SEGMENT 1 DANIEL 2
THE ROCK OF AGES
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The Succession of World Empires

Metals of lesser value represent the kingdoms that follow Babylon. This decline suggests that fallen man degenerates with the passage of time. According to Daniel 2, the chest and arms of silver represented a kingdom that would succeed Babylon. It is interesting to note that the silver kingdom had two arms (as in two armies). This feature accurately reflected the Medo-Persian Empire that overran Babylon in 538 B.C. The Medo-Persian kingdom consisted of two kings and two armies. Eventually, the Persian side of this kingdom became dominant.

 

The third kingdom, represented by the thighs of brass, rose to power with the fall of the Medo-Persians. The Grecian period is sometimes called “The Bronze Age.” Legs of iron represented the fourth empire and this feature accurately represented the Roman Empire.  The Romans were noted for their ferocious conquests and their weapons of unbreakable iron. The Roman Empire also included a larger geographical territory than any of the previous empires. Perhaps this expansion is reflected in the two legs of iron. The Romans dominated a large portion of the East, as well as the West.

 

The fifth kingdom, represented by the feet of iron and clay, represents the breakup of the Roman Empire into many kingdoms; some became strong and others weak. When the Rome fell in A.D. 476, a distinctive change occurred. After this date, the empires of the world were no longer universal. Instead, the world was permanently fractured into smaller empires. Through the ages, God has predetermined that some kingdoms would be strong as iron and others would be weak or breakable like brittle clay. One-world empires like Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia and Rome will not exist again until God permits the Antichrist to rule over Earth during the Great Tribulation. Men such as Napoleon, Charlemagne, Hitler, Kaiser Wilhelm and other conquerors have vainly tried to unite the world under their rule, but their efforts could not succeed because God’s Word cannot be defeated.

 

The sixth and last kingdom of man is represented by the toes. Remember that the toes represent a brief reign of ten kings. About two thirds of the way through the Great Tribulation, the devil himself will physically appear on earth masquerading as God. After a successful conquest to take control of Earth, the Antichrist (Lucifer) will divide the world into ten sectors, and he will appoint ten kings to rule over these ten sectors. (Revelation 17:12-14) During the days of these kings, the Rock will come out of Heaven and destroy all of the kingdoms of men. This Rock is Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages. At the appointed time, Jesus will annihilate the wicked on Earth and establish the seventh and final world empire. His kingdom will never end. Remember, seven is God’s signature. God’s kingdom of righteousness will bear His likeness and He will only establish His kingdom on Earth after He has destroyed the kingdoms of men. Notice this text: “In the time of those kings [the ten kings], the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 2:44, insertion mine)

“The Rock of Ages”

Before “The Rock of Ages” sets up His kingdom, He will destroy all of the kingdoms of men. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar, “… a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on the threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:34,35) Three points within these verses need to be considered. First, the Bible leaves no wiggle room on the fact that the kingdom of God cannot co-exist with the kingdoms of men. Before Jesus sets up His kingdom on Earth, all previous kingdoms have to be destroyed – swept away without a trace! Jesus will not reign on or over a sinful Earth. Jesus will reign on Earth only after sin and unrepentant sinners have been annihilated. According to the final chapters of Revelation, Jesus does not begin to reign on Earth until there is a New Heaven and a New Earth.

 

Second, the sequence of events described in Daniel 2 terminates at the Second Coming. Through the years, people have asked if the Rock crushing the metal man occurs at the Second Coming or at the end of the 1,000 years mentioned in Revelation 20. The Rock crushes the kingdoms of men at the end of the Great Tribulation (at the Second Coming), when the ten kings are ruling upon Earth. (Daniel 2:44) In other words, after desolating this planet of all life (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:19-21) and putting the devil back in the abyss for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3), Jesus has total control over Earth. However, when Jesus appears at the Second Coming, He does not touch Earth. Instead, the saints will be caught up in the sky to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)  This gathering up of the saints occurs because they will be taken to “the Father’s house” in Heaven for 1,000 years before returning to Earth in the Holy city with Jesus. (John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:1-4) During the 1,000 years, the saints will sit in court and determine the punishment that each wicked person must receive. (1 Corinthians 6:1-3; Revelation 20:4) Obviously, Daniel 2 does not address these details, but the final chapters of Revelation collaborate with Daniel 2. Using this relationship, we can determine what will occur during and after the 1,000 years of Revelation 20.

