Iron and Clay Introduction.
Daniel 2:37–45
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: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 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.
Introduction
We are living in the most incredible time of all history.
All that we see in the world today, all the signs that are spoken of in the Bible that give to us a vast description of what the world will look like before God judges it, everything from the state of Governments, to the state of Law, the state of the Church, the state of relationships and individual hearts, the relationship of the world to Israel and so much more, tells us plainly that we are living in a time that just precedes the return of Christ for his Church.
This seems well to be a time when the window of the Lords return for his church is narrowing, so much that, if nothing changes and there is no repentance in the world that would lengthen of our tranquility, could be measured in years or tens of years, but no longer in hundreds of years.
The parameter that is bounded by when Jesus ascended to heaven after pentecost to before the AntiChrist signs a Covenant with Many for seven years (Dan 9:27).
That time is nearing quickly.
In other words, quite literally, I believe, that if God spare my life to see three score and ten years, or by length four score years, I will be one of those caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
I do not say this lightly.
Its vital to give a summary of the passage that is before us before we begin to expound what applies to us and to the world.
The Title of the Prophecy Conference is Iron and Clay
We will see that within this ONE Kingdom is Division.
The Two areas I will be expounding is that on Societal Division and Economic Division.
Naturally, each of these can be broken down into subsets, but if we were to do so with any degree of diligence, we would be here for a little bit longer than we have time for.
My desire therefore is to show you what is plainly occuring before your eyes and to reveal how the Bible alone perfectly explains what we see in these two areas of life, Society and Economics.
Lets Pray and give consideration to the Book of Daniel.
Summary Introduction
Daniel 2:42
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.
Ten toes, Two feet, Two states of being, ONE KINGDOM.
If you have that firmly set in mind, you will gain a tremendous amount of insight into the days in which we are seeing before us.
This verse is our focus and this verse does quite a brilliant job in explaining to us one of the greatest Signs of the Times.
Clearly the passage is analogous, while its speaks of an image it describes it in its parts and relates to it as Kingdoms both present and future.
This Final Kingdom is a fractured and divided kingdom that will last but a short time.
It will have TEN Governing Rulers (Kings) according to Daniel 7:24.
Two Geographical Locations relative to Israel seem to identify its consistency historically.
Two states of being that cannot commingle one with another, a divided kingdom.
Yet it shall be governed under ONE.
This portion of the book of Daniel is firstly historic. It tells of an historical event that occurred even though it has prophecy built in to it.
Daniel is 12 chapters in length, the first 6 chapters are Narrative/Historical and the last six chapters are Prophetic / apocalyptic.
This is the reason why much that we are going to read in the historical portion of chapter 2 is going to be explained all the more in the prophetic passages of chapters 7 to 12 and also in the book of Revelation.
This portion is part of the historic, telling of a dream of King Nebuchanessar, the King of Babylon which Daniel explains to him.
Daniel stands be before King Nebuchanessar.
The King dreamed a dream that troubled him so much so that he could not sleep (Dan 2:1).
Both the dream and its interpretation was revealed to a young man named Daniel, a man that was taken captive, together with his nation and came to Babylon, over which Nebuchadnezzar was king.
In the dream Daniel saw a great image, an image in the form of a man. Daniel begins his summary of the dream in verse 29;
Daniel 2:29
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
Daniel sees in the dream that which pertains to the FUTURE but represented in the great image of a man.
Let’s take a direct look at what he presents to the King.
Daniel 2:31–35
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Only the description of the dream is given here, and it is as cryptic to you and I now as it would have been to King Nebuchadnezzar then.
Part one of Daniel’s task is now complete.
He gave to the King knowledge of the dream that would thereby QUALIFY Daniel’s ability to interpret the dream as far as the King was concerened.
You recall that this was the first part of the advanced program the King had given to his advisors.
It was a mission the king employed to motivate the “magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans”, that, if they could not tell the dream they would then
“… be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof “ (Dan 2:5-6)
The king knew that if the man could tell him the dream, that same man had the ability to interpret it.
Daniel 2:9
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
Daniel was that man who could do BOTH.
Now he comes to part 2, the interpretation.
Daniel 2:36–44
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: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 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.
