God's Prophecies Build Faith

God gave us prophecies to build our faith in Him.

John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

Let us study one of God's prophecies and how it compares to history. We will find that God's Word interprets the prophecy itself.

Among the captives taken at Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, who were the most
prominent?
"Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:" Daniel 1:6.

Who was Nebuchadnezzar?
"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it." Daniel 1:1.

What caused sleep to depart from Nebuchadnezzar?
"And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him." Daniel 2:1.

When he applied to his magicians for an interpretation of his dream, what did they
say?
"The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." Daniel 2:10,11.

In his anger, what decree did the king make?
"For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon." Daniel 2:12.

To avoid suffering the consequences of the decree, what did Daniel do?
"Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation." Daniel 2:16.

After he and his three companions had prayed to God about the matter, how was the
interpretation made known?
"Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven." Daniel 2:19.

Afterward, when Daniel was brought in before the king, what question was asked him?
"The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?" Daniel 2:26.

What humble and impressive answer did Daniel return?
"But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;" Daniel 2:28.

What had the king seen in his dream?
"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible." Daniel 2:31.

Of what were the different parts of the image composed?
"This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." Daniel 2:32,33.

What did the king see happen to the image?
"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces." Daniel 2:34.

What then took place?
"Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Daniel 2:35.

Having told the dream, how did Daniel proceed to explain the head of gold?
"Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold." Daniel 2:37,38.

What was to be the nature of the next kingdom after Babylon?
"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." Daniel 2:39.

Who was the last Babylonian king?
"In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old." Daniel 5:30,31.

To whom was Belshazzar's kingdom given?
"PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." Daniel 5:28.

By what symbol is the Medo-Persian empire elsewhere represented?
"The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia." Daniel 8:20.

What beast was seen to come against him?
"And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power." Daniel 8:5,6.

What was the result of this contest?
"And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven." Daniel 8:7,8.

What did the goat represent?
"And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king." Daniel 8:21.

By what is Grecia represented in the image?
"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." Daniel 2:39.

What is said of the fourth kingdom?
"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise." Daniel 2:40.

Where is such a power brought to view?
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed." Luke 2:1.

What was indicated by the mixture of clay and iron in the feet and toes?
"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay." Daniel 2:41.

What is to take place in the days of these kings?
"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." Daniel 2:44.

Can there be any doubt regarding the fulfillment of this prophecy?
"Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." Daniel 2:45.

I have only included the history that the Bible itself recorded, but you will be delighted to compare history with what God revealed in prophecy. I have also included a link below that has some very good history and graphics. God will bless you as you study this.

Discover Online: An Amazing Bible Prophecy: "An Amazing Bible Prophecy"