Statue Dream, Fourth Kingdom is Rome
Version 5
By Mark Farquharson
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a statue {Daniel 2}. The dream is interrupted by Daniel. The statue represented four kingdoms. Everyone agrees on the first three kingdoms, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and the Grecian empires. While in Daniel they are kingdoms, the prophecy was fulfilled by these empires.
However there seems to be some confusion on the fourth empire, some say it was the Romans, other people say it is an empire that is still to come. Still others say it was the Romans, but that an empire like Roman, will come again at the end of the age, just before the return of Jesus Christ. Some dismiss the fourth kingdom, claiming it is spiritual.
Daniel 2:32-3 The image's head is good gold, its chest and its arms are silver, its belly and its thighs are copper, its legs are iron, its feet, part of them are iron, and part of them are clay." {CLV}
Dan 2:38-40 ……You are the head that is gold." In your place shall arise another kingdom of the earth, inferior to you, that is silver; and another kingdom, the third, that is copper, shall have authority in all the earth." The fourth kingdom shall be mighty as iron, forasmuch as iron is pulverizing and overcoming all. As iron that smashes, all these shall it pulverize and smash."{CLV}
The gold, the silver, the copper, and the iron mixed with the clay represent four kingdoms. Actually they were known as empires.
The head of gold is Babylonian, the chest and arms are Medo-Persian, and the belly and thighs are Grecian empires. We are left with the legs and the feet which is the fourth empire. Each empire did actually exist, which means that the fourth empire is an actual empire, and is not spiritual, but is it the Roman empire?
If it is not the Roman Empire, then a large time gap exists between the Grecian empires and the fourth Empire. However there is not a mention of a break in the statue between the legs and the thighs. Is it correct to put such a time gap in this place?
Right after the Babylonian Empire comes the Medo-Persian, and right after that the Grecian empires. There are no large time gaps between these empires. Babylon fall to the Medes and Persians in 537 BC, there was no time gap here. In fact the Mede and Persian empires existed before the fall of Babylon. The Medo-Persian Empire started to weaken by economic decline, revolts, and murder before it was conquered by the Greeks. Alexander the Great becomes the king of Greece in 336 BC. In 333 BC Alexander defeats the Persians. Alexander dies in 323 BC and his empire is divided between four generals.
However now we are suggesting that there is more than 2000 years between the third empire and the fourth. If this was the case, then God would have indicated this in some way. It is incorrect to believe that each empire comes straight after the other and then to believe that the fourth empire is some 2000 years later. The legs are not broken off the statue, there is no reason to believe in such a large time gap.
As the Greek empire is in power the Roman empire begins to rise in power. This is the same pattern as the others, when one empire is in power another is rising to power. With the death of Alexander and the dividing of the Greek empire, the Greek empire is weakened. It is further weekend when different areas break away to form separate kingdoms. These different kingdoms battled each other for wealth and territory. This let the Roman empire rise to power and conquer a number of these kingdoms in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. This is a strong indication that the fourth empire is the Roman empire.
Daniel 2:39-40 In your place shall arise another kingdom of the earth, inferior to you, that is silver; and another kingdom, the third, that is copper, shall have authority in all the earth." The fourth kingdom shall be mighty as iron, forasmuch as iron is pulverizing and overcoming all. As iron that smashes, all these shall it pulverize and smash." {CLV}
What was the Iron Kingdom going to smash?, it was going to smash all these, that is all these kingdoms, that is the other empires. However the other empires no longer exist, there is no way a coming kingdom can smash these empires that no longer exist. Rome totally smashed these previous empires.
