19/02/2024
THE STONE KINGDOM
.. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the entire earth. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Just as you saw that a stone was broken off from the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is certain and its interpretation is trustworthy.”— Daniel 2:35,44-45
The stone that was cut without human hands represents God’s kingdom. It will not be a conglomeration of earthly kingdoms, but a total replacement (Revelation 21:1). The Scriptures declare that when Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will completely consume all the kingdoms of earth and establish an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44). What exciting news! Jesus Christ is coming again! All history is moving toward this climactic conclusion when the Son of God shall return in majesty to bring in the kingdom of everlasting righteousness.
King Nebuchadnezzar may have thought that he had defeated the true God when he besieged Jerusalem and plundered the temple (Daniel 1:1, 2), but he was shown very quickly that God is ruler over
all. Human events are under His control, and ultimately He will win the conflict. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the 10 divisions of the Roman Empire may have sought to usurp divine authority and destroy the people of God, but all earthly
kingdoms will eventually be crushed by the coming of Christ. Thank God, He will win the great controversy!
Many have always tried to Babylonian doctrine that this stone is man/a kingdom of human beings on earth. This is the same recycled doctrine of the papacy that they erroneously get from Matthews 16:18. Christ was clear that it is upon him who alone is the chief cornerstone the everlasting kingdom is built. As Nebuchadnezzar was said to be the Head of gold 🪙 to symbolize the Babylonian kingdom so is Christ the stone, a foundation of his kingdom. This kingdom is set when he comes the second time and grows into a mountain when the saints inherit the earth and fill it. (1 Timothy 4:1)
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘A stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief cornerstone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”— Matthew 21:42-44. The Lord is a consuming fire, the kings of this earth and their kingdoms won't stand his glory.
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branches. But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and frolic like calves from the stall. And you will crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I am preparing,” says the Lord of armies.— Malachi 4:1-3
Our hope is not in human establishments, we look for a kingdom cut without human hands. It's a fallacy that we think we contribute one grain of works in the making of the kingdom of glory, Christ is the builder. We are small living stones not the chief cornerstone who crushes. We are being built upon the rock, into a temple of God.
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,5. you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, And the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers, “A stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.— 1 Peter 2:4-8
This is the narrative of scripture, Christ is the chief cornerstone, the living stone, we are living stones. Christ is the only begotten son of God, we all are the adopted sons of God. Christ is the true temple, we are temples. He is the true high priest, we will be priests. He is the first fruit of all things, he is the reality of everything. He is worth all our praise now and forever amen 🙏.
Good morning 🌄 | let Christ be the chief cornerstone of your life | Good day 🤝