DANIEL 2:41-43 -- IMMENSE IMAGE, "FEET AND TOES"
Patrick wrote:In Daniel chapter 2, Daniel talks about the bottom portion of the immense image. He states,
"the feet and the toes to be partly of molded clay...the kingdom itself will prove to be divided..." NWT
Any ideas to what is exactly meant by the these words that the fourth kingdom will prove to be divided
Also chapter talks about the people of this fourth kingdom being a mixture.
"And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay." NIV
Any ideas what is meant by the fourth kingdom being of a mixture
Hi Patrick,
If we know what kingdoms are represented by this immense image, then we can determine why the last kingdom is described by Daniel in the manner he does based on what we know of it today.
Daniel tells us that the 'head of gold" is Babylon. Based on Daniel chapter 8, we are helped to see the
next two kingdoms that follow Babylon are the (1) Medes/Persians which represent the arms and breast of "silver" and (2) Greece which represent the belly and thighs of "copper." Since Greece was defeated by Rome, it would be logical to conclude that the Roman Empire, which lasted over 1,000 years, would indeed represent the legs of "iron."
Now at this point, the Watchtower Society makes an interesting twist. They at this point, teach that
Britain/America pictures becomes an
extension of the Roman Empire which means then, the combined nations, duo-world power of Great Britain and USA then, also pictures the "legs" that are made out of "iron" too. (See picture shown on
page 56 of Watchtower Society's publication
Pay Attention To Daniel's Prophecy! where Great Britain and USA are shown as part of the legs of "iron" on this image shown to the King of Babylon.)
Next, referring to the "feet" themselves that were mixed with "clay" and "iron," the Watchtower Society makes this comment:
"At the dawn of the 20th century, the British Empire ruled over every fourth person on earth. Other European empires controlled millions more. But World War I resulted in the emergence of groups of nations in place of empires. After World War II, this trend accelerated. As nationalism developed further, the number of nations in the world grew dramatically. The ten toes of the image represent all such coexisting powers and governments, for in the Bible the number ten at times signifies earthly completeness. -- Compare Exodus 34:28; Matthew 25:1; Revelation 2:10"
The publication continues:
"Now that we are in the 'the time of the end,' we have reached the feet of the image. Some of the governments pictured by the image's feet and toes of iron mixed with clay are ironlike -- authoritarian or tyrannical. Others are claylike. In what way? Daniel associated the clay with 'the offspring of mankind.' (Daniel 2:43)
Despite the fragile nature of clay, of which the offspring of mankind are made, traditional ironlike rulerships have been obliged to listen more and more to the common people, who want their say in the governments ruling over them. (Job 10:9) But there is no sticking together of authoritarian rule and the common people -- no more than there could be a uniting of iron with clay. At the time of the image's demise, the world will indeed be
politically fragmented!" -- See Watchtower publication (1999)
Pay Attention To Daniel's Prophecy! page 59, paragraphs 27, 28
The
YORWW Congregation sees the fulfillment of the "legs" made up of "iron" as just being one nation, that of Rome, as it true fulfillment. Also, we see the fulfillment of the "feet" that are "mixed" with "iron" and "clay" to be the particularly devastating "4th beast" of Daniel's vision shown in the 7th chapter of that book. So, we differ with the Watchtower Society on their interpretation of this prophecy, at this point.
In reading over this bible account of Daniel the 2nd chapter, we notice this immense "image" was shown to have "10 toes." We see these "10 toes" to be one and the same with the "10 horns" on the "4th beast" of Daniel 7th chapter, picturing the combined forces of the "Islamic Conference of Nations," working as a unit, under the leadership of
Osama bin Laden, the "small horn" of bible prophecy. --
Daniel 2:41-43; Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:20
Daniel 2:43 says of this particular bond of nations,
"Whereas you beheld iron mixed with moist clay, they will come to be mixed with the offspring of mankind; but they will not prove to be sticking together, this one to that one, just as iron is not mixing with molded clay."
Prior to the advent of the coming Great Prophet of Islam,
Osama bin Laden, there exist much discord among those of the nations of Islam. That is why, the prophecy above mentions, they do not "stick together," normally speaking, before the coming of the Great "Small Horn" of bible prophecy. No, they are not well bonded, in unity before his coming. This is because they have greatly differing views, so do not see things "eye-to-eye" nor work well in unison.
As many are aware, this foretold "discord," has been especially true of the "Islamic Conference of Nations," in the past. So much so, that they have been dismissed as a possible uniting force to be reckoned with, by the United Nations Organization, and other world powers of our time. To be sure, the
conglomerate of the
Islamic Conference of Nations, today numbers some 57 nations, coming from all parts of the globe. Indeed, they are a "mixture of the offspring of men," that will be united by the cause of their
religion beliefs -- Islam. The coming "small horn" of bible prophecy will find cause, to unite them enough, to oppose other factions of this world that are perceived to be "enemies" of Islamic Belief. He will become the "eyes" and "mouth" of the combined forces of nations, that of the Islamic Persuasion. --
Daniel 7:8, 20
Hope this helps.
bejay
