The Kingdom that Cannot be Removed
A Sermon on Daniel 2:44
Originally preached Dec. 23, 1956
Scripture
44And 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.
Sermon Description
Why is the birth of Christ important? In this sermon on Daniel 2:44 titled “The Kingdom that Cannot be Removed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains why the birth of a baby in the little town of Bethlehem changes the whole course of human history. While this may sound like a grand claim, it is no exaggeration. For the baby that was born to Mary was none other than the long-awaited Messiah that was to bring the kingdom of God. While people put their hope in what looks good, God is quite different. He sent His Son to be born in a lowly place. He was not born amongst kings and the powerful. It is this Jesus who has died not only to forgive sins, but also that He might inherit the whole earth and rule all the kingdoms of the world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains how Jesus conquered through suffering on the cross. Only in Jesus is there salvation and true peace with God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon examines two verses from Daniel 2:44 and Luke 2:1 which show that the message of Christmas, the coming of the Son of God, is found throughout the Bible.
- The prophecy of Daniel 2:44 was given at a time when the people of Israel were in captivity and despair. But God gave them a message of hope through the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar which Daniel interpreted.
- God chose to give this message of hope through the pagan King Nebuchadnezzar to humble him and show His power. This is God's method throughout the Bible.
- The prophecy gives the exact time when the Son of God would come - during the Roman Empire. The details of the prophecy show God's control of history.
- The kingdom God would set up would be different from earthly kingdoms. It would not come from any earthly kingdom but would be spiritual and unseen.
- The kingdom is portrayed as a stone, showing its lowliness and insignificance in contrast to the gold, silver and iron of earthly kingdoms. This shows the humility of Jesus's birth and life.
- The stone was cut out without hands, showing that the kingdom would come through God's action and power, not man's. This is seen in Jesus's birth and the spread of the early church.
- The kingdom would overcome all other kingdoms. Within 3 centuries Christianity became the official religion of Rome. The kingdom will fully overcome all other kingdoms when Jesus returns.
- The kingdom can never be destroyed or given to another people. Jesus will reign forever as the eternal, invincible King.
- We must make sure we are part of this eternal kingdom by being born again through God's power, not through human will or action. Then we will be secure through all that happens in the world.
Sermon Q&A
What Does the Book of Daniel Say About Christmas and Christ's Kingdom?
What is the main message from Daniel 2:44 in relation to Christmas?
Daniel 2:44 reveals that "in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed." This prophecy foretells the exact timing of Christ's coming during the Roman Empire, which is confirmed in Luke 2:1 with "a decree from Caesar Augustus." Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this prophecy shows how God works by establishing His kingdom when things seem most hopeless. The prophecy was given during Israel's Babylonian captivity, when Jerusalem was destroyed and the situation appeared utterly hopeless, just as Christ came during the Roman occupation when Israel had not heard from God for 400 years.
How does God's kingdom differ from earthly kingdoms according to Daniel's prophecy?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' explanation of Daniel's prophecy, God's kingdom differs from earthly kingdoms in several key ways:
- It arises independently - not growing out of previous kingdoms like each worldly empire did
- It is characterized by lowliness and apparent insignificance - compared to a "stone" while worldly kingdoms are gold, silver, brass, and iron
- It is "cut out without hands" - meaning it's entirely God's action with no human agency or power
- It is invincible and eternal - "shall never be destroyed" unlike every other kingdom
- Its sovereignty "shall not be left to other people" - its power will never be transferred to other hands
- It will ultimately break and consume all other kingdoms
What is the significance of God's kingdom being described as "a stone cut out without hands"?
The phrase "a stone cut out without hands" emphasizes that Christ's kingdom comes entirely by divine action, not human effort. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this description appears repeatedly in Daniel's interpretation and highlights two important truths:
- The humble, insignificant nature of Christ's kingdom - a mere stone compared to the gold, silver, brass, and iron of worldly empires
- The supernatural origin of Christ's kingdom - "entirely apart from all human agency, all human ability, all human power, all human policy and all human understanding"
This paradox of humility and divine power reflects Christ's birth (in a manger, yet God incarnate) and the early church (insignificant followers who nonetheless transformed the world). Lloyd-Jones warns that the church today often falters when it forgets this principle and tries to succeed through human learning and worldly methods instead of divine power.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones relate this prophecy to current world events?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies this prophecy to encourage believers facing difficult world situations. He points out that:
- God has consistently worked by allowing His people to reach seemingly hopeless situations before intervening
- Throughout history, many powers have threatened Christianity but have fallen while the church remains
- The Bible always has a relevant message for whatever difficult situation we face in the world
- Christians should not be depressed by world events because "God is controlling history"
- The prophecy reminds us that Christ's kingdom "has stood for nearly 2000 years... as secure this morning as it has ever been"
- While earthly kingdoms (military, social, political, philosophical) will be destroyed, those who belong to Christ's kingdom are eternally secure
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the main problem with the church today?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "the church is as she is today because she's forgotten this very thing." He specifically identifies that the church has forgotten that God's kingdom is "cut out without hands" - meaning it operates by divine power, not human effort. He elaborates that the church has been:
- "Trying to buttress herself and her message by human learning, philosophy, understanding"
- Saying "we must have a learned ministry rather than men filled with the Holy Ghost"
- Adopting "worldly methods of advertising and of organizing"
- Trying to accomplish through human effort what can only be done by divine power
He urges that "man must put his hands back behind himself and look to God and realize that it's God's doing" if the church is to regain her proper strength and effectiveness.
Old Testament
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.