Chapter 7: 

The 'Ten Toes of Iron and Clay' in Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Daniel Chapter 2 Verses 33-45:  

The 10 toes of iron and clay, and the 2 feet, that we read of in Daniel 2:33-44, 7:7-8 which hold up the immense image seen in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, has become an enigma to many peoples trying to unravel prophecy. All sorts of Bible students take a stab at interpreting this section of the image but never achieve an exacting definition, which this prophetic vision needs.

Daniel set this "vision" of mystery in his writings towards the "last days" of man's rule and learning. Towards "our" generations entering the 20th and 21st centuries. That "vision", amongst others, was hidden for a "purpose" and that purpose is to save the lives of the "holy seed" of peoples within this dangerous, chaotic world which we find ourselves in.

Let us read those verses in Daniel 2:33-43.
"HIS LEGS OF IRON, HIS FEET PART OF IRON AND PART OF CLAY".
Verse 34:- "THOU SAWEST TILL THAT A STONE WAS CUT OUT WITHOUT HANDS, WHICH SMOTE THE IMAGE UPON HIS FEET THAT WERE OF IRON AND CLAY, AND BREAK THEM IN PIECES".
Verse 35:- "THEN WAS THE IRON THE CLAY, THE BRASS, THE SILVER, AND THE GOLD, BROKEN TO PIECES TOGETHER, AND BECAME LIKE THE CHAFF OF THE SUMMER THRESHING FLOORS; AND THE WIND CARRIED THEM AWAY, THAT NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM: AND THE STONE THAT SMOTE THE IMAGE BECAME A GREAT MOUNTAIN, AND FILLED THE WHOLE EARTH".
Verse 40:- "AND THE FOURTH KINGDOM SHALL BE STRONG AS IRON; FOR AS MUCH AS IRON BREAKETH IN PIECES AND SUBDUETH ALL THINGS; AND AS IRON THAT BREAKETH ALL THESE, SHALL IT BREAK IN PIECES AND BRUISE".
Verse 41:- "AND WHEREAS THOU SAWEST THE FEET AND TOES, PART OF POTTERS CLAY, AND PART OF IRON, THE KINGDOM SHALL BE DIVIDED; BUT THERE SHALL BE IN IT OF THE STRENGTH OF IRON, FOR AS MUCH AS THOU SAWEST THE IRON MIXED WITH MIRY CLAY".
Verse 42:-"AND AS THE TOES OF THE FEET WERE PART OF IRON, AND PART OF CLAY, SO THE KINGDOM SHALL BE PARTLY STRONG, AND PARTLY BROKEN".
Verse 43:- "AND WHEREAS THOU SAWEST IRON MIXED WITH MIRY CLAY, THEY SHALL MINGLE THEMSELVES WITH THE SEED OF MEN; BUT SHALL NOT CLEAVE ONE TO ANOTHER, EVEN AS IRON IS NOT MIXED WITH CLAY".
Verse 44:- "AND IN THE DAYS OF THESE KINGS SHALL THE GOD OF HEAVEN SET UP A KINGDOM, WHICH SHALL NEVER BE DESTROYED: AND THE KINGDOM SHALL NOT BE LEFT TO OTHER PEOPLE, BUT IT SHALL BREAK IN PIECES AND CONSUME ALL THESE KINGDOMS, AND IT SHALL STAND FOR EVER".

Daniel 7:7-8.
Verse 7:- "AFTER THIS I SAW IN THE NIGHT VISIONS AND BEHOLD A FOURTH BEAST, DREADFUL AND TERRIBLE, AND STRONG EXCEEDINGLY; AND IT HAD GREAT IRON TEETH; IT DEVOURED AND BRAKE IN PIECES, AND STAMPED THE RESIDUE WITH THE FEET OF IT; AND IT WAS DIVERSE FROM ALL THE BEASTS THAT WERE BEFORE IT; AND IT HAD 10 HORNS".
Verse 8:- "I CONSIDERED THE HORNS, AND BEHOLD, THERE CAME UP AMONG THEM ANOTHER LITTLE HORN, BEFORE WHOM THERE WERE THREE OF THE FIRST HORNS PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS; AND BEHOLD, IN THIS HORN WERE EYES LIKE THE EYES OF MAN, AND MOUTH SPEAKING GREAT THINGS".

At this point of translating these prophetic verses, the "outline" within these verses is as follows:-

The 2 Legs of Iron:-
Were -as scholars note- the Roman Empire, with its power base in the city of Rome itself, and the Byzantine Empire, with its power base in the city of Constantinople. Rebuilt under the Emperor Constantine of Rome. (328-30 AD) The Byzantine Empire was styled Eastern Roman Empire, surviving in a Greek form into the 15th century.

