THE STONE BECAME A MOUNTAIN
Daniel 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; 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.
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
The Prophet Daniel in the Babylonian captivity was given the order of the Gentile world kingdoms so he could reveal to King Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamed. And with the conclusion of the Gentile world order he was given to see the coming in of the eternal kingdom of Christ, taking its place as it began in the days of the Roman Empire. The above listed verses are the written announcement of that kingdom.
In contrast to the Gentile kingdoms, which are listed as parts of the image of the human form, this kingdom is represented by a stone brought forth without human involvement to represent the coming of Christ’s kingdom. And we are not unfamiliar with our Lord being revealed as a stone in our New Testament studies. 1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
And we have the ‘recorded transcript’ of the Lord Jesus speaking to Pilate about the Roman government as it concerned his kingdom. John 18:35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest (that is, ‘You speak correctly.’), that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Here the Roman government was officially informed that the Lord Jesus Christ – Jesus of Nazareth – was a king of a kingdom which posed no threat of natural warfare, or attack against their government. His servants were not militant soldiers. They would only fight in a spiritual warfare with the sword of the Spirit, clad with the armor of faith! 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Their’s was a spiritual warfare fought with the gospel applied by the Holy Spirit against the bindings of Satan within men’s hearts! Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
For this was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
And within our above listed text there is something that we should not fail to take notice. For in verse forty five we read that “the stone was cut out of the mountain.” Yet in verse thirty five we read that the stone became a great mountain. So which is it? Was the stone cut out of the mountain? i.e. Was the Lord Jesus always, eternally one with the Father and the Holy Spirit? Or did he later become the mountain, to rule and reign over all creation as God? Of course, both are true! For he was born into the world as the Son of God. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
The late Pastor Hubert Davis always said, “In his Incarnation, the God became what he had never been. But he never ceased to be what he always was!” For “God manifest in the flesh,” is, without dispute, a great mystery. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Christ, the Eternal Son of God, has always been God! i.e. the stone (representing Christ), was always in the mountain! John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Proverbs 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
But Christ Jesus, also as the stone, became a great mountain and filled all the earth! John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
It is to his name that every single knee shall bow, and ever tongue shall confess him to be Lord of all! He has all authority given him by the Father! John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There was one time in which he let his inner glory shine forth through his outer flesh. Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
But during his earthly journey, as the stone yet to fill the earth, the Lord Christ veiled his eternal glory, and only rationed out to himself, wisdom and growth on a daily basis! Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
For he needed to experience the progression of growth in order to be a faithful High Priest to his people! Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Revelation 14:4 …These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
We must come to understand that both views of the Lord Jesus set forth in the following verses are correct. John 10:30 I and my Father are one. John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
In those first two verses the Lord speaks of his being very God! For as the Eternal Son of God, there was never a point in time or eternity when he was not in existence as one with the Father! Yet in that last verse, (John 14:28), when in his voluntary submission to the Father’s will, as very man, he speaks of the Father being greater than himself! – Both are true!
Who was running the world when the Humanity of God was asleep in that boat? God was! Psalm 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Dear Reader, we dare not attempt to approach the matter of the Triune God with human understanding! For the only one who can fully understand God is God Himself! We can only attempt to approach the Holy Trinity with the eye of God-granted faith! For God, in his eternal, glorious essence cannot be known. In that, he is unknowable! John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
John 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Here is that which the Apostle John had to say concerning all the apostles knowledge of the Person of God in Christ. 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
And here is the verse John writes to sum up this matter. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
Pastor Gene Breed
February 9, 2018
