Daniel was a teen-ager when Nebuchadnezzar invaded his homeland and carried him to Babylon. This was just the beginning of Babylon's captivity and ravaging of the Jewish nation. A few years later, a second wave of captives were carried away, Ezekiel being among them. Shortly after that, the final assault was made and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple was virtually complete.

In Babylon, by the providence of God, Daniel rapidly arose to fame and power because of his godly character and wisdom (cf. Ezek. 14:14,20; 28:3) He was given responsible positions by the Babylonian rulers during their seventy years of power and by the Persians that followed.

Daniel knew how earthly kingdoms worked as well as their fragile and fleeting nature. His own nation, Israel, had once been great and prosperous under David and Solomon. It now lay in ruins. During his life time Assyria fell and Babylon ascended to greatness and fell. So, it seems fitting that God should choose him to prophesy concerning the "kingdom which shall never be destroyed". (2:44).

Daniel relates two significant dreams pertaining to the kingdom of God. The first was Nebuchadnezzar's dream during the second year of his reign. (chapter 2) The second was Daniel's dream during the first year of Belshazzar's reign (about 60 years after Nebuchadnezzar's dream).

In Nebuchadnezzar's dream he had seen a great image with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron and clay. After the wise men of the country could not recall and interpret the dream, Daniel, by God's revelation did so.

The head of gold represented the Babylonian empire (606-536 B.C.) (chapter 2:38). The silver part represented the next kingdom after Babylon, the Medo-Persian empire (536-330 B.C.) -- a kingdom inferior to Babylon. The bronze portion represented the next kingdom that would rule over all the earth -- the Grecian empire (330-146 B.C.). The fourth kingdom was the Roman empire (146 B.C. -476 A.D.). It was to be during the days of these the kings, the Romans, that the God of heaven would set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed. (chapter 2:44).

In Daniel's dream, some sixty years later, he saw four great beasts come up from the sea. One like a lion, one like a bear, one like leopard, and a fourth one described as "dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong" with ten horns. These beasts represented the same four world powers as the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw. (chapter 7:15-27) The fourth being the Roman empire that was ultimately divided as represented by the ten horns. Then Daniel sees "One like the Son of Man" who "came to the Ancient of Days" to be "given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is and everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." (chapter 7:13,14).

Jesus was born during the reign of the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus. (Luke 2:1). After being crucified by Roman authorities and after His resurrection from the dead, just before His ascension into heaven, He declared that all authority in heaven and earth had been given to Him (Matt. 28:18). The Hebrew writer declares that, as Christians, we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken or moved (12:28). Paul says that those who have received redemption and forgiveness in Christ have been "conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love." (Col. 1:13,14 NKJV).

There can be little doubt as to when the kingdom of Daniel's prophecies was set up. It was when Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, thus being made both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:30-36). The things seen and heard on the day of Pentecost verified that this very thing had happened. (Acts 2:33). As Peter spoke, Christ was sitting on the throne at the right hand of God, having received "dominion and glory and a kingdom." While Peter says that Jesus was raised from the dead to ascend to the right had of God to sit on David's throne (thus, having receive a kingdom), Paul says he was raised to ascend to the right had of God to be head over all things to the church: "He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places, far above all dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:20-23).

So, the God of heaven did set up his kingdom in the days of the fourth kingdom -- just like Daniel said He would. This kingdom (stone cut without hands) has filled the whole earth (cf. Col. 1:23) and still stands -- long after "the wind carried them (the four world powers) away so that no trace of them" can be found. (Daniel 2:35 NKJV).

How did Daniel know all of this was going to happen? Let Daniel speak for himself: "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets..." (Daniel 2:28). Truly, Daniel was God's prophet of the kingdom.

(This article was originally written for Christianity Magazine at the request of brother Sewell Hall)