Week 2 Discussion Notes and PS Readings for Week 3

Week 2, When Does the Kingdom of God Begin?

Another full house, a few unexpected visitors (who shall rename nameless), and a lively discussion despite the first comment being:

“DANIEL?  Who reads DANIEL?”

Well, we did, and we discussed, after hearing Daniel 2:36-45 read in German while we followed along in our various translations, feeling like we were listening to dream language.

Beyond that, the opening comments were brought through an off-site follower of the discussion, which tied well into (1) what is happening physically, (2) what does it mean and (3) “so what”, how does it apply to me:

The passage is a precursor to what is to come.  It reflects the idea that God’s Kingdom will endure while kings of man and their ideas/power will pass away.  Daniel goes on later and his writing unfolds the depth of faith of some and their influence to convert Nebuchadnezzar.  God’s kingdom is everywhere and always.  Everyone is part of His Kingdom.

Inspired by this clarity, we tried to discuss level one, what is happening in this passage.  You could make a movie out of this passage—it is so picturesque.  What does this statue thing he’s talking about look like?

An idol.  Like a totem.  Chunks get knocked off.  The gold is at the head of it.  It was a frightening sight.  The clash of all these physical elements is so vivid.  It’s like a volcano turning into a cataclysmic event.   Lots of violence in it, seems like a beast that got crammed together.  It’s like a history lesson, these empires.  They will all be overtaken—it’s almost expected they will all be overtaken.  The empires have consumed resources more than they have give.  But God’s Kingdom will last forever.  The kingdoms are all made out of different things that don’t match, don’t mix.  What does it mean?  

It’s not strong enough to last. Surely they’re all trying to be #1–all aiming for the head.  They won’t be compatible.   Some of the imagery shows the mismatch, some parts brittle, some parts strong.  It’s getting into power and getting complacent and then the next one comes along and breaks them.  

So how does this work in us?

It’s happening right now.  We thought our empire was the best ever seen.  The British thought this.  (The British think this correctly.). But we are brittle, something is breaking us.  But we’re here in this room, and that means there is something else—the Kingdom of God that we believe in.  Every empire has four empires within it, like the dream of Nebuchadnezzar.

There was an essay on the stages of empire surveying the kingdoms of the world:  cycles and patterns—revolution, excitement (storming and forming creating something new nation-state), stabilize, flourishing, amassing wealth, decadence, decay, corruption—time for reform and revolution, and the old empire is overthrown.  Will the Kingdom of God break that cycle?

It already has.  God allows kingdoms to be built, allows kings to have power.  Sets the stage for the context of the Kingdom of God.  What grows out of the ruins is the seed of the Kingdom of God.  Why it is here now is because it is the holy catholic church.  (Jesus:  The Kingdom of God is at hand.). The Kingdom has broken into the nations of the world within the life of the church.

How does it apply inside us?

“Allowing” these empires to be built and have power—that’s LOVE.  Love is allowing your child to do what they do, not coercing them.  Part of the Kingdom is be open, loving instead of forcing and coercion.  Empires are built on force.  Jesus made the Kingdom very relatable and personable; He was inclusive, invited everybody.

We are growing the Kingdom of God in us.  Don’t we go through these stages like the dream idol?  Some  parts destroyed, some growth again.  Discussed personal times of growth in the Kingdom, after personal destruction.  Discussed the effect the global pandemic had on us individually and trying to move forward.  The gift to Christians is we can identify with this Kingdom, yes to come in fullness, but here and now.  Christians particularly now are struggling with identifying with a kingdom of the world and putting it on top of this Kingdom of God.   We conflate the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms of the world.  It is clear what happens to the kingdoms of the world!  We are in the Kingdom now and also for eternity.

Maybe this dream and Daniel’s interpretation on the Kingdom of God happens to us internally every day.

 Week 3:  June 21:  Entrance Exam for the Kingdom of God

What does it take to get admitted to the Kingdom of God?

Reading:  John 3:1-13