Bible & History - Four World Empires

As we examine the Bible in the light of history, we will see how powerfully our God has worked in times past. He orchestrates every detail and carefully lays out his purposes. As for us, only when thousands of years have gone by do we begin to see his plan.

Let’s take a look at one of the grandest prophecies ever made. In Daniel 2:31-45 four empires that would rule the world are described symbolically. The fourth of these empires would not be replaced by another, but rather God would set up His own Kingdom at that time.

In the story of the prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of a statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet partly iron and partly clay. Daniel explained that each part of the statue represented a kingdom that would rule the earth. Babylon was the first kingdom, the Head of Gold. Historically Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon lasted from 606 to 539 B.C. and was one of the most incredible kingdoms ever to reign on earth. This was the kingdom that was in power when this prophecy was given.
The future to Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar is ancient history to us. We know that Medo-Persia was the second kingdom, the chest and arms of silver, which lasted from 539 to 360 B.C. This kingdom was made up of two peoples, the Medes and the Persians as represented by the two arms. It was very powerful and conquered even more land than the Babylonian Empire had, but because it was made up of two nations it never was as unified as Babylon had been.

Greece was the third kingdom, the belly and thighs of bronze. Just as bronze is much stronger than gold and silver, so Alexander the Great's army was much stronger than the previous kingdoms. The Greek empire however, which began in 360 B.C. and lasted for several hundred years, never had the splendor of the previous kingdoms.

Rome was the fourth and last kingdom, the legs of iron and feet partly iron and partly clay. The Roman empire was officially founded in 27 B.C. and lasted until about 397 A.D. The Roman empire, as symbolized by the two legs, was split into two empires: The Western Roman empire centered in Rome and the Byzantine empire centered in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey). Both of these empires faded away and were not replaced by another empire but were split up into nations that have never been able to unite together into one. During the time of this last kingdom was when the Kingdom of Heaven would be set up. We see that this was fulfilled, for during the Roman empire Jesus came to earth and established His kingdom!

The scope and grandeur of this prophecy is truly breathtaking. It shows that God not only deals with individuals, groups, cities and nations, but with the world as a whole. Everything is truly in His hands. As it says in Daniel 2:20-21, " Wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them." Our God is in control! Understanding this should give us confidence to trust Him more fully in our own, tiny lives.