The Kingdom in Daniel 2 is a real, worldwide, physical-spiritual-political kingdom that God sets up on earth, ruled by Christ.
Daniel 2:35 and 2:44 show the stone becoming a great mountain filling the whole earth — a kingdom set up by the God of heaven that will never be destroyed. Les Feldick describes this as one kingdom that is simultaneously spiritual (no curse or sin), physical (a productive earth), and political (Christ rules with absolute power).
Daniel 2:35 — It shows the stone that smites the image becoming a great mountain that fills the whole earth, indicating the kingdom's worldwide physical extent.
Daniel 2:44 — It explicitly says the God of heaven will set up a kingdom during the final Gentile kings, and that kingdom will never be destroyed or left to other people.
Daniel 2 records Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great image made of four metals. A stone cut without hands smites the image, and the stone becomes a great mountain that fills the whole earth (Daniel 2:35). Daniel 2:44 explains that this stone represents a kingdom set up by the God of heaven in the days of the final Gentile kings; it will not be left to other people, but will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever. The Old Testament prophets describe the earthly character of this kingdom. Zechariah 14:9 declares that the Lord shall be king over all the earth. Micah 4:3 pictures swords beaten into plowshares and spears into pruninghooks, indicating a productive, peaceful earth. Isaiah 11:6 says the wolf shall dwell with the lamb. Ezekiel 47:10 describes fishermen standing at the Dead Sea from En Gedi to En Eglaim, spreading nets because of the abundance of fish — a picture of physical restoration and life.
Les emphasizes that the stone kingdom is the one and only kingdom, and it is all three wrapped together: spiritual, physical, and political. He teaches that it will be on earth and will cover the whole earth, not just Palestine. It will be a glorious, productive earth with tremendous production, no want, no poverty, no famine, and no curse or sin. Christ will be King of kings and Lord of lords over the whole earth, ruling with absolute power as a kingdom of one. Les also points to Zechariah 14:9, Ezekiel 47, and Psalm 2:8 to show the earthly, worldwide, and physical character of this kingdom.
Les Feldick teaches that the kingdom is all three wrapped up together, and still the one and only kingdom. It is spiritual because there is no curse and no sin; it is physical because it is a glorious, productive earth where the wolf and lamb feed together and weapons are beaten into plowshares; it is political because Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords over the whole earth. Scripture shows the same reality: the stone fills the whole earth (Daniel 2:35), the Lord is king over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9), and peace extends to the animal world (Isaiah 11:6).
No. Les emphasizes the last two or three words of Daniel 2:35 — the stone becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth. He says the kingdom will cover the whole earth, not just Palestine. He also points to Zechariah 14:9, where the Lord shall be king over all the earth, and to Psalm 2:8, where the uttermost parts of the earth are given to the Messiah as His possession.
The earth will be glorious and productive. Les says there will be tremendous production, no want, no poverty, no famine. Weapons will be beaten into plowshares to cultivate the ground. Ezekiel 47 pictures the Dead Sea made alive, with fishermen spreading nets from En Gedi to En Eglaim because of the abundance of fish. Isaiah 11 shows the animal world at peace, with the wolf dwelling with the lamb.
Les contrasts the weakness of human empires with Christ's kingdom of one. He says that politically the Gentile empires grew weaker as more people became involved in decision-making; democracy, though loved, is the worst for getting things done. When Christ sets up His kingdom, He will have absolute power — there will be no confabs. Believers will rule and reign with Him over the glorious kingdom.
The Lord King Over All the Earth
Les shows from Zechariah 14:9 and Ezekiel 47 that Daniel's kingdom is on the earth, with the Lord reigning over the whole earth and the Dead Sea made alive with fishermen spreading nets.
A Physical Kingdom That Fills the Earth
Les teaches that Daniel 2's kingdom covers the whole earth, is productive, and is simultaneously physical, spiritual, and political, with Christ ruling the planet.
The Stone Becomes a Kingdom Filling the Whole Earth
Les emphasizes Daniel 2:35's closing words — the stone kingdom fills the whole earth, not just Israel — and that it is the one and only kingdom.
Kingdom of Heaven Equals Kingdom on Earth
Les explains that the kingdom of heaven is not an ethereal, invisible kingdom only; it is spiritual, physical, and political, and comes to fruition when Christ returns to set it up on earth.
A Kingdom That Is Spiritual, Physical, and Political
Les describes the kingdom as yes spiritual, yes physical, yes political: believers rule and reign with Christ, animal peace is physical, Christ's worldwide rule is political, and sinlessness makes it spiritual.
Context: The Gentile Empires Precede the Kingdom
Les sets Daniel 2 in context: the image's four metals depict the great Gentile empires, and the kingdom follows them when Israel is restored and the son of David reigns.
A Worldwide Inheritance for the King
Les quotes Psalm 2:8 to show the kingdom is the Messiah's inheritance of the uttermost parts of the earth, distinct from the church and the age of grace.
Christ's Absolute Rule in the Kingdom
Les contrasts the weakened human empires with Christ's kingdom of one, in which He has absolute power and there are no confabs or democratic delays.
Daniel 2:35: Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Shows the stone kingdom becoming a great mountain that fills the whole earth — the very image of the kingdom's worldwide extent.
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.
Declares that God Himself sets up this kingdom during the time of the final Gentile kings, and it will never be destroyed.
Zechariah 14:9: And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Confirms the Lord will be king over all the earth, showing the kingdom's earthly and worldwide scope.
Ezekiel 47:10: And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
Describes the physical transformation of the Dead Sea, with fishermen spreading nets — evidence of the kingdom's physical renewal.
Isaiah 11:6: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Pictures the peace of the animal creation in the coming kingdom.
Micah 4:3: And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Depicts weapons transformed into farming tools, emphasizing the kingdom's productivity and peace.
Psalm 2:8: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
God promises the Messiah the nations and uttermost parts of the earth as His possession — the kingdom's worldwide reach.
No. Les says the kingdom will come to its fruition when Christ returns and sets it up on the earth. It is not the present age of grace, but the kingdom that God promised to the Messiah.
Yes, according to Les, if we are truly born from above, we will rule and reign with Christ over that glorious kingdom.
Les references Isaiah 11, where the wolf and lamb dwell together and little children play among wild animals, as one of the physical elements of the kingdom.
Watch the Teaching: Why Is Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Still Relevant Today? Daniel 2