In Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar had a marvelous dream of a great human image (v. 1). That dream should have impressed him deeply, but he forgot the dream because he did not have a heart for God’s interest. He wanted to know the dream, but all the magicians, all the wise men of Babylon, and the Chaldeans were unable to tell him the dream (vv. 2-13). However, among the captured Israelites there was a man, Daniel, who set his heart on God’s interest on earth. He did not know the dream, but he received a vision from God concerning it, and he interpreted it (vv. 17-45).
The great human image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream signifies the totality of human government throughout human history, from the beginning of human government in Babel (Babylon) (Gen. 10:6-12), as signified by the head, to the termination of human government in the Roman Empire with the ten kings, as signified by the ten toes.
The head of gold in the great human image corresponds to the first beast in Daniel 7:4 and signifies Nebuchadnezzar, the founder and the king of Babylon (2:36-38). The breast and the arms of silver correspond to the second beast in 7:5 and signify Medo-Persia (2:39). The abdomen and thighs of bronze correspond to the third beast in 7:6 and signify Greece, including Macedonia (2:39). The two legs of iron and the feet partly of iron and partly of clay correspond to the fourth beast in 7:7-8 and signify the Roman Empire with its last ten kings (2:40-43). The territories of the western Roman Empire included Gaul, Spain, Britain, Italy, and the western part of North Africa. The territories of the eastern Roman Empire included Macedonia, Greece, Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, Judea, Egypt, and the eastern part of North Africa. The Roman Empire was suspended after A.D. 476. During this time of suspension, that is, during the time after the two legs and before the ten toes, the Roman Empire has been replaced by the Roman Catholic Church. Eventually, the Roman Empire will be revived and will consummate as ten nations, signified by the ten toes.
According to the human image in Daniel 2, there are only four empires. In the sight of God, all human government throughout human history is composed of four empires: the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Macedonian-Grecian Empire, and the Roman Empire. According to the human point of view, the Grecian Empire ended with the death of Alexander the Great. However, according to God’s viewpoint, the Grecian Empire continued with Alexander’s successors—his four generals who divided the empire into four sections—and it lasted until the beginning of the Roman Empire. Apparently, the Roman Empire has been terminated. Actually, the Roman Empire continues to exist. According to Daniel and Revelation, Antichrist will be the last Caesar of the Roman Empire, which will have ten kings as signified by the ten toes of the great image. The Roman Empire under Caesar Augustus began approximately thirty years before the birth of Christ and will last until the end of the three and a half years of the great tribulation. The great human image, which is the aggregate of human government, began with Nimrod at Babel and will consummate with the last Caesar of the Roman Empire with his ten kings.
The culture of the world is an accumulation of culture from the time of Nimrod until the present. The Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Macedonian-Grecian Empires have ended, but their culture remains. The Medo-Persian Empire adopted aspects of Babylonian culture, and the Macedonian-Grecian Empire adopted aspects of Medo-Persian culture. In the same principle, the Roman Empire adopted many elements of Greek culture and of the cultures that preceded it. We are still under the influence of Roman culture, especially in the matters of law, politics, and government. In this sense, the Roman Empire continues to exist, and we are still in this empire.
Daniel 2:34-35 and 44 through 45 prophesy that the destiny of the great human image is to be crushed by a stone cut out without hands. This stone cut out without hands is Christ.
As the stone that will crush the entire human government of mankind, Christ was not cut out with human hands, as indicated by the words without hands in verses 34 and 45. He was cut by God through His crucifixion and resurrection. Through His crucifixion He was cut by being put to death (Acts 2:23). In His resurrection He was cut out to be the cornerstone for the building up of the church and the crushing stone to destroy the totality of human government (Matt. 21:42, 44).
At His appearing as the stone cut out without hands, Christ will crush the great human image from the toes to the head. Daniel 2:34-35 says, “A stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the image at its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed all at once, and they became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found.” This is a prophecy that eventually all human government, from Nimrod to Antichrist, will be terminated by Christ at His appearing as the God-cut stone. Revelation 19 speaks of the war between Antichrist and Christ when He appears at the end of this age. Christ will come with His bride, composed of the overcomers, and Antichrist will be with the ten kings and their armies. Christ will defeat and destroy Antichrist and the ten kings.
Daniel 2:35 says, “The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” The great human image will be replaced with a great mountain, which signifies the eternal kingdom of God that will fill the whole earth (v. 44). When Christ comes to crush the totality of human government, He will usher in the eternal kingdom of God on earth (Rev. 11:15).