What does the stone in Daniel
2:35
signify?By
Jack Kettler
“Then
was the
iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together,
and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried
them away, that no place was found for them: and the
stone that smote the image
became a great mountain, and filled the whole
earth.” (Daniel 2:35)
An
understanding
of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's Dream made of gold,
silver,
brass, iron, and clay represent is important to
understand the significance of
the stone is warranted.
According to Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, it is learned:
“This
image
represented the kingdoms of the earth, that should
successively rule the
nations, and influence the affairs of the Jewish
church. 1. The head of gold
signified the Chaldean empire, then in being. 2. The
breast and arms of silver
signified the empire of the Medes and Persians. 3.
The belly and thighs of
brass signified the Grecian empire, founded by
Alexander. 4. The legs and feet
of iron signified the Roman empire. The Roman empire
branched into ten
kingdoms, as the toes of these feet. Some were weak
as clay, others strong as
iron.” (1)
Gill's
Exposition
of the Entire Bible
provides the most detailed account of the Daniel
passage:
“Then
was the
iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together,
.... The feet, the basis of the image, being broken,
the whole body of it fell,
and with its own weight was broken to pieces; an
emblem this of the utter
dissolution of all the monarchies and kingdoms of
the earth, signified by these
several metals:
and
became like
the chaff of the summer threshing floors; which is
exceeding small and light:
and
the wind
carried them away, that no place was found for them;
for the several metals,
and the monarchies signified by them, which were no
more: the allusion is to
the manner of winnowing corn in the eastern
countries upon mountains, when the
chaff was carried away by the wind, and seen no
more:
and
the stone that
smote the image became a great mountain, and filled
the earth; Christ's kingdom,
from small beginnings, has increased, and will more
and more, until the whole
earth is subject to it: this began to have its
accomplishment in the first
times of the Gospel, especially when the Roman
empire, as Pagan, was destroyed
by Constantine, and the kingdom of Christ was set up
in it; and it received a
further accomplishment at the time of the
Reformation, when Rome Papal had a
deadly blow given it, and the Gospel of Christ was
spread in several nations
and kingdoms; but it will receive its full
accomplishment when both the eastern
and western antichrists shall be destroyed, and the
kingdoms of this world
shall become the Lord's and his Christ's, Revelation
11:15.” (2)
The
picture
of a relatively small stone in Daniel 2:35, growing
to become a
mountain, is indeed strikingly similar to the
parable of the mustard seed:
“Another
parable
put He forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of
heaven is like to a grain of
mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his
field: Which indeed is the
least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the
greatest among herbs, and
becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come
and lodge in the branches
thereof.”(Matthew
13:31-32)
Israel
was
an insignificant people in contrast with the Roman
empire. Jesus was born in
Bethlehem, an insignificant village.
In conclusion:
The
Kingdom
of Christ was supernatural in its origin.
Insignificant in its humble beginning
in the manger in Bethlehem. Nevertheless, His
Kingdom is ordained to be universal
in its scope of influence and power. And
furthermore, the stone in Daniel 2:25
signifies Christ and His Kingdom.
Daniel’s
stone
and the mustard seed of Matthew are pictured in
other places using Old
Testament typology:
“And
it shall come
to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the
LORD'S house shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and shall
be exalted above the hills;
and all nations shall flow unto it.” (Isaiah 2:2)
“But
in the last
days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the
house of the LORD shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and it
shall be exalted above the
hills; and people shall flow unto it.” (Micah 4:1)
Indeed, Christ, the Lord shall
reign
forever and forever!
“And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob
forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
(Luke 1:33)
“Study
to
shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy
2:15)
Notes:
1.Matthew
Henry,
Concise
Commentary, Daniel, (Nashville,
Tennessee, Thomas Nelson), p. 1338-1339.
2.John
Gill,
Exposition of
the Old and New
Testaments, Daniel, (Grace Works, Multi-Media
Labs), p. 42-43.
Mr.
Kettler
has previously published articles in the Chalcedon Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend the
Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr.
Kettler is the author of books defending the
Reformed Faith. Books can be
ordered online at:
https://www.amazon.com/Books-Jack-Kettler/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AJack+Kettler