Daniel 2: Why It's not About the Second Coming of Christ?

Daniel 2 is one of my favorite Bible prophecies. It's all about Prophet Daniel explaining King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon's dream. The dream was about a huge statue made of different metals.

The statue had a head of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, and legs and feet of iron mixed with clay. Towards the end of the dream, a large rock from heaven hit the statue's feet and smashed it.

Daniel told the king that the four parts of the statue represented four kingdoms that would rise one after another. He also explained that King Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, Babylon, was the first kingdom, represented by the gold head.

Other parts of the Book of Daniel also talk about these four kingdoms. It mentions that the Medo-Persian Empire was the second kingdom (Daniel 5:28; 8:20) and the Greek Empire was the third kingdom (Daniel 8:21). Historically, there were indeed four successive empires in that region: the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire.

Finally, Daniel said that the rock in Nebuchadnezzar's dream would hit these kingdoms and grow into a mountain that would eventually rule the whole world.

“In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever." Daniel 2:44 (CSB)

Daniel announced that the "stone" would come to the world, crushing all other kingdoms before establishing God's kingdom. Then, the "stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:35).

Both futurist and partial preterist viewpoints agree that Jesus Christ is the stone who will come to establish God's eternal kingdom. The only difference between these two views is when the rock will arrive and when God's kingdom will be established.

Seventh-day Adventist Futurist View

Seventh-day Adventists believe that the "rock" in Daniel 2 refers to the future Second Coming of Christ. This is explained in their book, SDA 28 Fundamental Beliefs, on page 499.

"Finally, the dream focuses on the dramatic climax: the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom. The stone cut out without hands represents Christ’s kingdom of glory (Dan. 7:14; Rev. 11:15), which will be established without human effort at the Second Advent."

According to Adventists, God's kingdom has two stages:

1.  The kingdom of grace

2.  The kingdom of glory

The "kingdom of glory" refers to a future glorious kingdom that will begin with Christ's Second Coming. They also believe we are currently living in the "kingdom of grace" while we wait for the upcoming "kingdom of glory."

Why the "Stone" Isn't the Second Coming

Our view on the rock in Daniel 2 comes from a deeper study of the Bible, specifically from a perspective called Partial Preterism.

This perspective holds that Jesus has been reigning on God's kingdom's throne for over 2,000 years now. This began when He went up to heaven and took His place at God's right hand. Ever since then, God's kingdom has been steadily growing and spreading across the globe, and it will eventually fill the entire world, just like the mountain in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:35).

The Roman Empire wasn't the last global Empire

It's really important to understand who this prophecy was for. The Book of Daniel was meant to predict the history of God's people, the Jewish people, up until their covenant with God ended. It was written by a Jew, for Jews living under the Old Covenant.

So, the metal statue in Daniel's prophecy doesn't cover all of human history. Instead, it focuses only on the history that was relevant to the Jewish people living under the Old Covenant. That's why the scope of Daniel 2 is limited to the time of the pagan Roman Empire. This empire had a powerful connection to the Jewish people during Jesus's earthly ministry.

Seventh-day Adventists often overlook the fact that there was another global empire after the Roman Empire.

The Ottoman Empire: A Forgotten Powerhouse

The Ottoman Empire, which conquered the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire in 1453, actually rivaled Rome in size and power. Founded in 1299 AD, it stretched across three continents. At its peak, the Ottoman Empire controlled ten percent of the territory that the Roman Empire held at its height. It dominated not only the Middle East but also Arabia, Mesopotamia, Southern Russia, Southeast Europe, and North Africa. For centuries, Ottoman ships ruled the Mediterranean Sea.

Economically, the Ottoman Empire was a major force, controlling trade routes between Europe, Asia, and Africa. This empire lasted for six centuries, finally ending in 1923. It didn't just compete with Rome; it surpassed the size and power of earlier empires, mentioned in the Book of Daniel, including Greece, Medo-Persia, and Babylon.

