Stone... Cut Out Without Hands (1)

"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" (Daniel 2: 34).

"Cut out of the mountain without hands" (Daniel 2: 45).

In the three previous articles on the theme, "Without hands," we have seen that the inward replaces the outward (circumcision), the permanent replaces the temporary (tabernacle) and the heavenly replaces the earthly (house). In this fourth article we shall see that the indestructible replaces the destructible (kingdom).

Introduction

The subject of the "stone... cut out without hands," calls for some background information and this is provided in Daniel 2. The three verses, 28, 29, and 45, assure us that the appearance of this "stone" lies in the future. "But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days" (v. 28). "As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind. what should come to pass hereafter" (v. 29). Verse 45 says much the same and all three references clearly point to the end times. In our days many momentous events have taken place and we cannot ignore their impact. These events make us feel that we live in closing days. However, the focus of prophecy is upon the end times and they will not begin to be fulfilled until the church has been removed from earth to heaven.

The familiar term, "the last days," found in both the Old and New Testaments, does not always point to the same time. In 2 Timothy 3: 1 we read, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." As we read on in this passage, we find described many of the features we see around us today. This confirms that the "last days" of 2 Timothy 3: 1 are the closing days of the history of the church, just before the rapture. However, when this expression is used in the Old Testament it is connected with the period after the removal of the church. We give one example: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains" (Isa. 2: 2). This beautiful verse describes events consequent upon the appearance of the "stone... cut out of the mountain without hands" (Dan. 2: 45).

The Times of the Gentiles

It was the Lord Jesus who spoke these words in Luke 21: 24: "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." The view taken of the Olivet discourse in Luke's Gospel, differs from that taken in the Gospels by Matthew and Mark. These last two writers almost immediately draw our attention to the last days. In Matthew 24: 15 reference is made to the, "abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand(ing) in the holy place." Also, the "great tribulation" is mentioned in verse 21 of the same chapter. Both of these events will take place on earth after the removal of the church. Luke, on the contrary, puts before us things that were then in the near future. In Luke 21: 20 he writes: "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." This verse refers to what happened in A.D. 70 under the Roman armies. History records the awful calamities that befell the city, and the wholesale slaughter of the people. This event marked the beginning of long centuries of desolation and scattering.

Although it was not until the Son of God came to earth that the words were used, "times of the Gentiles," those times actually began in the days of the captivity of Judah in Babylon (B.C. 604). However, consequent upon the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah, the Jewish nation has suffered centuries of being "trodden down of the Gentiles" (Luke 21: 24). Almost unbelievable persecutions and atrocities have been directed against them. At the present time the Jews have possession of Jerusalem. There is a nation of Israel in existence which makes its impact on world affairs. They are there in unbelief. Their troubles are not over yet, and the city will again be overrun by the Gentiles: "The holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months" (Rev. 11: 2).

When did the Times of the Gentiles Begin?

It was a critical period for the kingdom of Judah. 115 years previously the ten tribes of Israel had been taken away by the king of Assyria into his own land. God in His righteousness had permitted this because of their sinful and idolatrous practices.

Judah had not taken this to heart. It ought to have been a warning to them and they should have changed their ways, but they heeded it not. Apart from one or two kings who were faithful, Judah never really gave up its idolatry. That kingdom ended in an ignominious way. The dreadful sins of Manasseh sealed its doom. The three wicked kings following the good reign of Josiah, hastened its end.

This time, God used Babylon to chastise His people. In B.C. 606 Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar and this was the commencement of the seventy years captivity in Babylon. This also marked the beginning of the "times of the Gentiles," already referred to. A little later, in the year B.C. 588, Jerusalem was completely destroyed, together with the temple which had been built by Solomon. God took power and authority out of the hands of His own people and put it into Gentile hands, Nebuchadnezzar being the first head of the succession of Gentile kingdoms (Dan. 2: 38). It is still the "times of the Gentiles" and these will go on until the setting up of the kingdom in the hands of Christ.

