s will be a divided kingdom.” History confirms that this seemingly unconquerable Roman Empire crumbled for two rea-sons— from within and from without. From within—wealth poured into Rome through taxes col-lected from all over the world and the simple Roman life was replaced with luxury and pomp. The political world brewed with corruption, crime infiltrated the streets, the work ethic was lost, sexual immorality was rampant. And as the mighty Roman Empire weakened from within, Rome was attacked from without and divided into ten smaller kingdoms.Where are we living today? Right down in the toenails of history! Every part of this prophecy has come to pass except one. Listen—Daniel told the king in verses 34 & 44: “You watched while a STONE was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. . . . The God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. . . . It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” That Rock cut out without hands symbolizes Jesus Christ, who will come to establish His kingdom. Why is it important that you know about the dream of an ancient king? Simply this: Nebuchadnezzar’s dream portrayed history before it was lived, and once you realize the Bible can be trusted with the past, you’ll know without a doubt it can be trusted to predict those things still to come. Today we have hope, for tomorrow is in the hands of the God who guides history—and who loves us!. . .The Lord of History has the last word . . .British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated: “Any man must have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below.” So inescapably did Daniel’s prophetic portrayal correspond to its historical fulfillment that the great English historian Edward Gibbon, though not a Christian or Bible believer h...