So, the Ottoman Empire was a vast superpower that dominated Palestine and many parts of the civilized world for six centuries. The existence of this empire challenges the Adventist idea that the metal statue in Daniel 2 depicts the rise and fall of all global empires leading up to Christ's Second Coming. Clearly, it doesn't mention every empire. It only shows the empires that existed during the Old Covenant period for the Jewish people.

The Mongol Empire: Even Larger

As further evidence, there was another global empire that ruled the world before the Ottoman Empire even emerged: the Mongol Empire. Established in 1206 AD, it ruled for over 150 years until its collapse in 1368. This massive empire was the largest contiguous land empire ever established globally. It stretched from the Pacific Ocean in the east to Eastern Europe in the west, encompassing China, Mongolia, Southern and Western Russia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Pakistan, Kashmir, parts of Turkey, and even Eastern European countries like Poland and Romania. It covered an area more than double the size of the Roman Empire at its peak.

What This Means for Daniel's Prophecy

The existence of these vast empires, including the Ottoman and Mongol Empires, proves that the image in Daniel wasn't meant to cover all of human history. Instead, it focused only on the history relevant to the Jewish people living under the Old Covenant. According to Adventists, there were no other global empires after the Roman Empire. You can read this on page 592 of their book, SDA 28 Fundamental Beliefs.

"Ever since the days of Christ, interpreters have identified the empires as Babylon (605-539 B.C.), Medo-Persia (539-331 B.C.), Greece (331-168 B.C.), and Rome (168 B.C.-A.D. 476).1 As prophesied, no other empire succeeded Rome." 

According to the Adventist book, pagan Rome, which they see as the fourth and final kingdom in Daniel 2, only lasted from 168 BC to AD 476. Their book stresses that "As prophesied, no other empire succeeded Rome." Because of this, Daniel explained that the coming rock would hit the fourth kingdom, which is the Roman Empire.

"Its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it, struck the statue on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them. A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron; for iron crushes and shatters everything, and like iron that smashes, it will crush and smash all the others." Daniel 2:33-34, 40 (CSB)

To put it simply, no other kingdom would be affected by the arrival of Christ's Stone Kingdom except for the pagan Roman Empire.

However, Adventists claim that, according to Daniel's prophecy, the "stone" hitting the "iron and clay" feet of the statue would be fulfilled in the European nations that divided the Roman Empire and its divided kingdom, which they call the modern nations of Europe. This directly contradicts what the Bible says.

"A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron; for iron crushes and shatters everything, and like iron that smashes, it will crush and smash all the others. You saw the feet and toes, partly of a potter’s fired clay and partly of iron — it will be a divided kingdom, though some of the strength of iron will be in it. You saw the iron mixed with clay, and that the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly fired clay — part of the kingdom will be strong, and part will be brittle." Daniel 2:40-42 (CSB)

When Daniel spoke, he only mentioned one kingdom (singular) in that verse. There were no ten kingdoms talked about! The Bible simply says that one kingdom was divided (not conquered!) after a "clay" element was mixed with the "iron" kingdom.

The "Clay" Mixed with "Iron

Unlike the complete change from Babylon (gold) to Persia/Media (silver), when the Roman Empire was divided, the iron remained. This shows that the Roman Empire continued to rule, but with an added element (clay). Therefore, the Iron/Clay Feet weren't a new or different kingdom, but rather a division of the existing kingdom with new areas of power.

As I mentioned before, the Bible states that the iron and clay feet were part of the same iron kingdom (Rome), but with clay mixed in. The "clay" represents weaker states that had some internal freedom but remained under the power of the Roman Empire.

It's also important to remember that the book of Daniel was written by a Jew, for Jews. It describes their experience within their covenant relationship with God. The whole point of the Book of Daniel is about the Jewish people and their dealings with the various pagan world powers that controlled the land God promised them. So, we need to interpret the statue in Daniel 2 within the context of the Jewish nation's history. We should look for an interpretation of the iron and clay feet as a power connected to the Jewish nation before their destruction in AD 70.

