Daniel 2:36-45
That Other Kingdom
Please notice that we are studying end time truths by going to the
Old Testament not the New. One should not start their study of end
times by going to the last books of the Bible but to the first.
There are 66 books in the Bible and the first ones lay the foundation
for the last ones; so let’s do what the Bible teaches, "line upon
line, precept upon precept, truth upon truth" and I believe we will
come away with the right doctrines.
The Bible teaches at least five major future events.
1. Rapture
2. Tribulation
3. Advent
4. Kingdom
5. Eternity
Those are the events and that is the order I believe they will occur.
Most who believe the Bible believe in all five, but we are divided
concerning when the rapture might occur. I do not know of an
individual verse that settles that question, but I have shared (and
will continue to share) some reasons why I believe it is.
We have already discussed the rapture and have begun discussing the
Tribulation. We have not gotten very far, pointing out only one
truth so far.
I. The Tribulation is a world-wide, catastrophic judgment against
this planet from God Almighty."
A. This is one of God’s main purposes in the Tribulation, and
there are many Bible verses that point this out.
B. God has other purposes to accomplish during the Tribulation.
1. God will redeem Israel to Himself.
2. God will give to Satan a reeling defeat.
3. God will allow mankind and Satan to have what they have
long wanted, each other.
4. God will bring glory and honor to Himself.
C. Although I will mention all of those purposes, it is that
fourth one that we will focus upon.
1. In the Tribulation, mankind and Satan will get what they
have always wanted, each other.
2. That will be done through a kingdom relationship between
Satan ruling and mankind worshipping him.
3. That’s the "other" kingdom.
II. Details of "That Other Kingdom."
A. We know at least part of the kingdom’s region.
1. Daniel 2, the king had a dream about the future.
2. Daniel interpreted the dream to Nebuchadnezzar:
Daniel 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell
the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the
God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power,
and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell,
the beasts of the field and the fowls of the
heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath
made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head
of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom
inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of
brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as
iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and
subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh
all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes,
part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the
kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in
it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou
sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of
iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be
partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry
clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed
of men:
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God
of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to
other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was
cut out of the mountain without hands, and that
it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay,
the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass
hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure.
3. \\#Dan 2:40, 44\\ Notice there will only be four world
kingdoms from Daniel unto Jesus sets up His kingdom.
a. To me, that is amazing.
(1) That means Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, and any and
all others who sought to conquer the whole world
were doomed before they got started.
(2) God told Daniel there would be four and that the
kings of the fourth kingdom would be ruling when
God established His kingdom.
(3) That seems conclusive.
(4) There will be no more.
b. We are not doing a study of Daniel so I will not get
into the first three kingdoms, but the last world-
wide kingdom was Rome.
(1) That kingdom was never defeated.
(2) It just fell apart.
4. Yet, that kingdom is still to be standing when God sets up
His eternal kingdom.
Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall
the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed…
5. So, those who believe the Bible look for some kind of
"revived Roman Empire."
a. It does not have to be created from a world conquest;
in fact, it will likely just fall together much like
the old Roman Empire fell apart.
b. It does not have to include all of the nations that
once were the Roman Empire—not even Rome itself.
c. But something will tie the world government of the
future with the world empire of the past.
6. What does this mean to us?
a. It may mean that center of world power will shift back
to Europe from America.
(1) Some correctly point out that America is not
mentioned by name in the Bible.
(2) However, that does not mean America not
mentioned.
(a) IF America is still standing when the anti-
Christ rises to power, she will be one of
the nations that align with the anti-
Christ.
(b) America might even be one of the ten world
powers that will install the anti-Christ
as the world ruler.
(c) I think that if Jesus comes soon, America
will likely be the financial Babylon that
God personally destroys in Rev 18—however,
that seems like it will have to happen very
soon as America is on the road to poverty.
b. We may not know the anti-Christ’s nationality but I
believe we might know where his headquarters will be.
(1) It makes sense that if the anti-Christ is going
to claim to be the Jewish Messiah that he be
Jewish, but Jews today can be of any
nationality.
