Daniel 2:31-45 The Triumph of the Kingdom

Introduction

During His earthly ministry, Jesus preached the Kingdom more than anything else

He preached that His kingdom was not of this world

He preached that the kingdom is in the midst of us

He preached that we should pray that the kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven.

Yet, for all his preaching on the kingdom of God, His disciples and His opponents always seemed to be confused about it

What is the kingdom of God?

When would it come?

Who has citizenship in this kingdom?

And today, there is no less confusion about the nature and timing of the kingdom of God

Jesus was not the only one who taught concerning his kingdom. God himself revealed the nature and the timing of the kingdom through the dream of Nebuchadnezzar 600 years before Jesus was even born

And I hope that tonight we can gain some much needed clarity regarding Christ’s kingdom as we study Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

Read Daniel 2:31-45

Daniel 2:31–45 ESV

“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.”

Thesis: In this text, Daniel prophesies the coming of the kingdom of God and its certain victory over the kingdoms of the World

Structure

The Kingdoms of this World

The Kingdom of God

The Triumph of the Kingdom

The Kingdoms of This World

As we come to this text we remember that King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which caused him no small amount of distress.

He demanded that all his wise men tell him the contents of the dream as well as the interpretation of the dream on pain of death.

None could accomplish this miraculous feat until God granted Daniel knowledge of the dream and its interpretation.

In our text this evening, Daniel is in the palace of the king and is about to relate to him the dream and interpret its meaning to him.

We see in the dream a great Colossus or statue which is representative of all of the kingdoms of the earth

And we see that this colossus is made up of 4 different substances. Each of which represents a specific earthly kingdom

Each one succeeding the last one.

There has been some debate as to which kingdoms are represented by the different metals. But the basic interpretation that I take this evening is nearly universally accepted in church history.

“All writers endowed with a sound judgment and candidly desirous of explaining the prophet’s meaning understand this, without controversy, of the four monarchies, following each other in succession.” -John Calvin

“My assertion is perfectly correct, that interpreters of moderate judgment and candor all explain the passage of the Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian and Roman monarchies, and Daniel himself afterwards shows this sufficiently by his own words” -John Calvin

The Kingdoms Represented

Golden head = Babylon

v. 37 “You, O King, are the head of Gold”

The metal is representative of Babylon. But Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom would not last forever.

Silver = Persia

Persia followed Babylon as the next great ruling power established by Cyrus the Great.

Prophesied in Is. 54 100 years before his birth

This was the kingdom that ended the Babylonian captivity and sent Judah back to the promised land.

Bronze = Greece

In the year 331 B.C., Alexander the Great met with Darius, king of Persia, in open battle in the plains of Gaugamela. Alexander gained his second and final victory over the Persians there and thus inherited the entirety of their empire.

Alexander’s Greek Empire is the kingdom of bronze that followed the Persian Empire

It is said of Alexander the great that while still in his twenties, he wept because there were no more lands left to conquer.

Iron/Clay = Rome

But he would not have long to mourn his victories. Alexander the Great died at the age of 32, just 9 years after defeating Darius at Gaugamela and his kingdom was split into warring factions for several centuries until the rise of another great power.

A power which, as Daniel says, has the power of iron to break and crush other kingdoms (v. 40).

Of course, this next kingdom is the Roman Empire.

It is interesting to hear the words of the church father Jerome on this subject since he was a citizen of the Roman empire.

Now the fourth empire, which clearly refers to the Romans, is the iron empire that breaks in pieces and overcomes all others. But its feet and toes are partly iron and partly of earthenware, a fact clearly revealed at the present moment. For just as there was at the first nothing stronger or hardier than the Roman realm, so also in these last days there is nothing more feeble, since we require the assistance of barbarian tribes both in our civil wars and against foreign nations. -Jerome

Daniel gives the most detailed description to this kingdom because of the important event that takes place during its hegemony

Thus we see the 4 metals and the kingdoms they represent

But the Colossus itself is representative of all the kingdoms of the world

Not merely the four kingdoms of which it is composed

The Kingdom of God

But the Colossus is not the only entity in the dream

And there are not 4 kingdoms represented in the dream, but 5

The Stone

Daniel speaks of a peculiar stone. Almost like a meteorite

He describes it as a stone cut by no human hand

That is, it is not human in origin. But rather, it is divine

Daniel says that this stone is yet a fifth kingdom which smashes the great Colossus

That is, the divinely established kingdom will subjugate the kingdoms of this world

vv. 44-45 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, 45 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.

The Kingdom of God

This stone clearly represents the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of Heaven that we read so much about in the gospels

The very first words we hear from Jesus in the gospel of Mark are an announcement of the arrival of the kingdom of God.