He sees FOUR Kingdoms, four “empires” if you will, that will dominate world history, that shall culminate in a kingdom set up by God that shall endure for ever (v44).
There is little doubt in the interpretation that he gives for such is given to him of God.
- That first kingdom we see is the present king himself, he is the “head of Gold” from the vision (v38).
- The next kingdom, the passage tells us is “inferior” to him just as silver is inferior to Gold,
- and so we see the same degrading value in the third kingdom of Brass
- and again the fourth kingdom which seems to appear in two parts; first Legs of Ironand culminating in feet of Iron and Clay.
The specifics related to the 2nd and 3rd kingdoms are found in Chapters 7- 8 in Daniels own vision and given interpretation by an angel.
The Medo-Perian empire (Dan 8:20) was signified by a Ram in ancient Iconography, and the Greek empire (Dan 8:21) by a goat.
The fourth empire is not specified prophetically and yet it gives to Daniel the greatest trouble of mind and heart. Its timing relates historically to the Roman Empire but it extends to the present time, culminating the Feet of Iron and Clay.
It is of interest that both the Babylonian Empire was defeated by the Medo-Persians and foretold in the book of Isaiah 13:17-19, while the Medo-Persians would be destroyed by the Greeks, and foretold here in Daniel 8:21.
Then the Greeks are destroyed by the Romans through a series of campaigns, but none had defeated the Roman Empire.
Politically it fell in disarray in the late fifth century, but was ‘re-born’ one might say, as the “Holy” Roman Empire some 300 years later and lasted for another 1,000 years aprox.
What we also notice is the description given to us in the kings dream seems to identify the body parts of the image with what appears to be geographical identifiers of the empires with a timeline;
- Babylon (Head) One unified WHOLE, Geographically located to the EAST relative to Jerusalem.
- Medo-Persia (Arms and Chest. So happens to be Geographically East and West relative to Jerusalem)
- Greek (Belly and thighs. Geographically beginning West and then spreading East, again relative to Jerusalem)
- Rome (Legs. Begins geographically East and West relative to Jerusalem)
- Feet of Iron and Clay (Geographically likely to be East and West again relative to Jerusalem and interestingly represented in the division between Nato and the BRICS nations, yet under the governing influence of the United Nations)
Both Daniel and Revelation tell us this final stage of the Kingdom of Iron and Clay will be broken into TEN REGIONS.
We can ALSO see in the IMAGE that the empires seem to indicate relative length of days to a degree[1] ,
But I digress with too much detail.
Our occupation is with the final portion of the Fourth Kingdom, it is the portion that is the shortest of them all and it is the portion that the sings about us indicates the world is on the cusp of entering in.
The Feet of Iron and Clay
Our study for this series is going to have its focus on Dan 2:42
Daniel 2:42
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.
The final world empire is a fractured empire. It is a divided empire, its division will be absolute.
During the time of Covid we had all witnessed a two teared society unashamedly being created by our leaders.
Enter Jacinta Adern
There was developing an ECONOMIC and SOCIAL divide around the world that infiltrated almost all levels of CIVILISATION.
- Our work places were divided.
- Our families were divided.
- Our churches were divided.
- Our politicians were divided.
- Our Police were divided.
- Our health professionals were divided.
- Our Retail outlets and services were divided into “Essential and Non essential”
We were divided ECONOMICALLY,Ideologically, sociologically, even physically.
Our ability to receive healthcare was curtailed, our ability to visit the elderly was curtailed, our ability to buy groceries was curtailed.
In Melbourne, even our ability to be out of our homes for any length of time was limited.
We could not go to work without a permit.
We could not go to a cafe without a vaccine passport.
In fact, the pure insanity that was being driven by the media to “Encourage us” to all received a new and purely experimental medical procedure was astonishing. (Video 5 min)
Daniel 2:42
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.
Turn in your Bible to Daniel 7:19-23
Daniel 7:19–23
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
This was Daniels inquiry as to the vision he himself was given. You would see from verse 17 that he had first been given the interpretation to the vision where the Angel states with clarity;
Daniel 7:17
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
But it was the forth kingdom particularly that he desired to have understanding of, for it was “exceeding dreadful”.
The description he gives of this fourth kingdom is also given to us in the book of Revelation.