(2) But if he is going to be a ruler somewhere in the
old Roman Empire, he is likely to be from that
area.
c. It means we know what type of ruler the anti-Christ
will become.
(1) I do not believe the anti-Christ will go into
power as a king, but he will soon behave like
one.
(2) Rome had a congress, elections, and all the
trimmings, but ultimately, the ruler was the
emperor, a king.
(3) By the middle of the Tribulation, the anti-Christ
will be too!
B. In a later vision, we are introduced to the king of the other
kingdom:
Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions,
and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible,
and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron
teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and
stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it
was diverse from all the beasts that were before
it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there
came up among them another little horn, before
whom there were three of the first horns plucked
up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking
great things.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and
the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was
white as snow, and the hair of his head like the
pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame,
and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from
before him: thousand thousands ministered unto
him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before him: the judgment was set, and the books
were opened.
1. This is a vision that Daniel had. It came several years
after Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
2. Some of the same truths are repeated here.
a. \\#Dan 7:7\\ We still have four beasts representing
four world kingdoms.
b. \\#Dan 7:9\\ The fourth kingdom still exists in some
form when God "the Ancient of Days" establishes His
kingdom on earth.
3. But we are given additional details:
a. \\#Dan 7:7\\ We learn that the fourth kingdom will be
both powerful and ruthless. Like a beast, stooping
everything else down."
b. We also learn that something will set that kingdom a
part from all the others.
(1) That kingdom will—at some point—have 10 horns.
(a) Since we are not attempting to study the
book of Daniel, I will tell you that those
horns represent 10 individual powers or
kings.
(b) The other three did not have that, and
neither did the historic Roman Empire.
(c) Any prophecy that was not fulfilled will be
fulfilled—even if God has to re-establish
some form of the Roman Empire to do it!
(2) \\#Dan 7:8\\ Then another power or king will
arise to take the power that did belong to three
others.
(3) \\#Dan 7:9\\ The last king will say some big
things.
(4) \\#Dan 7:21\\ The angel that interprets the dream
to Daniel added this detail:
Daniel 7:21 …the same horn made war with the
saints, and prevailed against them;
(5) Then again, he added:
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against
the most High, and shall wear out the saints of
the most High, and think to change times and
laws: and they shall be given into his hand
until a time and times and the dividing of time.
C. And in yet another chapter and another vision, more details of
the other king are given:
Dan 8:23 And in the latter time of their
kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the
full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his
own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and
shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy
the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause
craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall
magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall
destroy many: he shall also stand up against the
Prince of princes; but he shall be broken
without hand.
1. Both \\#Dan 8:23, 26\\ tell us this king will come in the
latter days.
2. \\#Dan 8:23\\ makes it clear that no matter how this
leader comes to power, he will be a "king" of great and
fierce power.
3. The phrase of \\#Dan 8:23\\ "understanding dark sentences"
and of \\#Dan 8:24\\ "but not by his own power" indicate
he will have the powers of darkness to help him do his
work.
4. The rest of \\#Dan 8:24\\ make it clear that this king
does not just talk big, he does what he says he will do,
especially against God’s people.
5. \\#Dan 8:25\\ Notice his goal: "he shall magnify himself."
6. Notice some of his tools.
a. The "craft" in means treachery, guile, and deceit.
b. But he gets the best results with a most unusual tool:
Dan 8:25 … and by peace shall destroy many…
c. That may sound strange but it fits well with our world
view today;
(1) Have you not noticed how the peaceful people are
some of the most violent people there are?
(2) Much like the tolerant people are some of the
most intolerant and the accepting people are
some of the most unaccepting?
(3) The truth is the bad guys always think they are
the good guys, and the anti-Christ will use the
cloak of peace to kill everyone who stands in
his way.
There is more we can say about the “other kingdom,” but you get the
idea. It will be demonic and evil while praising itself for its
goodness and purity. It will be violent while claiming it is
necessary to bring peace. And the gullible people of then, just like
the gullible people of today, we be as happy as a lark in the tree.
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