T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S In Dan. 2:34, 35 we have the descrip tion of the smiting of the image upon the feet, not the head. “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut oijt without hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were 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 became lik^ the chaff of the summer ^threshing floors; 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.” This means, of course, the destruction of earthly kingdoms. The stone be comes a great mountain, filling the whole earth. The kingdoms of the earth are to become subject to the King of kings, and Lord of lords. When? “ In the days of these kings”— ten. Keep your eyes open. Nineteen hundred years have passed since the Roman government struck Him, but He is coming to smite— not the image— but the toes (ten kingdoms). This cannot represent the saving of the world by the spread of the Gospel (Luke 18:8) «1 tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”' but a picture of the Son of man coming in the glory with His church to set up His kingdom, to subdue all nations, and to establish a heavenly reign upon the earth. We will come with Him. We will rule and reign with Him. (Dan. 7:27) “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Daniel visualized Nebuchad nezzar’s vision. (2) God gave a dream to the king, and a Daniel .to interpret it. (3) There was no help for the king from the wise Chaldeans, nor is there any hope for us from the wisdom of the critics.
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(4) Seek by prayer the solution of your problems. (5) Daniel painted for the king one of the greatest prophetic pictures in the Bible. (6) He whose right it is shall yet reign in righteousness. (7) Daniel was richly rewarded, given many great gifts and reigned as a ruler. v. 31. A great image. Nebuchad nezzar’s dream as interpreted by Daniel gives the course and end of the “ times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24; Rev. 16:14), that is, COMMENTS FROM of Gentile world MANY SOURCES empire. The im- Keith L. Brooks age shows the im posing outward greatness and splendor of Gentile world power.— Scofield. Excellent and terri ble. These two words characterize the history of Gentile powers in all this period. They will have that to attract and that to repel to the very end.—C. W. Com. v. 32. Head of fine gold. This rep resents the Babylonian power. The breast and arms of silver are the Medo- Persian power succeeding; the belly and thighs of brass, the Grecian power; the legs and feet of iron and clay, the Roman power. The stone cut Out of the mountain without hands represents the kingdom of the Messiah, which shall be set up on the earth at the end of this age, and whose establishment shall in volve the demolition of all earthly powers.— Gray. v. 33. Feet, part of iron and part clay. F^om the head of gold there is deterioration in fineness but increase in strength (v. 40). Then comes de terioration of thè fourth kingdom in that very quality, strength— deteriora tion by division and admixture. The iron of Roman imperium is mixed with clay of the popular will, fickle and easily molded.— Scofield. According to the modern day conception of the times of the Gentiles, this image should have been constructed in this wise: First, the head, composed of good for nothing stuff. Gradually the clay gives way and becomes iron, the inferior parts are expelled. Then the refining process continues and iron is changed to brass
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