3. From Mystery to Revelation: Jan. 18, 2020
Our SSLesson for this week (January 11-18, 2020), entitled, “From Mystery to Revelation”. This lesson is God’s providence for us to know what’s the truth of the matter. Let’s learn more about our wonderful God who reveals, answers, knows, who is in control of history and will reign as King of kings.
Investigation of Doctrine.--There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. {CW 35.2}
Let's be open-minded and be a logical thinker. Our SSL this week discusses Daniel 2, and as a concerned SDA, I'd like to share what the Spirit leads as I study circumspectly the prophecy of Daniel 2. Daniel 2 talks about kingdoms on earth, from head to feet until the stone was cut out of a mountain without hands. the cutting out of the stone is not a human intervention but it's God's process of purification. What did Jesus teach us to pray about Mat. 6:9 - "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" We're admonished to pray for the Kingdom to come on earth because God has His Kingdom in heaven. That's why we need to ponder upon this present truth. It's timely brethren. Let's pray for enlightenment on this issue. We will know for sure what's the stone if we knew where does it come from? Read your Bible Daniel 2:45 - the stone was cut out of a mountain! If the stone is symbolical, then the mountain should also be a symbol - What's the symbol of a mountain in the Bible. Let's ask Daniel! What is his understanding of a mountain - read Dan. 9:16, 20. And how about other prophets? Like Zechariah - Zech. 8:3; Isaiah - Isa. 2:2-4. and Micah - Micah 4:1-4. It seems that they talk the same language - a mountain is God's people. If the mountain symbolizes God's people; therefore, the stone represents the same - people. Where can we find that stone represents people, please read Zechariah 12:3 and 1 Pet. 2:5. It's a singular stone because they are united in Christ as it is the central point of the book of Daniel. Christ's character had been reproducing in His people - the purified ones after Ezek. 9 (see: 3T 266, 267, 5T 211). Let's be vigilant brethren and study for yourselves that we may not be deceived like the times of the Jewish people when they rejected Jesus, they listen to the Rabbis, Priest, and Leaders. May God bless you all!
1. God reveals – Daniel 2:1-16:
The object of this prophecy is to:
the benefit of man, and may be understood, and should therefore be studied carefully. Amos 3:7; Deut. 29:29; Matt. 24:15.
serve as a light, revealing where we are living on the stream of time. 2 Pet. 1:19; Matt. 24:15-20.
know that God uses similitudes or symbols in prophetic symbols in prophetic visions, which should be illustrated by charts. Hos. 12:10; Heb. 2:2.
2. God Answers – Daniel 2:17-23:
No one among the wise men of Babylon knows what the dream was. It leads to the urgent death decree of all the wise men of Babylon included the 4 Hebrew young men. They seek God in prayer for the illumination of the king's dream, and God did reveal to Daniel. The impossibilities became possible through God's servant, the prophet (Amos 3:7).
He revealed the dream and its interpretation to Daniel, delivering them from death. At the same time, He was revealing Himself to the king as the only powerful God. It was a prayer of gratitude and praise. God answers, and we must thank Him for how He intervenes in our lives.
3. God Knows – Daniel 2:24-36:
God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream things to come to pass in the future, by means of a great image, interpreted by Daniel. Dan. 2: 28-31.. The king saw:
(a) A great image, with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, and sides of brass, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. Dan. 2: 31-33.
(b) A stone smote the image : and broke it in pieces, after which it became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. verses 34, 35
God knows the future, so He reveals what lies ahead through God's prophet.
4. God is in Control of History – Daniel 2::37-43:
What is Daniel's interpretation of the dream:
The head of gold was a symbol of the kingdom of Babylon - Dan. 2:32, 36-38.
The silver was a symbol of the following kingdom, or Medo-Persia. Dan. 2:32, 39; 5:25-31; 8:20.
The brass was a symbol of the third kingdom, or Grecia. Dan. 2:32, 39; 8:20, 21.
The iron symbolized the fourth kingdom, or Rome. Dan. 2:33, 40; Luke 2:1
The STONE was a symbol of the Kingdom of God, to be established upon this earth sometime after the division of the Roman kingdom. Dan. 2:34, 35, 44, 45.
The prophecy is centered upon Christ's kingdom, which will be established upon the earth after the fall of all earthly kingdoms. Dan. 2:44, 45; 2Tim 4:1; Matt. 25:31-34.
5. God Reigns – Daniel 2:44-49:
The STONE IS CHRIST'S KINGDOM established in the days of these kings - it is during the days of the earth's kings, where God will rule - (see: Dan. 7:27) The earth will be under heaven. It's a pre-millennial kingdom where Christ will be the KING of kings. Let's study and dig deeper into the mine of truth!
