The Rock Cut Out of the Mountain
The Rock Cut Out of the Mountain
Dr. J. Mike Minnix, Editor, www.pastorlife.com
Sermon 3 in a series of 9 Sermons entitled: Living Right When Life Seems Wrong
Introduction
Daniel 2:31-49
The passage before us was written 600 years before Christ was born. Yet, it points to events which would come to pass over centuries of time. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the image was one of gold, silver, bronze and iron. Finally, the image had toes made up of a mixture of iron and clay. Daniel explained that the medals in the image involved kingdoms that would exist until and stone cut out of the mountain without hands would come down upon the toes, crushing the entire image. Then Daniel pointed out that the stone from the mountain would become a great mountain.
This image points directly, prophetically, toward the events of history. In Luke 21:24, Jesus spoke about the times of the Gentiles. This image is the representation of those times to the very end.
The gold head represented Nebuchadnezzar.
The silver represented the Medo-Persians who would rise with the fall of Babylon.
The bronze represented the Greek nation.
The iron represented the iron legions of Rome.
Finally, the kingdoms would become dissolved into a confederation. This confederation will be destroyed when our Lord, the great Stone cut from the mountain comes down upon the world powers to bring about His kingdom. Finally, the Stone grows into a mountain which represents the Kingdom of God and of His Christ.
How do we know that this Stone is Jesus? In the Book of Genesis, chapter 49, the Lord predicted that there would be a Stone in Israel. In Psalm 118 the Bible talks about the stone which the builders rejected, which becomes the Chief Cornerstone. In Isaiah 28 we read about a Great Stone that is the foundation stone. We know that the stones mentioned here are representations of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Look in 1 Corinthians 10:4 and see this fully stated. Now note with me four ways we can know that this stone is Jesus and what the symbolism represents.
I. Representative of His Birth
Jesus originated by supernatural means. He is the Stone cut out of the mountain without hands. That Stone is represented as a supernatural work. The birth of Jesus was supernatural because it was the birth of the Son of God to a virgin. Look at Luke 2:28-35. Jesus was born of a virgin. Yet, he was rejected. He was the rejected Cornerstone.
II. Representative of His Cross
You will recall that God’s people needed water and had none when they left Egypt. God spoke above a stone and told Moses to strike the rock and water, promising that water would flow from it. Moses did so, and water was supplied. This incident foreshadowed the cross of our Lord. Jesus is the rock smitten on the cross. From Him comes a fountain for all who are thirsty and need the Water of Life.
Again, the people came back to Moses and said that they needed water. Moses was so angry that he did not listen to God, who told him to speak to rock. Moses struck the rock instead. For this offense, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Why? He was not permitted to enter the Promised Land because striking the rock ruined a prophetic image God was presenting. You see, Jesus did not die twice, but died only once for the sins of the world. Moses had ruined one of God’s beautiful pictures of Christ when he stuck the rock twice. Jesus died ONCE for all. He is the smitten rock.
III. Representative of His Salvation
Jesus, the Rock of Ages, is the foundation for the human soul. He is the Cornerstone to all who are truly saved. Every believer is established upon the foundation, and that foundation is Jesus. Jesus saves and ONLY Jesus saves. We are either established upon this stone or the stone will fall upon us and crush us.
IV. Representative of His Kingdom
Jesus is the Sovereign Lord forever. All other kingdoms will fall. All other kingdoms will collapse, but His Kingdom will know no end!!! God is going to establish a Kingdom.
A. He will Crush the Kingdoms of Men
When will this happen? When our Lord comes in judgment, the nations will be removed. Jesus is coming again! He will defeat the powers of this world. The results will be like the chaff on the threshing floor. Let me tell you something, the world is not involved in evolution, it is involved in devolution. It is not moving upward, it is moving downward.
Do you know what Nebuchadnezzar called his god? He called his god the great mountain. Daniel was telling him that the great mountain would not be Babylonian, but would belong to the One cut out of the mountainside without hands. He was showing Nebuchadnezzar that One was coming who would be the Mountain.
B. He will Cover the Earth with His Kingdom
Isaiah 11 tells us the truth of this statement. Isaiah 11:9 points out that the Mountain will represents the knowledge of the Lord covering the whole earth.
C. He will Complete the Scriptures and History
In 1 Corinthians 15:24 we read that the Messiah will set up His Kingdom. He shall put down all rule, power and authority and put all enemies under His feet.
Conclusion
Christ's return can be viewed by believers in at least two ways. A. B. Simpson says, "There is a looking FOR it and a looking AT it. We may regard it with a keen intellectual interest and yet have it mean nothing to us personally. On the other hand, we may know little about the theology involved in the subject and still enjoy a deep longing for the Lord's appearing. Let me illustrate. When a wedding occurs, the public looks AT it, but the bride has been looking FOR it. May the theme of the return of Christ not only be our study but also our personal hope, for unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
An unknown poet has written:
“What would He find, should He come just now;
A faded leaf or a fruitless bough;
A servant sleeping, an idle plow;
What would He find should He come just now?
What would He find should He come tonight;
Your garment soiled or a spotless white;
Your lamps all burning or with no light;
What would He find should He come tonight?”
If He comes tonight, are you ready to meet Him? You can be. He is the Rock of Ages, establish yourself upon the rock that doesn't roll. Turn to Jesus by faith and you will be ready whenever He appears!