om
was in certain respects inferior to the Chaldean, just as silver is
inferior to gold. It was neither as wealthy nor as prosperous, and
was particularly inferior in the character of its kings, for from the
death of Cyrus they are said to have been "as vile a set of men as
ever disgraced human nature."

"And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all
the earth." This refers to the Macedonian, or Greek, empire founded
by Alexander the Great. After subduing Greece and reducing Egypt,
Alexander penetrated into Asia, took Tyre, met and overthrew Darius
the Persian at Arbela, in 331 B.C., thus terminating the Persian
Empire. The Grecian Kingdom had less external magnificence than those
which preceded it and was founded and maintained by force of arms;
but it was more extensive than the others, including many dominions
in Europe, Africa, and regions farther to the east in Asia than had
before been penetrated. It was foretold that this kingdom should "bear
rule over all the earth"; it was the main boast of Alexander that he
had subdued the whole world.

"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh
all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise" (verse 40). This
corresponds to the "legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of
clay," in the dream itself. The reference is to the Roman Empire,
which succeeded the Grecian. Whether or not the two legs had any
special significance is not stated, but commentators frequently refer
us to the two divisions into which the empire of Rome was afterwards
divided--East and West. So also the ten toes of the image are often
explained as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the
empire. But we should bear in mind that this is not stated either
in the vision itself or in its inspired interpretation. Only four
kingdoms are referred to as such. The fourth division, representing
Rome (in both its strong and its weak condition), is described simply
as "the kingdom," "the fourth kingdom." The Roman Kingdom was at first
"as strong as iron." No other people have ever made such extensive
conquests through a long period of time as did the Romans.

If Nebuchadnezzar's dream brought a man into prominence as a symbolic
object, we should think that, in accordance with the nature of
symbols, a religious power or powers only were intended; but the
symbol is not a man, but only th