It is
significant that all of the kingdoms comprising the different body parts of the
statue surveyed thus far (Babylon, Persia, Greece, historical Rome, Rome Phase
II) are all literal kingdoms that existed for a literal time, occupied specific
lands with identifiable borders, and had a capital city. This demands the
question, why would not the last kingdom, represented by the stone cut without
human hands, also not be a literal kingdom that will reign for a literal time (Rev
20:1-10), that will occupy a specific land with identifiable borders (Gn
15:18-21), and have a capital (Isa 2:2-3)? Such a presentation represents a
premillennial view of history. The expression “millennium” simply means a
thousand years. Premillennialism is the belief that the thousand-year kingdom
will not come into existence until Jesus comes back first (or “pre”) and then
sets up His earthly kingdom (cf. Rev 20:4-6).
However,
the premillennial view is not the majority view of church history. The majority
view instead is amillennialism, which argues that Jesus set up His kingdom
spiritually in the first century. However, to arrive at this conclusion one
must interpret everything in the statue literally except the smiting stone and
then interpret it non-literally. Such interpretive vacillation is tantamount to
switching hermeneutical horses in midstream. A consistent interpretation of the
statue demands premillennialism. Dwight Pentecost explains why the presentation
of the smiting stone found in Dan 2 is inconsistent with the belief that Christ
established His kingdom at His first advent:
Amillennialists hold that this kingdom was
established by Christ at His First Advent and that now the church is that
kingdom. They argue that: (a) Christianity, like the growing mountain, began to
grow and spread geographically and is still doing so; (b) Christ came in the
days of the Roman Empire; (c) the Roman Empire fell into the hands of 10
kingdoms (10 toes); (d) Christ is the chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). Premillenarians,
however, hold that the kingdom to be established by Christ on earth is yet
future. At least six points favor that view: (1) The stone will become a
mountain suddenly, not gradually. Christianity did not suddenly fill “the whole
earth” (Dan. 2:35) at Christ’s First Advent. (2) Though Christ came in the days
of the Roman Empire, He did not destroy it. (3) During Christ’s time on earth
the Roman Empire did not have 10 kings at once. Yet Nebuchadnezzar’s statue
suggests that when Christ comes to establish His kingdom, 10 rulers will be in
existence and will be destroyed by Him. (4) Though Christ is now the chief
Cornerstone to the church (Eph. 2:20) and “a stone that causes [unbelievers] to
stumble” (1 Peter 2:8), He is not yet a smiting Stone as He will be when He
comes again. (5) The Stone (Messiah) will crush and end all the kingdoms of the
world. But the church has not and will not conquer the world’s kingdoms. (6)
The church is not a kingdom with a political realm, but the future Millennium
will be. Thus Nebuchadnezzar’s dream clearly teaches premillennialism, that
Christ will return to earth to establish His rule on the earth, thereby
subduing all nations. The church is not that kingdom. (J. Dwight Pentecost, “Daniel,”
in Bible Knowledge Commentary, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck
(Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 1985), 1336) (Andrew M. Woods, “Daniel 2:29-45: The
Times of the Gentiles and the Messianic Kingdom,” in Michael Rydelnik and Edwin
eds., The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy: Studies and Expositions of
the Messiah in the Old Testament [Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2019], 1123-24)
