“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13,14).
THE KINGDOM THAT GOD WAS GOING TO ESTABLISH THROUGH THE MESSIAH WAS REVEALED TO DANIEL IN VARIOUS WAYS. He was enabled by God to interpret a dream of Nebuchadnezzar’s in which four earthly kingdoms were envisioned, but in the days of the fourth kingdom (which was the Roman Empire), “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people” (Daniel 2:44).
Later, we hear very similar language in 7:13,14. During the reign of Belshazzar, Daniel saw a vision in which “one like a son of man” came with the clouds of heaven and was given by God, the Ancient of Days, “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.”
This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus ascended back to heaven after His resurrection and was seated at the right hand of God (Acts 2:32-36). It is the coronation of the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, predicted in Psalm 2:7-9, where we hear the Messiah say of God, His Father: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’”
The kingdom of the Messiah is now a reality. It was established in the days of the Roman Empire, and as Daniel had said in 2:44, it shall not “be left to another people.” That is, there will never come a time when it falls apart and its place is taken by some other kingdom. This kingdom is permanent. It is indestructible. In fact, not even the end of this world will bring it to a close; it will continue in eternity. When we become members of this kingdom, our “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20,21) — and we need not fear the rise and fall of any of the kingdoms of this world.
The kingdoms of earth pass away one by one,
But the kingdom of heaven remains;
It is built on a rock, and the Lord is its king,
And forever and ever He reigns.
(Henry R. Trickett)
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
