The Kingdom That Will Stand

Bible Reading

Benin Video / ask about telling about Emily. Bible School, and future church plant (also give the amount of travel)

56 air + 22 car + 4 missionaries and their kids / back for Father’s Day

Next Sunday night time of Prayer with the Pepperdines / slide needed

Summary: The God of heaven, who sets up and removes kings, reveals that in the end He will replace all human kingdoms with His everlasting kingdom.

Bible Reading

Let’s skip ahead to a little further in this story.

Daniel 4 gives us a response to Nebuchadnezzar to what happens.

We noted above that Nebuchadnezzar is explicitly mentioned in each of the first five chapters of the book of Daniel. Chapter 4 is actually written by him and describes how he came to faith in Daniel’s God. In chapter 5 Belshazzar is disciplined by God because, in spite of knowing what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar, he had deliberately turned away from the true God.

In Daniel 4:1–3, King Nebuchadnezzar issues a decree proclaiming his belief in the greatness of Daniel’s God:

Daniel 4:1–3 (KJV)

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Sermon Introduction

Imagine being a teenager, stripped from your homeland, marched hundreds of miles into exile, and enrolled in a program designed to erase your identity...

But in Daniel 2, the stakes are raised. This time, it's not about food—it’s about life and death.

The chapter begins with King Nebuchadnezzar troubled by a dream he cannot understand..

But instead of panic, Daniel prays. And God answers.

That’s the message of Daniel 2—and here is the main point of our sermon today:

The God of heaven, who sets up and removes kings, reveals that in the end He will replace all human kingdoms with His everlasting kingdom.

Let’s walk through this incredible story together and see how God lifts the curtain on history—not just for Nebuchadnezzar, but for us.

I. All human kingdoms are unstable and ultimately powerless.

Nebuchadnezzar ruled the world’s most powerful empire, yet a single dream brought him to fear and confusion. This shows that no human kingdom—no matter how mighty—is secure. (Daniel 2:1–13)

A. Earthly power cannot calm a troubled soul.

The most powerful man in the world couldn’t sleep.

Daniel 2:1 “1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.”

B. Earthly wisdom cannot uncover divine mysteries.

Despite their knowledge and mystical arts, the Chaldean wise men admitted. (vv. 2–11)

Daniel 2:10 “10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.”

C. Earthly wrath cannot bring about righteous justice.

The king, in rage, orders all the wise men to be slain—including Daniel and his friends.

Earthly kings often rule by fear, not justice.

Daniel 2:12–13 “12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.”

Transition: When human strength fails, God steps in—and reveals what no one else can.

II. The God of heaven reveals what human minds cannot discover.

Daniel steps forward—not as a man of great insight in himself—but as a man dependent on divine revelation. (Daniel 2:14–30)

A. God responds to the prayers of the humble.

Daniel and his friends plead for mercy, and “the secret was revealed… in a night vision.”

Daniel 2:17–19 “17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”

B. God governs the times and rulers of history.

Daniel’s poetic praise highlights this: “He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” v.20

This is the hinge of the whole chapter.

C. God alone reveals what is hidden to man.

“There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets…” (v. 28)

Daniel makes it clear: it’s not his brilliance, but God’s mercy.

We often live with fear of the unknown—future elections, wars, diagnoses. But there is a God in heaven who sees, knows, and reveals what is to come.

Transition: What God reveals is clear: every human empire, no matter how mighty, is temporary.

III. Every human empire is temporary and fragile.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue is a sweeping summary of human history—glorious in appearance, but fragile at its foundation. (Daniel 2:31–43)

A. Empires rise only as God permits.

“Thou, O king… art this head of gold… and after thee shall arise another kingdom…” v.36

The succession of kingdoms is not random—it is governed by God.

B. Empires fall under the weight of their own weakness.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream featured a towering statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay—representing successive empires. Yet all of them collapse when a stone strikes its feet. (vv. 40–43)

Even the strongest regimes decay from within.

C. Empires end because their foundations are flawed

The great statue falls—not due to its head or arms—but its feet. The foundation is flawed.

Daniel 2:34 “34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.”

Transition: But one kingdom is different—God’s kingdom will never fall.

IV. God’s kingdom alone is eternal and unstoppable.

Now we reach the climax. The stone not cut by human hands demolishes the statue—and becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth. (Daniel 2:44–49)

A. God Himself establishes an everlasting kingdom.

“In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom… and it shall stand for ever.” (v. 44)

This is not man-made. It is divine in origin and destiny.

B. God's kingdom will replace—not coexist with—earthly kingdoms.

The stone “brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold…” (v. 45)

Human kingdoms won’t merge into God’s—they will be replaced.

C. God's kingdom grows to fill the whole earth.

“The stone… became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” (v. 35)

A clear picture of the spread of God’s reign—starting small, but unstoppable.

The kingdom has come in Christ, and it will come in fullness at His return. This gives us hope and mission.

Revelation 11:15 “15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

Transition: So what does all this mean for us today? Let’s remember what Daniel 2 is really showing us.

Conclusion:

The God of heaven, who sets up and removes kings, reveals that in the end He will replace all human kingdoms with His everlasting kingdom.

We’ve seen that earthly kingdoms are fragile, human wisdom is insufficient, and human power cannot bring peace.

We’ve also seen that God reveals truth, governs history, and has promised a kingdom that will never end.

The stone is Christ—cut out not by human hands, rejected by men but chosen by God—and His kingdom will fill the earth.

Therefore: Let us not despair in the face of global upheaval or political instability. Let us live with hope, serve with courage, and bear witness to the kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Conclusion: Living as People of Truth, Courage, and Influence

Daniel 2 is not just ancient history—it’s a wake-up call for how we live today.

1. We live in a culture that says truth is whatever you want it to be—that no one can really know the future, or speak with authority about ultimate things. But we know there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has spoken through His Word, through His Son, and through His Spirit. That means we are not left to guess. We are people of truth in an age of confusion.

So, let’s live like it:

Don’t let cultural relativism silence your voice.

Don’t be ashamed of the gospel—it’s not your truth; it’s the truth.

2. Like Daniel, we also live in a world that pressures us to blend in or stay quiet. But God is calling us to courage—not arrogance, but conviction. Daniel didn’t scream or insult—he stood with bold humility and pointed to God.

So, let’s be courageous:

Stand firm in your faith, even when it’s costly.

Speak the truth in love, even when it’s unpopular.

3. And finally, remember: Daniel didn’t live this out in a synagogue—he lived it in a pagan palace. He didn’t retreat from culture; he brought wisdom into culture. That’s your calling, too. Whether you're in business, education, government, healthcare, or the home—you are a witness. Your work matters. Your presence matters.

So, let’s be faithful:

Pursue excellence where God has placed you.

Be the kind of person who’s known for integrity, wisdom, and grace.

And when the door opens—point to the God who reveals and reigns.

Closing Song: Mighty Fortress is our God

And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.

So when the kingdoms of this world shake… don’t panic. Look to the Rock. Stand firm. Live like a citizen of a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Prayer

“In an age of relativism, political instability, and secular power, Daniel 2 reminds us that there is a God in heaven who reveals truth, directs history, and has established a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Our task is not to panic or withdraw—but to live faithfully, speak courageously, and trust fully in the God who rules over all.”