On the death of Emperor Theodosius, the Roman Empire was partitioned between his 2 sons, one son became emperor of the 2nd leg,-the western half- with its capital at Rome, which lasted until 476 AD: Then being overrun by the Goths, Franks, and Vandals etc.

It was "not" the end of the strength of Rome, it was to return to another power base however!

The iron of the 2 legs both east and west, within the then known world of European and Eastern nations, poured the iron into these 2 feet.

This "iron" was of the seed of men, and not of the "clay" Israelite children of God.

However, another role was being played out by God using that clay (the second time), to mould His people into another shape and life, after their long punishment in the nations of men.

The "wilderness" that was chosen for the "gathering" was typical of God's simple actions. "He" chose the "tiny" British Isles to achieve a momentous plan. (Isaiah 40:15, 42:4, Jeremiah 31:10).

The "stone" that is to come with such great power, is the 6th kingdom, which is "not" brought about by the machinations of men. (Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:10-12).

That "stone" -Jesus- was promised to Joseph and his Seed. Who were to become part of the "clay" forming into a mould with the other tribes into a form of Christians in the "Isles", (Genesis 49:24). That "stone" of the kingdom of Jesus will soon rule with a rod of iron, and will smash the power-hungry nations to powder, and as the chaff their power over men will blow away. Because the nations within the earth are all corrupt and their intentions are evil. They forever killing each other for greed in its many guises. (Revelation 19:15-16).

The 4th (2 legs) Iron kingdom of Rome seen in the Image "broke" the power of the other empires in the rest of the "image", as its iron legions marched and caused a great "bruising" or desolation to peoples, who called it peace. The "bruising" injury the power of Rome "itself" caused lasted a long time into the centuries. With much pain and chaos to other nations, as it did when it left the British Isles after 400 years of subduing the land, before returning to its own land. The then "Britannic kingdom" was left open to warring other tribes, which also brought in children of the "clay" of Israel.
Eventually, the "Isles" became "divided" again into those who were "for" the Roman Church, who held the people with rods of iron fear when Roman teeth and claws dug deep into their "souls". There were those children who would have nothing to do with Roman church ideas; Starting with the old Celtic Christian Church, and on into Puritanism and diverse sects. Eventually, the "British Isles" were always fighting for the seat of its own power against the Roman dragon, which made them again a "divided" peoples, partly strong and partly broken.

In the days of the power of the 2 feet, -(which just like the arms and breast of silver with the 2 arms of Media-Persia, (Daniel 2:32)- they divided again into 2 powers of the United Kingdom and the United States of America. -Another "kingdom"- that of our Lord, -will come crashing into those feet, bringing down the whole edifice of the image. Our Lord -the stone- crashes into the feet because the "clay" of Israel resides in these 2 powers, representing Ephraim and Manasseh.

Besides, they are supposed to be 2 Christian powers upholding "His" kingdom and not immersed in their own power. They, who should rejoice at "His" coming and gladly, hand over the reins of their power for Him!

Daniel chapter 7 turns the 10 toes of clay into 10 horns, just as Revelation 17:12 does, and it is as Biblical scholars say, each "horn" represents a "king" or ruler.

The Britannic Isles was indeed 1 kingdom, as Daniel states in chapter 2:41,42. Yet! Within, it was partitioned off into 10 separate kingdoms throughout its history. Until the 10 toes of "clay" merged or moulded them into 1 whole kingdom, towards its eventual 2 world powers of the 2 separate feet.

We must now start building an historical and spiritual "full" picture within secular history, towards our understanding of God's mighty works, which has unfurled towards our blind eyes for centuries.

Biblical students at this point of 10 toes of iron and clay in Daniel's vision, go off wildly to all sorts of translations, as to "who" the clay represents. (Which same translations are written in another chapter of this book).

Daniel 2:42 breaks off the iron and clay feet from the legs, -as it were- and deals with them in a separate manner, saying "this one kingdom" shall be partly strong and partly broken. Note well reader, the "vision" is referring to what happened to only "a" or "one" kingdom in secular history, not many kingdoms of a European nature.

One must take note carefully that there are more verses explaining the power of the kingdom of the feet of iron and clay, than the other great ruling powers before it. For instance the great world empires of Media -Persia, and then Greece, both share their "vision" in one verse (Daniel 2:39), and in Daniel Chapter 7 they have 1 verse each.

