The Lord is Our King First Draft

Introduction

Daniel 2:20–49 (ESV)

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

“You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

God is Sovereign Over Kings and Nations

The first thing we need to see about this dream is that Daniel gives us a hint of the theme of this dream before we even hear what the contents of this dream.

Let’s go back to the song of praise that Daniel sings to God:

Daniel 2:20–23 (ESV)

Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons;

he removes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding;

he reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with him.

To you, O God of my fathers,

I give thanks and praise,

for you have given me wisdom and might,

and have now made known to me what we asked of you,

for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Before we get to Daniel recounting the dream, we see him praise God for His Wisdom, which we looked at last week, as well as His Sovereign rule over history and over nations.

As we get a sneak peek into Daniel’s private prayer chambers, we are getting his theological perspective on who God is in light of what he has been shown by God Himself.

He makes the bold praise and proclamation that God removes kings and sets up kings.

A. All authority comes from God

B. All authority is meant to display God’s image and reign over the earth - Genesis 1-2

Genesis 1:26–27 (ESV)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

God has set up every authority on earth when He created man. But His idea of authority did not come with a throne and a crown, but with spades, and tillers, and lawnmowers. God’s idea of authority was exercising Godly care over God’s creation and to display His character and likeness to the rest of creation.

As man and woman exercised authority, they were to be seen as King and Queen under the authority of the King of all Creation. They were to be king and queen only as far as they were stewards of God’s authority, not their own.

C. We are called to submit to human authority knowing that the authority has come from God - Romans 13.

Romans 13:1–2 (ESV)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

D. All human authority has been tainted by sin and now glorifies man - the image of a man in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream instead of the image of God

Of course, we know that we are not good stewards, because we wanted to claim our own authority, not submit and rule under God’s authority. We wanted to be gods who are autonomous and self-sufficient in ourselves and human authority has tried to claim its own glory rather than exercise dominion to the glory of our Creator. Human authority is always flawed, no matter how good it seems for a while, because sinners are in the middle of it. We should not be surprised to see human authority become corrupt by power because of the sinfulness of the heart. Even the church has had bad times in its history because of the sinfulness of its leaders.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. However, I would change this. Power corrupts the corruptible and absolute power absolutely corrupts the corruptible. However, God is holy and uncorruptible and therefore, He alone can handle power without become corrupt.

E. How are we using the authority God has given to us?

Authority is more than just kings and presidents. Authority is given to anyone with responsibilities to oversee. Perhaps its in the job you work, whether its as a farmer, overseeing the cultivation of the land, as a manager or supervisor, caring for and leading your employees, as an employee overseeing the accomplishment of the job you are tasked with, as a parent, exercising authority over your children, as a husband, leading and providing for your family?

Are you exercising your authority in such a way as to bring glory to yourself or to bring glory to God. Are you leading your spouse in such a way as to be domineering or are you leading by sacrificing and serving her? Are you leading your children by exasperating them and giving them expectations too much for them to handle, or are you leading by showing them the grace of God and leading them to humbly trust in His love and mercy towards them and to lovingly obey? Are you leading your home by building your own kingdom filled with success and wealth and prosperity so that others will see and admire your greatness or are you leading in a way that shows the gospel of Christ in your home and in your work? God has given you authority over a part of your life in order that you might be an image of Him, not so that you can create your own image for others to worship.

Every Human Kingdom is Temporary

A. Summary of the interpretation of the Dream

Four sections of the statue is four kingdoms that will come and go

Babylon - the head of Gold

Media-Persia - the chest and arms of silver

Greece - the middle and thighs of bronze

Rome - the legs of iron and the feet of iron and clay

Each time the next kingdom is inferior to the one preceding it, which goes against our logical reasoning

B. While we can focus our time on what these kingdoms are, and there is consensus in what they are, the main point of this dream is that every human kingdom is temporary

C. As one kingdom rises, the previous one falls. This is the cycle of human kingdoms and authorities. No kingdom lasts forever and history attests to this.