Daniel 2:34-35 You were perceiving till a stone severs itself, that is, not by hands, and it collides with the image at its feet that were of iron and clay, and pulverizes them." Then pulverized, as one, are the iron, the clay, the copper, the silver, and the gold, and they are as chaff from summer threshing sites, and the wind lifts them up, and no place at all is found for them. And the stone that collides with the image becomes a vast mountain range, and fills all the earth." {CLV}
What of the stone, if this is a kingdom as well, then where is it? Surely if the fourth empire was Roman, which is long ago past out of existence then where is the stone that destroys the feet, surely this empire should now exist. The stone Kingdom has not come, anyone can see that the stone kingdom is not here. However if this is still to come, then is the dream incorrect?
The stone kingdom is the “Kingdom of God,” also know as the “Kingdom of the Heavens.” The stone kingdom will come soon and destroy the fourth kingdom. With the coming of the Messiah all the kingdoms of men will be smashed and become like chaff. The dream is correct, the fourth kingdom still exists, no empire destroyed the fourth empire. It continues until the stone kingdom comes, but is not Rome long gone?
When we get to the feet the Iron {Fourth Kingdom} is mixed with Clay, this tells us that the form of the fourth kingdom changes over time. The clay is not another kingdom, the clay and the Iron are viewed as the Fourth Kingdom. While the Roman Empire has gone through many changes it still continues today.
Daniel 2:41-43 Seeing that you perceived the feet and toes, part of them of potter's clay, and part of them of iron: The kingdom shall be composite. And the stability of iron will be in it, forasmuch as you perceived the iron mixed with the muddy clay." And the toes of the feet, part of them of iron and part of them of clay: at the end, the kingdom shall be mighty, yet part of it shall be frail." Seeing that you perceived the iron mixed with muddy clay: Thus mixing with wealth is the armed force of the mortal. Yet with wealth it is not clinging, this one with that one, even as iron mixes not with clay." {CLV}
Lets briefly look at how it changed over time. The Rome empire weakened and become divided into at least 10 kingdoms. This happened in 476 AD when the Rome empire was divided into at least 10 kingdoms.
Then Holy Roman Empire came along, and over time the kingdoms submitted to the Roman Pontiff and lost their sovereignty. Papal Rome started it’s worldwide domination, and it was given authority and power by the 10 kingdoms.
Some have the ten toes as those ten kingdoms, others have them as over empires that were successive and were all part of the Rome empire. However I do not believe the ten toes actual represent any actual kingdoms. For it does not state that the toes represent any actual kingdoms or kings. The ten kingdoms are long gone, they no longer exist, and other empires that people come up with are also long gone. They have been other suggestions, like a G10, of countries, or the European Union, which has more than 10 member countries. I do not believe any of these represent the toes.
It is thought that the stone that comes will destroy these ten toes, being ten kingdoms. However this is were people go wrong, they misunderstand what it is saying.
Daniel 2:44 In their days, that is, of these kings, the Eloah of the heavens will set up a kingdom that for the eons shall not come to harm. His kingdom shall not be left to another people. It will pulverize and terminate all these kingdoms, and it shall be confirmed for the eons."
For it says the kingdom that Eloah {God} sets up will come in the days of these kings. The kings have been thought of as being the kingdoms represented by the ten toes. However it does not say that the toes represent ten kingdoms. The feet and the toes are part Iron and part clay, not just the toes. Only showing the changing from of the Rome Empire, not any actual part of it like the ten kingdoms or other empires or ten forms of Roman government.
Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as you perceived that a stone severs itself from a mountain range, that is, not by hands, and it pulverizes the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great Eloah makes known to the king what shall occur after this. Certain is the dream and faithful its interpretation." {CLV}
The kingdoms that it will pulverize and terminate are the four in the statue dream. For it states that it pulverizes the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold. That is the four kingdoms of the statue, not any other kingdoms. How will it pulverize and terminate the three empires that have already terminated? The stone that comes will pulverize and terminate the Iron kingdom. Of the other three kingdoms, it means that it will bring an end to the kingdoms of man, represented by the statue.
Rome Empire Did Not Control World
When the Rome Empire came to power it did not control the whole world, therefore it is claimed that it can not be the forth kingdom. While it is true it did not control the whole world when it came to power, the other empires did not literally control the whole world either.