In Daniel 7:7-8 the 10 toes become 10 horns and these "horns" mean 10 separate types of kings with "houses" representing those kings. The 10 horns have the "same status" in their history as the "horn" of Phillip and Alexander the Macedonians, from Daniel 8:3-7, when they swiftly conquered into Persia.

Bible students miserably underestimate the importance of the 2 feet of iron and clay, because they think within rules and regulations within their own churches, which set blinkers on the inner eye of thought.

I'm now going to jump straight into the history of the "10 toes of clay", and that "one" kingdom they represent. Because, the iron and clay feet are not only the "last" ruling empires of men, -with the 2 feet separating into 2 powers- but the "clay" represents the Israelite camp lost to the world in the various great power struggles, within the ancient and modern ages of men.

The great prophet Jeremiah 18:6-10 tells us "who" the clay is, and that clay is the "House of Israel" who are within the Gentile nations. God is "not" speaking to the Jew of the "House of Judah" in Jeremiah 18, but, to the "clay" of the second nation of the "House of Israel," represented in the feet in Nebuchadnezzar's dream image.

In Isaiah chapters 63 and 64, it tells us of these 2 separate people of the nation of Israel.

Isaiah 64:8-10 uses emphasis on the moulding of the "clay" of Israel.
"BUT NOW, O LORD, THOU ART OUR FATHER; WE ARE THE CLAY, AND THOU OUR POTTER; AND WE ALL ARE THE WORK OF THY HAND".
Verse 9:- "BE NOT WROTH VERY SORE, O LORD, NEITHER REMEMBER INIQUITY FOR EVER; BEHOLD, SEE, WE BESEECH THEE, WE ARE ALL THY PEOPLE".
Verse 10:- "THY HOLY CITIES ARE A WILDERNESS, ZION IS A WILDERNESS, JERUSALEM A DESOLATION".

These verses in Isaiah have nothing to do with the beginning and the creation of man which some scholars say.

So, we must go to Jacob/Israel's -"last days"- blessing for the tribes, in Genesis chapters 48 and 49. With another blessing repeated in Deuteronomy 33 by Moses.

Ephraim and Manasseh's "blessing" was pronounced upon them by Israel in Genesis 48:5-20,and this "blessing" came to pass many, many, centuries later in secular history. Emphatically "not" during the times of their "kingdom" of Israel, under King David etc. Because during Israel's ancient history the tribes were hardly held together, being restless with warring factions. Each prince did not come forward in history to fulfil his blessing, to be seen and understood!

Ephraim's seed as stated in Genesis 48:19 had "not" become a multitude of nations either, but remained as one tribe over the Northern kingdom of Israel.

The first verse in Genesis 49 sets the "time limit" for these tribes in prophetic sequences into prospective.
Verse 1:- "AND JACOB CALLED UNTO HIS SONS AND SAID, GATHER YOURSELVES TOGETHER, THAT I MAY TELL YOU THAT WHICH SHALL BEFALL YOU IN THE LAST DAYS".

Jacob/Israel's blessing for each separate son, was to be played out "exactly" as stated by Jacob within secular history pertaining to their "last days". Note these 2 words well - "last days". If these words were just poetic license on behalf of Jacob, or words that don't mean a thing in substance from Genesis, then, you and I reader are wasting our time believing the Bible is the "Word" of God! In other words, these scriptural prophetic words would not be worth the paper they are written on, for us in the twentieth and twenty first centuries. That is if we cannot "see" today in an exacting manner, that they were indeed performed!

In fact, these words spoken by Jacob/Israel so long-ago God has made them happen in a mind-boggling exactness. So, we, the progeny of our ancestors, can marvel at our God's truth! The princes of the "blessings" of the 10 tribes of the "House of Israel" were pushed into the British Isles over the years bit by bit to accomplish a marvellous work performed by God from Jacob/Israel's words to them.

10 Toes Of "Clay" (And All Israel)

1:- Reuben - Normandy (William of Normandy 1066) This house from France.
2:- Simeon - Plantagenet. (Henry II of Anjou 1154) This house out of France.
3:- Levi - This prince is counted with the "House of Judah" (not House of Israel).
4:- Judah - Is counted "son" of Jacob (of the flesh) "House of Judah"(not House of Israel though of the "nation" of Israel).
5:- Zebulun - Lancaster.- (Henry IV) and "House of England".
6:- Issachar - York - (Edward IV) and "House of England."
7:- Dan - Tudor - (Henry VII) and "House of Wales."
8:- Gad - Stuart - (James I) and "House of Scotland."
9:- Asher - Hanover - (George I-II-III) to Victoria whose father was 4th son of George III - Germany.
10:- Naphtali- Saxony - (Edward VII) of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, through father Albert and mother Victoria.
11:- Joseph - Ephraim - (Windsor) George V to Elizabeth II and etc;). Manasseh - United States of America. (2 feet of Power). These 2 feet "separated" towards their own power. Rise of British Empire AD 1749-63. Rise of USA. AD 1764-88.
12:- Benjamin - is counted with the "House of Judah" (not the House of Israel). All these 10 princes and their houses in the British Isles are under the protection of Joseph's "strength" of his blessing, from Israel and God.