Those days were very dark indeed for Israel. Jeremiah and ohers like-minded felt it acutely. The "Lamentations" bring to light his distress when he saw the city in ruins. It was by visions that Ezekiel saw the end. He saw the "Glory of the Lord" departing: "and the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city" (Ezek. 11: 23). The prophet Hosea, in his book, records very sad words. Referring to his newly born son he writes: "Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not My people, and I will not be your God" (Hosea 1: 9). This verdict still stands today, and yet in spite of all, God's promises to the nation will be fulfilled. The day is coming when that nation will be brought to own their sin and folly, and recognize as their deliverer the One who they crucified. Their long centuries of blindness will then be over. Through mercy, they will come to trust the Lord Jesus, whom we have trusted. "For thus saith the Lord, Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them" (Jer. 32: 42). We are also told in Jeremiah that what God did to His people, He did for their good (Jer. 24: 5).

The history of God's earthly people illustrates His disciplinary ways, whether it be in relation to nations or individuals. God always has our profit in view. This is seen once again in the prophecy of Jeremiah: "The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly" (Jer. 23: 20).

This verse reminds us of the 12th chapter of Hebrews, where we who are Christians are seen to be under the Father's chastening hand. How often the apostle's words have been an encouragement: "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth" (Heb. 12: 6). They seem to line up with the "heart" in the verse quoted above. "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb. 12: 11). As the nation of Israel will in the latter days consider their years of suffering perfectly, so may we be exercised by our trials and find that they have been truly for our good.

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Having ascertained the starting point of the "times of the Gentiles," we come now to the characteristics of this period. In Daniel 2 we are given an outline of the successive powers into whose hands rule and authority are committed.

This outline of Gentile power was given to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream. He called upon his magicians and astrologers to make known to him, not only the interpretation of the dream, but also the dream itself. This command was thought to be unreasonable by the wise men. They said, "tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation" (v. 4). The autocratic character of the king came out in his answer: "The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill" (v. 5). The magicians were in great danger and the more they remonstrated with the king, the more furious he became. Even Daniel and his fellows were threatened. Evidently Daniel had not been consulted as to whether he could solve the matter. However, when the matter was made known to Daniel he asked for time and called together his companions, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. These four godly children of Judah had a prayer meeting.

They decided that, "they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret" (v. 18). The attitude of Daniel and his companions to what seemed an impossible situation is a striking example to us in our day. How do we react to circumstances where no way of escape is evident? What a resource we have! There is a "throne of grace," available at all times. In spite of this, how often we try to sort things out ourselves and fail. When the Lord Jesus was here, He referred to a faith able to remove a mountain (Mark 11: 23). Nebuchadnezzar and his edict must have seemed like a mountain that could never be removed. But by prayer Daniel and his friends did remove the mountain, for we read: "Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven" (v. 19). Not only did they pray, but when the answer was given, Daniel was full of gratitude. "I thank Thee, and praise Thee, O Thou God of my fathers... for Thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter" (v. 23).

Stone... Cut Out Without Hands (2)

"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" (Daniel 2: 34).

"Cut out of the mountain without hands..." (Daniel 2: 45).

The Image

The image seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream represented the line of Gentile powers under which Israel was to be subjected. There is an obvious deterioration in forms of government and in the value of the metals used. However the strength of the metals do not decrease, as is seen in the fourth, which is said to be "strong as iron."

The metals involved are gold, silver, brass and iron. We are not left to suppose what each metal represents. The interpretation of the dream given to Daniel to pass on to Nebuchadnezzar was very clear as far as the king was concerned: "Thou, O, king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory" (Dan. 2: 37). Part of verse 38 reads, "Thou art this head of gold." The rule of Nebuchadnezzar was autocratic. It was absolute power given by God to whom he was responsible. It is said of this king, "whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive, and whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down" (Dan. 5: 19). Nebuchadnezzar failed to act for God, he was a worshipper of idols, and there was no righteousness in his dealings. Nevertheless, the form of government with which the times of the Gentiles began, is that which will be exercised by the Lord Jesus Christ in the world to come. The exception will be that His rule will be of inflexible righteousness, equity and truth. The view taken of these four kingdoms in Daniel 2 is that given by the apostle Paul: "For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13: 1).

