T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
September, 1940
330
of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and be came like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; . . . and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before" the king” (Dan. 2:34-36). Were it not for the last sentence, there would be much room for speculation, not only as to the gold, silver, brass, iron and clay, but also as to the mean ing of this destroying stone. It is very clear that this stone fulfills a twofold purpose: (1) It causes the destruction of the image in totality, thus consummating the times portrayed by the image. (2) It introduces the fifth kingdom. As we proceed with a careful study of Daniel’s interpretation found in verses 37-45, we observe that the last two verses particularly deal with this stone of destruction. When we syn chronize this portion of Daniel with such portions of Scripture as Isaiah 11, Zechariah 14, and Revelation 19, we con clude beyond a shadow of a doubt that the coming of the God of glory to es tablish His reign upon this earth is por trayed under the caption of “ the stone.” In other words, the stone that destroys the Gtentile world kingdoms is the Son of God, to whom the kingdoms of this world will have been given - (cf. Rev. 11:15). 2. The times of the Gentiles. This period of time, though carefully characterized in the dream image of Nebuchadnezzar and many other Old Testament passages, is named only once in Scripture, and that time in Luke 21:24,' which reads, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jeru salem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gen tiles be fulfilled.” My first visit to the land of Palestine was in the summer of 1926, at which time I saw unmistakable evidences of the British control of the land. In 1939, thirteen years afterward, the evidences were increased. On almost every hand were British Tommies, military repre sentatives of the English government. Nearly two thousand years ago, the Lord of glory stood in the temple and prophe sied that the city spread out in pano rama before Him would be “trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” I found it easy to judge, on this recent trip, that the times of the Gentiles Irad not been consummated. In a former ar ticle in THE KING’S BUSINESS, I dis cussed at length the beginning and the end of the so-called times of the Gen tiles. I believe those days began with
the rule of Nebuchadnezzar and contin ued through Old Testament history, thus far through nearly two thousand years of church history, and that they will continue to the'end of the tribulation.' The times of the Gentiles began with the 605 B.C. sack of Jerusalem, when hostages, including Daniel, were moved to Babylon and when, as we find in the record of Ezekiel, the Shekinah glory of God departed from the temple (Ezek. 11:22-25). Although after seventy years the captivity returned, God never again dwelt with His people as aforetime. 3. The stone that destroys the image. The times of the Gentiles and the dream image of Nebuchadnezzar cover the same period of time. The word “un til” used in the Lukan passage (21:24) indicates an end to these times, and a further study of Daniel 2 would indi cate some of the details of this con summation. The destroying stone of Daniel 2 pic- torially brings the catastrophic close of the times of the Gentiles. Looking forward, fhe Word of God maintains an abrupt ending of things as they are with the establishment of the kingdom of God upon earth! Such passages as ^-Isaiah 2:1-5 and Luke 1:28-33 indicate that Christ is actually to sit upon the throne of His father David. Psalm 2 portrays the reactions of the nations of the world when they learn that the time is at hand for the estab lishment of the kingdom of God on earth (cf. Dan. 2:44). Those peoples who have disliked justice and righteousness are against the government of God’s Son. But the Father “shall have them in derision” and remind the nations of the world that from eternity He has decreed aft inheritance for His Son: “I will give thee the nations for thine in heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psa. 2:8, R.V.). And addressing His Son in keep ing with the destroying stone of Dan iel’s vision, the Father declares, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (v. 9). Thus we have the Scriptural picture both of Christ as the Stone that shall -destroy the Gen tile nations and of the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. Finally, as we anticipate the fulfill ment of Scripture relative to Christ the destroying Stone of Gentile dominion, may we take personal inventory as to whether He is to us a stumbling stone or the chief comer stone. To a sinful and Christless world He comes in severe judgment, and lo! I see in that day those to whom the Messiah of God has been a stumblingblock. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:11, 12).
CHRIST THE STONE OF SCRIPTURE [ Continued from Page 325]
iel affectMg the end of the times of the Gentiles are to be synchronized with •those of the Apocalypse, the last book of the Bible, and they portray an active Mediterranean empire with headquar ters at Rome in’ the latter days. The great and terrible image of the dream stood before "Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2:31) in all its brightness, its golden head, arms and breast of silver, belly of brass, and legs of iron, with feet “part of iron and part of clay.” In God’s picture writing, Daniel beheld the history oi man’s day. The construc tion of the toes of the image apparently points to types of government found among these Mediterranean countries during the times of the end. It appears most plausible now to consider the iron as representative of Fascism and the . clay of Communism. As Daniel rehearses the vision to the king and names the body parts and their metallic equivalent, he concludes: "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote . the image upon his feet that were Elmer J. Peterson Business Manager Bible Institute of Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Dear Mr. Peterson: Though I fully paid my two cer tificates in the Biola “ GO FOR WARD” CAMPAIGN on June 1, yet I find myself sending the same amount each month since then to help through the hard summer months. I am hoping for a won derful year for Biola in 1940-41. Surely our world needs all these young people and all that Biola can yet train to carry the ‘-good news” to the nations. Enclosed find my gift for Biola for August. Sincerely yours, (Signed)............. ......... * * * Members of the Institute staff are asking God for more students this year than last, and MORE FRIENDS like the writer of this letter to help us give them train ing. Approximately one-half of the June graduating class was going directly into missionary work at home or abroad. Many doors may soon be closed. “The night com- eth, when no man can work.” Help us to GO FORWARD now! THE SECOND MILE July 31, 1940
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