Lesson
#46, “A Kingdom, Which Shall Never Be Destroyed”
Current
Statistics of the Church (April 2014)
15,082,028 Members Worldwide
29,253 Congregations
189 Published Languages
88,000 Missionaries
406 Missions
15 Missionary Training Centers
144 Temples[1]
Quotes:
Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Church has
become one large family
scattered across the earth. There are now more than 13 million of us in
176 nations and territories. A marvelous and wonderful thing is coming to pass.
The Lord is fulfilling His promise that His gospel shall be as the stone cut
out of the mountain without hands which would roll forth and fill the whole
earth, as Daniel saw in vision (see Daniel 2:31–45;
D&C
65:2). A great miracle is taking place right before our eyes.”[2]
Carol F. McConkie, “We are grateful
for a church ‘built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone.’ The Lord’s house is a house of
order, and we need never be deceived about where to look for answers to our
questions or uncertain about which voice to follow. We need not be ‘tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.’ God reveals His word through
His ordained servants, ‘for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.’ When we choose to live
according to the words of the prophets, we are on the covenant path that leads
to eternal perfection.”[3]
This chapter is universally accepted
as foretelling the coming of Christ’s Kingdom which is literally being
fulfilled in the Restored Church of Jesus Christ (The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints). Daniel was included in the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the Hebrew
Bible, Daniel 2:1-4 are in Hebrew, but as soon as Nebuchadnezzar starts talking
it is in Aramaic.
Chaldeans are Nebuchadnezzar’s
counselors. Multi-material Idol: Jews interpret the kingdoms to go up to
Alexander and the break-up of his empire (iron and clay), mainstream
Christianity goes to the break-up of the Roman Empire. For Latter-day Saints,
see President Spencer W. Kimball and D&C 65:
- The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom of Babylon.
- The breast and arms of silver represented Cyrus and his kingdom of Media and Persia.
- The belly and thighs of brass represented Philip and Alexander and the Greek or Macedonian kingdom.
- The legs of iron represented the Roman Empire.
- The feet of iron and clay represented a group of European nations.[4]
Pres. Kimball: “I know it is the
little stone that was cut out of a mountain without hands. I know it will fill
the earth as prophesied and commanded by the Savior Jesus Christ when, in his
last moments on earth, he said to his eleven apostles, “Go ye into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature”—to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. (See Mark 16:15.)
I know it is true from the birth of Adam to the days of Daniel to the days of
Joseph Smith and to this day. I know it is true and divine.”
Question:
What can we gain from the fact that
Nebuchadnezzar posed an impossible question—“tell me what I was dreaming and
what it meant” and Daniel and his friends were able to comply?
Mosiah
29:21–23
“And behold, now I say unto you, ye
cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the
shedding of much blood. For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he
keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have
reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the
commandments of God; And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his
people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and whosoever doth
not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and whosoever doth rebel against
him he will send his armies against them to war, and if he can he will destroy
them; and thus an unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.”
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