December 16, 2007
“Jesus Christ: Born KING of kings!”
Daniel 2 & 7
In Daniel chapter 1, Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon attacks Jerusalem. Yet, he does this not in spite of God but as under God’s control and as doing God’s will as Daniel 1:2 says “The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his (Nebuchadnezzar’s) hand … and not only that but as we will see this morning, God controls every king, setting up and bringing down whoever HE WILLS – Daniel 4:17 & 4:34-36
In Daniel 2 & 7 we have an inclusio (a literary framing device) formed by the dreams (and interpretations) of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel showing us through dramatically fulfilled prophecies; that it is God Who raises and deposes kings and ultimately, however proud and powerful an earthly king may seem to be, it is God Who holds that king as a pawn in His hand as He prepares the eternal throne for JESUS CHRIST!
In Daniel chapters 2 & 7 we see prophesied:
I. The Babylonian Empire ruled by Nebuchadnezzar -
1. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great statue, representing the great kingdoms of the earth, Nebuchadnezzar is the head of fine gold – Daniel 2:31-32; 36-38
2. In Daniel’s corresponding dream where the same kingdoms are pictured as powerful beasts, Nebuchadnezzar is the Lion with eagle’s wings – Daniel 7:1-4
3. Now Nebuchadnezzar ruled for 43 years (Head of fine gold) yet for 7 years according to Daniel 4 he lost his sanity (his wings were plucked) and he ate grass like an ox until he was restored, “a man’s heart was given to it” Daniel 7:4; Daniel 4:33-36
4. Babylon was well fortified, its walls were 82 feet wide and 330 feet high, well guarded and surrounded by a wide moat, at Nebuchadnezzar’s time it had not been taken by enemy invaders in over 1,000 years. Yet, within Daniel’s lifetime, during the reign of Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Babylon fell – Daniel 5:30
II. The Medo-Persian Empire ruled by Cyrus & Darius
1. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream the chest and arms are silver showing they were inferior to Nebuchadnezzar – Daniel 2:32-39
2. In Daniel’s dream pictured as a bear, with three ribs in its mouth as it conquered three other kingdoms to become a world power: (1) Babylon (2) Egypt (3) Lydia
III. The Greek Empire ruled by Alexander the Great and his successors –
1. The belly and thighs of bronze – Daniel 2:32 & 39
2. A leopard with four wings – Daniel 7:6
3. Alexander conquered the world with great speed, his rule extended from Greece and Egypt all the way to India. He died at age 32 and his kingdom was divided between his four generals (four wings).
IV. The Roman Empire, most notably, ruled by Caesar Augustus, and Roman derived governments –
1. Legs and feet of iron and clay – Daniel 2:33; 40-44
2. The strange beast – Daniel 7:7-8; 11-12; :19-26
3. This prophesy starts with the Roman Empire, under which Christ was born and continues through the rule of anti-Christ, until Christ 2nd coming.
V. The Eternal Kingdom of Christ –
1. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Christ is the STONE which becomes a Great Mountain – Daniel 2:34-35 & 44-45
2. In Daniel’s dream He is “One like the Son of Man” and He is “coming with the clouds of Heaven!” He sets up an eternal Kingdom – Daniel 7:9-10; 13-18 & 27
3. Jesus is born in Bethlehem, during the reign of Augustus, according to prophecy – Daniel 2:44, in Bethlehem, according to prophecy – Micah 5:2! Rome and Augustus must of seemed great on that first Christmas – Luke 2:1. They were establishing a kingdom. Yet, God too, though quietly, was also establishing His eternal Kingdom as He still is today!