Mark 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

And the majority of His preaching and parables throughout his ministry were concerning this all important kingdom

This is the very same kingdom which Nebuchadnezzar foresees in his dream

The Coming of the Kingdom

The kingdom comes not from earth, but from heaven. Just as Jesus said in John 18:36 "My kingdom is not of this World.”

It has a heavenly origin, yet even so, it comes to earth, and on the earth it remains

And as it comes to the earth it wars against the kingdoms of this earth and destroys them

The Timing of the Kingdom

The thing one must ask oneself then is this. When does this kingdom come? What is the timing of the kingdom?

Misunderstanding the timing

Christians have answered the question in many different ways. Today, the most common understanding is that the kingdom will come at some point in the future, after a great cataclysmic tribulation, when Christ returns again, judges the nations, and establishes his kingdom for 1,000 years on the earth.

I think this understanding significantly misses the mark. I think it is a misreading of the Scriptures.

The Kingdom Inaugurated at the Ascension

What we see in our text this evening is that the kingdom of God comes to earth during the reign of the fourth kingdom

v. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom

In the days of the kings of Rome God will set up a kingdom

Furthermore, we know that the kingdom of God is inaugurated and established when the king comes

Daniel 7:13-14

English Standard Version Chapter 7

“I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

14  And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed

We see here in Daniel’s own dream another prophecy of a future king and his kingdom.

If you remember from your readings of the gospels, Son of Man was Jesus’ favorite title for himself. Jesus is the Son of Man in Dan. 7

Again, many see this as a prophecy of the second coming of Christ when He will make all things new. He will come in the clouds and His kingdom will be established.

But pay careful attention to what the text actually says. Certainly, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ is coming in the clouds. But in which direction is He going?

He is ascending to the Ancient of Days.

Ac 1:9. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Indeed this is what we read in Hebrews 1:3 After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

It is at His ascension that the Christ sits on His throne and is given a kingdom and an everlasting dominion which shall never be destroyed.

Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 are prophesying the same event with different emphases. Both texts are prophesying the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth at the ascension of Christ into Heaven.

So when will the kingdom come? When will it be established?

It is here. It has been established already. We are citizens in that kingdom and our King is even now reigning.

The Nature of the Kingdom

The next question is, what exactly is the Kingdom of God?

“The kingdom is the whole of God’s redeeming activity in Christ in this world.” -Herman Ridderbos

Wherever Christ’s work of redemption is

Established By God

The stone is cut out by no human hand

V. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom

It is not something that we can create

Eternal

It will have no end.

V. 44 The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people

Invisible

Though we see its effects, it is not like the kingdoms of this World.

It has no earthly capital, it has no borders, it has no governing assembly, judges, legislators. It has a King who exercises all authority and His throne resides in Heaven.

Luke 17:20–21 (ESV)

“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

It is spiritual and therefore invisible in nature. But it will not always be so.

Universal

Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

There is no area of life or region where the Kingdom of God is barred entrance. And one day it will be all encompassing.

Future

It is a Kingdom that was established 2,000 years ago. But it is still very much a future kingdom.

The kingdom of God has an ‘Already’ but ‘Not yet’ dimension to it.

It is already inaugurated, it is not yet consummated.

It has already been established, but it has not yet reached its fulfillment

And it will not until Christ returns

Similar to the way that our salvation has already been accomplished, but it has not yet taken its full effect.

And so while we live as joyous citizens of the kingdom today, we continue to look forward to the day when the Kingdom will reach its consummation and Christ will be all and in all

The Triumph of the Kingdom

And this is exactly what our text promises. The kingdom will be triumphant

Daniel 2:44 ESV

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,

Progressive Growth

One may ask the question. If the Kingdom of Christ here and now, why is there so much wickedness and godlessness?

Why does it seem like things are getting worse if Christ is king now?

The Kingdom of God does not invade this World like Hitler invaded Poland

Christ is not engaged in a blitzkrieg. The coming of the kingdom is not an instantaneous thing

He is slowly and methodically subjugating His enemies

It has come and it grows progressively until as the prophet Hab. says

Hab. 2:14 The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

The Stone Grows

v. 35 But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

It is a kingdom that begins small but increases in size until it becomes a mountain which covers the entire earth

The kingdom came 2,000 years ago, and it has been growing ever since. It covers much more of the earth than it once did. It is not the little stone that it once was.

Matthew 13 The Parable of the Kingdom

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

You even hear echoes of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the parable.

