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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
For one last time, I invite us to return to the most powerful throne room in the world 2600 years ago as Daniel is concluding his explanation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. May I give you a fresh perspective on the ROCK that struck and demolished the statue? May I ask, is that ROCK impacting your city today?
You’ll remember we’ve been looking at Daniel 2 and King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream which featured a huge statue with a head of gold. Over the past days, as we’ve dug deeply into Daniel 2, we’ve learned the head of gold symbolized King Nebuchadnezzar himself, the most powerful man in the world at that time in about 600bc. The rest of the statue symbolized subsequent global dominating empires down through history to our present day which is symbolized by the feet and 10 toes partly of iron and partly of clay. (Daniel 2:33)
Daniel then explained to King Nebuchadnezzar that “While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the ROCK that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:34,35)
As you and I look around the world today, in 2025, it’s true, isn’t it? All those great empires of the past have left their mark on history and to some degree they influence our world today, but their leaders, their great monuments, their palaces, even many of their great cities are GONE or built over by modern construction, and they have been forgotten! But not the ROCK, and let’s take a fresh look at that today! Do you remember I explained to you that the ROCK in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream symbolizes Jesus Christ, God the Son?
All the past kingdoms of our world have brought darkness to the people of our world. What darkness? The darkness of fear and hatred, violence and terrorism, corruption and injustice. But the ROCK, Jesus, came into our world to bring exactly the opposite. Jesus said to a crowd of people living during the terrifying era of the Roman empire, “I am the LIGHT of the world, whoever follows ME will never walk in darkness.” (John 8:12) Later, in that same conversation Jesus powerfully explained WHY darkness permeates every human kingdom on earth! It’s because of the influence of Satan and his kingdom of darkness in the lives of all human beings!
“He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth’, Jesus said, ‘for there is no truth in him! When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)
Deceit and deception breed distrust, anger, hostility and violence! This has been seen in every city in our world in every generation, right? But when a person, especially a leader, meets Jesus and Jesus becomes Lord in their life, everything changes, for them and the people they influence, right? Have you seen that? Darkness is dissipated by Light and Jesus has that effect on every person, family, neighborhood, city and nation where Jesus is honored as Lord!
On the night before He went to the cross, in the upper room with His disciples, Jesus said: “I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father except by ME.” (John 14:6) Jesus, the ROCK, is God’s pure TRUTH and has been since before the beginning of time! Everything God created was created pure, holy, truthful and perfect, but Satan’s darkness rejected God and God’s truth and has permeated every part of our world with deceitful darkness.
A few days before that upper room, Jesus had told them He was going to be put to death in Jerusalem but that He’d rise from the dead victoriously, defeating death, sin, Satan and the power of Darkness! (Matt. 16:21-23; 20:17-19) It was the Truth proclaiming the primary PURPOSE for which God the Father had sent God the Son, Jesus, the ROCK, to earth the FIRST time! Jesus was the living truth of God, permeating, pushing back the darkness of evil and providing a TRUTH filled way to God! Have you seen that Truth effect when Jesus is Lord in a person’s life or a family or city?
Now Jesus said many other things during His few years on earth and I wonder if you can see how they pertain to Jesus being the ROCK of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream which shatters the darkness, the damage, the danger of evil influence in our world?
Here are a few of those powerful statements Jesus said…
* “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; but I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
* “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” (John 15:13)
* “Peace, I leave with you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives.” (John 14:27)
* “In this world you will have trouble but take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus said in John 16:33.
Now it’s one thing to cherish the words of Jesus from 2 millennia ago, but what about the proof positive seen in the lives of people who trust Jesus to shatter the darkness in their lives just like the ROCK shattered the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream? The apostle Paul experienced this powerful, darkness shattering peace of Jesus in his life even with all the hardship he faced. Do you remember?
Paul was imprisoned several times, beaten, flogged, shipwrecked, abandoned etc. as he records in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, and yet Paul wrote: “Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6,7)
Now have you found that to be true, no matter how frightening the situation, or how fierce the opposition, or how terrorizing the evil that confronts you? My friends, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar the powerful ROCK in his dream would grow to be a mountain covering the whole world!
Do you see these powerful darkness defeating truths and the bondage breaking power of Jesus is defeating the darkness in every part of the world, every culture, every society, no matter the political structure or powerful dangerous people? How about your city and mine? Can Jesus shatter the darkness in your city as ‘the ROCK’?
Ok my friends, as we leave Daniel chapter 2 and Nebuchadnezzar’s remarkable dream and Daniel’s courageous, God given explanation of the dream, I hope it’s encouraging to you in many ways. God is Sovereign over all human history, and He has a future plan for His great glory!
God is again today looking for people like Daniel whom He can use strategically in His purposes and Jesus Christ is the ROCK of our salvation, our daily living and our future, if you fully trust Jesus! And here’s a great, familiar worship song to help us celebrate all this great God news! Is Jesus Your ROCK today my friends? And is He defeating the darkness in your life, your relationships and even your neighborhood and city?
Today’s Scripture: Daniel 2:34,35; John 8.
Choose below to read or listen.
Daniel 2:34,35
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John 8
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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