2:1
There are some apparent chronology anomalies evidenced in this verse, in that in Chapter 1:5 it states that Nebuchanezzar put Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah on a three year “palatial preparedness” course. However Chapter 2:1 stated that it is only Nebuchadnezzar’s second year and in 2:13 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah are already in government service.
The Bible itself gives information towards solving this riddle, which can be matched to secular history and archaeology.
In chapter 1:1 king Nebuchadnezzar comes on the scene which is stated to be Jehoiakim’s 3rd year.
In Jeremiah 25:1 it is stated that Jehoiakim’s 4th year is Nebuchadnezzar’s 1st year.
The Babylonians and Persians did not count the year when a monarch took the throne as the first regnal year but as an accession year. Once the reign had crossed into the civil New Year, then the reign was titled “first year”. The above evidence tends to indicate that when Nebuchadnezzar took the four friends captive to Babylon, this was Nebuchadnezzar’s accession year.
So the above reasoning allows the chronological setting of Daniel 2 to be within the third calendar (Babylonian) year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
The three year palatial preparedness course can be taken as occurring within three distinct civil calendar years.
2:31-45
The dream outlines four successive empires. Since Babylon is the first one, the ones who followed, according to history, are Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.
The last empire is still with us, as the ruling nations on the planet today all incorporate Roman attributes as in democracy and law. Even Western war science is highly organised and carries a Roman legacy.
The final part of the Roman Empire is stated as being fragmented yet having the strength of the iron.
This describes in particular the European nations over the past 1900 or so years. They took on Roman ways and technology and yet battled each other. The United States has incorporated and perfected all of the main parts of Roman strength.
The precision crushing and breaking power of Rome could be
likened to a modern monster car crushing and separation system: