45<\/strong>. Forasmuch as<\/em> thou hast seen in thy dream this colossal image preternaturally destroyed (Dan 2:34-35<\/span>), a great God hath<\/em> let thee see behind the veil of the future, and made known to thee what will come to pass hereafter<\/em> (cf. Gen 41:28<\/span>).<\/p>\n a<\/strong> great God<\/em> ] the original is indefinite, not definite: Daniel speaks from the standpoint of the heathen king.<\/p>\n the dream is certain<\/em>, &c.] an asseveration of the truth of what has been stated, in the apocalyptic style: cf. Dan 8:26<\/span>, Dan 10:1<\/span>, Dan 11:2<\/span>; Rev 21:5<\/span>; Rev 22:6<\/span>.<\/p>\n Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone … – <\/B>On the meaning of the language employed here, see the notes at Dan 2:34-35<\/span>. The word forasmuch may be taken either in connection with what precedes, or with what follows. In the former method, there should be a period at the word gold in this verse; and then the sense is, In those days shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, etc., forasmuch, or because thou sawest a stone, etc., that is, that was a certain indication of it. According to the other method, the meaning is, Forasmuch as thou sawest the stone cut out and demolish the image, the great God has made known the certainty of it; that is, that is a certain indication that it will be done. The Vulgate is, According to what thou sawest, that the stone was cut out without hands, and reduced the clay, etc., the great God has shown to the king what will be hereafter. The difference in the interpretation is not very material.<\/P> Cut out of the mountain – <\/B>This is not inserted in the statement in Dan 2:34<\/span>. It seems, however, to be implied there, as there is mention of the stone as cut out. The representation is evidently that of a stone disengaged from its native bed, the side of a mountain, without any human agency, and then rolling down the side of it and impinging on the image.<\/P> The great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter – <\/B>Margin, the same as the Chaldee, after this. The meaning is simply, in time to come; in some future period. Daniel claims none of the merit of this discovery to himself. but ascribes it all to God.<\/P> And the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure – <\/B>That is, it is no vain and airy phantom; no mere working of the imagination. The dream was all that the monarch had supposed it to be – a representation of coming events, and his solicitude in regard to it was well-founded. Daniel speaks with the utmost assurance also as to its fulfillment. He knew that he had been led to this interpretation by no skill of his own; and his representation of it was such as to satisfy the monarch of its correctness. Two circumstances probably made it appear certain to the monarch, as we learn from the next verse it did: one, that Daniel had recalled the dream to his own recollection, showing that he was under a Divine guidance; and the other, the plausibility – the verisimilitude – the evident truthfulness of the representation. It was such a manifest explanation of the dream that Nebuchadnezzar, in the same manner as Pharaoh had done before him when his dreams were explained by Joseph, at once admitted the correctness of the representation.<\/P> Having now gone through with the exposition of this important passage respecting the stone cut from the mountain, it seems proper to make a few remarks in regard to the nature of the kingdom that would be set up, as represented by the stone which demolished the image, and which so marvelously increased as to fill the earth. That there is reference to the kingdom of the Messiah cannot be reasonably doubted. The points which are established in respect to that kingdom by the passage now under consideration are the following:<\/P> I. Its superhuman origin. This is indicated in the representation of the stone cut out of the mountain without hands; that is, clearly not by human agency, or in the ordinary course of events. There was to be a superhuman power exerted in detaching it from the mountain, as well as in its future growth. What appeared so marvelous was, that it was cut from its orginal resting place by some invisible power, and moved forward to the consummation of its work without any human agency. That this was designed to be significant of something there can be no reasonable doubt, for the result is made to turn on this. I do not see that any special significancy is to be attached to the idea of its being cut from a mountain, nor that it is required of us to attempt to refine on that expression, and to ascertain whether the mountain means the Roman kingdom, out of which the gospel church was taken, as many suppose; or the Jewish nation, as Augustine supposed; or that the origin of Christ was sublime and superior to the whole world, as Calvin supposes; or to the mountainous country of Judea in which the Messiah was born, as many others have maintained; or to the tomb of Joseph, as a rock from which the Messiah sprang to life and victory, as others have imagined.