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        Please note carefully the complete text we are about to share! “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Dan.2: 44. Now, my Friend, let us be quite candid and honest here! With such deliberate expressions and with such a profound choice of words, do we need to quantify and qualify what we just read? Did not God use explicit terms that lay out in front of us the stark reality of what his intentions are? Let us reach in and pick out the middle section of the verse! “A kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people.”  Daniel has more to say about this very thought.

            In Dan.7, the prophet saw the same realities that Nebuchadnezzar saw in the form of an image. This time, Daniel saw four beasts and he later wondered about these beasts. Here is what he said:  “I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. (We need to embrace these truths also) So he told me, and made me to know the interpretation of the things. (Here is the full explanation as given to Daniel.) These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.”  As we asserted a while ago, the four parts of the image represented four kingdoms and the king of Babylon represented the first, or the Head. These four beasts represent the same four kingdoms revealed before. But there is good news for Daniel and for us! “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”  This double emphasis reflects perpetuity. The most important factor for us to consider in this study, is the fact that coming behind the fourth world power is the Stone Kingdom. Experts all over the broad spectrum of biblical analysis uniformly agree that Rome was the fourth world power, both in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and in Daniel’s vision.

            Before we attempt to identify the exact image and characteristics of the stone kingdom, let us be sure of one thing: “Since the fall of Rome in 476 A. D. in the west, and 1453 A. D. in the east, there has never been another single world power, and that is because the bible was explicit in saying that after the fourth kingdom, the succeeding one will be the stone that grew and filled the whole earth. Starting with the bishops of Rome, many came on the scene with dreams of setting up another single super world power. Religious leaders and  political dictators have had this grandiose vision of leading the world’s only super power. Whether you agree with me or not, and whether you or I have all the correct interpretation of Daniel’s book, one thing stands predominant in God’s holy writ---the next world power will to be the kingdom of God, and I don’t mean the feeling we have inside that moves us to speak in tongues and prophesy once in a while. To this end, listen to Daniel again in another declaration that should resonate around the globe!

            “But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end. (Not the end of the world, but the end of his dominion.) And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” Dan.7:26-27. My Friend, we can argue and split hairs over words and their meanings until the cows come home, but what we just read cannot be altered and will not fade away into obscurity. His counsel shall stand and he will do all his good pleasure! Don’t you feel like braking into a little dance just about now? These powerful words are enough to make your inner organs vibrate and dance around on your inside. Are we to sit back in pure and simple reluctance and say, “Well Daniel is speaking of the kingdom within each of us?” We are told that the kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven; that is not on our inside, it is on our outside, and even if we try to wash it and shrink it to fit our own beliefs, the truth we just read will not change. I don’t know if I will be around in this physical body to participate in this great unfolding, that is up to our heavenly Father, but be it in my presence or in my absence, yes, the saints of the most High will indeed take the kingdom and possess it for ever, even for ever. Mary was told: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32-33. Can we dare to doubt these truths when they run like rivers of life through the Old Testament, into the New Testament, with closing endorsements in the Book of Revelation? There is glory within, YES; but that glory will be made manifest and kings shall see our rising.

        Rome was the fourth part of the image that the king saw. Since it had two legs, Rome became divided into two parts, the Western Empire ruled for the most part by bishops, and the Eastern Empire ruled by emperors. But there is more if we want to make the vision fit. Both legs give us ten toes resulting in ten smaller kingdoms under the umbrella of Rome. In the West we have; Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, and Belgium. In the East there are: Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Romania, and Greece. The toes were made of part iron and part clay, and many believe that the result was that Rome after Constantine had the church in one hand and the pagans in the other, while embracing both. Let us bear in mind that all these dreams and visions given to both the king and Daniel were relevant to literal and visible fulfillments. Yes, there were four world kingdoms! Yes, the fourth had two empires as depicted in both legs of the image, and yes, the two feet had ten toes thus leaving us with ten minor kingdoms. Later on we will notice that instead of ten toes, like on our feet, the fourth beast had ten horns, answering to the ten toes. But among the ten horns sprang up an eleventh horn which we will examine later on.

            Here is a point where many have gone over the edge into great error. “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, etc.”  A long time ago, I watched a televangelist with his pointer and blackboard equipped with a fancy chart, teaching that in the days of these kings, refers to the ten countries that form the EU (European Union) and he swore that these are the kings that will lay the groundwork and setting the scene for the coming forth of antichrist, with a one-world currency, a one-world military, and a bunch of other things added to the mix. What one-world government? What one-world military? What antichrist? Because the scripture says “In the days of these kings”, men rush off with limited understanding to put together the kings needed to be major players in their grand scheme of things and to underscore their philosophy.

