Daniel (Greek) 2:29-35: a reflection

29“As for you, O king, your thoughts came on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will happen. 30But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart. 31“You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its appearance was terrifying. 32As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay. 34You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

In the dream God gave the king and Daniel interpreted, a great statue of gold, silver, bronze, and iron is struck by a stone cut without human hands, which shatters it and becomes a mountain filling the whole earth, a picture that earthly kingdoms pass while God's kingdom endures. A stone was cut out without hands, the interpretation says, which struck the image and broke it in pieces; and the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The great statue represented a succession of earthly kingdoms, impressive and imposing. But they were struck and shattered by a stone cut without human hands, and blown away like chaff; while the stone grew into a mountain that filled the whole earth. Earthly kingdoms, however grand, pass away; but God's kingdom, not made by human hands, endures and grows to fill all. This shows that earthly kingdoms pass while God's kingdom endures and fills the earth. Earthly kingdoms, however grand, pass; God's kingdom endures. God's kingdom, not made by human hands, will fill the whole earth. Do not be overawed by earthly kingdoms that will pass. Set your hope on God's kingdom, which endures forever.

Notice the contrast between the statue and the stone. The statue was grand and imposing, made of gold, silver, bronze, and iron, representing a succession of great earthly kingdoms, impressive in their strength and glory. By all appearances, such kingdoms seem permanent, dominant, beyond challenge. But in the dream, a stone, cut out without human hands, strikes the statue and shatters it; and all its gold and silver and iron are broken to pieces and blown away like chaff, so that no trace of them remains. Meanwhile, the stone grows into a great mountain that fills the whole earth. This is a striking picture of the difference between earthly kingdoms and God's kingdom. Earthly kingdoms, however grand and dominant they appear, are not permanent; they rise and fall, and in the end pass away, blown away like chaff. But God's kingdom, represented by the stone cut without human hands, not the work of men but of God, endures; it is not shattered but grows, filling the whole earth. This shapes where we set our awe and our hope. We need not be overawed by earthly kingdoms and powers, however imposing, as though they were permanent and ultimate; they will pass. And we can set our hope on God's kingdom, which is not made by human hands, cannot be shattered, and will fill the whole earth and endure forever. We do well not to be overawed by passing earthly kingdoms, but to set our hope on God's enduring kingdom. Do not be overawed by earthly kingdoms, however grand; they will pass. God's kingdom, not made by human hands, endures and will fill the earth. Set your hope on the kingdom that cannot be shattered. What is of God endures; what is merely earthly passes.

That is worth taking to heart, for earthly kingdoms pass while God's kingdom endures and fills the earth, and we do well to set our hope on it, as the stone shattered the statue and grew to fill the earth. We can be overawed by earthly kingdoms as though permanent; but the dream showed them shattered and blown away, while God's kingdom filled the earth. God's kingdom endures. Do not be overawed by passing earthly kingdoms and powers; set your hope on God's kingdom, not made by human hands, which cannot be shattered and will fill the earth. Set your hope on God's kingdom, which endures and will fill the whole earth, rather than being overawed by earthly kingdoms that pass, as in the dream God gave the king and Daniel interpreted a great statue of gold, silver, bronze, and iron is struck by a stone cut without human hands, which shatters it and becomes a mountain filling the whole earth, a picture that earthly kingdoms pass while God's kingdom endures; for the great statue represented a succession of earthly kingdoms, impressive and imposing, but they were struck and shattered by a stone cut without human hands and blown away like chaff, while the stone grew into a mountain that filled the whole earth, so that earthly kingdoms however grand pass away but God's kingdom, not made by human hands, endures and grows to fill all, which is a striking picture of the difference between them, since earthly kingdoms however dominant they appear are not permanent but rise and fall and in the end pass away like chaff, while God's kingdom, the stone cut without human hands and the work of God not men, endures and is not shattered but grows to fill the whole earth, which shapes where we set our awe and hope, since we need not be overawed by earthly kingdoms and powers however imposing as though permanent and ultimate, for they will pass, but can set our hope on God's kingdom which cannot be shattered and will fill the earth and endure forever, so that we do well not to be overawed by passing earthly kingdoms but to set our hope on God's enduring kingdom.

Lord, in the dream you gave the king and Daniel interpreted, a great statue of gold, silver, bronze, and iron is struck by a stone cut without human hands, which shatters it and becomes a mountain filling the whole earth, a picture that earthly kingdoms pass while your kingdom endures. A stone was cut out without hands, the interpretation says, which struck the image and broke it in pieces; and the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The great statue represented a succession of earthly kingdoms, impressive and imposing. But they were struck and shattered by a stone cut without human hands, and blown away like chaff; while the stone grew into a mountain that filled the whole earth. Earthly kingdoms, however grand, pass away; but your kingdom, not made by human hands, endures and grows to fill all. Show me the contrast between the statue and the stone. The statue was grand and imposing, representing a succession of great earthly kingdoms, impressive in their strength and glory. By all appearances, such kingdoms seem permanent, dominant, beyond challenge. But in the dream, a stone, cut out without human hands, strikes the statue and shatters it; and all its gold and iron are broken to pieces and blown away like chaff. Meanwhile, the stone grows into a great mountain that fills the whole earth. This is a striking picture of the difference between earthly kingdoms and yours. Earthly kingdoms, however grand and dominant they appear, are not permanent; they rise and fall, and in the end pass away. But your kingdom, the stone cut without human hands, the work of God not men, endures; it is not shattered but grows, filling the whole earth. This shapes where I set my awe and my hope. I need not be overawed by earthly kingdoms and powers, however imposing, as though they were permanent and ultimate; they will pass. And I can set my hope on your kingdom, which cannot be shattered and will fill the whole earth and endure forever. Take that to my heart. Keep me from being overawed by passing earthly kingdoms and powers; help me set my hope, Lord, on your kingdom, not made by human hands, which cannot be shattered and will fill the earth and endure forever, for what is of you endures while what is merely earthly passes.