What is the C.T. Interpretation of Daniel’s Stone Kingdom?

[Christian Gedge]

I would like to understand the following vision from the viewpoint of the Covenant Theology system of prophecy. What is the stone kingdom, and when did it arrive? Does it begin at John the Baptist’s announcement (Matt. 3:1-2) and reach its ultimate expression at Christ’s second coming? Or, has it been deferred until the Millennial reign?

“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.”

“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation … in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.”
(Daniel 2:31—36, 44)
​

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Kenny'sID]

What is the stone kingdom, and when did it arrive? Does it begin at John the Baptist’s announcement (Matt. 3:1-2) and reach its ultimate expression at Christ’s second coming?

Right off hand, I'd say that is correct, starts around that time and never ends. The kingdom of God

 

[Jonaitis]

John and Jesus preached that the prophecy of Daniel was near or at hand, but it wasn't until after the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord that the kingdom of God arrived. We, the church, are that kingdom, growing and building up into a holy place for God in the Spirit, until this kingdom is consummated in the second coming. This is also what is being understood as calling this period the last hour, or the last days.

Now, to answer your question, the passage cannot be understood any other way. We read from the same chapter the interpretation of the dream:

"And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever..." -Daniel 2:40-44

The first thing to notice is that the fourth kingdom is the last earthly kingdom mentioned before the arrival of the kingdom of God. This is clearly understood to be Rome, following Greece, Persia/Mede, and Bablyonia.

The second thing to notice is that it will become a divided kingdom. It is a mistake for some to separate verse 40 with verse 41, it refers to the same kingdom. It does not say, "And a fifth kingdom," it is one and the same mentioned. Rome is the fourth kingdom on the earth, but it will become a divided kingdom, partly strong and partly brittle. We read in our history books that the Roman Empire did divide into two sections in 395 AD, the Western and Eastern kingdom. The Western Roman Empire lasted for about another hundred years, but fell to various internal and external wars and problems in 476/80 AD, whereas the Eastern Roman Empire (aka Byzantine Empire) lasted an additional thousand years until 1453 AD. Even secular historians noted that the Western Empire had constant problems with power, financial stability, wars with neighboring nations, etc, and could not keep up with the problems. Whereas the Eastern Empire was pretty steady for quite a long time until the Ottomans defeated them. History notes that they still referred to themselves as Romans, even though they split from the West.

The third thing to notice is that in verse 44. "In the days of those kings," referring to the same fourth kingdom, "the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed..." This is undeniable that John preached that the kingdom was near and at hand in that period, not some 21 centuries from him.

The fourth thing to notice is that there hasn't been a kingdom like these four kingdoms on earth, and there never will be, especially in a time like ours. Hitler tried to be successful over 70 years ago, but his attempt didn't last for even a decade. Ever since then, war has changed dramatically compared to the wars nations and kingdoms fought for centuries. With the U.N. nations aren't going to literally fight in a war out of the blue, we live in a different time than most of human history.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I would like to understand the following vision from the viewpoint of the Covenant Theology system of prophecy. What is the stone kingdom, and when did it arrive? Does it begin at John the Baptist’s announcement (Matt. 3:1-2) and reach its ultimate expression at Christ’s second coming? Or, has it been deferred until the Millennial reign?

“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.”

“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation … in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.”
(Daniel 2:31—36, 44)
​

Thanks,
Chris

This is describing the Kingdom of God and how it reigns over the whole earth. Jesus Christ of Nazareth sits at the right hand of the Father in the Kingdom and Jesus is King. We who are in the Body of Christ are in this Kingdom and no earthly kingdom can compare, for in this Kingdom those who are in it have everlasting life. The Jews waited for and received not an earthly kingdom but they did receive the knowledge of a Kingdom "not of this world". This Kingdom of God stands forever and stands now. This was fulfilled through our Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Blessings

 

[ralliann]

This is describing the Kingdom of God and how it reigns over the whole earth. Jesus Christ of Nazareth sits at the right hand of the Father in the Kingdom and Jesus is King. We who are in the Body of Christ are in this Kingdom and no earthly kingdom can compare, for in this Kingdom those who are in it have everlasting life. The Jews waited for and received not an earthly kingdom but they did receive the knowledge of a Kingdom "not of this world". This Kingdom of God stands forever and stands now. This was fulfilled through our Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Blessings

The kingdom of God! Spoken of as the olive tree in Romans 11.
We see the tree representing a kingdom of a king...………….
Dan 4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

Da 4:26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.