Introduction: If you were asked, “What proof do you have
that God exists,” what would you answer? One thing you could
point to is that ancient prophecy has been fulfilled. What
would be needed for that happen? You would need not only a
Supreme Being, but One who knows the future. Does that mean
that God also controls the future? If God controls kings and
kingdoms, that would constitute further proof of His
existence and power. That raises another question, “If God
controls kings and kingdoms, why do we have evil kings and
kingdoms?” Let’s jump into our study of the Bible and learn
more!
I. The Evil Part of Knowledge
A. Read Genesis 2:15-17. If you were Adam, how would
you have understood this warning? Would you think
the fruit of that tree was poisonous? Or would you
have thought that knowledge was dangerous? Or
would you think some other cause of death was
carried in that command?
B. Read Genesis 3:3-6. Eve seemed to think that the
mere touching of the fruit would cause death. How
did the serpent characterize the knowledge of
evil? (Knowing evil was something good. It was
something that gods would know.)
1. If you read the rest of Genesis 3 you will see
that life changes rapidly and not for the
better for Adam and Eve because they ate of
the forbidden tree. We recently studied that
things got even worse when their first born
son killed their second born son. Is it good
to know evil?
2. In the introduction I asked why, if God is in
charge, do we have evil kings and evil
kingdoms? What does our discussion now suggest
is the answer? (Humans choose their
surroundings to a large degree. It is we who
have brought to power evil kings and
kingdoms.)
3. Should we avoid learning about evil? (“Yes,”
would be the correct answer based on Eve’s
error.)
C. Look again at Genesis 3:6 where Eve considers
knowing evil to be the same as becoming “wise.” Is
there any truth to that? Are you constantly on
alert for evil when you enter potentially
dangerous situations? (I have had the practice of
sitting in a restaurant where I can see the door.
Staying on the floors of a hotel that can be
reached by a fire ladder. Keeping an eye on
dangerous drivers when I’m driving.)
1. Do you see any problem with my answers? (It
appears I am trusting in me rather than in
God. The worst part of this is imagining that
others are plotting evil.)
II. Sweep of Kingdoms
A. Read Daniel 2:1-4. The king says that his “spirit
is troubled” about the dream. Who do you think
troubled “his spirit?” (See Romans 8:16: the Holy
Spirit.)
B. Read Daniel 2:5-6. Is the king a bad manager? Why
would tell his advisors he would tear them “limb
from limb” if they did not first tell the dream
and second, interpret it? (Read Daniel 2:9. King
Nebuchadnezzar believed his dream was important,
and he did not trust his advisors. He thought that
if they could recite his dream he would be able to
rely on their answer as to what it meant.)
C. Read Daniel 2:17-19. Who does know the answer to
the king’s dream? (God.)
D. Read Daniel 2:26-30. Of course, God is behind the
dream and Daniel’s interpretation of it. Why did
God give King Nebuchadnezzar the dream? Is this
just a career builder for Daniel? Or a test of his
faith?
1. Why would God entrust this dream to an evil
king? One who threatens his employees with
torture instead of merely losing their job?
E. Read Daniel 2:31-36. If you know something about
this prophecy, are any of the kingdoms that make
up the great image Godly kingdoms? (They are not.
The general understanding of students of the Bible
is that they are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and
Rome.)
1. Do you think that God chose those kings and
kingdoms?
2. Look at Daniel 2:44. This says that God “set
up” this kingdom. Does that mean He did not
set up the prior kingdoms?
3. All of the kingdoms that rule after God’s
people have been defeated by Babylon (meaning
the defeat that brought Daniel to Babylon),
also have power over Israel. What should we
conclude from that? (This goes back to 1
Samuel 8 where the people demand to be ruled
by a King. Although some kings of Israel and
Judah worked with God to rule, a true
theocracy does not arise until Daniel 2:44.)
III. End of Kingdoms
A. Read Daniel 7:1-3. Whose dream or vision is this?
(This is Daniel’s dream. He is not interpreting
the dream of someone else.)
1. What do you think the “winds of heaven”
represent? (Read Revelation 7:1. This refers
to “winds of the earth” and angels are holding
them back. That makes me think that “winds of
heaven” is power from heaven.)
2. What do you think the “sea” represents? (Read
Daniel 7:15-17. Daniel is later told that
these are kings who “shall arise out of the
earth.”)
a. How do you explain that these beasts can
come out of both the sea and the earth?
(Some commentaries view the “sea” as
referring to pagan nations. The point
being that four kingdoms arise on earth
which do not give their allegiance to
God.)
B. Read Daniel 7:4-6. What do you think these three
beasts represent? (Most of the commentaries that I
consulted think this is a parallel of Daniel 2.
Therefore, the beasts are Babylon, Medo-Persia,
and Greece.)
1. Why would God repeat the same prophecy? (Why
do you repeat things? So the listener will
understand that it is important.)
2. What, exactly, do you see as the importance of
this prophecy? (Consider that God’s people
were captives. That could cause them to
conclude that their God had no power. He was
not in charge. In fact, their God revealed the
future empires for thousands of years. And He
revealed the characteristics of those
empires.)
IV. Forever Kingdom
A. In Daniel 7:19 Daniel has a special interest in
the fourth beast that follows the three we just
discussed. Unlike Daniel, we are not going to
explore the fourth beast now, but instead we will
move ahead and read Daniel 7:21-22, and then read
Daniel 7:26-27. Then compare Daniel 2:44-45. What
is the common conclusion of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
and Daniel’s dream? (God wins!)
B. Let’s look at some details. Read Daniel 7:9-12.
What unique thing does the final and forever
kingdom do to the prior kingdoms? (It judges
them.)
1. Notice all the references to fire in
connection with God. Why have all this fire in
heaven? (Recall when this was being written.
Fire is power. It is energy.)
2. Do you see a pattern in this prophecy? (Samuel
was a judge acting for God. He was replaced by
kings. But at the end, the kings are judged by
God.)
C. Read Daniel 2:43-45. A stone not cut by human hand
destroys all the prior kingdoms. What does this
mean to you? (The power of God overcomes all the
prior kingdoms that have restrained God’s people.)
D. Read Isaiah 2:1-3 and compare Daniel 2:45. Notice
the reference to a “mountain” in both texts. What
do you think that means? (Isaiah calls it the
“mountain of the house of the Lord.” God is high
and exalted. Just one stone cut from that mountain
destroys all human kingdoms.)
E. Friend, do you want to be part of the Kingdom of
God? The God who predicts the history of the
world, and then tells us that He and those who
follow Him win. Why not choose the winning side
right now?
V. Next week: Understanding Sacrifice.
Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail,
but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