<\/P> All this belongs to a system of interpretatation that is trifling in the extreme. The representation of the mountain here is merely for the sake of verisimilitude, like the circumstances in a parable. If a stone was cut out without hands, it would be natural to speak of it as cut from the mountain or parent-rock to which it was attached. The eye is not here directed to the mountain as having anything significant or marvelous about it, but to the stone that so mysteriously left its bed, and rolled onward toward the image. The point of interest and of marvel, the mysterious thing that attracted the eye, was that there was no human agency employed; that no hands were seen at work; that none of the ordinary instrumentalities were seen by which great effects are accomplished among men. Now this would properly represent the idea that the kingdom of the Messiah would have a supernatural origin. Its beginnings would be unlike what is usually seen among men. How appropriately this applies to the kingdom of the Messiah, as having its origin not in human power, need not here be stated. Nothing is more apparent; nothing is more frequently dwelt on in the New Testament, than that it had a heavenly origin. It did not owe its beginning to human plans, counsels, or power.<\/P> II. Its feebleness in its beginning, compared with its ultimate growth and power. At first it was a stone comparatively small, and that seemed utterly inadequate to the work of demolishing and pulverizing a colossal statue of gold, silver, brass, and iron. Ultimately it grew to be itself of mountain-size, and to fill the land. Now this representation would undoubtedly convey the fair impression that this new power, represented by the stone, would at first be comparatively small and feeble; that there would be comparative weakness in its origin as contrasted with what it would ultimately attain to; and that it would seem to be utterly inadequate to the performance of what it finally accomplished. It is hardly necessary to say that this corresponds entirely with the origin of the Messiahs kingdom. Everywhere it is represented as of feeble beginnings, and, as a system, to human view, entirely inadequate to so great a work as that of bringing other kingdoms to an end, and subduing it to itself. The complete fulfillment of the prophetic statement would be found in such circumstances as the following:<\/P> (1) The humble origin of the head of this new power hlmself – the Messiah – the King of Sion. He was, in fact, of a decayed and dilapidated family; was ranked among the poor; was without powerful friends or political connections; possessed no uncommon advantages of learning, and was regarded with contempt and scorn by the great mass of his countrymen. No one would have supposed that the religion originated by one of so humble an origin would have power to change the destiny of the kingdoms of the earth.<\/P> (2) The feebleness of the beginning of his kingdom. His few followers – the little band of fishermen; the slow progress at first made; these were circumstances strikingly in accordance with the representation in Daniel.<\/P> (3) The absence in that band of all that seemed requisite to accomplish so great a work. They had no arms, no wealth, no political power. They had nothing of what has commonly been employed to overthrow kingdoms, and the band of fishermen sent forth to this work seemed as little adequate to the undertaking as the stone cut from the mountain did to demolish the colossal image.<\/P> (4) All this feebleness in the beginning was wonderfully contrasted with the ultimate results, like the stone, when cut from the mountain, contrasted with its magnitude when it filled the earth. The Saviour himself often referred to the contrast between the feeble origin of his religion, and what it would grow to be. At first it was like a grain of mustard-seed, smallest among seeds; then it grew to be a tree so large that the fowls of the air lodged in the branches. At first it was like leaven, hidden in meal; ultimately it would diffuse itself through the mass, so that the whole would be leavened, Mat 13:31-33<\/span>.<\/P> III. It would supplant all other kingdoms. This was clearly indicated by the fact that the stone demolished the image, reducing it to powder, and filled the place which that occupied, and all the land. This has been explained (see the notes at Dan 2:34-35<\/span>), as meaning that it would not be by sudden violence, but by a continued process of comminution. There would be such an action on the kingdoms of the earth represented by gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, that they would disappear, and the new power represented by the stone would finally take their place. As this new power was to be humble in its origin, and feeble to human view; as it had nothing which, to outward appearance, would seem adequate to the result, the reference would seem to be to the principles which would characterize it, and which, as elements of power, would gradually but ultimately secure the changes represented by the demolition of the colossal statue.<\/P> The only question then would be, whether the principles in the kingdom of the Messiah had such originality and power as would gradually but certainly change the modes of government that existed in the world, and substitute another kind of reign; or, what is the influence which it will exert on the nations, causing new methods of government, in accordance with its principles, to prevail on the earth. Though apparently feeble, without arms, or wealth, or civil alliances, it has elements of power about it which will ultimately subdue all other principles of government, ard take their place. Its work was indeed to be a gradual work, and it is by no means accomplished, yet its effect has been mighty already on the principles that rule among the nations and will still be more mighty until the laws of the kingdom of the Messiah shall prevail in all the earth. This seems to be the idea which it is designed to express by this prophetic image. If one were asked in what respects it is to be anticipated that these changes will be wrought, and in what respects we can discern the evidences of such changes already, we might say in such points as the following:<\/P> (1) In regard to the methods in which governments are founded. Governments were formerly mostly the result of civil or foreign wars. Nearly all the governments of antiquity were originally founded in the power of some military leader, and then held by power. Christianity originated new views about wars and conquests; views that will ultimately prevail. In nothing are the opinions of mankind destined more entirely to be reversed than in regard to war; to its glory, its achievements, and the fame of those who have been most celebrated for bloody triumphs.<\/P> (2) In regard to the rights of the people. A mighty principle was originated by Christianity in respect to the rights of men; the right of conscience; the right to the avails of their own labor; the right to life and liberty.<\/P> (3) In regard to oppression. The history of the world has been, to a great extent, a history of oppression. But all this is to be changed by the principles of the true religion; and when the period shall arrive that there shall be no more occasion to use the word oppression, as descriptive of anything that shall have an actual existenee on earth, this will be a different world. Then the time will have come, appropriately designated by the demolition of the colossal statue – symbolic of all governments of oppression, and the substitution in its place of what was at first insignificant, but which had vital energy to supplant all that went before it.<\/P> IV. This kingdom will be perpetual. This is asserted in the unequivocal statements that it shall never be destroyed, and that it shall not be left to other people; that is, shall never pass into other hands. There could not be a more positive declaration that the kingdom here referred to will continue through all coming time. Other kingdoms pass away, but this will not; and amidst all the revolutions of other empires this will remain. The lapse of eighteen hundred years since this kingdom was set up, has done not a little to confirm the truth of this prediction. Many other kingdoms during that time have disappeared from the earth, but this remains in its full vigour, and with extending power. It has, at this day, an extent of dominion which it never had before, and there are clearer indications that it will spread over all the earth than ever existed at any previous time. That this kingdom will be perpetual may be argued from the following considerations:<\/P> (1) From the promises of God. These are absolute; and they are attested by Him who has all power, and who can, with infinite ease, accomplish all that he has spoken. So in Dan 7:14<\/span>, His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Luk 1:33<\/span>, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Psa 45:6<\/span> (compare the notes at Heb 1:8<\/span>), Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. In Heb 1:8<\/span>, it is, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. Isa 9:7<\/span>, of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth, even forever.