It’s so easy to get caught up in the disasters, tragedies, divisions and anxiety going on across the globe today. But what does God’s Word have to say about what is occurring in our world right now? And how are we to respond?
Rather than beginning with the adverse things that are happening here on earth, let’s begin by taking a really BIG view of what’s happening from the viewpoint of heaven.
In the Old Testament, God gave a pagan king a dream of what was to come in the future. At the time, no-one was able to tell the king his dream – except for a young Hebrew slave named Daniel.
Empires and kingdoms
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon dreamed of a large statue made of various materials – gold, silver, bronze, iron, and partly iron/partly clay. You can read about it in Daniel chapter 2. Each different material represented various empires which were to come in the future. The statue was large and very impressive (verse 31).
Then a rock which isn’t cut by human hands smashed down on the feet of the statue, which were made of iron and clay, and the whole statue was shattered into tiny pieces. These pieces became like chaff (or dust) and were blown away by the wind. But the rock became a huge mountain that filled the whole earth (verses 34-35).
Daniel then interpreted the dream, saying that King Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold. Other empires would arise after him, finishing with an empire represented by the feet of iron and clay. Here’s how Daniel describes that part of the vision.
As you saw the feet and toes partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but some of the strength of iron shall be in it, as you saw the iron mixed with the clay. As the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so will they mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever; just as you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has informed the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation trustworthy.
Daniel 2:41-45 (NIV, emphasis added)
A rock from God’s mountain
We are living in the day of the kingdom represented by the feet of iron and clay. However, the statue is not what we should be focused on! Something greater than the statue enters the scene and smashes the statue into tiny pieces. It’s a rock that comes from the mountain of the Lord. And this rock grows to fill the whole earth!
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
Daniel 4:35 (NIV, emphasis added)
There are major differences between the statue and the rock to take note of. Firstly the statue is manufactured by human beings. It’s made out of things found on this earth. And it represents various man-made kingdoms. But the rock is not made with human hands. It represents God’s kingdom which is far greater than any kingdom of this world.
Secondly, the statue is massive. It looks amazing and even intimidating. Beside it, the rock probably seems pretty ordinary – but it’s not! And thirdly, the statue doesn’t move. It’s lifeless. But the rock is living. And it grows to fill the whole earth.
A far greater kingdom
And here’s what we need to remember. No matter what the kingdoms of this world plan, and no matter what we face in our nation, God is sovereign ruler over all nations and kingdoms. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). He is the rock that smashes all other kingdoms to dust. And His kingdom will grow to fill the whole earth.
Yes, we still have to live in this world. We still have to submit to family life under lockdowns. We will go through disasters and tragedies. But we do not have to endure fear and anxiety, or be intimidated by these things. Because we know who has the victory!
So focus on the rock, and not on the statue. As Jesus says to his disciples,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Peace is found in Jesus – so take heart – Jesus has overcome the world. Let these words of Jesus settle firmly in your heart today.