The Kingdom Begins Small but grows until it covers the entire Garden

It begins small, but like leaven, it spreads throughout the whole loaf

It began small with a mere 12 men in the first century

Yet it has grown and spread to every corner of the earth

There are more Christians in the World today than there were people alive when Jesus walked out of his tomb

When we look at the World, we can be confident of two things

Christ reigns

He has not defeated all of his enemies… yet

There is still much more growth that needs to take place

Subjugation of Enemies

The fact is, we are all rebels. We have all lifted our fists in opposition to God

Yet in His kindness and mercy, He has given His Son so that rebels might come in and be accepted into His kingdom

There is no better picture of this than in Lk. 23

“Remember me when you come into your kingdom”

Friend, if you are in rebellion against God

Repent, turn to Him and you will find forgiveness

He will remember you in His kingdom

The Church Advances the Kingdom

“The task of the church is to make the invisible kingdom visible through faithful Christian living and witness-bearing” -Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The most helpful interpretive observation one could make in reading this passage is to note that gates are defensive structures, not offensive weapons

Robbers don’t use front doors to break into people’s houses, they use crowbars

Ancient armies did not use gates to break down the walls of their enemies, they used a battering ram

Jesus does not say that the battering ram of Hell shall not prevail against the church, he says the gates of Hell shall not prevail

We’re the ones with a battering ram

Christ, our head, brings down the powers of Hell and all His enemies through His body, the Church By the proclamation of the gospel.

Every time a sinner is converted, the kingdom grows. Every time sin is put to death. Every time a gospel church is planted. Every time righteousness is realized in this world.

Christ is advancing His kingdom through the church

But it is predominately through the preaching of the Gospel attended by the ministry of the Spirit that kingdom advances in this world.

A Final and Total Victory

1 Corinthians 15:24–26 “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

His reign began 2,000 years ago, and He has been subjugating enemies like you and I to His benevolent rule ever since.

And one day all of them will submit to Him and His kingdom will have grown into a mountain that covers the entire creation.

Isaiah 2:2–5 “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

This is a a picture of His full victory over the nations

Conclusion

Hope

So what does this mean for us?

It means the same thing that it meant for those Jewish exiles in Babylon. It means Hope. And confidence.

That though the nations rage, they also totter. Though Christians seem, at times, to be small and weak. We will never be overcome because ours is a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

What can we do in the face of the great wickedness we see in our world? How do we resist the powers of evil arrayed against us?

We do not look at the World with the unshakeable conviction evil will continue to grow and dominate

The World will not get worse, rather, it will get better and better

As it already has

As people and nations are converted, societies will be transformed, and the glory of God will be revealed in even human endeavors

What work has God given you to do in His kingdom?

Do it in hope

Do it in hope that God will use it to expand His kingdom

“Hope is one of the principal springs that keep mankind in motion. It is vigorous, bold, and enterprising. It causes men to encounter dangers, endure hardships, and surmount difficulties innumerable, in order to accomplish the desired end. In religion, it is of no less consequence. It makes a considerable part of the religion of those that truly fear God.” -Andrew Fuller

It was this spirit of hope in the victory of the kingdom of Christ that gave birth to the modern missionary movement

William Carey

David Livingstone

John Paton

It was this spirit of Hope that caused Owen to say,

“Though our persons fall, our cause shall be as truly, certainly, and infallibly victorious, as that Christ sits at the right hand of God. The gospel shall be victorious. This greatly comforts and refreshes me.” -John Owen

Oh, that God would raise up missionaries

Politicians and Judges

Parents, mentors, teachers

Businessmen and tradesmen

That He would make us a hopeful people

If the end will not come until all the enemies of Christ have been defeated, And if Christ defeats His enemies through us, then we have a lot of work to do

Praise God He has called us to this labor

May we plow in hope

Pray in Hope

Our Lord taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done”

We pray it at least every Sunday morning. Do we believe it?

We must pray in hope that the kingdom of God would be victorious in our own lives

That it would be victorious in the lives of our children and descendants

Pray that sin would be defeated

Righteousness would increase

That wicked nations and rulers would topple

That our own legislators and executives and judges would repent

Joyfully give of yourself for the advance of His kingdom

We are in a war against the enemy

And in every war there are casualties. It has ever been thus

Christians always have and always will suffer

Why should we not? Our savior suffered

But in His suffering, He inherited and established an eternal kingdom

In the suffering of the saints the kingdom of Christ is advanced in the World

Is not all the suffering we endure worth knowing that Christ will see all the rewards of His suffering?

Whether in hardship or not, consider the joy of citizenship in the kingdom of Christ?

Heb. 12:28 Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken

What Can Be Done when faced with the wickedness and difficulty of our present age?

Though the kingdom of darkness seems terrifying as the Great Colossus was terrifying

God has formed a kingdom, and He has established a kingdom

That Kingdom has toppled empires and nations and it will continue to do so until the Father finally makes all a Christ’s enemies a footstool for His feet.

So do not fear, but carry on in hope as citizens of a kingdom which cannot be shaken