B. History Written In Advance (Daniel 2:31-45; Daniel 7:4-8; Daniel 7:19-25).

B. “History Written In Advance” (Daniel 2:31-45; Daniel 7:4-8; Daniel 7:19-25). This prediction was not only for Nebuchadnezzar; but, it is for us today. The reason God gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream he could not remember was that He knew there would be scoffers who would doubt His Word today. (2 Peter 3:3-7) What we read in the Second Chapter of Daniel is “History written in advance.” Four of the world empires, pictured by the statue which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream, have come and gone. We can read about them in our History books.
1. Cyrus, A Ruler Named By God 150 Years Before His Birth (Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:3-6).
Further proof that the prophetic Scriptures are History written in advance. Some 2750 years ago, and about 150 years or more, before he was born; God inspired the prophet, Isaiah, to name Cyrus, a ruler of the next world empire to come on the scene, Medo-Persia. Cyrus was King of Persia, and Darius was the King of the Medes.
While Darius has been given many identities by secular “authorities,” God’s Word in Daniel, Chapter 6, addresses him as “King” at least 19 times. Daniel 5:31 tells us that he was “Darius the Median.” In Daniel 10:1, Cyrus is called the “king of Persia.” Therefore, you have, according to Scripture, Cyrus, King of Persia; and, Darius, King of the Medes.
Returning to the biblical prophecy about Cyrus, given about 150 years, or more, before his birth, God says,
“That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” (Isaiah 44:28)
Isaiah was inspired to write this in approximately 712 B.C., when the temple was still standing, and no one in Judah could even comprehend the death and destruction that would begin the 70 years of captivity!
Why did God name Cyrus? Not because he was such a great person; he actually was a pagan, gentile king. Nebuchadnezzar would be the “Punisher,” and Cyrus would be the “Deliverer.” God’s ultimate purpose is so the world would know, even today, “there is no God beside me,” as we find in Isaiah 45:3-6.
“And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, WHICH CALL THEE BY THY NAME, am the God of Israel. (Isaiah 45:3)
For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even CALLED THEE BY THY NAME: I have SURNAMED THEE, though thou hast not known me. (Isaiah 45:4)
I am the Lord, and there is none else, THERE IS NO GOD BESIDE ME: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: (Isaiah 45:5)
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I AM THE LORD, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE.” (Isaiah 45:3-6)
2. The Greek Empire of Alexander, the Great; Named 220 Years Before It Existed.
“And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.” (Daniel 8:21)
Approximately 2600 years ago, God, through His Holy Spirit, inspired Daniel to write about Alexander, the Great, some 220 years before he came on the scene. (Daniel 2:32; Daniel 7:6; Daniel 8:21-22)
3. Roman Empire Predicted In Advance (Daniel 2:33; Daniel 7:7).
He gave many details about the Roman Empire, which did not come on the world scene until about 27-30 B.C. (2:33;7:7). And so, we see that Daniel was a true prophet by the test of Deuteronomy 18:22,
“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:22)
Many of the prophecies in the Book of Daniel have “come to pass,” already, and many are for the future; or “the time of the end.” When the bewildered prophet did not understand them, God told him,
“And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? (Daniel 12:8)
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” (Daniel 12:8-9)
Daniel spent the entire 70-year captivity in Babylon. (Daniel 1:21; Ezra 1:1-2; Ezra 1:11)
“And Daniel continued even unto THE FIRST YEAR OF KING CYRUS.” (Daniel 1:21)
“NOW IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS KING OF PERSIA, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (Ezra 1:1)
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (Ezra 1:2)
All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-2; Ezra 1:11)
He was a faithful prophet and twice in the Tenth Chapter of Daniel, the angel bringing his message from God, addresses him as, “...a man greatly beloved.” The student of Bible Prophecy would do well to spend time in this book. As we continue, we will study more of the prophetic Scriptures which the Holy Spirit has inspired Daniel to write.

4. History Written In Advance, Illustrated by a Large Image: Daniel, Chapter 2