What is the significance of Nebuchadnezzar's dream?

from the old testament

• Daniel 2:31–35 records the dream, while Daniel 2:36–45 has its interpretation. There are two main elements: a statue and a “stone cut without hands.”
• The statue is made of five materials, with each (except possibly the fifth) representing a historical kingdom. The natural flow of the dream is that each kingdom immediately succeeds the previous kingdom. For example, Daniel notes that “you [Nebuchadnezzar] are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these” (Daniel 2:38–40). Thus, each is a kingdom, and each overtakes the previous kingdom.
• Each of these four kingdoms is also represented as a beast in Daniel 7. Also, the names of the first four kingdoms can be identified from Daniel. The first was Babylon and is the first beast (Daniel 7:4). The second was Media-Persia (cf. Daniel 5:28) and the second beast (Daniel 7:5). The third was Greece (Daniel 8:20–21) and the third beast (Daniel 7:6). The fourth kingdom is the fourth beast (Daniel 7:7). It is not named in Daniel, but because each other kingdom in the dream conquered the previous kingdom, and because Rome conquered Greece, it has historically been considered the fourth kingdom.
• However, there are five, not four, materials. Of that “kingdom,” Daniel said, “And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay” (Daniel 2:41–43). Because this fifth material is mixed with the fourth material, it is likely related to the Roman Empire. Because the Roman Empire was one government over several nations, some scholars believe the mix of strength and brittleness Daniel describes exemplifies the Roman Empire.
• However, not all agree. An issue with this interpretation is that the rest of the kingdoms were immediately replaced with the next kingdom. The natural reading would be to expect God’s kingdom to replace Rome. Yet, that does not seem to fit historically. Instead, other scholars believe the toes with the clay are related to the ten kings in Daniel 7:24. If true, then the feet represent a future return or extension of the Roman Empire.
• Regardless of the interpretation of the feet and toes, what’s clear is that a “stone made without hands” (Daniel 2:34) refers to a kingdom that “the God of heaven will set up … that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).
• Daniel 7 also refers to this kingdom. It says that when the fourth beast is destroyed (Daniel 7:11), the one like a son of man will be given dominion and “And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13–14).

from the new testament

• Jesus regularly referred to Himself as Daniel’s Son of Man (e.g., Matthew 26:64). He, then, is the one who will destroy the final kingdoms and institute His eternal one. He referred to Himself as being “The stone that the builders rejected [becoming] the cornerstone” and said, “I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him’” (Matthew 21:42–44). While not strictly using Daniel 2 language, Jesus was calling Himself the stone that would destroy the unrighteous kingdoms.
• However, Jesus has not yet conquered the wicked nations—they continue to flourish. However, the book of Revelation shows that Jesus will return to destroy them and establish His eternal rule (Revelation 19:11–16; 20:1–6).

implications for today

Daniel was written after Judah’s 70-year exile, when most Israelites were born into captivity. They had not seen the Promised Land, and God must have seemed weak. However, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream shows that every kingdom exists and falls at God’s behest (Daniel 2:21). Israel was in captivity because God sent them there (Jeremiah 25:8–11), and, as God promised (Isaiah 44:28–45:1), He raised a kingdom to release them. God is sovereign over history, even when we don’t see Him at work.

This should comfort us as we look around at the sinful, even wicked “kingdoms” today. Their leaders all seem to be about themselves, promoting sin, and subjecting people. Yet, what is happening today is no different than Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, and God works through each government to bring about His plans. Because of this, Paul told believers to obey the government (Romans 13:1–7). Paul did not write that during the rule of a God-fearing Emperor. He wrote that during the time of Nero, who burned Christians alive. He said that God has given all governments authority; therefore, when they do not cause us to disobey God, we must obey them as instruments of God! When we obey them, we are saying that we trust God has placed them there for a time and reason.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream should also comfort us because it contains the promise that an eternal and righteous kingdom is coming. We know now that its ruler, the “one like a son of man,” is Jesus. He is returning and, when He does, will destroy all sinful governments (Revelation 19:11–21) and replace them with His perfect kingdom (Daniel 7:13–14). No matter what government we live under, we can live as good citizens on Earth because we know we are citizens of heaven and will one day live under the perfect reign of Christ, where justice, righteousness, and peace will never end. Until that day, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream reminds us that earthly kingdoms are temporary but that God’s kingdom is eternal—and our hope is not found in who holds earthly power but in the King who holds all things in His hands!