There are many conservative ministers who held the view that the “ten horns” is a historical reference to the ten divisions of the Roman empire in ancient times, and spread over a period of two hundred odd years.[2]
But the ten horns are identified in Revelation 12:3 and Revelation 13:1-3 as that which is yet to come, and endure a short time.
The angel that answered Daniel gives us clarity that matches what we see in Revelation, saying;
Daniel 7:23–25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 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.
Club of Rome and the Ten Region Plan
This is the 10 region plan under a World Government system documented in 1973 by The Club of Rome in a paper called “Regionalized and Adaptive Model of the Global World System”[3]
The United Nations have interestingly given an agenda titled Agenda 2030. Within it is a driven plan that is worth reading in full to understand what it intends to implement.
It is fundamentally important to discern what it says because it is largely contradictory, while is speaks of its voluntary nature it demands unity for its fulfilment.
It Gaslights its audiences with words and catchphrases that say what they want to hear but tells nothing.
It writes of goals and targets, but cannot define if and when it attains them.
“Net Zero” for example, means NOTHING when it comes to identifying when the Environment is now safe.
“Sustainability” does not identify if or when the world will reach a sustainable level.
But it is in the two items that is states in its preamble that I want to show how the Iron and Clay Kingdom of the Bible manifests in this study as completely DIVIDED.
It is the Economic and the Societal
Quote:
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing today demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal Agenda. They seek to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what these did not achieve. They seek to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.[4]
In its DECLARATION section, in point 2, it is important to note WHEN the 17 goals and 169 targets are to be implemented by;
Quote:
2. On behalf of the peoples we serve, we have adopted a historic decision on a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Goals and targets. We commit ourselves to working tirelessly for the full implementation of this Agenda by 2030.
This was written in 2015. Only five years to go!
It will be the Social and the Economic that identifies the greatest division noted in the final kingdom of Iron and Clay.
Contrary to the goals of the United Nations, the manner by which it seeks to attain its unity will guarantee its division.
2030 is its target, we do not completely know when the Lord will return or the Tribulation period begins, but we can see by the signs that are before us how close the world is to fulfilling the conditions identified in fourth kingdom of Daniel 2.
[1] The Empire of Babylon had its highest resurgence under Nebuchadressar II who constructed the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and rebuilt the Temple or Marduk and its Ziggurat.
It lasted for three generations, to his grandson who we see him dispatched in Daniel 5 during the famous “Writing on the Wall” eppisode in Dan 5:5-31. The total timeline was less than 100 years.
Darius took over the city without a battle during this time. Thus the begining of the Medo Persian Empire.
The Persian Empire lasted over two centuries compared to the relatively short-lived (Neo)Babylonian domination of less than a century. Its demise came in 330 B.C. with the conquest of Alexander the Great. Keith N. Schoville, Ezra-Nehemiah, The College Press NIV Commentary, (Joplin, MO: College Press, 2001), 24.
Alexanders Empire begins from Macedonia, hence we see it unified in the Belly of the Image until his empire expands east, beginning by Alexander himself but continuing under his generals after he dies. Four men take the empire just as Scripture tells us. The Greek empire Began with Alexander the Great and ended when the Ptolemaic portion of the empire fell to Rome in 31BC;
when Augustus defeated Cleopatra and Antony at Actium in B. C. 31, exactly three hundred years after Alexander’s final victory over Darius at Arbela. Robert Matteson Johnston, Lectures on the Harvard Classics, 1914, 9.
[2] (1) The Huns in Hungary, A.D. 356. (2) The Ostrogoths in Maesia, 377. (3) The Visigoths in Pannonia, 378. (4) The Sueves and Alans in Gascoigne and Spain, 407. (5) The Vandals in Africa, 407. (6) The Franks in France, 407. (7) The Burgundians in Burgundy, 407. (8) The Heruli and Turingi in Italy, 476. (9) The Saxons and Angles in Britain, 476. (10) The Lombards, first upon the Danube, 526, and afterwards in Italy.The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge Chapter 7
[3] https://historyheist.com/the-club-of-rome-issues-a-report-entitled-regionalized-and-adaptive-model-of-the-global-world-system-dividing-the-world-into-10-kingdoms/
[4] https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
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