We are not left to conjecture as to what the three following kingdoms are. The "breast and his arms of silver," represent the empire of the Medes and Persians (Dan. 5: 28). The "belly and. thighs of brass," represent the Grecian empire (Dan. 8: 21). The "legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay" point tothe Roman empire which followed that of Greece. We ascertain the meaning of the fourth empire in the New Testament (Luke 2: 1; Matt. 22: 21). It was when Christ was here that this empire was in existence; indeed it was by a Roman form of execution that His life was taken.

The Roman Empire

There is much more said about the fourth kingdom than the first three. This is particularly so in Daniel 7, where there is a more detailed account given of it. It is in Daniel's dream in chapter 7 that these powers, described as metals in Daniel 2, are represented by wild beasts. It has already been said that the image presented these powers as "ordained of God," whereas in Daniel 7 they are seen in their true character. The fourth kingdom is represented by a beast to which no name can be given, so terrible is its form. It is an apt description of the Roman empire at the zenith of its power. It is not surprising that many references are made to the fourth kingdom in the book of Revelation. It was under Rome that John was held captive in the Isle of Patmos.

The reason why more is said about the Roman empire is that in the last days, after the rapture, there will be a revived Roman empire on earth. It will be in a form never seen before. Revelation 17: 8 describes this empire in its three stages: "they... shall wonder, seeing the beast, that it was, and is not, and shall be present" (J. N. D. Trans.). "It was" in John's day, and then for centuries it was non-existent: "is not." "Shall be present" is its future revival. Coming back to Daniel 2 again, the last and final phase of the "times of the Gentiles" is represented by the feet and toes. The ten toes are important as are the ten horns on the fourth beast of chapter 7. "And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken" (Dan. 2 42).

We learn from the iron that there will be an imperialistic rule, while in reference to the clay there will be ten separate kingdoms (Rev. 17: 12, 13). It is upon the feet of the image that the stone falls: "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" (Dan. 2: 34). This event, yet future, is the end of the "times of the Gentiles."

A Kingdom which Shall Never Be Destroyed

"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" (Dan. 2: 35). This destruction of Gentile power precedes the stone filling the whole earth. The description of it as "a great mountain" suggests its permanence and stability. The quotation above tells of the coming kingdom of Christ. While we are aware of the many Scriptures which refer to the Lord Jesus as the Stone, here His kingdom is prominent. This kingdom will never be succeeded by another. In a world ravaged by sin for centuries, where man has sought to dethrone God, there will be righteousness, peace and gladness. "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed... and it shall stand for ever" (Dan. 2: 44).

The Stone Which The Builders Refused

Before bringing this article to a close, reference should be made to the Scriptures which speak of the Lord Jesus as the Stone. An Old Testament passage, quoted in the New Testament, is Psalm 118: 22 and 23: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." It is actually quoted by the Lord Himself after telling the parable of the vineyard and the wicked husbandmen. The parable was a description of the way the nation was treating Him then. He was the Stone, refused by the builders. The Lord Jesus went on to warn them, "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matt. 21: 44). These last words are akin to those we have considered in Daniel 2: 34. While the emphasis in Daniel was on the kingdom, here in Matthew it is very distinctly upon the Person of Christ. The expression, "And whosoever shall fall on this stone," is further explained by the apostle Paul in Romans 9: 32: "For they stumbled at that stumblingstone." Had the Lord Jesus come in power to free the nation from the Roman yoke, it might have been different, but His lowly character and meekness, showing up their hypocrisy, did not suit them and therefore they stumbled. But He will come again in judgment to grind His enemies to powder.

In the future days of the "great tribulation" (Matt. 24: 21) there will be a godly remnant who, because of their faithfulness, will suffer. This remnant is referred to in Isaiah 28: 16: "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." Christ, the "tried stone," will be the stay of these suffering saints. The Lord in whom they will trust is our Lord. Whatever be our trials we do not need to "make haste." How often we panic over our circumstances and anxiety overtakes us. May we in our day be like that remnant in that coming day and "trust, and not be afraid" (Isa. 12: 2).

Lastly, a reference to those who belong to the assembly: "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone" (Eph. 2: 20). The church is seen here as a building and is also said to be growing "unto an holy temple in the Lord" (v. 21). There is no thought of failure in this Scripture. Christ as the "chief corner stone" is the security of the building. Soon it will be complete: "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5: 27). As we end this study of Christ as the Stone, may our hearts be more firmly attached to Him.

G. Bell