How does the golden image in the book of Daniel compare and contrast with the image of the beast in Revelation 13:15?
How is the image similar? How is it different? Are they related prophetically?
Daniel 3:1
NKJV - 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
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Asked September 15 2015
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vanessa pannuti
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Kenneth Heck
These two images illustrate the idea that what doesn't succeed in the Old Testament may very well succeed in the New. The images, probably not identical (sixty cubits high would have been nine stories), do have a very similar function. The major difference is that the New Testament version has been given a demonic form of life, enabling it to speak, and causing anyone not worshipping it to be killed. This suggests much higher technology than we have presently. The intention of the image constructed by Nebuchadnezzar was rendered of no effect by the miracle of the fiery furnace, but many people will actually be killed by this living image in the future. Another instance of the Old versus the New is found in the book of Esther, where Haman (Est 3: 6-15) attempted to destroy all the Jews in the Persian Empire through genocide. They were saved by the intervention of Esther. In our day, Hitler did succeed with most of his plan to kill all Jews within his reach, something that had never been imagined up to that time.
Aurel Gheorghe
The image from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 predicted Babylon’s (the head of gold) fail to the inferior kingdoms of silver, brass and iron (Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome which eventually was divided into the nations of Europe – feet of iron mixed with clay). Unwilling to accept God’s judgments, the king made a gold image and demanded worship that was a direct challenge to God’s authority. Thus, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were forced to choose between worshiping the true God or a man-made image – they choose God! Very interesting that Nebuchadnezzar’s gold image was 60 cubits high, 6 cubits wide, and in Hebrew tradition when it doesn’t give the depth means is the same as the width. In the building of the sanctuary and Noah's ark, a lot of parallel dimensions there, which means the gold image was 60 by 6 by 6 (666) and we have seen this number in other places like 1 Kings 10:14 and Revelation 13:16-18. In the Bible number 6 is man’s number and 7 is God’s number. There are many parallels between Daniel 3 and Revelation 13. In the last days, God's people will be forced once again to choose between worshiping the true God or be killed (Rev 13:15) - to choose between obeying God’s law or the laws and traditions of man.
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