We begin the discussion of this proposition with the prayer that all may be led into a fuller knowledge of the truth and that all may be of the same mind; that good may be done and God glorified. This is an important question. It is not to be classed with the other question, the restoration of the Jews to Palestine. The proof of this proposition does not depend upon uninspired interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy.

      Lovers of the truth are always under obligation to search for the truth as revealed in the word of God. True lovers of the truth cannot be loyal to the truth without defending it as opportunity is offered. All the children of God are under moral and spiritual obligation to contend earnestly for the truth in the spirit of the Master and in the interest of souls.

      It seems strange that any member of the church of Christ should doubt this proposition. All the brethren have been harmonious from the beginning of the Restoration Movement in their proclamation of this phase of divine truth. Only a discordant voice here and there has been heard against the truth of this proposition. Yea, all of the scholarship of the world which has spoken and written on this question concedes that the kingdom of God has been established on earth. The whole system of the Christian religion is based upon the fundamental truth that the kingdom of God is now in existence. We know that a divine proposition cannot be established by [83] human testimony or the scholarship of the world. This reference is made to the scholarship of the world only to show that we are in good company in affirming the present proposition.

      Proposition: "The Scriptures teach that the event signified by the smiting and destruction of the image in Dan. 2:35, 44 began to take place on the day of Pentecost."

      The wording of the proposition is not so clear and definite; however, we have the liberty of explaining just what we mean by the proposition. The terms of the proposition are simple enough, but the arrangement of them in the proposition may be the occasion for confusion. By "Scriptures" we mean the Old and New Testaments; "teach" means to instruct by precept, example, or necessary inference; "event" is explained by the words "signified by the smiting and destruction of the image in Dan. 2:35, 44;" "the image" is also designated in the proposition as the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream; "began to take place" means began to be fulfilled--not necessarily completely fulfilled, but "began" in its fulfillment; "day of Pentecost" means the first Pentecost after the resurrection and ascension of Christ. The proposition simply means that the kingdom mentioned in Dan. 2:44 began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ.

      That we may understand Nebuchadnezzar's dream and Daniel's interpretation of it, they are here placed in parallel columns for the convenience of the reader:

      Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream a colossal human figure standing apparently in an open plain. The ancient people were accustomed to seeing huge figures and statues of men and gods. This part of his dream was not so strange. Profane history records the fact that huge figures or statues of Ramses and Memnon of Egypt were well known to the kings of Babylon. Even Nebuchadnezzar had erected a golden image which was "set up in the plain of Dura." (Dan. 3:1.) The king of Babylon was 'well acquainted with images and statues. However, I suppose that no one will deny that Jehovah had much to do--yea, all--with the king's dream. One peculiar thing about this image was that it was composed of gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay. The king was greatly disturbed about the meaning of this image. He knew that statues and monuments represented something or some one, but he did not know what this one signified.

      Such a colossal, composite figure disturbed him. He was probably familiar with the ancient tradition of Parsee. In this tradition Zoroaster saw four trees, one of gold, one of silver, one of steel, and another one of iron. Zoroaster was told that these four trees represented four ages of the world. The king of Babylon was so disturbed and troubled over the dream that he could not sleep. His magicians, enchanters, and sorcerers were unable to tell him his dream or the interpretation thereof. Its meaning lay buried in mystery. Since Jehovah had prompted the dream, only inspiration could interpret it. We would not be able to-day to know its meaning if Daniel had not interpreted it for us.

      In his dream the king saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. This stone smote the image upon its feet and broke them in pieces. It also broke the [86] iron, brass, silver, and gold. In fact, the entire image was smitten by this stone and destroyed. The stone which smote the image "became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." The idea suggested here is that of a huge bowlder loosing itself from a neighboring steep mountain and rolling down on the plain and striking the image with irresistible force and completely destroying the image.

      There are four elementary questions to be considered and answered. First, what does the image represent? Second, what does the stone represent? Third, what does the smiting and destruction of the stone mean? Fourth, when did this stone begin its destructive work? We are to seek a Scriptural answer to these four questions. They are all four involved in our proposition.

      The first question may be briefly answered by saying that the image which was composed of different metals represents four universal kingdoms. "The head of gold" represents the Babylonian kingdom, which was then in existence. Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, "Thou art the head of gold;" that is, the Babylonian government is represented in this image by the head of gold. Daniel is very specific in pointing out the Babylonian kingdom as the first of the four successive universal kingdoms which was represented by the composite image.

