The Stone

‭Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45(a) ESV‬

[34] As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. [35] Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

[44] And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, ‭[45] just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold."

In Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the statue, he saw a stone that struck the image, which became a great mountain that filled the whole earth. In Daniel's interpretation, he said that the stone is a kingdom set up by God, that will never be destroyed and will stand forever (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45(a).

1 Peter 2:4-10

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Jesus is a living stone, the chief cornerstone, upon which His kingdom is being built upon (1 Peter 2:4-10). His kingdom is the rock that became a great mountain that filled the whole earth, which Nebuchadnezzar dreamt of.

Jesus's primary teaching was about the kingdom of God, and it is what the entire New Testament is concerning. Jesus gives a good illustration and explanation of what the kingdom of God is, in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24-30,36-43, one of His many parables about the kingdom of God. 

In the Parable, a man sowed good seed in his field, but the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat when his men were sleeping. When the plants sprouted, the weeds also appeared. The man's servants wanted to go and remove the weeds, but he instructed them to let them both grow together until the harvest, so that none of the wheat is rooted up with the weeds. At the harvest he will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but to gather the wheat into his barn.

When explaining the parable to His disciples, Jesus said that He is the sower of the good seed, the field is the world, in which He sowed good seed, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the devil is the enemy who sowed them. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels who will gather the weeds out of His kingdom and throw them into the fiery furnace. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Both the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the devil are sown and dwell together in the world, like wheat among tares. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, "the kingdom of God is in the midst of you"  (Luke 17:20-21). The kingdom of God is in the midst of the kingdom of the devil. Jesus's kingdom which is present, and which He reigns over, is not of this world (John 18:36), nor are the sons of the kingdom (His disciples) because Jesus chose us out of the world (John 15:19).  Though both kingdoms currently reside simultaneously on the earth, at the end of the age, the angels will gather the sons of the devil and throw them into the fiery furnace, and gather the sons of the kingdom into the kingdom of their Father.

Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

'He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’

” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.'

'If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. '

John 15:19

'Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”'

Luke 17:20-21

'Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”'

John 18:36

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In Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the image of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay, he saw a stone strike it and become a great mountain that filled the whole earth. In Daniel's interpretation, he said that the stone is a kingdom set up by God, that will never be destroyed and will stand forever (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45(a).

Jesus is a living stone, the chief cornerstone, upon which His kingdom is being built upon (1 Peter 2:4-10). His kingdom is the rock which will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth, which Nebuchadnezzar dreamt of.

Jesus's primary teaching was about the kingdom of God, and it is what the entire New Testament is concerning. Therefore it should be important for us to know what it is. Jesus gives a good illustration and explanation of what the kingdom of God is, in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24-30,36-43, one of His many parables about the kingdom of God. 

In the Parable, a man sowed good seed in his field, but the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat when his men were sleeping. When the plants sprouted, the weeds also appeared. The man's servants wanted to go and remove the weeds, but he instructed them to let them both grow together until the harvest, so that none of the wheat is rooted up with the weeds. At the harvest he will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but to gather the wheat into his barn.

When explaining the parable to His disciples, Jesus said that He is the sower of the good seed; the field is the world, in which He sowed good seed; and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the devil is the enemy who sowed them. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels who will gather the weeds out of His kingdom and throw them into the fiery furnace. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Both the sons of the kingdom (His disciples) and the sons of the devil (everyone else) are sown together, and dwell together in the world, like wheat among tares. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, "the kingdom of God is in the midst of you"  (Luke 17:20-21). The kingdom of God dwells in the midst of the kingdom of the devil. Jesus's kingdom which was set up by God, will never be destroyed and will stand forever, is not of this world (John 18:36), and neither are His disciples, because Jesus chose us out of the world (John 15:19).  Though both kingdoms currently reside simultaneously on the earth, at the end of the age, the angels will gather the sons of the devil and throw them into the fiery furnace, and gather Jesus's disciples into the inheritance of the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 25:34), where their righteousness will shine like the sun. When God's kingdom resides over the whole earth (as prophesied by Daniel) after the devil and his children are thrown into the lake of fire, God Himself will be with us and be our God. There will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain, because the former things will have passed away (Revelation 21:3-4).