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In chapter 3 of the Book of Daniel we have the image of a golden statue.
While similar to the 'dream' statue of Daniel chapter two, the exterior
of this statue is completely golden.
The story flow of this chapter is relatively simple. Having to do with
the testing of Daniel's three friends.
Their obedience to God is tested, however through the blessing of God,
they are untouched by the 'seven times' heated furnace.
This is an entertaining and instructive chapter. However, it has to be
asked, "How does the teaching of this chapter enhance our understanding
of prophecy?".
The use numbers in prophetic texts is for a reason. Numbers are present
to convey meaning.
In this prophecy we should be asking of what relevance is the fact that
this statue was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide.
Dan 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,
whose height was sixty cubits and its width six
cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in
the province of Babylon.
[NB: A cubit is roughly about half a metre.]
How do these numbers help us understand any concealed prophetic teaching?
Before discussing this, let us consider the more apparent prophetic
inferences.
PROPHETIC INFERENCES
The first inference is the 'seven times' heated furnace, inferring a
reference to the Great Tribulation.
It reflects the prophetic text.
Lev 26:27 'And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but
walk contrary to Me,
:28 then I also will walk contrary to you in fury;
and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for
your sins.
[NB: This verse is referring to the 4th and final
'seven times' mentioned in Leviticus chapter
26.
Obviously this Leviticus verse is depicting
the fate of unrepentant people of God during
the duration of the Great Tribulation.]
The second inference would be an implied 'type' of the Revelation
chapter 13 'image'.
Where the 'second beast' (the beast from the land) sets up an image
to an historic prior entity, i.e. the first beast (the beast from
the sea), and commands worship of the image.
Rev 13:14 ... make an image to the beast {the first beast}
who was wounded by the sword and lived.
:15 He {the second beast} was granted power to give
breath to the image of the beast {the first beast},
that the image of the beast should both speak and
cause as many as would not worship the image of
the beast to be killed.
As the Revelation 13 'image' is highly relevant to understanding the
imagery of the Daniel chapter 3 prophecy. The Daniel chapter 3
presentation of required worship mimics the prophesied required
worship encountered in Revelation 13 and also implied in the role
of 'False Prophet' (Rev 16:13, 19:20 and 20:10).
THE REVELATION 13 'IMAGE'
The first beast of Revelation 13 is composed of aspects of the lion,
bear and leopard; which are symbolic entities mentioned in Daniel
chapter 7.
Commonly the Daniel chapter 7 beasts and the different metals in
the Daniel chapter 2 statue have been thought to be equivalents.
In addition interpreters have focused on the notion that some form
of Gentile entity is being represented.
This website takes a completely different stance.
The reason is, that while surface meanings of prophecies can leave
certain surface impressions - the actual message of God is frequently
something completely different. (One has to recall that the teachings
of the Book of Daniel were 'sealed'.)
It has to be kept in mind that the focal point of Scripture is God
working with the descendants of Israel (Jacob). In the past this has
usually meant descendants by race, but in this time it is aligned
with descendants by faith.
What this all means is that God is not that interested in providing
deep prophetic breakdowns of the future of faithless Gentile nations.
So although it seems that God is indeed providing such information,
such narrative is actually being used to hide what is really being
discussed. Hence, Scripture uses allusions to Gentile empires to
conceal references to various manifested forms of Israel. (This can
be difficult for some to fully grasp.)
So what is the teaching of Revelation chapter 13?
The first beast from the sea, is an historic entity. It is ancient
Israel! The 'image' being enlivened is an image of ancient Israel.
Those of Jewish faith will be compelled to figuratively bow down and
worship the modern day created image of this ancient entity.
Those not doing so will find themselves shunned and ostracised.
Those doing so will find themselves facing the Great Tribulation.
NB: As 'worship' is intended for God only. It is wrong to
worship any form of 'creation', instead of the Creator.
The description of the second beast of Revelation 13 is actually the
description of the 'False Prophet'! In Revelation chapter 13 the second
beast is not specified as the False Prophet, but this is apparent from
its description. Hence, a beast which promotes the reinstatement of a
form of Ancient Israel.
So this helps us to understand that the Daniel chapter 3 gold statue
is a prophetic end-time representation of an image of Ancient Israel.
That the worship of such an image is being promoted.
PROPHETIC MEANING - 60 CUBITS BY 6 CUBITS
So why the height of 60 cubits and the width 6 cubits?
Dan 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,
whose height was sixty cubits and its width
six cubits.
This is a good question.
If the height and width were measurements of time how would this
present a chronological teaching?
With the majority of prophetic periods, specifically those representing
a long time duration, the end point is usually the start of the Great
Tribulation.
(This ensures the bible scholar stays focused upon this pivotal event.)
If we are going to identify a point in the history of Israel, what
timing would be the most suitable?". Surely the point when ancient
Israel was at it's very peak of glory. Suggesting when Solomon was
king and the temple of God had just been completed!
When dealing with periods measuring longer periods of time the durations
of 50 years and 40 years arise. The period of fifty years because the
Jubilee year occurred every 50 years. A cycle of Forty years because
this was the indicated duration of a generation, after which a
reconfirmation of the covenant would be necessary.
If we are going to take these 60 cubits and 6 cubit measurements to
be indications of time, what number(s) do they represent?
The 60 cubits of height would likely represent 3,000 years. This being
60 x 50 years.
Indeed, as this website presents, this is the timing of the completion
of the first temple built by Solomon.
[NB: It is interesting to note that this occurred 500 years
after the Exodus.
1) 1 Kings 6:1, states that in the 480th year after the
Exodus, Solomon began to build the house of the Lord.
2) 1 Kings 9:10, states that at the end of twenty years,
Solomon had built the house of the Lord and the king's
house. ]
So what does the 6 cubits of width represent?
It seems that the 6 cubits is placing a further emphasis upon the
jubilee cycle. However, for the width measurement in this prophecy
it is placing emphasis on the 500 year anniversaries.
The following 500 year cycles arrangement is interesting.
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3,500 years before Tribulation - Exodus from Egypt
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3,000 years before Tribulation - Completion 1st Temple
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2,500 years before Tribulation - Jerusalem rebuilt
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2,000 years before Tribulation - Initial Set-up of Christianity
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0 years before Tribulation - Initial Set-up of Kingdom of God
(The 144,000 sealed.)
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(Here we once again have the completion of the first temple 3,000
years before the prophesied Great Tribulation.
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