In the Old Testament, Bible prophets often referred to Israel as "clay". For example, in the book of Isaiah, we see:

"Yet LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we all are the work of your hands." Isaiah 64:8 (CSB)

For Jewish people, dirt or soil wasn't just a symbol of humanity in general, as seen in books like Job and Isaiah. More importantly, it represented Israel itself, as suggested in other passages from Isaiah and Jeremiah. So, when Daniel mentions "clay," he was probably referring to his own people, the Israelites.

What is the 'Stone' and How Was It Fulfilled?

The 'Stone' refers to the kingdom of God. Many people, including the Adventists, often interpret Daniel 2 as a prophecy about Jesus's physical return at the end of time. However, Daniel's prophecies in both chapters 2 and 7 indicate that God's kingdom actually began during the Roman Empire.

Let's break down what Daniel 7:13-14 says straightforwardly: 

"I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly, one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed." Daniel 7:13-14 (CSB)

The passage from Daniel 7:13-14 describes someone "like a son of man" (Jesus) being presented to the "Ancient of days" (God) and receiving an everlasting kingdom. This isn't about a literal, physical kingdom appearing on Earth later. Instead, it refers to the establishment of God's spiritual kingdom through Jesus Christ.

If you read Daniel's words carefully, it says something important:

• You'll see Christ going up, not coming down!
• The Son of Man is approaching the Ancient of Days, not leaving Him!
• He isn't descending from the clouds to Earth, but ascending from the clouds to His Father!

This was fulfilled when Jesus came to Earth, died, was resurrected, and ascended to heaven. At that point, he was given "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom." His kingdom isn't a political or earthly one, but a spiritual one that began with his first coming and continues to grow through the spread of the Gospel. It's a kingdom that "will not pass away" and "will not be destroyed," meaning its influence and power are eternal and won't be overthrown by human empires.

The book of Acts also describes how Christ went up to heaven by means of a cloud.

"After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”  Acts 1:9-11(CSB)

When the disciples asked Jesus, "What is the sign of your coming?" Matthew 24:3 (CSB), they were essentially asking, "When will you establish your kingdom?" or "When will you take your place as king?"

So, when did that happen? It occurred after Jesus died, rose from the dead, and went up to heaven. At that point, He sat on the throne at God's right hand. He was given complete authority in both heaven and on Earth.

Jesus entered His kingdom when He ascended to heaven and sat at the Father's right hand. This momentous event happened nearly two thousand years ago, during the time of His disciples.

To prove this point, just read what Jesus said in Matthew 16:28:

"Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:28 (CSB)

Mark also recorded Jesus's words:

"Then he said to them, 'Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.” Mark 9:1 (CSB)

Apostle Peter understood that Jesus' Ascension to heaven meant that Christ was being established as the heavenly King in His kingdom. Referring to a prophecy by King David, Peter stated:

"Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay. “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says: The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Acts 2:30-36 (CSB)

It's crucial to understand how the Bible interprets Christ's throne. David specifically mentioned Christ's throne being in heaven. This heavenly establishment is exactly what King David prophesied in Psalm 110:1, as Peter explained to his audience on the Day of Pentecost. From His throne in heaven, Christ rules over the entire world.

Apostle Paul also wrote about Christ's Ascension, stating:

"He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens — far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way." Ephesians 1:20-23 (CSB)

So, if Christ is already seated above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and if everything is under His feet, why do Adventists continue to wait for His Kingdom to arrive in the future?

