Jws & Daniel ch. 2 -- Spotlight Ministries Debate Forum

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Subject: Jws & Daniel ch. 2

Author:
Anonymous

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Date Posted: 12:15:36 06/10/04 Thu

I recently bought "The Kingdom is at Hand" from a used bookstore. This book was published in 1944 by the Society and was one of the first publications of the post-Rutherford era (JFR had died in 1942). I found an explanation of the prophecy of Daniel, chapter 2 of which I was totally unaware.

The explanation with which I am familiar, and which was held even by Russell (see The Divine Plan of the Ages, Study XIII, "The Kingdoms of This World" under the heading "Nebuchandezzar's Vision of Earth's Governments - http://agsconsulting.com/htdbnon/htdb0080.htm ), is that various parts of the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar represent empires or "world powers" beginning with Babylon and running through Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome until the establishment of God's kingdom. But "The Kingdom is at Hand" book blames this interpretation on the clergy and proceeds to give a different one! In Chapter XII, "Rise and Fall of Satan's Kingdom" it is stated: "Religious clergymen have attempted an interpretation of this dream, making it refer to the rise and fall of the four successive world powers, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the Roman empire." (page 179) ". . . such religious interpretation becomes more and more untenable and manifest as wrong. It is an interpretation of demon origin to hide the truth . . ." (page 180) The writer states that Satan the Devil is the head of gold on the image. Under him are the "demon princelings" who form the breast and arms of silver. The religious clergy are the belly and thighs of copper. The legs of iron are the kings of the north and south, respectively. The feet of iron and clay picture the religious and political elements mingled together.

Yet, it seems to me that they have since returned to Russell's basic interpretation that the parts of the image are successive political powers. If the "Your Will Be Done on Earth" book (1958) restored the former understanding (and if that is the understanding in the current Daniel book), then at least from 1944 to 1958 (14 years) they had a different understanding of the prophecy.

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
Re: Jws & Daniel ch. 2	E	11:59:54 06/13/04 Sun

Donald Jws & Daniel ch. 2	E	08:35:23 06/17/04 Thu