Exegesis and Exposition of zephaniah 3: 17-18
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| The Second Advent of Jesus Christ Predicted in Daniel 2
Daniel 2:34 “You were in a trance like state staring as a rock cut out but not by human hands struck the statue on its iron and clay feet so that it crushed them.” (Author’s translation) In Daniel 2:34, the rock or stone refers to Jesus Christ, the God-man. The destruction of the feet by this stone represents His Second Advent, which will bring an end to Daniel’s Seventieth Week, all Gentile rule over Jerusalem and the world and will establish His millennial reign. In Daniel 2:35, the stone becomes a great mountain and fills the earth which refers to the millennial reign of Christ which constitutes God’s kingdom on earth. The stone striking the feet of the statue establishes God’s kingdom on earth forever according to a comparison of Daniel 2:34-35 with Daniel 2:44-45. The chronology found in Daniel 2:34-35 and 2:44-45 teaches that the Second Advent establishes God’s kingdom on earth. This corresponds to what is taught in Revelation 19:11-20:6 and Zechariah 14:1-11. That the stone refers to Jesus Christ and the stone destroying the feet of the statue refers to His Second Advent and the stone becoming a great mountain filling the earth coincides with these two passages of Scripture. Daniel 2:44-45 makes clear that by this stone destroying the feet of the statue which represents the yet future Revived Form of the Roman Empire, God will establish His kingdom on earth, which will never be destroyed. Secondly, the chronology found in Revelation 19:11-20:6 teaches that at His Second Advent, Jesus Christ will destroy Antichrist and the false prophet, imprison Satan for a thousand years and establish His millennial reign. Also, the chronology of Zechariah 14:1-11 teaches that Jesus Christ will establish His millennial reign by means of His Second Advent. The first seven verses of Zechariah 14 prophesy of Christ’s Second Advent and verses 9-11, speak of His millennial reign. Zechariah 14:12-15 parallels Revelation 19:11-21, which both speak of Christ’s Second Advent whereas Zechariah 14:16 speaks of the millennial reign of Christ, which parallels Revelation 20:1-6, which does the same. Therefore, in Daniel 2:34 and 2:44-45, the stone refers to Jesus Christ and the destruction of the feet by this stone represents His Second Advent, which will bring an end to Daniel’s Seventieth as well as all Gentile rule over Jerusalem and the world and establish His millennial reign, which constitutes God’s kingdom on earth. The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to in other places of Scripture as the Rock or as a stone. The term “rock” is an Old Testament for God and a Messianic title signifying that God’s people can rely on him for absolute protection and salvation. In Scripture a rock often refers to Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14; 28:16; Matthew 21:33-45; 1 Peter 2:4-8). Rock as a title for Israel’s God appears in Psalm 78:35, Genesis 49:24, Deuteronomy 32:15, 18, 30, 2 Samuel 23:3, Psalm 42:9, Isaiah 30:29 and Habakkuk 1:12. The Messiah is the rock/stone on which God’s living temple stands (Isaiah 8:14; 28:16; cf. Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:6-7). The Messiah’s kingdom is eternal and immovable like a rock (Daniel 2:34-35; cf. Daniel 2:44-45). There are consequences for rejecting the rock/stone, i.e. the Messiah (Matthew 21:44; cf. Luke 20:18; Romans 9:32-33; 1 Peter 2:4-8) Download 360 Kb. Share with your friends:
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