Mystery Babylon and the Stone Kingdom, part 80—The Nobleman will return to the Stone Kingdom in America!
To review briefly…In the previous installment, for purposes of the present subject (MBSK), we were scrutinizing only the pertinent portion of the parable of the nobleman who journeyed to a “far country.” Here is the whole verse:
Luke 19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
We were suggesting that this “far country” was “far,” it was distant both in space and in time. We had gotten to the point where I suggested this: This far country where Jesus would receive for Himself a kingdom was far off in time as well—about 2,000 years so far, and counting.
Now still looking at verse 12, there is that little phrase “and to return.” As one reads through the parable, most readers will automatically assume it to mean that the nobleman came back to the same geographical location from where he had left.
In the story itself, that makes perfect sense. But remember, Jesus is telling a coded story here; one which will not be understood clearly, even by His inner circle of the twelve apostles. But given what we know, that Jesus was referring to a time span of at least 2,000 years, is there another way to understand the phrase “and to return?”
Yes, there is. Because remember, that in those 2,000 years, Jesus’ Israel people (the descendants of all twelve tribes) had migrated into Europe, and then went on to inhabit North America, Australia, and the uttermost parts of the earth.
So that when the nobleman returns, it does not necessarily mean that He returns to the same geographical place. It could be equally valid to say that He returns to His people who would, by that time, be in a different and distant geographical location!
I know some readers are thinking: Yes, okay, but what about the prophecy that states that “his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east…” (Zechariah 14:4)
Can we save that for another day? In a chapter to come in this MBSK series, I offer a bold and unique look at that very prophecy, but it requires substantial background and stage-setting which we cannot stray into here. Just set it on the shelf for now.
Now with that understanding of Jesus returning to His people, not necessarily the old land, let’s return to an idea we left on the table where I said we would omit discussion of America for the moment.
I will preface this by saying that I never claim perfection in any of my lectures. I always teach what I believe to be correct and true. But I also reserve the right to change my mind and have a different opinion when God provides new information or new insights to existing information.
So what I am going to suggest in the remaining minutes today might be a slightly different take on a verse or two that we discussed a number of lectures back.
I did not take the time to go back and search for the exact places where I discussed it, but my recollection is that the following does not contradict what I stated earlier in terms of interpreting Daniel. It is actually a refinement thereof. Earlier in this chapter/lecture, in reference to the word “Christendom,” I stated this:
Therefore, by definition, and acknowledged by all historians, Europe was Christ’s dominion, or we could say, Europe was Christ’s kingdom. Now, would you agree with me that in comparison with the rest of the countries and various peoples on the planet during the first 1,500 years after Christ, that Europe was somewhat more prominent and advanced?
I am not saying it was at the top of the nations, nor am I suggesting that it was continuously at the top for 1,500 years. After all, there are the Dark Ages to be considered. During that time, the Arab world made some advances and preserved much knowledge. But in general, Europe was more advanced than North America, South America, Australia, most of Africa, Russia and the Orient.
If we can agree on that, then what I am leading up to is simply to say that, taken as a whole, Europe could be spoken of as a mountain in biblical symbolism. Europe was Christ’s kingdom.
Now let us return to the book of Daniel, chapter 2, which has essentially been our base of operations for this entire series. Because I want to revisit the key passage, a set of verses which has been thematic for this series.
I want to propose an interpretation which came to me recently. I have not seen it elsewhere, but it seems to make so much sense to me that it’s one of those slap-your-forehead moments and you wonder, why didn’t I see this before?
And the answer to that from a sovereignty of God perspective is always the same: Because it was not time yet. So let us read once more this passage where Daniel tells the king of Babylon what the king had seen in his dream.
Daniel 2:32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
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.
We have already spent hours in this series expounding this passage, but here is a new thought. Let me start at the end of verse 35 with that phrase “filled the whole earth.” Has the Stone Kingdom filled the whole earth yet? Clearly not!
We would all agree that it has hardly begun! ...Seeing that we are still in captivity to Mystery Babylon. Now let’s go back to verse 34. “A stone was cut out without hands.”
Whatever else it might mean, that has always been understood by Bible interpreters to mean that it was God’s doing, not by the work of men. Well, the way I see history, everything has been a case of God’s doing, and it is almost always through the actions of men. So there may be more to that phrase than we see at this time.