<\/P> (2) It may be argued, from the fact that the efforts which have been made to destroy it have shown that this cannot be done by any human power. Eighteen hundred years have now passed away – a period sufficiently long to test the question whether it can be destroyed by force and violence; by argument and ridicule. The experiment has been fairly made, and if it were possible that it should be destroyed by external force, it would have been done. It cannot be imagined that more favorable circumstances for such a purpose will ever occur. The church of Christ has met every form of opposition that we can conceive could be made against it, and has survived them all. Particularly it has survived the trial which has been made in the following respects:<\/P> (a) The Roman power, the whole might of the Roman arms, that had subdued and crushed the world, was brought to bear upon the kingdom of Christ to crush and destroy it, but wholly failed. It cannot be supposed that a new power will ever arise that will be more formidable to Christianity than the Roman was.<\/P> (b) The power of persecution. That has been tried in every way, and has failed. The most ingenious forms of torture have been devised to extinguish this religion, and have all failed. It has always been found that persecution has only contributed ultimately to the triumph of the cause which it was hoped to crush.<\/P> (c) The power of philosophy. The ancient philosophers opposed it, and attempted to destroy it by argument. This was early done by Celsus and Porphyry; but it soon became apparent that the ancient philosophy had nothing that could extinguish the rising religion, and not a few of the prominent philosophers themselves were converted, and became the advocates of the faith.<\/P> (d) The power of science. Christianity had its origin in an age when science had made comparatively little progress, and in a country where it was almost unknown. The sciences since have made vast advances; and each one in its turn has been appealed to by the enemies of religion, to furnish an argument against Christianity. Astronomy, history, the discoveries in Egypt, the asserted antiquity of the Hindoos, and geology, have all been employed to overthrow the claims of the Christian religion, and have all been compelled to abandon the field. See this admirably demonstrated in Dr. Wisemans Lectures on the Connection between Science and Revealed Religion.<\/P> (e) The power of ridicule. At one time it was held that ridicule is the test of truth, and this has been applied unsparingly to the Christian religion. But the religion still lives, and it cannot be supposed that there will be men endued with the power of sarcasm and wit superior to those who, with these weapons, have made war on Christianity, or that infidelity has any hope from that quarter. It may be inferred, therefore, that there is no external source of corruption and decay which will prevent its being perpetual. Other kingdoms usually have; and after a few centuries at most the internal corruption – the defect of the organization – developes itself, and the kingdom falls. But nothing of this kind occurs in the kingdom of Christ. It has lived now through eighteen hundred years, through periods of the world in which there have been constant changes in the arts, in the sciences, in manners, in philosophy, in forms of government. During that time many a system of philosophy has been superseded, and many a kingdom has fallen, but Christianity is as fresh and vigorous, as it meets each coming generation, as it ever was; and the past has demonstrated that the enemies of the gospel have no reason to hope that it will become weak by age, and will fall by its own decrepitude.<\/P> V. A fifth characteristic of this kingdom is, that it will universally prevail. This was symbolized by the stone that became a great mountain, and that filled the whole earth, Dan 2:35<\/span>. It is also implied, in the statement in Dan 2:44<\/span>, that it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms. They will cease, and this will occupy their places. The principles of the kingdom of the Messiah, whatever may be the external forms of government that shall exist on the earth, will everywhere prevail. That this will occur may be argued from the following considerations:<\/P> (1) The promises recorded in the Bible. Tlle passage before us is one. Of the same nature are the following: Psa 2:8<\/span>, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the pagan for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Mal 1:11<\/span>, for from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering. Isa 11:9<\/span>, the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Compare Hab 2:14<\/span>; Isa 45:22<\/span>, and Isa. 60<\/span>.