Just as you saw iron mixed with soft clay, they will be mixed with the people; but they will not stick together, one to the other, just as iron does not mix with clay.(Daniel 2:43)
In its latest Governing Body Update #6 David Splane is dealing with the controversial verses in Daniel 2:42-44 that deal with the last part of the image of Daniel chapter 2. As we all know that image portrays the succession of world empires begining with the Babylonian Empire and ends with the destruction of this image by the incoming Messianic kingdom of God. So the image is made up by the golden head or Babylon followed by the silver breast and arms,the Persian Empire, the iron belly and thighs,the Greek Empire and finally the copper legs which is the Roman Empire.
The last part of these legs are the feet, made out of copper and clay, two elements that never mix together and as it can only result to a fragile mix.According to the governing body this feet symbolize the Anglo American World Power and especially their special relationship and success they enjoyed through the 2 World Wars.This is a position they held for a very long time and firs nicely with the 1914 doctrine which teaches that last days began in 1914 with the start of WW1.
The purpose of this article is not to go in to an indepth analysis of one of the most controversial verses in Bible Prophesy but rather question the Watchtower's interpretation on these verses and in the process offer you useful tools for your own research.
Under the subtitle "Beware of the Clay" in the July 2022 Watchtower Study Article this is the Governing Body's position on this subject:
In Daniel’s prophecy, the clay in the feet of the immense image symbolizes the common people. They have the power to influence political leaders and their policies. (Dan. 2:41-43) Could a danger lie there for us? Yes! If we do not safeguard our heart, we might compromise our neutrality. For example, we could be tempted to embrace the views of those who advocate change by means of protests or political endeavors. (Prov. 4:23; 24:21, ftn.) How can we avoid that danger? We must remember that Satan is the world’s ruler. (1 John 5:19) And God’s Kingdom is our only hope.—Ps. 146:3-5.
Here is the first argument on their position, the last manifestation of human goverment on earth is portrayed in a very different light in the book of Revelation.We read in Revelation 13:1, about this last worldwide tyranny:
1And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems...7 It was permitted to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
Unlike the Watchtower's interpretation of a dual superpower collapsing under thr strain of protests and civilian unrest this last beast is portrayed as having total authority over "every tribe and people and tongue and nation." We see the same image in Daniel 7:7:
After this I kept watching in the visions of the night, and I saw a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and unusually strong, and it had large iron teeth. It was devouring and crushing, and what was left it trampled down with its feet. It was different from all the other beasts that were prior to it, and it had ten horns.
So the Watchtower can not have it both ways, this Anglo-American world empire is either a tyrannical power that rules with an iron fist or a group of democracies that is being weakened by their citizens.Since this interpretation is non sensical let's just put it aside for a minute and reconsider these verses in Daniel 2:42-44 with fresh eyes.
There are 3 key words that need to be clarified in verse 43 that will give us a different perspective in this Prophesy.
CLAY: In the Bible symbolizes mankind.We read in Isaiah 45:9: "Woe to the one who contends with his Maker, For he is just an earthenware fragment Among the other earthenware fragments lying on the ground! Should the clay say to the Potter: “What are you making?” Or should your work say: “He has no hands”? There are many other verses that portay men as an earthly vessel.
MIX: This not just any mixing ,this is mixing of seed, or genetic material, the original word used here is the word 'arab' and appears 5 times in the Old Testament always in relation to mixing of different seeds.We read in Hosea 9:2:"They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. Now they, the holy offspring, have become mingled(=arab) with the peoples of the lands. The princes and the deputy rulers have been the foremost offenders in this unfaithfulness.”In other words the Israelite men were going against the Law by marrying foreign women and by doing so they were contaminating their seed that was meant to be kept pure since through their linage the Messiah was meant to come.
IRON: In contrast to clay being the symbol for mankind ,iron must symbolize a species different from that of mankind.Who can that be? .Metals in the Bible are associated with the spirit realm.Only angels are described in the Bible as having parts made of metals of different composition not human beings. In Daniel chapter 10 ,Daniel meets an angel that is like beryl and bronze.In actual fact, like the image of Daniel chapter 2 is made out of different metallic parts, so is this angel! We read in Daniel 10:6: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in colour, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude”.
With that in mind let's apply this new understanding in Daniel 2:43 :"Just as you saw iron(=angelic seed) mixed with soft clay(=human seed), they will be mixed with the people; but they will not stick together, one to the other, just as iron does not mix with clay."
In other words we should expect at the time of the End another attempt of contamination of the human "seed" by fallen angels. Is that so hard to believe?
Isn't that exactly what happened prior to the Flood of Noah?
We read in Genesis 6:1,2:
Now when men started to grow in number on the surface of the ground and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of the true God began to notice that the daughters of men were beautiful. So they began taking as wives all whom they chose.
The same fallen angels that contaminated with their seed mankind back in the days of Noah producing hybrid chimeras ,the Nephilim, will once again attempt to contaminate the seed of man in the End Times.
Of course there is so much more to say on this subject and I will be revisiting this Prophesy in thr future.
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