The Kingdom

If you ever feel like a foreigner in your own culture, be not dismayed. You’re a citizen of a different kingdom.

In Daniel, chapter two, the young Hebrew saw Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and gave the interpretation by the Spirit of God:

“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.” (Daniel 2:31–35, ESV)

Daniel’s dream interpretation accurately predicted the demise of Babylon and the rise of three subsequent earthly empires. The first two kingdoms that followed Babylon are Cyrus’ Medo-Persian empire and Alexander’s Greek empire, and the third is thought by most to be the great Roman empire, although there is some dispute about which political monarchy is symbolized by the iron and the iron/clay portions of the great statue.

It is the fifth kingdom, however, that draws our attention. The kingdom that shall never be destroyed takes over the world. Thus, Daniel sees not only into the earthly empires that will consume the landscape of history for a thousand years; he also sees the Kingdom of God that will stand for eternity.

The message of God was made clear through Daniel: the stone that was cut by no human hand is a picture of the Cornerstone that was rejected by the world but crushed all the kingdoms of the world. Though seemingly small, like a mustard seed, that Rock grew into a mountain, established forever.

The Kingdom of God is invisible but invincible. It is unnoticed by masses but is unshakable for eternity.

Therefore, no matter what travails you see in this world, be not dismayed. In Christ, you’re a citizen of Heaven – the unshakable kingdom. As a kingdom citizen, you are forever accepted and ultimately victorious. And that’s the Gospel!