Is the "stump" related to Babylon the Great?

DJPoetech

Is the "Stump" or "banded rootstock" of Dan chap 4 related to Babylon the Great of our day?

If it is how?

I know generally how the WTBTS of course turns all prophetic scriptures to benefit themselves. We all know where that gets us.

Has anyone done or heard any research on the matter? If so place here or make comments and observations of your own.

My own thoughts of the matter is that if the rootstock of Babylon is banded, the glory of her is gone but not the influence since the rootstock remains. My theory is that her influence has in a lot of ways been "underground" but is more pronounced because she has gained power but not in obvious ways. Thus the mysterious part of the prophecy. I'm not making any conclusive arguments just fishing for perspectives.

All are free to comment...

DJP

AnnOMaly

No, don't think so. As Daniel said, the prophecy applied to Nebuchadnezzar. He was cut down for a time and later sprouted again, resuming his kingship.

DJPoetech

Wouldn't there have been a greater fullfillment of this prophecy like the others?

AnnOMaly

Not necessarily. What others do you have in mind?

DJPoetech

Well I stand corrected. After reading through Daniel I do notice that the prophecies are for future fulfillment particularly Chapters 2 and 7-12.

Although... the description of the tree in Chapter 4 does seem grander and bigger than just a 7 year illness of King Neb. Especially when in verse 15 it talks about a banding of iron and of copper which are similar to the metals in the immense statue in Chapter 2 which is accepted to represent 100s of years. Just that commonality alone could give Chapter 4's prophecy a greater time span than just King Neb's 7 years.

If it did, could it somehow relate to Babylon the Great of today?

Thanks AnnOMaly, your helping the Ol brain exercise.

DJP

AnnOMaly

Ezekiel also uses tree parables to denote the humiliation of kings. Ch. 17 compares Jehoiachin to a topmost cedar shoot; Zedekiah to a vine. Ch. 36 gives Pharaoh a cautionary tale about Assyria, which was once like a proud cedar but was chopped down. Daniel was using a similar motif.

I'm curious. What makes you think there is a connection with Babylon the Great in Dan. 4?

DJPoetech

Ann: What makes you think there is a connection with Babylon the Great in Dan. 4?

Well Babylon the Great of Revelation has similar qualities to the Babylon of Dan 4. Thus the name.

I think the two prophecies support each other. Revelation 17 talks about "Babs" being drunk with the blood of holy ones and the witnesses of Jesus. This could span anywhere from the time of Jesus first appearance to his second. Daniel 4 speaks of the rootstock being left for Seven Times. Now seven is often depicted as completeness and King Nebz didn't return to his former self until after seven years. The key though is that "at the end of the days" King Nebz recognized God's right to rule.

Now if our tree stump had implications that spanned longer than just seven years, the seven times the rootstock is in place could last until Jesus' second return.

Consider this. When the Israelites finally were released back to their homeland they also carried with them Babylonish systems of thought. Thus the Pharisees and Saduccees developed.

I'm still searching trying to follow these roots to our modern day...

DJP, sorry for bad spelling.

aniron

According to the JWs isn't the tree that is cut down and the stump banded represent "Jehovahs kingdom" removed from the earth. That this is were they get they 2,520 years to 1914 when Jesus returned and re-established the "Kingdom" though invisibly.

DJPoetech

yeah your right aniron.

The Watchtower just has this way of turning all prophecy to ultimately point to themselves in a beneficial way. This is one of the many ways that makes their assertions suspect.

I don't believe them and the prophecy just doesn't fit.

DJP

aniron

Of course it doesn't fit ..... its a Watchtower prophecy ...since when did we expect one of them to fit.

Is the "stump" related to Babylon the Great?

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