      Daniel further says: "After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee." This world power is represented in the image by the "breast and . . . arms of silver." This second kingdom was to succeed or immediately follow the Babylonian kingdom. This was the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. (Dan. 5:31; 6:8, 25; Ez. 1:1, 2.) This kingdom was as inferior to the Babylonian kingdom as silver is inferior to gold.

      The third universal empire succeeded the second and is represented in the image as "another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." This was the kingdom of Greece; it followed the Medo-Persian. [87] (Dan. 8:20, 21.) Alexander the Great was the chief exponent of this kingdom. We are familiar with his universal reign and the tradition that "he sat down and wept when he learned that there were no other kingdoms for him to subdue."

      The fourth universal kingdom, which was represented in the image by "legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay," was the Roman Empire. We now have before us the four world empires which were destined to appear and follow one after the other. It is important to observe that Daniel predicted only four world powers which would succeed each other. We look for no other world power. During this last kingdom, or the Roman government, "the God of heaven would set up a kingdom." It was to be the last universal kingdom.

      "The stone cut out without hands" represents the kingdom which the God of heaven would set up. This stone smote "the image upon its feet" and destroyed the iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold. Daniel said that the God of heaven would "set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it break in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold." Daniel's interpretation identifies "the stone" with the "kingdom" which the God of heaven should "set up." Both the stone and the kingdom of God are to destroy one and the same thing; hence, they are one and the same. I think that Brother Boll will agree with me thus far.

      A brief summary of the image with its interpretation is as follows: The head of gold (Babylon); the arms and breast of silver (Medo-Persia); the belly and thighs of brass (Greece); the legs and feet of iron and clay (Rome). The stone cut out without hands smites the image (the kingdom of God). [88]

      What does the smiting of the image by this stone mean? This question is answered by the nature and mission of the kingdom of God. It means that universal world powers should cease when this kingdom was set up; that no other universal empire operated by man should control the world. It means that the kingdom of God would be of such a nature that it would render impossible any other universal kingdom; that the nature and principles of the kingdom of God would destroy in its ever-increasing and expanding power and influence the principles of world powers.

      When did this great change begin? When did the reign of the kingdom of God begin on earth? Our proposition states that it began on Pentecost. This is the task which we have to prove; it is the exact point of time stated in the proposition. We are now to determine when the kingdom of Dan. 2:44 was set up. Daniel said that it would be done during the fourth world power, or Roman government, and that its king should be "like unto a son of man," whom all peoples, nations, and languages should worship. (Dan. 7:13, 14.)

      Our proposition should have been worded and stated as follows: "Do the Scriptures teach that the kingdom of Dan. 2:44 began on Pentecost?" This is a clear and definite statement of the fact that the prophet declared that God would set up a kingdom. The Old Testament closes with a distinct hope in the heart of the people that the Messiah would come and would set up a kingdom; the New Testament opens with this long-cherished hope and expectancy firmly fixed in the heart of God's people.

      It is well to stop here and examine the terms "kingdom," "kingdom of God," "kingdom of heaven." In order to eliminate all irrelevant matter and narrow the discussion down to the exact issue, it is well for us to understand the meaning of "kingdom of God," "kingdom of heaven," "kingdom." "Kingdom" is equivalent to royal power, dominion, authority, or rule, as well as the [89] ones who are governed. As applied to God's power or dominion, I think we may say that "kingdom of God" may have five applications. (1) God's physical kingdom. He created all things; his laws control all life, vegetable and animal. (2) His moral or ethical kingdom. A moral government of the world implies the existence of a moral governor. "Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all." (Ps. 103:19; also Dan. 4:25, 32, 34-36; Ps. 22:28; 93:2.) (3) His eternal kingdom--heaven. (Acts 14:22; 2 Pet. 1:11.) (4) His kingdom of Israel. (2 Sam. 5:12; 1 Kings 9:3-7; 11:11.) (5) His kingdom of Christ--the church. The kingdom mentioned in Daniel was not God's physical kingdom, as this was already in existence. Neither was it his ethical kingdom; this was also in existence before Daniel's day. Neither was it his eternal kingdom, heaven, Jehovah's habitation. Neither was it the kingdom of Israel; this also had been in existence and was declining. He must have had in mind the kingdom of the Messiah, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

      The affirmative is not contending that the universal kingdom of God is synonymous with the church. "Kingdom." comes from the Greek "basileia;" "church comes from the Greek "ekklesia." "Church" and "kingdom" come from different Greek words, and these Greek words are not synonymous. No scholar ever claimed that they are synonymous. They are applied to the same thing, just as "body of Christ" and "house of God" are different phrases which have no common radical or derivative, yet they are applied in the New Testament to the same institution. Thayer, in his Greek New Testament Lexicon, in defining "basileia" and "ekklesia," applies them to one and the same thing--to wit, the New Testament church.