You may note reader there are 14 tribes when Ephraim and Manasseh are added and counted as within the nation of Israel. However, they are counted yet! "Separated" from the others becoming the ruling powers of the 2 feet of the image.

Joseph's "stick" of honour is in the hand of Ephraim for the throne. (Ezekiel 37:16) - Manasseh, also was under Joseph's blessing "as one of the arms of the hands of power that ran over the sea wall," and that "Manasseh would become great in power."(Genesis 49:22, 48:19).

Before the 10 princes within history fulfilling their secular and spiritual roles, the British Isles was divided part iron (Rome) and part clay (Israel) into 10 toes under Roman power.

Roman Kingdom:- (Iron) AD 43-401 (10 Clay Toes) Britannic Isles. Divided into 10 Kingdoms Under Rome.
1.Dumnonii
2.Belgae
3.Atrebates
4.Cantii
5.Trinovantes
6.Iceni
7.Coritani
8.Brigantes
9.Ordovices
10.Silures

Hadrian's wall and Antonine Wall, across the land of Scotland, was built by the Romans as a northern boundary and to keep back the hostile tribes.

Saxon Kingdom - 10 Toes Under "Iron" of the Roman Papacy, in the British Isles. Jutes, Saxons, and Angles entered Britain approx. 5th and 6th centuries, (maybe earlier)? Invasion almost complete in 7th century.

Divided into 10 kingdoms.
1. Sussex
2. Wessex
3. Kent
4. Essex
5. Northumbria
6. Mercia
7. Strathclyde
8. Wales
9. Anglia
10. East Sussex

Before the "Invasion of the Danes" in 815 AD Britain had been reshuffled into 10 kingdoms within 1 kingdom. (Still under the iron power of the Roman Papacy).

1. East Anglia
2. Mercia
3. Northumbria
4. Strathclyde
5. North Welsh
6. West Welsh
7. Sussex
8. Essex
9. Wessex
10. Kent

Then the Norman Invasion into the British Isles set in motion the "clay," of the princes of the 10 tribes of Israel. Though the "iron" of the Roman Papacy was with them, they eventually would break. Rome's "iron" strangle hold on those people, as their history progressed through the centuries ahead.

The "2 feet" which separated towards their own power base in the world, were both nurtured by Joseph's "blessing" in the Isles as one people at first. While they grew up in strength and gathered to themselves in the Isles other peoples out of the Western nations. The 2 powers of the feet "separated" during the 17th and 18th centuries and stood firm on each foot.

The United States of America was eventually formed and moulded into 1 nation of 50 states, (and a Federal Capital district) and became a world power to be reckoned with.

"They" were fulfilling Manasseh's blessing of the "clay". (Genesis 48:19).

The United Kingdom also became the British Empire, moulded into a world power, which stretched into approx. 47 dominions, with 13 states under the throne's protection, and 9 Mandated Territories, including Palestine.

Both these feet far outweighed the other empires in power, of Media-Persia, Greece, or Imperial Rome to dominate World affairs.(Genesis 48/19). Thus, fulfilling Ephraim's blessing of the "clay".

One must understand that secular history is God's plan, with man's self-will throwing a spanner into the works, -so to speak- from time to time. Biblical history is God's also, and that plan has always been put into effect. With men's vows and blessings noted and played out in secular history. As we see and read of when dealing with Jacob/Israel's words in Genesis.

The problem lies with not understanding both these plans, here lies lack of knowledge; For instance, recently I heard a pastor of a denomination question the fact of Ephraim and Manasseh "growing up" together in the British Isles. He dismissed that situation in a cynical fashion with the words "How is it the people were Ephraim, when they were in the Isles, and Manasseh when they crossed the Atlantic?"

This sort of assuming comes from a person who hasn't the full facts of prophecy, neither understands it within secular history. Perhaps he does not "want" to see it just in case it upsets his own personal vanities of thinking?

When one sets down on paper biblical and secular history side by side, as I have done in this book, then, one can see fully the hand of the Lord God in it all, and "truth" dawns as the morning sunlight!