<\/P> (2) The world in its progress loses nothing that is of value. Truth is eternal, and when once discovered, society will not let it go. It seizes upon great elements in human nature, and the world will not let it die. Thus it is with discoveries in science, inventions in the arts, and principles in morals. There is no evidence that anything that was known to the ancients which was of permanent value to mankind has been lost; and the few things that were lost have been succeeded by that which is better. All that was truly valuable in their science, their philosophy, their arts, their jurisprudence, their literature, we possess still, and the world will always retMn it. And what can ever obliterate from the memory oi man the printing-press, the steamengine, the cotton-gin, the telescope, the blow-pipe, the magnetic telegraph? Society accumulates from age to age all that is truly valuable in inventions, morals, and the arts, and travels with them down to the period when the world shall have reached the highest point of perfectability. This remark is true also of Christianity – the kingdom of Christ. There are principles in regard to the happiness and rights of man in that system which cannot be detached from society, but which go into its permanent structure, and which the world will not let die.<\/P> (3) Society is thus making constant advances. A position gained in human progress is never ultimately lost. The principles thus accumulated and incorporated into society become permanent. Each age adds something in this respect to the treasures accumulated by all preceding ages, and each one is, in some respects, an advance on its predecessors, and makes the final triumph of the principles of truth, and liberty, and pure religion more sure.<\/P> (4) Christianity, or the kingdom of Christ, is aggressive. It makes a steady war on the evil customs, habits, and laws of the world. It is in accordance with its nature to diffuse itself. Nothing can prevent its propagation; and, according to the laws of society, nothing is so certain philosophically in regard to the future, as the final prevalence of the religion of the Redeemer. It may meet with temporary and formidable obstructions. It may be retarded, or extinguished, in certain places. But its general course is onward – like the current of the mighty river toward the ocean. The only thing certain in the future is, that the Christian religion will yet spread all over the world; and there is enough in this to gratify the highest wishes of philanthropy, and enough to stimulate to the highest effort to secure so desirable an end.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 45<\/span>. The dream is certain<\/B><\/I>] It contains a just<\/I> representation<\/I> of things as they shall be.<\/P> <\/P> And the interpretation thereof sure.<\/B><\/I>] The parts of the dream being truly explained.<\/P> <\/p>\n This verse notes, <\/P> 1. The small beginning of Christs kingdom visibly. <\/P> 2. The different rise of Christ from all other; his conception by the Holy Ghost, like as Melchizedek, without father and mother, respectively as to his two natures. <\/P> Who shall declare his generation? His name shall be called Wonderful,<\/B> Isa 9:6<\/span>. <\/P> 3. This stone, as a heavy rock, tumbling down from the mountain, brake the image in pieces, which it could not be said any other did. <\/P> 4. Christ is a stone that grinds to powder those it falls on. He is the precious foundation and chief corner-stone of his church for ever. <\/P> 5. He is a growing stone, even to a mountain, mid therefore will fill the earth, 1Co 15:24<\/span>. God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter, i.e. the great God bath shown all this, who is above all the kings of the earth, and only knows, and decrees, and effects future things, who only doth great and wondrous things. <\/P> The dream is certain, <\/B>i.e. this dream is no ordinary dream, but an oracle of God; it is sent from heaven, and gives a perfect scheme and prophetical history of things to come, about the special providence of God in changing governors and governments, with particular regard to his church under them; and above all, about the kingdom of Christ, and the growth of it, maugre all the enterprises of pagan and antichristian Rome. <\/P> The interpretation thereof sure; <\/B>it is not a conjectural guess of the magicians and wise men of Babylon, who use to prepare lying words, because they have no knowledge of the true God, and therefore are; wholly unacquainted with his secrets, which he revealeth to his prophets by the Spirit of prophecy; which he hath now signally imparted to me; this I have faithfully made known unto thee, O King. <\/P> <\/p>\n 45. without hands<\/B>(See on Da2:35<\/span>). The connection of the “forasmuch,” &c. is,”as thou sawest that the stone,” &c., this is anindication that “the great God,” &c., that is, the factof thy seeing the dreams as I have recalled it to thy recollection,is a proof that it is no airy phantom, but a real representation tothese from God of the future. A similar proof of the “certainty”of the event was given to Pharaoh by the doubling of his dream (Ge41:32<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands<\/strong>,…. [See comments on Da 2:34]<\/span><\/p>\n and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold<\/strong>; of which the image was made he had seen in his dream; and which represented the several monarchies of the world in succession, and described their nature, condition, and circumstances, and the ruin of them; [See comments on Da 2:35]<\/span><\/p>\n the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter<\/strong>; after his own death, and in his own monarchy; and what will be the fate of succeeding ones; what will come to pass in each of the ages of time, and what will be done in the last days; what an everlasting kingdom there will be, when the kingdoms of this world shall be no more; and this the “great” God, who is great in knowledge as well as power, made known to him, which none else could; and by which he appears to be great, and above all gods, as Nebuchadnezzar afterwards owns; and which Daniel here suggests to him; see<\/p>\n Isa 45:21<\/span>:<\/p>\n and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure<\/strong>; this is certainly the dream the king had dreamed, for the truth of which he appeals to him; and the interpretation of it given would be most surely and faithfully accomplished, on which he might depend; for since the dream had been so distinctly related to him, he had no room to doubt of the true interpretation of it.<\/p>\n (45) The<\/strong> stone cut out of the mountain.<\/strong>The mountain was not mentioned in Dan. 2:34<\/span>. In the language of prophecy, it must mean Mount Zion, which appears in other passages to be closely connected with the Messiah and His Kingdom, e.g.,<\/em> Isa. 2:2<\/span>; Psa. 1:2<\/span>. The stone is set free from this mountain, and as it rolls on in its destructive course, overthrows all the kingdoms of the world, and becomes a mountain which fills the whole earth. The Messiah is elsewhere spoken of under the figure of a stone (Isa. 28:16<\/span>; Mat. 21:42<\/span>). The phrase cut without hands refers to the supernatural agency by which the stone accomplishes its work. The stone is now rolling, as the kingdom of God spreads further and further day by day. The image is still standing, the stone has not yet fallen upon it. When that moment arrives, and not till then, the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ (Rev. 11:15<\/span>).<\/p>\n Throughout the vision we must notice one great contrast. There is on the one hand the image, which, of course, was weak, by reason of being formed of such incongruous elements, composed of the most precious metals at the top, while the lower parts ended in miry clay in fact, the image was top-heavy. On the other hand, there is the stone, an emblem of strength and solidity, single, notwithstanding the countless atoms which unite in forming it, growing in strength, as it continues its historic course till it becomes a mountain, the type of all that is solid and indestructible. And one further point of contrast must be noted. While one earthly empire passes into another as insensibly as the head yields to the trunk of the body, and as this passes into arms, legs, hands, and feet, without any discontinuitythat is, as empire after empire passes away, while the history of the world remains continuoussuch is not the case with the stone. The work that it does is instantaneous. The moment it falls on the feet of the image the whole collapses, or, in other words, the history of the world comes to an end. Such is the relation in which the kingdom of God stands to the kingdoms of this world. They are all transient, in spite of their apparent strength, and their history will cease, as soon as the stone shall fall and grind them to powder (Mat. 21:44<\/span>).<\/p>\n 45<\/strong>. <\/strong> Half of this verse should be joined to the one preceding and a new sentence should begin with “The great God hath.”<\/p>\n Dan 2:45 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.<\/p>\n Ver. 45. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain.<\/strong> ] Christ is called a stone, (1.) For strength; (2.) For continuance; (3.) For refuge; (4.) For offence. He is piorum rupes, reorum scopulus,<\/em> as Val. Max. saith of Lucius Cassius’s tribunal. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Without hands,<\/strong> ] i.e., <\/em> Without man’s help. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold.<\/strong> ] Broughton’s a<\/em> note here is, Wisely Daniel telleth first how the last shall be destroyed, and not how Nebuchadnezzar’s house first should fall; so Dan 7:11-12<\/span> , where he showeth his care to please the cruel tyrant, and his own readiness of wit in the allusion that is in the Chaldee between chaspa<\/em> and caespa,<\/em> clay and silver; which they that observe not cannot know why Daniel brake the native order of speech for clay, iron, brass, silver, and gold. