Daniel's Five Kingdoms

Of all the prophecies in the Bible, some that cause the most controversy are the visions and prophecies of Daniel. In three different chapters of the book of Daniel, prophecies of coming kingdoms are described, with the most important prophecy being that of the coming kingdom of God. It is the prophecy about this kingdom of God that causes the most controversy today. Some say that the kingdom has not come yet, while others say that it came a long time ago and has been here for about 2000 years. To understand this kingdom of God, and when it is or was supposed to come, we must read through the prophecies of Daniel and understand how all of his prophecies fit together. This brief essay is an overview of that study. It is not the intent of this essay to provide quick answers to all questions, but to help guide in studying what God has revealed, and from there seeking further answers. So please take time to read the chapters listed below and see what God revealed to Daniel.

Daniel 2: The Statue of Four Parts

In this chapter, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, envisions a statue made of four parts, and a large rock that smashes the statue and becomes an immovable mountain. It is this vision which begins our quest for an understanding of the prophecies about the coming kingdom. In verses 36-45 Daniel interprets this vision for the king, starting with the observation that the golden head of the statue represents king Nebuchadnezzar. Then, Daniel notes that the three other parts of the statue are three other kingdoms. He does not name these kingdoms yet, but simply says that three other kingdoms will come after the Babylonian kingdom. Finally, after detailed descriptions of the fourth kingdom, in verse 44 Daniel says that during this fourth kingdom God will set up his own everlasting kingdom (this everlasting kingdom of God is what the stone in the vision represents). So, now we know that there will be four kingdoms, that the first one is Babylon (because Nebuchadnezzar was the leader of Babylon), and that during the fourth kingdom God will set up His kingdom, but we still have a lot of questions to answer.

Daniel 7: The Four Beasts

This vision, about four beasts, represents the same events that the vision of the statue symbolized. In this vision, Daniel sees four beasts: a winged lion, a bear, a four-headed leopard, and an iron-toothed beast with 10 horns. The vision ends with the kingdom being given to the Son of Man.

When asking about the interpretation of the vision, Daniel is told that the last beast represents a fourth kingdom, and the horns represent kings, one of which will speak against God but will be judged. After this judgment, the kingdom will be given over to the Son of Man. So we again see that there will be four kingdoms, and that during the fourth kingdom the everlasting kingdom of God will be established, and now we know the kingdom will be given to the Son of Man, but we still have a few questions.

Daniel 8: The Ram and The Goat

This last vision shows a two horned ram who takes power, and a four-horned goat that conquers the ram. (Where have we seen an animal with four parts before?). The interpretation of this dream, given in verses 19 - 26, gives us two more answers. The ram represents the Medo-Persian empire (which conquered Babylon), and the goat represents the Greek empire (which conquered the Medo Persians). This vision ties with the last one quite nicely. Note how in chapter seven the third kingdom was represented by a four-headed leopard, and here the kingdom is represented by a four-horned goat. So the visions point to the same kingdoms, and now we know what the first three kingdoms are. So, what is the last kingdom?

The Fourth Kingdom

This fourth empire is the only one not specifically named in Daniel. However, it is one fairly simple to discover. Historically we know that the empire which followed the Greeks was that of the Romans. This conclusion is confirmed in the historical record of the New Testament Bible. When we open to the pages of the New Testament, we see that the empire in power is the Roman empire (cf. Jn. 11:48, Acts 16-28, etc.) During this empire, we see Jesus Christ, who calls himself the “Son of Man”, preaching about a kingdom. Thus, the fourth empire, when the “Son of Man” would come to set up his kingdom, must be the Roman empire.

So what does that mean about God’s kingdom? Well, God showed Daniel that during this fourth empire He would set up His eternal kingdom. The Roman Empire fell centuries ago, so we must conclude that sometime during the Roman empire, God set up His eternal kingdom, the kingdom which has “conquered” the Roman empire and lasted throughout the last few thousand years, and will last throughout the ages. According to the scriptures, we are living during the time of the fifth kingdom, the kingdom of God.

The next question is likely "If we are living in the kingdom of God, then what is his kingdom?". Well, Daniel does not explain that for us. All God revealed through Daniel is when the kingdom would come, and the fact that it would be an eternal kingdom. The answer to the question of "what is the kingdom?" would be a great topic for further investigation. So ... investigate.

May God bless you as you search His word. May He draw you close to Himself and help you learn his truth.