Daniel 2:37-45

Think, Reader! what astonishment must have overwhelmed the mind of Babylon's monarch, when beholding a poor captive youth of Israel's race, not only bringing to his recollection all the circumstances which had passed before him in the visions of the night, and which no human being could have had any knowledge of but himself; but, also, undauntedly, and without fear, explaining the dream, though it foreboded the certain destruction of this monarch's own kingdom. Oh! blessed, blessed Lord, what invincible boldness doth grace induce towards man, while humbleness towards God is in the hearts of thy people! Now, Reader, attend to Daniel's interpretation of this dream, and then ponder over the important subject, as we know it hath literally and truly come to pass. The four kingdoms would not have merited notice, but as they ministered to the Lord's Church. These were to succeed each other, and exactly did so, as Daniel prophesied. The head of gold, in this image, represented the Chaldean monarchy. The silver breast and arms, pointed to the Persian kingdom, which sprung out of the Chaldean, when the former was destroyed by Cyrus. See Chap. 5. To this succeeded the Grecian monarchy, marked in the King's dream by the belly and thighs of brass. And the fourth, which was denoted by the legs and feet of iron, re presented the Roman, and which remained until that stone cut out without hands, meaning the Lord Jesus Christ, the humblest, and lowliest of the sons of men, came to establish his glorious kingdom, and fill the earth. Thus, Reader, behold both the prediction and the event; and in the spiritual kingdom of our Lord, observe how the God of heaven hath set up an empire never to be destroyed. Oh! precious, precious Lord Jesus, thy kingdom is indeed an everlasting kingdom; and thy dominion that which must remain forever.