      Our proposition means, then, that the kingdom referred to in Dan. 2:44 and the church of the New Testament are applied to the same thing and began on Pentecost. [90] John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, began his ministry by preaching, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3:2.) He thus gives emphasis to the near approach of this kingdom. His disciples were put on the tiptoe of expectancy of the approach of this kingdom. A few months later Jesus began preaching: "Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 4:17.) Jesus added emphasis to the hope and expectancy of the near approach of the kingdom of heaven. He increased the emphasis when he chose his twelve disciples and sent them out to preach, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 10:7.) These twelve messengers were to go throughout the country emphasizing the near approach of the kingdom of heaven. A little later Jesus sent out the seventy disciples, who were to preach: "The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." (Luke 10:9.) Here we have John the Baptist, the Christ, and eighty-two men preaching all over Galilee and Judea: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand;" "The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." What kingdom is preached by these heaven-sent messengers, if it is not the kingdom which the God of heaven would set up in the days of the Roman Empire? Jesus said to Zaccheus: "And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants. . . . and said unto them," etc. (Luke 19:11-13.) This was tantamount to saying to them that the kingdom of God would not be established or appear until he ascended to the Father.

      A short time before the transfiguration, Jesus said to his disciples: "There be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." (Mark 9:1.) It is to be noticed that the kingdom should come "with power," [91] and that it should come during the lifetime of some who were standing there. This brings the time of the approach of the kingdom within the narrow limits of the remainder of the life of some of his disciples.

      On the night in which he was betrayed he said to his disciples: "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:29, 30.) His disciples were to receive the kingdom, and the kingdom was to come "with power." Jesus, in talking with the disciples after his resurrection and just before his ascension, spoke to them "concerning things of the kingdom." (Acts 1:3.) He told them: "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49.) He said: "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." (Acts 1:8.) It should be noted that the disciples were to receive the kingdom after Jesus made his ascension to the Father and when the Holy Spirit was come upon them. The Holy Spirit came on the first Pentecost after his ascension. This is the time when the kingdom of Christ began; it is the birthday of the church.

      This Pentecost was a notable day. In the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ a preparatory history both divine and human comes to its close. In Christ culminate all the previous revelations of God to Jews and Gentiles, and in him are fulfilled the deepest desires and earnest efforts of both Jew and Gentile for redemption. Pentecost marks the great miraculous advent to earth of the Holy Spirit; it marks the distinct closing of the old dispensation and the beginning of a new spiritual dispensation. This notable day has truly been called "the birthday of the church." It was the time when the apostles were endued with power from on high; it was the time when the church as the body of Christ began upon earth; it was the time when the kingdom which John, [92] Christ, and the apostles had preached was set up, or began.

      The prophets had spoken of Christ's coming in the last days of the decline of the Jewish nation; they had told that he would come during the last universal, or Roman, empire. Isaiah had said: "Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isa. 2:3.) This was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. The disciples were in Jerusalem "continually in the temple," waiting for the power from on high. (Luke 24:52, 53.) Peter preached the first gospel sermon by the Holy Spirit on this day, and three thousand were converted; they were added to the church; they were translated into the kingdom. The apostles, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared Christ as "King of kings and Lord of lords," which means that he was now reigning over the kingdom which God had set up.

      He had said: "I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Father appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." (Luke 22:29, 30.) He thus committed the earthly administration of his kingdom to his disciples. He gave them power to extend his kingdom by the direction of the Holy Spirit; he gave them wisdom to instruct his subjects how to live in the kingdom, or the members of the body how to live in his church. The kingdom over which Christ is now ruling and the church over which he is the head is the kingdom which Daniel said the God of heaven would set up. It began on Pentecost. So our proposition is established. [93]

[UP 83-93]