A Forgotten Dream

Unrest, hostility, sickness, devastation—these words speak of the uncertainty in our world today. But for those of Jewish descent, this uncertainty is more personal with the fear of losing their people and culture. When will the next persecution occur? How many family members will survive? It’s a difficult reality.  

Is there any way to have peace and stability during troublesome times? 

Is the Tanakh Trustworthy? 

The ancient Hebrews also struggled with uncertainty. While facing their enemies, the people of Judah received a message of comfort from God through the prophet Isaiah: “I am God, and there is none like Me—declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient time, what is yet to come, saying, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please’” (Isaiah 46:9, 10). God comforted His people by revealing future events to the prophets. Because no human being could make predictions with God’s insight and accuracy, these prophetic declarations gave His people certainty and peace (see also Isaiah 42:9; 45:19; Amos 3:7; Zechariah  7:12).

Many of the prophets’ writings are contained in the Tanakh, particularly the Nevi’im and the Ketuvim. They promise to provide us with certainty today: “Believe in ADONAI your God and you will be confirmed. Trust in His prophets and you will succeed” (2 Chronicles 20:20). Although the authenticity of the Tanakh has been confirmed by verifiable manuscripts—like the Great Isaiah Scroll found at Qumran and archaeological confirmation of names and places—one of the strongest arguments in favor of the Tanakh is its prophecies of the future. 

Daniel 2 records one of these incredible prophecies, which provides a stunning prediction of world empires from the time of Babylon down to our present day. What you are about to read will amaze you!

Nebuchadnezzar’s Strange Dream

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon awoke one morning from a very restless night. He had dreamed a disturbing dream but couldn’t remember it! He called his wise men and magicians, demanding, “Tell me the dream and I will know that you can tell me its meaning” (Daniel 2:9). The wise men and magicians were baffled: “What the king asks is too difficult. There is no one who could declare it to the king, except the gods whose dwelling is not with mortals!” (vs. 11).  

But Daniel, a young Jewish captive, knew the One who had given the dream. “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries,” he told the king (Daniel 2:28). 

God revealed the dream to Daniel, and Daniel described it thus: The king saw in vision a great image that had a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet with a mixture of iron and clay. A stone came and struck the image at its feet, shattering the image to pieces and growing into a great mountain. 

The Rise and Fall of Kingdoms

Daniel explained how each of the different metals of the image represented successive kingdoms. The head of gold was Nebuchadnezzar’s own kingdom—Babylon. But an inferior kingdom, represented by the chest and arms of silver, would conquer Babylon. Just as prophesied, the Medes and Persians overcame Babylon not many years after the time of the dream. 

Daniel continued. The dream indicated that a third world empire—the belly and thighs of bronze—was to follow Medo-Persia. Looking back, we see that this was none other than the Greek empire.

The dream then spoke of a fourth world empire, which would be as strong as iron, no doubt a reference to the Roman empire. But according to the dream, a fifth empire would not follow the fourth; instead, it would be a “divided kingdom” (Daniel 2:41). The prophecy was exactly fulfilled: after the fall of the Roman empire, barbarian tribes came to power, eventually forming the European countries we know today. And though the nations of Europe have attempted at various times to form a union, God made it clear that “they [would] not adhere to one another” (vs. 43). 

The details of the prophecy were precisely fulfilled—many years after the prophecy was given! The only part that remains in the future is the final part of the dream: the rock that struck the image and shattered it. This rock represents God’s kingdom “that will never be destroyed” (vs. 44). 

Certainty for Troubled Times

Isn’t it amazing that something prophesied so many hundreds of years ago has been fulfilled down through history? If every part of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream up to our time has occurred, don’t you think the final part will come to pass also? We can trust God—our solid Rock—and the Tanakh, which He has given us through His prophets. 

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