Daniel had a dream in which he saw the rise of four nations, symbolized by four beasts, which came up from the Great Sea, which had been stirred up in great tumult by the four winds of heaven.

So we see that first of all, looking at the origin of four kingdoms (the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman) that they are earthly in nature. They rise up from the sea and are contrasted with the kingdom of Christ, which is a kingdom that comes down from above. Christ’s kingdom is given by God the Father.

Secondly, we see here that these kingdoms are tumultuous in their nature. They are usually brought about by force, by revolution, by war, by usurpation of one sort or another, or by conquest. By contrast, the kingdom of the Son of Man is given to Him.

These earthly kingdoms rise and fall. But when Christ’s kingdom is established, it is an everlasting kingdom, which extends from generation to generation on into the endless ages of eternity and it has no ending whatsoever. As Christians, we can be grateful to be a part of the kingdom that will never fail.

Sovereign Lord, we praise You that the nations are like dust on a scale before You. We praise You, Jesus, for Your eternal kingdom, which began in such a small way but is a mountain that will one day fill the whole earth…