In this message I would like to give a further word concerning the vision of the great image in Daniel 2. As we will see, this vision is the controlling vision in the book of Daniel.
In the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter two, only the head of the great human image was called Babylon. However, if the head is Babylon, the entire image must also be Babylon.
The Bible reveals that the human image seen by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 actually did not begin with Nebuchadnezzar but with Nimrod, who founded the city of Babel (Gen. 10:9-10). The building of Babel by Nimrod was the beginning of Babylon. Babylon has since continued through the Medo-Persian Empire, the Grecian Empire, and the Roman Empire. It will eventually include the last Caesar of the Roman Empire, Antichrist, with his ten kings, signified by the toes of the great image (Dan. 2:41-44). The book of Revelation tells us that under Antichrist, the last Caesar, the Roman Empire will be both political and religious Babylon. Revelation 18 refers to the empire of Antichrist as the political and physical Babylon, that is, "Babylon the Great" (v. 2). Furthermore, through Constantine the Great, who accepted Christianity as the state religion, the nature of Christianity was changed to become the Catholic Church, which in Revelation 17 is called "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT" (v. 5). This is the religious Babylon. Therefore, from the Bible we see that not only Babylon itself is Babylon, but even the Roman Empire is Babylon.
According to our point of view, there are many different countries, nations, and empires. But in the eyes of God, the entire human government from Nimrod to Antichrist is Babylon. This human government—Babylon—has always done three things: rebel against God, exalt man, and worship idols (Gen. 11:4, 9). To worship idols is actually to worship the devil who is behind the idols. Wherever we may go, we will see that human government rebels against God, exalts man, and worships idols.