Daniel 2:38-39 In every place where the sons of mortals are abiding, the animal of the field, the flyer of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, He grants into your hand. He gives you authority over them all. You are the head that is gold." In your place shall arise another kingdom of the earth, inferior to you, that is silver; and another kingdom, the third, that is copper, shall have authority in all the earth." {CLV}
The copper kingdom, the third kingdom was the Greek empire. Here it tells us that the Third kingdom, the Greek empire was to have authority in all the earth. However we know from history, that the Greek empire did not rule the whole planet. What is meant in this prophecy is that it was to rule all that area of the earth. Not the whole planet, but just all the earth in that area. Thus the prophecy was fulfilled by the Greek empire for it ruled all that area of earth. Thus the fourth kingdom can be the Roman Empire as it did not have to literally rule the world when it came to power to fulfil this prophecy.
The Fourth Empire is Rome!
We know that the fourth empire is Rome because the kingdoms are successive, that is they come after one another. Thus the only empire that dominate the world after the other three empires, was the Roman Empire and it come straight after the Greek empire. In fact just as the dream informs us, it destroyed the Greek empire. There is no break in the statue, which is what is needed if the fourth empire is still to come. No coming kingdom can destroy the Greek Empire which has long ago been smashed by the Roman Empire. The dream tells us that the fourth kingdom continues until the kingdom of stone comes. This informs us that the fourth kingdom the Rome empire still continues today, but in a different form.
As I stated it became ten kingdoms and then the Holy Roman Empire. Thus changing over time. But surely the world is not control by the Holy Roman Empire today. Actually it has become the world order.
Mystery Babylon
There are those that believe that Rome is spiritually Babylon. And that it is the secret or mystery Babylon of the book of Revelation. There is the view that mystery bablylon is the world banking system. While mystery bablyon controls the world banking system, the banking system is just a part of mystery babylon. Mystery Babylon is the world order, that has been controlling things for sometime. Yes this is the form of the forth empire today.
Era of the Nations Gap
No prophets foresaw the Era of the nations. When Jesus Christ reads from the scroll in Luke 4:18-20, he is read a passage from Isaiah 61:1-2, however he stops and gives it back. There is a gap of about 2000 years here so far between “To herald an acceptable year of the Lord..” & “and a day of vengeance for our God”. The day of vengeance has not yet come. There is more on this gap in Romans 11.
Does this gap come between the third and fourth kingdoms in the statue dream. If no prophet foresaw the gap then the gap would not have appeared in the dream. Before we start applying this gap to the dream we have to understand when the gap starts and when the gap ends. To apply the gap this way, the fourth empire can not start until the day of vengeance arrives. People incorrectly believe that the day of vengeance is the seven year or three and half year coming tribulation period. There is no coming tribulation at all, however there is a coming day of vengeance.
When did the heralding of an acceptable year of the Lord start? It could not start until Jesus Christ came to the earth. This was well after the third kingdom was gone. The fourth kingdom smashes the third kingdom, which means the fourth kingdom was already in power when the gap started.
What is the day of vengeance and when does it come? The day of vengeance is the day Jesus Christ comes back. For more on the return of Jesus Christ refer to my article: “The Day of the Lord”
The forth kingdom can not come to power on the day of vengeance. As I have said the fourth kingdom smashed the third kingdom. This tells us the gap is not between the third and fourth kingdoms. To understand the statue dream we do not need to apply this gap.
Note: CLV: Concordant Literal version.
Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2009-2011. First called “Forth Kingdom is Rome. Version 1, 2009; Update October 2009. Version 2 February 2010, Edited 25 May 2010; Updated 29 May 2010. Version 3 an update on the previous version, & renamed “Statue Dream, Fourth Kingdom is Rome,” January 2011. Version 4 major correction to previous version 14 August 2011. Version 5, major correction to previous version April 25, 2024