 

The third point concerns this phrase, “The rock that was cut out, but not by human hands….” The Rock of Ages and His seventh kingdom are divine in origin. The kingdom of God will not be a modification of earthy kingdoms. Consider what this language meant to King Nebuchadnezzar. Ancient peoples built altars to their gods (and there were many) on mountaintops and the “high places” of Earth. They believed the gods dwelt in the lofty grandeur and vast expanses of snow capped mountains. (Jeremiah 3:6; Ezekiel 6:13; Psalm 15:1) Even among the Jews, the Mountain of Sinai was called the Mountain of God. (Exodus 4:27) Today, in the United States, the government buildings where laws are made are exalted with the title “The Capital Building” or “Capital Hill,” even though the building itself is only slightly elevated above the surrounding area. The same idea was used in a religious sense in ancient times.

 

When God gave Nebuchadnezzar this vision, He used very simple terms the king could grasp. God told the king that six kingdoms would rise and fall. God also revealed that man would not rule over Earth indefinitely. God has predetermined an end to the rule of men. A day will come when the “Rock,” the Son of God, will establish His kingdom on Earth. The idea of a rock being cut out of a mountain without human effort is language that uniquely describes God (the Mountain) and the Son of God (The Rock). The Son will come from Heaven and remove all traces of Earth’s previous kingdoms before He establishes His own kingdom. The “Rock” will establish a city whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10) Almighty God gave Nebuchadnezzar the great honor of beholding His plans. Who can prevent His coming kingdom? Who can stop Him? Who can thwart the fulfillment of this blueprint? God showed Nebuchadnezzar the climax of the ages. He saw “The Rock of Ages” utterly destroys the kingdoms of men and take possession of Earth. Thus, the ancient words of Isaiah will be fulfilled: “… and the government will be on his shoulders.” (Isaiah 9:6)

 

Twenty-six hundred years ago, Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar, “… The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.” (Daniel 2:45) Even though this vision has not been fulfilled, we have enough evidence for the completed sequences within the vision to confirm the truthfulness of this vision. Apocalyptic prophecy is history written in advance and the passage of time has confirmed the accuracy of all that God said regarding the future. Nothing proves the veracity of God’s Word like the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

 

Notes and Comments on Segment I

 

The comments that follow are crucial to the concepts presented in this whole study, so please give the following paragraphs careful consideration. Bible students come from varied conclusions about Bible prophecy because there are many different methods of interpretation. For this reason, you may want to read and review this section from time to time as you progress through this study. I have placed these notes at the end of Segment 1 rather than at the beginning of the study so that newcomers to the study of prophecy would not become discouraged or overwhelmed by the depth of Bible prophecy. It is all too easy to lay books or studies aside that require thinking and processing.

Methods of interpretation are a catchall phrase that has a lot of bearing on the interpretation of Bible prophecy. The phrase “methods of interpretation” describes a set of ideas or a particular view in a person’s head before he starts to study and interpret prophecy. Methods of interpretation include religious views, spiritual presuppositions, scholastic assumptions and concepts about the role and authority of the Bible, the authority of prophets, and church traditions. For example, A Catholic scholar will approach the study of Bible prophecy with Catholic beliefs and traditions in mind, and his prophetic conclusions will reflect the ideas and views that were in his mind before he began to study. Similarly, a Baptist scholar will approach the study of Bible prophecy with methods of interpretation that are very different than his Catholic counterpart, and the Baptist scholar will arrive at very different conclusions than the Catholic scholar because their methods if interpretation are different. Obviously, no one approaches the study of prophecy without some kind of intellectual and religious baggage. This baggage is loosely called “methods of interpretation” or hermeneutics.

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