A Vision of Kingdoms and a Lingering Question…
In Daniel 2:31-45, God unveils a sweeping vision through King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great image, its parts symbolizing four empires that shape human history: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. As explored in our previous article, "Fallen Angelic Principalities," these kingdoms are not merely human endeavors but are influenced by fallen angelic rulers, steering the course of nations toward a climactic end. The vision culminates with a stone—Jesus, the returning King—striking the image’s feet of iron and clay, establishing God’s eternal kingdom. Yet one question persists from this prophecy:
So our question is; “Who are the "they" in Daniel 2:43, described as those who will mingle with "the seed of men"?
This study delves into scripture to reveal their identity as fallen angels, orchestrating a final, fractured empire in the last days, echoing the corruption of Noah’s time.
The Vision and Its Meaning
Let us begin with the key passage, Daniel 2:31-43, where the prophet describes the king’s dream:
“Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image… This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 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 brake them to pieces… 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… And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron… 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 the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 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. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”
Daniel interprets this image as four successive kingdoms, beginning with Babylon (the head of gold), followed by Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The fourth kingdom, symbolized by iron legs and feet mixed with clay, stands apart—divided, brittle, and marked by a mysterious mingling. To understand "they," we focus on verse 43, unpacking its language and context.
Unveiling "They" in Daniel 2:43
The phrase "they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men" is pivotal. In Hebrew, "mingle" (mitarvin, from ‘arab, meaning "to mix") suggests a blending, while "seed of men" (bizra’ anasha) denotes human offspring. The text implies that "they" are distinct from humanity—why else distinguish them from "the seed of men"? To identify them, we turn to Daniel 10:12-13, where an angelic messenger reveals spiritual forces behind earthly kingdoms:
“Do not fear, Daniel… But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”
Here, "prince" (sar in Hebrew, archon in the Greek Septuagint) refers to a supernatural ruler, not a human king. This aligns with Ephesians 6:12, where Paul writes:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
These "rulers" (archon) are fallen angels, exerting dominion over nations. In Daniel 10:20, the angel mentions "the prince of Greece," confirming that each empire—Persia, Greece, and, by extension, Rome—is influenced by such beings. Thus, I conclude that "they" in Daniel 2:43 are these fallen angelic principalities, mingling with humanity in a way that marks the fourth kingdom as unique.
The Iron and Clay Kingdom: A Fractured Empire
Unlike the gold, silver, and brass of earlier empires, Rome—the fourth kingdom—is depicted as iron, strong yet brittle, and mixed with clay, symbolizing division. Historically, the Roman Empire split into Eastern and Western halves in 285 AD under Emperor Diocletian, reflecting the "two legs" of iron. The feet and toes, however, introduce a new element: a mixture of iron and clay, partly strong and partly weak, culminating in ten toes. Daniel 2:41-42 explains:
“The kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron… 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.”
This duality suggests a kingdom that endures into the last days, fragmented yet powerful.
The mingling in verse 43—"they shall mingle with the seed of men"—implies an unnatural union, one that fails to cohere, "even as iron is not mixed with clay." To understand this, we explore a biblical precedent: the Nephilim.
The Nephilim Connection
The concept of supernatural beings mingling with humans recalls Genesis 6:1-4:
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth… that the sons of God (Fallen Angels) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose… There were giants (Nephilim) in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children (Nephilim) to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”
Here, "sons of God" are widely understood as fallen angels, producing Nephilim—hybrid offspring that corrupted God’s creation, prompting the flood. The phrase "seed of men" in Daniel 2:43 echoes this, suggesting that fallen angels will again mingle with humanity in Rome’s final phase, producing a new generation of Nephilim. These are not mere humans, but beings aligned with the "ten toes," which scripture connects to ten kings.
Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12 clarify this connection:
“The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom.” (Daniel 7:24)
“The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” (Revelation 17:12)
I propose that these ten kings are Nephilim, born of fallen angels, ruling briefly in the last days under the beast’s authority. Their inability to "cleave one to another" reflects the fragile alliance of iron and clay, a kingdom doomed to collapse.
Echoes of Noah’s Day
Jesus links the last days to an earlier era of corruption in Matthew 24:37-39:
“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
In Noah’s day, fallen angels produced Nephilim, leading to such wickedness that God judged the earth with a flood. Similarly, in Rome’s final days, fallen angels will orchestrate a corrupt kingdom through Nephilim kings, deceiving humanity until Christ’s return. The parallels are striking:
Genesis 6: Fallen angels mingle with humans, producing Nephilim before divine judgment.
Daniel 2: Fallen angels mingle with the seed of men, producing ten kings before Christ’s kingdom.
Just as Noah’s world ignored warnings, living in blissful ignorance, so too will many be unprepared when the stone—Jesus—strikes the image, crushing its feet and establishing God’s reign (Daniel 2:44-45).
Conclusion: Standing Firm in the Last Days
So, who are "they"? They are fallen angelic principalities, the spiritual rulers behind the kingdoms of this world, culminating in a final attempt to corrupt humanity through the seed of men. In Rome’s last days, these angels will produce ten Nephilim kings, symbolized by the ten toes, aligning with the beast in a fragile empire that opposes God. Yet, their efforts will fail, as iron and clay cannot unite, and the stone cut without hands will shatter their dominion forever.
For believers, this prophecy is a call to discernment and readiness.
As Paul urges in Ephesians 6:10-13:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world… Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Facing a world swayed by fallen angels who, once again, “mingle” with humans and produce Nephilim offspring, we must arm ourselves with truth, faith, and the Word, praying for wisdom to recognize deception. Are you prepared to stand in the evil day, trusting in Jesus The Rock until He returns to demolish the kingdoms of this world and fill the earth with His glory?
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May God bless you my brother, may His face shine upon US in these difficult and somewhat dark days. May His glorious grace shine BRIGHT upon and through us!!!!
This was great! I'm going to save it. Thanks!