What happens to the achievements of previous empires in the final empire?
Their achievements—banking and interest, Greek culture, and Roman law—are all incorporated into the final empire. But at Christ’s Second Coming, the entire image, iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold, is broken to pieces, becomes like chaff, and is totally annihilated, with no place found for it.
Les teaches that the previous empires leave lasting contributions: banking and interest, Greek culture, and Rome’s system of courts and law, including the principle that a man is innocent until proven guilty. All of this is incorporated into the final empire. However, when Christ comes, the iron and clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold are broken to pieces together, becoming like the chaff of the summer threshing floor and totally annihilated. The wind carries them away so that no place is found for them. The stone—Christ at His Second Coming—smites the image, destroys the world system, becomes a great mountain or kingdom, and fills the whole earth.