D. We need to be careful about placing too much hope in one kingdom.

I can say, even in my 43 years of life, history has shown the rise and fall of regimes. I remember hearing the news when the Berlin wall came down that separated East and West Germany. I have vague memories of the cold war with Russia the fall of the communist Soviet Union. I remember when then-Prince Charles visited Hong Kong to commemorate the release of Hong Kong from England’s rule and authority. Even within nations, we see rise and falls of differing political ideaologies. We have seen many democrat and republican presidents come through office, each promoting their own political agendas only to have their successor replace the former agendas with their own. And we have seen political parties even change over time as to what they stand for. Listen, whether you like or dislike the current administration, just wait a few years, it’ll probably change sooner or later.

E. We also need to be reassured that we have no need to fear a particular kingdom

Again, because every kingdom is temporary, they will not have the final say. This is not to say that kingdoms are unable to do much harm, for they very much can. But the harm they can bring is finite and limited and will one day be brought to an end, just as the good kingdoms we want to place our hope in will also come to an end.

We do not put our hope or fear in any kingdom because we know that God is sovereign and will bring every kingdom to an end in His own perfect timing.

The encouragement here is live our lives in faithfulness to Christ and make a difference for the Gospel in our culture and society. Since we do have the ability to vote and make our voice heard, do what you can to influence the government in a godly way. But do not place your hope in those whom you vote for, nor fear those with whom you may disagree. God is sovereign over all!

Daniel’s hope was not in who was the reigning king. He was born under Josiah and under the godly rule that Judah experienced under his leadership. He is now experiencing the violent and pagan leadership of Nebuchadnezzar. However, he has hope because his hope is in the King of all Kings.

Jesus is the King of All Kings

Finally, after Daniel described and interpreted the vision of the image, he told of the stone that was cut out by no human hand that would come and destroy the image. This stone is the start of a new kingdom that would bring to an end all the other kingdoms of the earth.

It is interesting that this stone appeared and struck the image on its feet of clay and iron, the kingdom that has traditionally been thought of as the Empire of Rome.

Jesus is the Stone That Was Cut By No Human Hand

Why? Because an interesting event happened one night in a small Jewish village under Roman occupation. A pregnant young woman and her husband were going back to his family’s hometown to be registered for the Roman Census. And on this night, a baby was born that would be sung about by the angels to a field of shepherds watching their sheep.

This child would grow up and begin to preach a new message about a coming kingdom.

Mark 1:14–15 (ESV)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

While many began following this itinerant preacher and His message of the kingdom of God, not everyone believed.

In Luke 20:9-18 Jesus told the parable of the wicked vineyard tenants who ended up killing the vineyard owner’s son. Because of their murder of the vineyard owner’s son, Jesus says that he will come and destroy them. And he quotes Psalm 118 by saying Luke 20:17-18

Luke 20:17–18 (ESV)

But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

“ ‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Jesus Claimed His Throne By Dying

But how did Jesus put an end to the other kingdoms? By all human appearances, it does not look like Jesus crushed anyone, but was actually Himself crushed by the Roman Empire and the Jews who rejected him.

Even His disciples fell into despair at his death thinking they have been following the wrong man.

Jesus made it clear that His kingdom is not like the kingdoms of this earth. Each kingdom gains its power when it conquers and overcomes the previous empire.

However, Jesus conquered the other kingdoms by His death. Jesus took upon Himself a crown, not a golden crown, but a crown of thorns. Jesus wore a royal robe, one that clung to the stripes and wounds upon His back. He inherited a scepter that pierced His side. And He was nailed upon a throne of wood. Jesus conquered the kingdoms of this earth by laying down His life.

Philippians 2:8–11 ESV

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This stone has overcome the kingdoms of the earth by Our King’s death and resurrection! And because Christ has overcome through His death and resurrection, His Kingdom is one that will never end. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom and there will be no kingdom after His.

Jesus Invites All to Be A Part of This Kingdom

While the stone does destroy the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, there is within this vision an invitation to become a part of this kingdom. This kingdom, while it starts small, will grow into a huge mountain that covers the earth.

This stone does not just destroy the other kingdoms, it invites those other kingdoms to become a part of His. Through this vision, God is inviting even Nebuchadnezzar to let go of his own power and to joyfully submit himself to the kingdom that will never end.

Christ is inviting you to let go of the kingdom you might be building for yourself and to join His kingdom. He tells us in Matthew 16:24-26

Matthew 16:24–26 ESV

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

We become a part of this kingdom and live in this kingdom the same way Christ instituted His kingdom, living by dying.

Daniel and His friends remained faithful to God because they held their lives loosely and were willing to die to themselves for the glory of God.

Conclusion