“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” Daniel 2:44-45
Daniel 2 teaches us very clearly that one thing is certain: the kingdoms of this world are passing away, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ is the only hope we have of an eternal and successful world rule. When that kingdom comes, it is going to be a different story than what we hear today. The devil seems to be writing history now, but he will be history in the near future.
The effect is that the fifth kingdom, the kingdom of God, replaces completely all signs of the preceding kingdoms, a prophecy that can only be fulfilled in any literal sense by a reign of Christ over the earth. In the dream, the world empires keep changing hands; each has its day, but not one has permanence. But Christ’s Kingdom will never be destroyed. It will never decay. It will never be in danger of revolution. Christ will be a King unconquerable and unconquered, a monarch without a successor. His Kingdom will endure forever. His sovereignty will never be relinquished. Christ will seize the reins of earthly government, placing authority rightfully in His own sovereign hands. He will fill the earth with His presence, power, and glory. Our prayers will be answered, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)