The Stone of daniel chapter 2
In Hebrews chapter 11, we read the following:
“through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that thing which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3).
Here, the word “worlds” in the original Greek signifies “ages”. Through faith, we see that the Ages of man’s dominion “were framed by the word of God”. In Daniel chapter 2, we have an example of this. In a dream revealed by the God of Israel to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, the various ages of man were described in terms which provide a framework into which we can see the fulfilment of Bible prophecy. The successive human empires would come and go, but after the break up of the fourth age of man, there would come a 5th empire. This would be that established by Yahweh as described by Daniel:
“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).
The latter part of the dream reads thus:
“… Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the Great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure” (Dan. 2:45).
From these words, we learn that the Stone is that power which shall strike the image with destructive impact, and break in pieces the kingdoms of men.
The first thing we are told about the stone, is that it was “cut out of the mountain without hands” – that is, without human hands. It was not of human derivation, but was of the power of Yahweh Himself. To borrow the language of the prophet: “This is the word of Yahweh unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith Yahweh of hosts” (Zech.4:6). Again, speaking of those who would become sons of God, it is written:
“But as many as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jno. 1:12-13).
This language of being cut “without hands” is used elsewhere in Scripture on a number of occasions, including the resurrected body of Jesus (Mrk 14:58), and that of his saints. This latter aspect is spoken of by the Apostle:
“For we know that if our earthy house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven … for we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality may be swallowed up of life” (2 Cor. 5:1-5).
Here, the believers will receive a house, “not made with hands,” but “of God”: – which answers to the immortalisation of those who groan in their waiting for the kingdom to come. Collectively the believers are individual components of a greater whole—a spiritual temple, with the Lord Jesus Christ being it’s basis:
“… to whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Pet. 2:4-6).
And the Apostle continues to describe the Master:
“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 …” (1 Pet. 2:7-8).
Here, the Stone is defined to be Messiah himself, the basis upon which a spiritual house is built.
GOD MANIFESTATION
But although the Stone of Daniel 2 is removed from the mountain “without hands”, it is still “cut out of the mountain” (see Dan. 2:45). That is, it is not simply a boulder which was used as found—as portrayed in some diagrams illustrating this vision. Rather, it is a “cut” stone, removed by Divine Hands. Moreover, not only was it derived from a mountain: it also became a mountain in it’s own right: “ … and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:35). In other words, it became a replica of that from whence it was derived—and herein we have a pointer towards the doctrine that we call “God Manifestation”. The Lord Jesus Christ came from God, as he described himself: “… I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me” (Jno. 17:8). And he was himself a replica, or Image of his Father: “… being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Heb. 1:3). So it was that the Christ-Stone was cut out of the mountain, and it became a mountain, something which shall fill the entire earth.
This theme can be developed by considering other passages relating to it. The “Rock” is one of the Titles of Yahweh, used on a number of occasions. Hence Psalm 18 reads:
“… who is God, save Yahweh? And who is rock, save our God?” (Psa. 18:31).
See also Deuteronomy 32:
“He is the Rock. His work is perfect” (Deut. 32:4),
“of the Rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful” (Deut. 32:18).
This latter reference is interesting in relation to our present studies: Israel as a nation were begotten by Yahweh as their Rock—like the stone cut from the mountain rock of Daniel 2. Hence the prophet later exhorted the people:
“Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Yahweh: look unto the rock from whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged” (Isa. 51:1).
FILLING THE EARTH
Daniel chapter 2 describes how that the Stone became a growing mountain, which will fill all the earth:
“… the stone which smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth …” (Dan. 2:35).
In harmony with our theme of God Manifestation, the Glory of Yahweh is elsewhere described as being an earth-filling influence on a number of occasions. See for example:
“… as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of Yahweh” (Num. 14:21)
“ … blessed be his glorious Name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory” (Psa. 72:19).
“… for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14).
This latter verse is particularly interesting: Daniel 2 describes the expansion of Messiah’s empire as being a process: It “became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth”. That is, it developed until the earth was filled with it. The filling of the earth with Divine Glory begins with the peoples having “the knowledge of the Glory of Yahweh.” Having a knowledge is the first stage: manifesting that which they know is the second. It is interesting to notice that there is a literal mountain that the nations go to for learning and instruction:
“… many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem …” (Isa. 2:2-3).
It is a wonderful Divine symmetry that the process of the Stone-Mountain filling the earth involves nations receiving a “knowledge” of Yahweh’s Glory by going to a literal mountain. There they shall be instructed in Divine things, and it is by this instruction that Yahweh’s Glory shall ultimately fill the whole earth.
There is another reference to this mountain in the well-known chapter of Isaiah 11, which brings some of these wonderful themes together:
“… the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play upon the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:8-9).
In that day there will be harmony in Creation, and amongst the bestial nations of men, as a consequence of “the knowledge of Yahweh” filling the earth.
There are essentially 2 powers in Daniel chapter 2. There is the metal man, which symbolises the kingdoms of men, and there is the Stone, which is a greater power that destroys the metal man. We have to make the choice of which we hold allegiance to. If we wish to be saved from our sins, and be granted life in that kingdom to come, we must separate ourselves from the metal man of sin, and look unto Rock of Israel for redemption. Then, we will become part of the ruling power of the Stone, living and reigning in our Master’s empire, when ultimately the entire earth shall be filled with the light of Yahweh’s Glory.
Christopher Maddocks