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> Broughton on Daniel.<\/p>\n Dan 2:45<\/p>\n Dan 2:45 Forasmuch asH3606 H6903 H1768 thou sawestH2370 thatH1768 the stoneH69 was cut outH1505 of the mountainH4481 H2906 withoutH1768 H3809 hands,H3028 and that it brake in piecesH1855 the iron,H6523 the brass,H5174 the clay,H2635 the silver,H3702 and the gold;H1722 the greatH7229 GodH426 hath made knownH3046 to the kingH4430 whatH4101 H1768 shall come to passH1934 hereafter:H311 H1836 and the dreamH2493 is certain,H3330 and the interpretationH6591 thereof sure.H540 <\/p>\n Dan 2:45 <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The “stone” that was “cut out of the mountain without hands” is none other than Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. Scripture describes Christ as a stone or as rock in numerous places. The imagery being that Christ is enduring, unmovable and strong. Jesus portrayed Himself as the stone which was rejected by the builders and then became the cornerstone, the stone around and upon which all other stones were placed. Paul portrayed Christ as the chief cornerstone of the foundation of the household of God. Peter’s words as written by inspiration show Christ as the “chief corner stone, elect, precious” (1Pe 2:6). Peter then went on to say that to those who were disobedient, Jesus became a “stone of stumbling, a rock of offence”. <\/p>\n The stone which was cut from the mountain without hands utterly destroyed all the kingdoms represented by the figure in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It would emerge victorious over all the rest of the glorious kingdoms that would rise after Babylon. This is the answer Nebuchadnezzar received by revelation in response to his thoughts as to what would “come to pass hereafter”. <\/p>\n thou sawest: Dan 2:24, Dan 2:35, Isa 28:16, Zec 12:3, Mat 21:24 <\/p>\n without hands: or, which was not in hands, Dan 2:34, Luk 17:20, 2Co 10:4, 2Co 10:5 <\/p>\n the great: Deu 10:17, 2Sa 7:22, 1Ch 16:25, Neh 4:14, Neh 9:32, Job 36:26, Psa 48:1, Psa 96:4, Psa 135:5, Psa 145:3, Jer 32:18, Jer 32:19, Mal 1:11, Rev 19:17, make known, Gen 41:28, Gen 41:32, Mat 24:35, Rev 1:19, Rev 4:1 <\/p>\n hereafter: Chal, after this <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 22:17 – thy seed Gen 27:29 – Let people Gen 41:25 – God Num 22:9 – God Num 24:24 – and he also 2Sa 3:1 – David waxed 2Sa 5:10 – General Job 34:20 – without Job 34:24 – break Isa 2:2 – the mountain Isa 53:12 – will I Isa 60:12 – General Eze 17:22 – upon Eze 37:25 – and my Dan 7:9 – till Dan 8:25 – but Hag 2:7 – I will shake Hag 2:22 – overthrow Zec 12:6 – they Zec 14:3 – General Zec 14:9 – the Lord Mat 13:32 – the least Mat 21:5 – thy King Mat 21:44 – but Mar 4:31 – is less than Mar 14:58 – General Luk 13:19 – and it Luk 20:18 – shall fall Joh 3:30 – must increase Act 1:3 – speaking Act 5:24 – this Act 26:6 – the promise 1Co 1:28 – to bring Phi 2:9 – God 1Pe 2:4 – stone Rev 11:15 – The kingdoms<\/p>\n Dan 2:45. Mountain, is from TAWR and defined in the lexicon, A rock or hill. Stones are often cut out from a bed of rock by some quarry instrument in the hands of a workman, but this one was seen to be extracted out of a hill of rock and no human worker was visible. The thought is intended to be a contrast with the kingdoms represented by the giant man, which were the productions of man. The stone and the kingdom that the God of heaven was to set up are the same Inasmuch as it was said of both that they were to smite amt destroy the giant image. Of course the church or kingdom of Christ is not a production of man, hence it was said to have been cut out without [human] hands. As thou saieest was to recall to Nebuchadnezzar the dream that he had, and since Daniel was able to do this, it was evidence to the king that the prophet knew what he was talking about. That constituted the assurance that both dream and interpretation were decreed by the Lord and would prove to be sure.<\/p>\n 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the {a} 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.<\/p>\n (a) Meaning Christ, who was sent by God, and not set up by man, whose kingdom at the beginning would be small and without beauty to man’s judgment, but would at length grow and fill the whole earth, which he calls a great mountain, as in Dan 2:35 . And this kingdom, which is not only referred to the person of Christ, but also to the whole body of his Church, and to every member of it, will be eternal: for the Spirit that is in them is eternal life; Rom 8:10 .<\/p>\n Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke 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 … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 2:45”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21814\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"