20. What four visions are recorded concerning the world powers, and why is it faith-strengthening to consider these today?

²⁰ Daniel’s visions are thrilling and faith-strengthening to review. First, consider the four visions concerning the world powers: (1) There is the vision of the dreadful image, whose head of gold represents the dynasty of Babylonian kings starting with Nebuchadnezzar, after which three other kingdoms rise, as pictured by the other parts of the image. These are the kingdoms that are crushed by the “stone,” which in its turn becomes “a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin,” God’s Kingdom. (2:31-45) (2) There follow Daniel’s private visions, the first being that of the four beasts, representing “four kings.” These are like a lion, a bear, a leopard with four heads, and a beast that has big teeth of iron, ten horns, and later a small horn. (7:1-8, 17-28) (3) Next, there is the vision of the ram (Medo-Persia), the he-goat (Greece), and the small horn. (8:1-27) (4) Finally, we have the vision of the king of the south and the king of the north. Daniel 11:5-19 accurately describes the rivalry between the Egyptian and Seleucid offshoots of Alexander’s Grecian Empire following Alexander’s death in 323 B.C.E. From 11 verse 20 the prophecy continues to trace the course of successor nations of the south and north. Jesus’ reference to “the disgusting thing that is causing desolation” (11:31), in his prophecy about the sign of his presence, shows that this power struggle of the two kings continues right down to “the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matt. 24:3) How comforting the prophecy’s assurance that in the “time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time,” Michael himself will stand up to remove ungodly nations and bring peace to obedient mankind!​—Dan. 11:20–12:1.

23. (a) How is the Kingdom hope emphasized throughout Daniel? (b) What should this book of prophecy encourage us to do?

²³ The Kingdom hope is emphasized throughout the book of Daniel in a faith-inspiring way! Jehovah God is shown as the Supreme Sovereign who sets up a Kingdom that will never be brought to ruin and that will crush all other kingdoms. (2:19-23, 44; 4:25) Even the pagan kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius were compelled to acknowledge Jehovah’s supremacy. (3:28, 29; 4:2, 3, 37; 6:25-27) Jehovah is exalted and glorified as the Ancient of Days who judges the Kingdom issue and gives to “someone like a son of man” the everlasting “rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.” It is “the holy ones of the Supreme One” that share with Christ Jesus, “the Son of man,” in the Kingdom. (Dan. 7:13, 14, 18, 22; Matt. 24:30; Rev. 14:14) He is Michael, the great prince, who exercises his Kingdom power to crush and put an end to all the kingdoms of this old world. (Dan. 12:1; 2:44; Matt. 24:3, 21; Rev. 12:7-10) The understanding of these prophecies and visions should encourage lovers of righteousness to bestir themselves and rove through the pages of God’s Word to find the truly “wonderful things” of God’s Kingdom purposes that are revealed to us through the inspired and beneficial book of Daniel.​—Dan. 12:2, 3, 6.