            Listen to me my Friend! If God had to wait these thousands of years from Daniel wrote until the formation of the European Union to set up his kingdom, then Gabriel gave an incorrect message to Mary about the kingdom of Jesus Christ being one that shall last forever. Don’t forget that Jesus was raised from the dead to sit on David’s throne. Acts 2: 30. So there had to be a kingdom if he were going to sit on a throne, otherwise the whole scenario was a comic opera, given for nothing more than a good laugh. In the days of these kings had nothing to do with the EU; rather it spoke of the four kings already alluded to in the four kingdoms, beginning with Babylon. Notice that the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, were broken together and the wind came and carried them away that no place was found for them. They are gone! Don’t seek to bring them back! There is no place for them anymore! How could they have been broken together?

            When Media-Persia conquered Babylon, the latter was allowed to continue as a nation under Persian rule, so Persia became a two-fold kingdom. When Greece conquered Persia, it allowed all the others to continue to function, but under Grecian rule, and Greece became a three-fold power. The same principle applies to Rome and it in turn became a four-fold kingdom, so when Rome crashed all the other parties under the umbrella of Rome crashed too. Some teach that the stone cut out of a mountain without hands refers to Gt. Britain. Although Jamaica lived under British rule for 300 years and I am still a member of the British Commonwealth, I hardly think one can honestly say that Gt. Britain was cut out of a mountain without hands. When the British came to Jamaica in 1655 with an armada of battle ships, they had to overcome the Spaniards that were in control of the island. Yes, there was a time when the sun did not set on the British Empire, and possibly in Roman times apostles visited England. But I still cannot equate Britain with a kingdom cut out of a mountain without hands.

            Let us put this in the uppermost part of our mind! The stone was not a person such Jesus or Paul or James. The stone is a kingdom—the kingdom of God and we don’t have to look very far back in history to conclude that the gospel of Jesus Christ served to bring Rome and paganism to its knees. The more they martyred the saints, the stronger their testimony became. In fact, under persecution, the church grew in number and in power. This continued until members of the clergy began getting paid, and by working in harmony with the State for a salary, persecutions ceased, and accordingly, the church lost her power until the light of the gospel was almost extinguished from the earth into the dark ages.

        The fact that God’s kingdom and therefore the kingdom of Christ is a present reality cannot be argued against the number of scriptures that attest to it in real time. Wise men came asking, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” Matt.2: 1-2. Did not Gabriel say that this Jesus would sit on the throne of David his father? The stark reality is simply this: If there was no kingdom to rule over, Jesus as King was a fraud, or a king in exile, much like a king in our times who is overthrown and driven into exile in a foreign country. Many have taught over the years that Jesus will only be King when he returns to earth and walk up the street in this earthly Jerusalem, where he will find the throne of David to sit on, and we and as many saints as the city is able to accommodate will crown him King. Did not Pilate have a sign affixed to the cross saying, “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, “Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. (Yea—fat chance!) Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written!” Wasn’t God behind that ugly sign stuck to a bloody cross? Sure he was!

It is amazing how God uses those outside the realm of believers to do his will! Consider Nebuchadnezzar for a moment. Daniel said in his interpretation of the king’s dream; “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.” Dan. 2:37. Listen to God who does what pleases him, and sets up whomsoever he chooses! “And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.” Amazing? But there is more! “And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with sword, and with famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.” Jer. 27: 6, 8.

            In our strict religious upbringing, we were taught to look upon everyone outside the faith as servants of the Devil, who have no lot or part with God. But it is amazing how God uses whatever and whichever vessel he desires to get his will done on earth. So in that case, where is boasting? Who among us is the “Big Chief”  pushing around little Indians as the saying goes? (No offence intended) In amazement, God gives Israel into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar for him to punish them for their sins, and later on, God comes back to the scene to punish Nebuchadnezzar for his punishment of God’s people. It’s like a cop using an informer to gather information on a certain case, then later on, throw the informer in jail perhaps for events relating to the same case. When we see “bad things” happening around us isn’t it a fact that our One true God has all power? Did he not create the waster to destroy? See Isa. 54: 16. Paul wrestled with some of these same issues and he finally threw up his hands in sheer amazement and cried: “O the depth of his riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Rom.11: 33.

