Les Feldick teaches that the world's kingdoms are based on greed, while Scripture marks them as temporary empires that Christ's eternal kingdom will consume.
From Alexander the Great to Rome, Les shows that human empires were driven by wanting what others had. The Bible's own testimony in Daniel 2:44 is that these kingdoms will be broken in pieces by a kingdom God sets up, which shall never be destroyed.
Daniel 2:44 — This is the key verse Les uses to show that the world's kingdoms will be consumed by Christ's eternal kingdom.
In Daniel 2:44, the Bible says: "And 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." This promise identifies the kingdoms of the world as temporary and subject to being broken and consumed, while God's kingdom is eternal.
Les teaches that every one of the great Gentile empires—the Babylonians, Medo-Persians, Greeks, and Romans—was precipitated and based on nothing but greed. He uses Alexander the Great as an example: he grew up in Macedonia, the poorest part of Greece, and because he wanted more, he prepared himself and became a world conqueror. The Romans likewise saw the good things the Greeks possessed—their architecture and philosophers—and said, "I want that," and went after it. Les also draws on the temptation account to show that Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of this world because Satan is the god of this world and the kingdoms were his to give. Ultimately, these kingdoms will be broken and consumed by Christ's kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.
Les says little Alexander the Great grew up in Macedonia, the poorest part of Greece, and had nothing. What began to gnaw at him was, "I want more than this." That greed drove him to prepare himself and become a conqueror of the world. When Rome came along, they looked at all the good things the Greeks had—beautiful architecture and smart philosophers—and said, "I want that," so they went after it.
In the temptation narrative, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of this world. Les asks whether those kingdoms were Satan's to give, and answers yes. He teaches that Satan is the god of this world and has been ruling and reigning the nations since Adam left the garden, so Satan could honestly offer them to Jesus in exchange for worship.
Daniel 2:44 says the kingdom God sets up shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Les explains that these great Gentile kingdoms were precipitated and based on nothing but greed, and he sees that same greed behind everything in the world today. Christ's kingdom will never be destroyed; though the thousand-year reign is limited in time, the same kingdom circumstances continue into the new heaven and new earth.
Christ's Kingdom Continues Into Eternity
Les teaches that although the thousand-year reign of Christ is limited in time, the same kingdom conditions carry over into the new heaven and new earth.
Greed as the Driving Force of Empires
Les explains that all the great empires were based on greed, using Alexander the Great and Rome as examples of wanting what others had.
World Kingdoms Based on Greed
Les says the great Gentile kingdoms were precipitated and based on nothing but greed, and that greed drives the whole world system today.
Satan Shows the Kingdoms of This World
Les notes that Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of this world—the historical empires of Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—not something ethereal.
Why Is Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Still Relevant Today? Daniel 2
But instead of having an absolute dictator of one, now you've got two kings who came together and it was Darius and Cyrus, the Medes and the Persians, and naturally before they made any kind of a move militarily, economically, or politically, what did they have to do? They had to agree. Now you see, it's a lot harder to get two people to agree than it is for one.
Daniel 2 Explained: The Stone Kingdom That Fills the Earth
But instead of having an absolute dictator of one, now you've got two kings who came together and it was Darius and Cyrus, the Medes and the Persians, and naturally before they made any kind of a move militarily, economically, or politically, what did they have to do? They had to agree. Now you see, it's a lot harder to get two people to agree than it is for one.
Satan as the God of This World
Les teaches that Satan could offer the world's empires to Jesus because Satan is the god of this world and has headed the nations since Adam left the garden.
Satan's Authority Over the Kingdoms
Les reinforces that it was within Satan's power to give Jesus those kingdoms, since Satan has been the god of this world since Adam fell.
Daniel 2:44: And 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.
This verse is the biblical foundation for the teaching that the world's greed-based kingdoms will be consumed by Christ's eternal kingdom.
Les teaches that every one of the great Gentile empires was based on greed. He shows how Alexander the Great and the Romans both wanted what others had, and that same greed drives the world system today.
Daniel 2:44 shows these kingdoms will be broken in pieces and consumed by God's eternal kingdom. Les identifies greed as the driving force behind them, pointing to the history of Alexander and Rome.
According to Les, Satan is the god of this world and the kingdoms were his to give, so he could honestly offer them to Jesus if Jesus would worship him. Les teaches that Satan has been ruling the nations since Adam left the garden.
No. Daniel 2:44 shows they will be broken and consumed by God's eternal kingdom. Les adds that Christ's thousand-year reign is limited in time, but the kingdom economy continues into eternity.
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