In the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream, recorded in Daniel 2, we see a panoramic view of the nations that comprise the “times of the Gentiles.” We know, of course, that the church period is completely left out in this image, as the mystery [or secret] of the church was hidden in God until the New Testament. The church period is not reckoned in prophetic time. Thus the image details to us, in succession, the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires, with different metals used to identify them. Finally there are the feet of iron and clay, which denote the form of the revived Roman Empire — an empire which will fall under the judgment of God at the end of the tribulation period.
We might wonder why the Babylonian Empire should be styled as the head of gold — a metal whose value far exceeded any of the other empires. It certainly was not the largest empire during the times of the Gentiles, nor was it necessarily the strongest. Why then was Daniel, in interpreting the dream, led to say to Nebuchadnezzar, “Thou art this head of gold” (Dan. 2:38)?
We might mention that in saying this to Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was not referring merely to Nebuchadnezzar as the present king, but to the Babylonian empire as it might exist until its downfall.
Authority and Position From God
Perhaps the most important reason why Babylon was called the head of gold was because its authority and position came directly from God. All succeeding empires came about because of conquest, or simply because previous kingdoms fell into ruin. But Babylon was specially raised up of God, not only to take Israel captive, but to lead the way into the times of the Gentiles. This is clear from more than one scripture, but especially through the mouth of Jeremiah. He was commanded by the word of the Lord to say, referring to Jehovah, “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given unto whom it seemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant ... And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son” (Jer. 37:5-7).
Absolute Power
Secondly, his power was absolute, and was thus comparable to God’s power. He was not bound by any previous law, nor was he answerable to any but God. Concerning Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel could say to Belshazzar, “All people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down” (Dan. 5:19). King Darius of the Medes and Persians was able to ordain a law, but was not allowed to change it, even to save a man like Daniel (Dan. 6:8, 15). Babylonian kings were not bound by any such restriction.
A Good Government
While the foregoing are probably the main reasons for the Babylonian Empire being termed the head of gold, there are one or two other reasons that come before us. Another consideration is that there was generally good government in the Babylonian Empire. We say generally, for as with all absolute monarchies, there were self-serving motives that sometimes resulted in oppression. For this reason Daniel reminded Nebuchadnezzar that he should “break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor” (Dan. 4:27). But in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar concerning his ultimate humiliation, he was compared to a great tree “whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all” (Dan. 4:21). It would seem that for the most part, the Babylonian Empire was a good place to live, and where all could dwell in relative prosperity and peace.
Size and Beauty
Finally, there was the size and beauty of the city of Babylon. It was undoubtedly the largest city of the ancient world, and surpassed in beauty any city before it. It is also questionable whether any city built since then has had the charm of Babylon. With its immense walls, its hanging gardens, and the palace of the king, it was one of the wonders of the ancient world. No other empire could boast of such a beautiful city.
For all these reasons, the Babylonian Empire was constituted the head of gold. Yet when the stone (a type of Christ Himself) struck the feet of the image, the whole image was broken to pieces, and became like “the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away” (Dan. 2:35). All human glory must pale before the glory of God’s beloved Son, who “has ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things” (Eph. 4:10).
W. J. Prost