            Long before Gabriel entered Mary’s house with news of the birth of a King to sit on David’s throne, an Old Testament prophet announced the King’s triumphant ride into Jerusalem. This was about B. C. 487! “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass---and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river (Euphrates) even to the ends of the earth.” Zec. 9: 9-10b. If the kingdom and dominion are present realities why do we spend so much time teaching about the kingdom within? Let us call it a battle for the hearts and minds of the people. That is exactly what the Coalition Forces in Iraq began to introduce after the fall of Baghdad. They said, we won the military fight, but now we must win the hearts and minds of the people through a strong PR effort.

Jesus embarked upon a similar mission when he said: “Give me thine heart and I will give thee my Father’s kingdom.”  Even in local elections, politicians spend an awful amount of time trying to capture the hearts and minds of the people; if this is done effectively, on election day the candidate can go fishing for the votes will be in his/her favor. I believe that one who eagerly grasp after power and worldly acclaim is likely to be a very poor ruler. Christ said, “learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart.” Absolute power corrupts absolutely, so would-be rulers with Christ must first learn the path of suffering and undue set backs. “Jesus, though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered.” Heb.5: 8.

        Do you remember that we read how God would set up a kingdom “in the days of these kings?” And do you remember that I said a certain televangelist armed with blackboard and pointer, taught that these kings meant the 1o nations of the Common Market or what is now called the EU (European Union)? Well, guess how these teachers managed to bring Daniel’s words all the way to our day! They teach that all those four world kingdoms have not gone away after all. One meant the monetary system of our day, another meant our military establishments, and another meant our educational system, so when pointing to these they declare that the crushing of these by the stone is yet future. Frankly, it’s like trying to cover yourself with a blanket that is too short. You pull it over your head and your feet are exposed. You cover feet and your head is exposed. Daniel did not wrap the four kings and kingdoms into types and shadows. He did not engage in metaphoric dialogues or allegorical landscapes. To try and bring these literal kingdoms that have long time slumbered in the dust of antiquity, back to life by speculations and cunning craftiness, is a disservice to the God who opened the eyes of Daniel and had him write unfolding truths.

            I think some preachers are like the group of young men who went to Israel as the year 2000 approached, because they wanted to trigger Armageddon. But they are not alone! One prominent preacher out of Texas looked in the camera and declared, “Don’t look for me after January 1^st 2000 because I will be gone up in the Rapture.” The funny thing is that these people don’t have the honesty to come back in front of the cameras and say, “I am sorry, I was wrong about Jesus coming at the dawn of the year 2000.” Oh no! They simply ignore the subject and go right ahead in their folly. We are told how Moses struck the rock in the wilderness, but the wonder of it all is unveiled in 1 Cor.10: 4; “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” Isn’t this a great mystery? This is not like Hamlet Prince of Denmark, written by William Shakespeare, or the mythical “Alice in Wonderland.” There was a literal rock that followed them and it was literal enough for Moses to strike it and have water flow from it. The people actually drank the water; and all the time it was Christ.

            We are told that the stone that smote the image on the feet, grew and filled the whole earth. Let us fast-forward to the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ. “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” Eph.1: 22-23. If his body fills all in all, we must conclude that there is no room for anything else, and this carries the same connotation as the stone in Daniel’s words. To emphasize the tangibility and the prospect of a lasting endurance, Paul added further that the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself ( no substitute—no imitation—no angel—no prophet—but Jesus Christ himself) being the chief corner stone.” Eph. 2: 20. The prophet Isaiah saw this truth and rendered his announcement as witness to God’s wonderful acts. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” Isa. 28: 16. The Hebrew word for haste is chuwsh or koosh, and it means to hurry, to be eager with excitement. So he that believes on this stone will have no need to be eager, to hurry, or to be overly anxious. Peter renders the last part of the verse this way: “And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded, but added, Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto they were appointed.” 1 Peter 2: 6-8.

            The word stone appears in the bible at least 190 times, and the word rock at least 118 times. We are unable to examine each and every usage of the word and in what context it is used. Suffice it to say that Christ as that Stone and the impact the newly formed Apostolic Church had upon the Roman Empire serves to bring to pass the interpretation that Daniel gave to the king. Yes! The stone hit the image on its feet, breaking all the different components of the image together, then the stone grew and filled the whole earth. That Stone has been growing for more than 2000 years now, and the intent is that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea, and all nations shall call him blessed! Hallelujah!

To be continued…

Royce O. Kennedy

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