At the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2, a huge stone enters the picture and smashes the statue to dust, leaving it meaningless. This final image likely disturbed the king more than anything else.
The statue had been crafted from gold, silver, and other precious metals, and they represented human empires. In contrast, the stone is organic; no human hands constructed it. The stone represents the Kingdom of God, and it doesn’t come from any human ability or effort. The kingdom stone was thrown from heaven, illustrating that God alone establishes his kingdom — a living, divine, eternal realm and culture greater than anything people can come up with.
The stone smashes the statue at the feet, during the time of Rome, but decimates the entire thing. Every earthly empire will fall. But the Kingdom of God will grow into a great mountain and fill the whole earth. It won’t be replaced or conquered.
The image points forward to Christ, the stone rejected by men but chosen by God, the cornerstone. Jesus arrived under Roman rule and preached, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). He taught about the Kingdom in parables. Christ established the Kingdom, not through force and violence, but love and compassion through his life, death, and resurrection.
Even today, we have received and entered this Kingdom by being born again (John 3). God’s Kingdom will spread and fill the whole earth. It will reach its final fulfilment when Jesus returns in the future.
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