According to Apostle Paul:

"He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." Colossians 1:13 (CSB)

The Bible says the Kingdom has already arrived, while Adventists claim it hasn't yet. So, who should we believe—Adventists or the Bible? Despite this, our Adventist friends still object to the idea that Christ began reigning 2000 years ago. Here's what their book says:

"Christ’s kingdom is not to exist simultaneously with any human empire. When He was on earth during the sway of the Roman Empire, the stone kingdom that crushes all nations had not yet come. Only after the phase of the iron and clay feet—the period of the divided nations of Europe—would it arrive. It is to be set up at the Second Advent when Christ separates the righteous from the wicked (Matt. 25:31-34). When it comes, this stone or kingdom will strike the “image on its feet of iron and clay,” and “it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,” leaving not a trace of them (Dan. 2:34, 35, 44). Indeed, the Second Advent is an earthshaking event." (SDA 28 Fundamental Beliefs (2005) p. 376)

The Adventist book claims that "Christ’s kingdom is not to exist simultaneously with any human empire," which directly contradicts the Bible. As we discussed with Peter's teaching in Acts 2:30-36, Psalm 110:1 prophesied that the Son of God's kingdom would rule even while His enemies are still alive.

"This is the declaration of the LORD to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies." Psalms 110:1-2 (CSB)

This verse refers to Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven after His resurrection. Psalm 110:1 declared that the Lord would exalt Jesus to His right hand, where He would reign until all His enemies were defeated.

These "enemies" include the Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus and the Roman Empire that crucified Him and persecuted the early Christians. The "footstool" is a symbol of Christ's victory over His enemies. Therefore, anyone who claims that "Christ’s kingdom is not to exist simultaneously with any human empire" is mistaken.

This interpretation is supported by the New Testament writers. For instance, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 states:

"Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death. For God has put everything under his feet. Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception. When everything is subject to Christ, then the Son himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all." 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (CSB)

This passage states that the Son continues to rule from His heavenly throne by subduing all His enemies under His feet. The fiercest enemy that must be defeated is death itself. These words don't align with the Adventist teaching that "Christ’s kingdom is not to exist simultaneously with any human empire." How can Jesus subdue His enemies if He's not reigning?

The Kingdom's Growth Amidst Evil

The Bible teaches that God's kingdom will fill the entire world until the end of time. However, evil will also remain in the world until Jesus's Second Coming. This is shown in the parable of the sower, where a man planted good seeds in his field. The seeds grew and produced a harvest, but an enemy also sowed weeds in the same field, and these weeds grew too. As Jesus explained this parable to His disciples, it became clear that good and evil will coexist in the world. Both will be allowed to grow together until the day Jesus returns, when they will be separated (Matthew 13:24-43).

In another story, Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a tiny **mustard seed** that grows into the biggest tree in a garden. In the same way, God's kingdom is **expanding across the world** and will eventually become the largest and most powerful kingdom globally, even though other "plants" (which represent evil) aren't part of God's kingdom.

"He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.” Matthew 13:31-33 (CSB)

This is exactly what we've seen happen throughout history since Jesus ascended to His throne. Christianity started in a small region in the Middle East with just one Leader and twelve followers. Now, two thousand years later, it's the largest religion, spanning the entire globe. Out of eight billion people, over two billion today declare themselves to be Christians.

Conclusion:

From a careful study of Daniel 2, we understand that the stone striking and destroying the metal statue refers to the start of God's kingdom through Christ in the first century, while the Roman Empire was still in power. This also fulfills prophecies from many Old Testament passages, such as Daniel 7:13-14 and Psalm 110:1-2.

This interpretation is supported by the apostles in their New Testament writings, where they teach that Christ ascended to heaven and sat on His throne at God's right hand after He rose from the dead. So, Jesus has been reigning among His enemies for over 2000 years now. We are simply waiting for Him to defeat His fiercest enemy, death, at His Second Coming in the future.

Hopefully, our Adventist friends will consider this truth and abandon their mistaken interpretation of Daniel 2. This way, they can better understand God's magnificent plan for their salvation and fully praise the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. I'd also like to remind you of the wise advice from your well-known prophet, Mrs. Ellen G. White: don't assume your doctrines are without error, but instead, be open to accepting new light as you understand it.

"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 a 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."(Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 35)