My question is this. When King Nebuchadnezzar had his dream, (Daniel Chapter 2) Daniel interpreted the dream as representing the 4 great kingdoms with Babylon being the greatest. I admit I don’t know my history all that well, however, how did the the remaining 3 get lined up with the Medo-Persian empire, Greek empire and the Roman empire? I am wondering how those lined up as opposed to, say, the Chinese Dynasty which was also a great empire.
God has always viewed history from Israel’s perspective. Babylon conquered Israel and became the statue’s head of Gold. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar this meant that God had made him the ruler of all mankind and even the animals, no matter where they were on Earth (Daniel 2:38). There were other great kingdoms on Earth, and had he wanted to Nebuchadnezzar could have conquered them all.
When Media-Persia conquered Babylon they assumed that power, followed by Greece, who conquered Persia, and finally Rome, who conquered the remnants of the Greek Empire. Together these kingdoms represent Gentile Dominion, remnants of which still rule the world today, and will until the Second Coming.
It has always interested me that the metal representing each succeeding Kingdom was less precious on one hand while being stronger on the other. Silver is less precious but stronger than gold. Bronze is less precious but stronger than silver. Iron is less precious but stronger than bronze. To me this means that each one had less integrity and was more oppressive than its predecessor.