Outline:
Advance Study on Daniel 2
Part 1
A.Introductory information on the historical foundation of kingdoms in Daniel 2.
B. SDA pioneers’ teaching on Daniel 2.
C.The contemporary picture that depicts the SDA Church understanding of the Great Image and the stone.
D.Expose the efforts of the church to alter and change the original teachings of the church.
Part 2
Solidify what the Bible teaches regarding the stone using Daniel own words, other prophets and a pictorial images.
Part 1
A. Introductory Information
Historical Foundation of kingdoms
1.Babylon 606-538 B.C.
2.Medo-Persia 538-331 B.C.
3.Greece 331-161 B.C.
4.Rome in 2 Phases 161-476 A.D.
5.Present World 476-present
6.Stone-Kingdom Kingdom-2nd Advent
7.New Jerusalem after Millennium
Note: Kingdom established “in the days of these kings (present world) Dan. 2:44
B. SDA Pioneers's Belief
Stone = Christ Kingdom
1.Uriah Smith – Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation 1897 edition
2.James White – Bible Adventism
3.J.H. Waggoner - Eden to Eden
4.SDA Scholars – SDA Bible Commentary
5.O.A. Johnson – Bible Doctrines
6.Anonymous – Bible Footlights
7.Bible Readings for the Home
8.EGWhite – Prophet and Kings
9.Isaac Newton – Observation on Daniel
1. The stone cut out of the mountain is the Kingdom of Christ - Thoughts on Daniel and revelation, by Uriah Smith 1884 ed. p. 75
Stone is the Kingdom of Christ -
•“It waits to be smitten upon the feet by the stone cut out of the mountain without hand, that is, the KINGDOM OF CHRIST” Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith p. 80
Daniel and the Revelation - Uriah Smith.pdf (yumpu.com)
2. Stone-Kingdom fill the whole earth - Bible Adventism, J. White, 1870, p.81
3. Eden to Eden by J.H. Waggoner -
•The stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The kingdom and throne of David restored in the hands of his seed. Eden to Eden page 85
•https://www.adventbeliefs.com/assets/BBR/02/Eden-to-Eden-The-Kingdom-and-the-King-jH-Waggoner.pdf
4. Stone a symbol for the kingdom of God - SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, Dan. 2:45
5. O.A. Johnson -
•The stone was a symbol of the kingdom of God, to be established upon this earth some time after the division of the Roman kingdom. Dan. 2: 34, 35, 44, 45.
•'l'he prophecy is centered upon Christ's kingdom, which will be established upon the earth after the fall of all earthly kingdoms.
•Dan. 2: 44, 45; 2Tim. 4: l; Matt. 25: 31-34
•https://www.adventbeliefs.com/assets/BBR/02/Bible-Doctrines-Daniel-The-Great-Image-OA-Johnson.pdf
6. The Prophetic History of the World -
•Stone is Kingdom of Christ
•https://www.adventbeliefs.com/assets/BBR/02/Bible-Footlights-The-Prophetic-History-of-the-World.pdf
7. Bible Readings for the Home -
•The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdom of our Lord. Rev. 11:15
8. Ellen G. White - The Image of Nebuchadnezzar Dream - Prophets and Kings, p. 495
9. Isaac Newton – Observation on Daniel – God of heaven set up a kingdom on earth
C. Adventist Contemporary pictures of Daniel 2 - the stone came out of somewhere, came out of heaven, etc...
Is the Stone represents Christ Himself in His 2nd Coming?
D. Efforts of the Church Leadership on the change of stone
The change of information on the 1944 edition. Puts a picture of 2nd coming of Christ.
PFANDL: KINGDOM OF GOD IN DANIEL 2:44 p. 253
•Andrews University Seminary Studies, Vol. 34, No.2, 249-268. GERHARD PFANDL Wahroonga, NSW
•Australia Copyright " by Andrews University Press
•The stone is the kingdom of God, which will crush and bring to an end all the kingdoms of this world and then stand forever (Dan 2:44).
•Then after quoting Dan 2:44, 45 he states that "Christ is the stone which is cut out without hands, who shall destroy temporal kingdoms, and introduce an eternal one, which is the resurrection of the just."15
•https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2257&context=auss
•15 Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.26.2 (ANF 1:555).
•http://feebleandsorebroken.blogspot.com/2018/12/christ-stone-cut-without-hands.html
Part 2
Solidify the teaching
of the Bible
about Daniel 2
The Mighty Stone and the Great Mountain
click this link:
