In 1099, the soldiers of the First Crusade took Jerusalem. As the news of this victory spread throughout Medieval Europe, it felt nothing less than miraculous and dream-like, to such an extent that many believed history itself had been fundamentally altered by the event and that the Rapture was at hand. As a result of military conquest, Christians could see themselves as agents of rather than mere actors in their own salvation. The capture of Jerusalem changed everything. A loosely defined geographic backwater, comprised of petty kingdoms and shifting alliances, Medieval Europe began now to imagine itself as the center of the world. The West had overtaken the East not just on the world's stage but in God's plans. To justify this, its writers and thinkers turned to ancient prophecies, and specifically to one of the most enigmatic passages in the Bible the dream King Nebuchadnezzar has in the Book of Daniel, of a statue with a golden head and feet of clay. Conventional interpretation of the dream transformed the state into a series of kingdoms, each less glorious than the last, leading inexorably to the end of all earthly realms-- in short, to the Apocalypse. The First Crusade signified to Christians that the dream of Nebuchadnezzar would be fulfilled on their terms. Such heady reconceptions continued until the disaster of the Second Crusade and with it, the collapse of any dreams of unification or salvation-any notion that conquering the Holy Land and defeating the Infidel could absolve sin. In Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, Jay Rubenstein boldly maps out the steps by which these social, political, economic, and intellectual shifts occurred throughout the 12th century, drawing on those who guided and explained them. The Crusades raised the possibility of imagining the Apocalypse as more than prophecy but actual event. Rubenstein examines how those who confronted the conflict between prophecy and reality transformed the meaning and memory of the Crusades as well as their place in history.

This fascinating pamphlet gives a fantastic summary of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in the second chapter of Daniel. This is a great reference for all ages. Easy-to-understand text for young people and for people with no Bible background. Pamphlet fits in most Bibles. Size is 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches folded and unfolds to 33 inches long. Rose Publishing Product Code: 555X

Gold told Daniel that He would set up a kingdom that would destroy all of the other kingdoms and would never come to an end. Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is at hand." This is a great reference for all ages. Easy-to-understand text for young people and for people with no Bible background, yet clear and scholarly enough for Bible students and seminarians.

Disciples need to study Daniel afresh. The Book of Daniel is both familiar and mysterious. You find the stories of the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the Lions' Den, and the Handwriting on the Wall. But the book also contains visions of beasts and horns and kings that predict the future from Daniel's time all the way to the Second Coming of Christ. Daniel is foundational to the New Testament for three reasons: 1.The "Son of Man" that Jesus takes as his own title, is drawn directly from Daniel 7:13-14. As you understand Daniel's prophecy, you begin to comprehend Jesus' origins, authority, self-understanding, and mission. 2.Kingdom of God. The coming of the all-encompassing Kingdom of God has strong roots in Daniel's visions. This Kingdom is at the very core of Jesus' teaching. 3.Daniel's eschatology, his visions of the End Time, are echoed in the predictions of Jesus himself, of Paul the Apostle, and in the Book of Revelation. We'll look at the Book of Daniel in the light of New Testament revelation. However, the author says, "I don't have Daniel's visions of the Last Days all figured out, and I am leery of those who seem to be able to fit everything together perfectly." Daniel is like a jigsaw puzzle with some pieces missing. Though the main outlines are clear, some details can't be discerned at present. The task of this book is to help you understand what Daniel does teach, pros and cons of various interpretations of the key prophecies, to let you know where the author comes out and why, and to give you some sense of a level of certainty. This book is intended for study as well as instruction, presented in nine lessons. Each chapter concludes with a summary of lessons for disciples to ponder. Helpful thought and discussion questions make it useful for personal enrichment and by small groups and classes. Extensive research contained in the footnotes makes it a goldmine for teachers and a boon to preachers involved in sermon preparation.