We have already suggested and contended that the stone is not Jesus and we won’t repeat all that. But this stone struck the image on the feet and broke the feet to pieces. This, we saw, was the crumbling of the papal Roman Empire, by ca. 1870.
Verse 35 begins with the word “then.” I daresay that everyone concludes therefore that verse 35 happens almost simultaneously with verse 34. Because obviously, if the feet are broken to pieces, then the image cannot stand up. Fair enough. But the real question is: does the word “then” necessarily imply that the image is destroyed at exactly the same time as the feet?
I say, no. In my view, the destruction of the image takes hundreds of years. The word “then” can simply indicate the sequence of events, not necessarily that it all happened in the same year or two. Remember that earlier in this series, I showed very clearly from this very book of Daniel how some prophetic verses—even one single verse—can span thousands of years!
So it is well within hermeneutical validity to state that the destruction of the image takes centuries. And consider this:
(1) Who says, or where does the Scripture say, that the image has to be standing for the entire duration of the vision? What if the feet were smashed by the stone and then the rest of the image remained pretty well intact but it was lying on the ground?
The feet are smacked by the stone and the image hits the ground. But remember, the image is made of various metals. Just hitting the dirt might not be enough to pulverize it. More importantly, the verse says that the stone did the work of destroying the image! Look at it; verse 35. It says: “and the stone that smote the image.” Not just the feet.
Now (2), even if you don’t like the possibility of the image lying on the ground still intact (except for the feet), then skip that idea. But we come to the same conclusion with this possibility.
In other words, my suggested interpretation does not depend on the idea that the image is intact on the ground. Whether it is lying on the ground, or it is still upright with only the feet having been smashed, my suggestion is that it takes a long time, as we count time. For this destruction of the image to be accomplished, it could take centuries!
Notice also in verse 35 that the stone that smote the image became a great mountain. As we have shown in earlier chapters/lectures, that stone that became a great mountain is America! That much of the prophecy is history. America is the Stone Kingdom. Now drop down to verse 44. This is where Daniel is giving the interpretation of the dream-vision.
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.
Again, we spent hours expounding that, so we won’t repeat it here, but now notice a difference here.
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...
Quickly glance up to verse 34 and compare the two. You will notice that here in verse 45 Daniel adds that the stone was cut out “of the mountain.” So we have a stone that first was cut out “of the mountain” and then as it is smiting the image, it is becoming a great mountain itself.
So, putting this all together, here is the way I see it. Europe was Christ’s kingdom. Even though it was under the domination of the papacy, it was still God’s Israel people who had generally and at least nominally become followers of their King Jesus Christ. Hence, Christendom.
But the people were under temporal domination by pagan Rome and then by papal Rome (religious mystery Babylon). The latter was symbolized by the ten toes of the feet of iron mixed with clay. The Reformation comes along and, with the light of God’s Word, some of God’s people (notably in England, Scotland, Germany, Holland, and other countries of NW Europe) begin to break the power of papal Rome.
It takes centuries. That was the stone being cut out of the mountain of Europe. That light of God’s Word came along with the majority of those Christians who came to these shores in the 1500s through the 1800s. The stone that was cut out of Europe came here to North America and grew into a great mountain, the Stone Kingdom.
And now, in the early 21st century, what is our situation? As I said, we have been running on the fumes of our forefathers. We have been enjoying the fruits of their labors for liberty. And at the same time, we—over the generations—have squandered that inheritance and we have been in captivity for a century now.
Micah 4:9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.
This is review. So what are we to do? Here are two verses we have elaborated on previously, but I repeat them because this tells us we have work to do.
Micah 4:13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD [Yahweh], and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.
Isaiah 52:2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
And so to wrap this up, how do we get from here to there? When Mystery Babylon finishes falling, or it is on the ground and being smashed to bits, and is lying in a heap, how do we transition from coming out of Babylon and coming into the Kingdom in its fulness?
1. Like Ezra, we need to prepare our hearts— by become thoroughly acquainted with God’s commandments, statutes and judgments and do them. Do you want a great reward in the kingdom of heaven? Then, here is your motivation:
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
2. But as we learn the law of God, let us remember that we must also learn to apply it in mercy and love. We can learn that by learning forgiveness, which is, in fact, on one level, practicing the law of jubilee. I will close with this where Jesus told us in Matthew 6.
Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(This series on Mystery Babylon and the Stone Kingdom will be continued.)
