the identity and the meaning of the Beast and the events preceding Christ’s Coming. He will destroy the final kingdom and set up God’s all-powerful world-ruling government—supplanting all humanly devised governments! Daniel 2:34-44 prove that these 10 toes (10 final kings—and kingdoms—united under one leader) exist at the time of Christ’s Coming, because the stone replaces them!
The Four Metals Explained
Now, what do the four metals of the image represent? We will see they are four Gentile kingdoms. But you do not need anyone, including me, to interpret them for you. Allow God to interpret the giant image—and the meaning of the four elements of which it is composed.
Dan 2:37 states, “You, O king [Nebuchadnezzar], are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.” Dan 2:38 adds, “You are this head of gold.” The Bible has just interpreted itself.
Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon represent the first kingdom. Dan 2:39-40 go on to describe three successive kingdoms that would follow the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon. Here is how they are described:
“And after you [Nebuchadnezzar] shall arise another kingdom [of silver] inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things: and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.”
These verses show a succession of world empires depicted by different metals composing the giant image. These were literal kingdoms. What you have just learned is vital knowledge that very few understand today. God expressly reveals to us now that He is the One who establishes and removes—and establishes and removes again—earthly kingdoms. This has much to do with the identity of the Beast.
The first kingdom, which was the head made of gold, represented Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian or Chaldean Empire (625-539 BC). In 539, the Medes and Persians defeated the Babylonians. The silver breast and arms represent this second empire. The duration of the Medo-Persian kingdom was 558-330 BC. The belly and thighs of brass represented the third kingdom, the Grecian (333-31 BC) or Greco-Macedonian Empire.
The Greco-Macedonian Empire was led by Alexander the Great. After just a one-year reign, Alexander died and his generals (recall Lysimachus, Cassander, Ptolemy and Seleucus) divided his enormous empire into four regions: (1) Egypt, (2) Macedonia and Greece, (3) Thrace and Western Asia, and (4) Syria and all territory east to the Indus River. These are obviously the four heads of Alexander’s “leopard” kingdom.
Finally, the fourth kingdom is depicted by lower legs of iron, with feet and toes of iron mixed with clay. This represents the greatest of the four kingdoms—the Roman Empire, which defeated and succeeded the Greco-Macedonian Empire.
These are well-known facts of world history. Few dispute the basic historical accuracy of the timing, scope, strength and greatness of these four kingdoms.
However, we must understand why God focuses on these Gentile kingdoms.
In the greatest sense, the Bible is almost entirely a book about how God worked with the nation of ancient Israel. He chose, revealed Himself to, and gave His Law to govern this nation. God had warned Israel that if they disobeyed him, they would be punished (Lev. 26:1-46; Deut. 28:1-68). After a long series of ups and downs, Israel rejected God, His leaders and His Law for the last time. After sending most of the tribes of Israel into captivity in Assyria about 125 years earlier, God sent the last tribe, Judah, into captivity in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel himself was a young Jewish slave.)
From the time of Judah’s captivity forward, starting with Babylon, God raised up successive Gentile world empires that He foretold would continue for the remaining over 25 centuries before He established His kingdom.