Parallelism

How often have we heard the term “parallel universe” used today? It seems like its in every movie or TV program that has to do with time and space. But what do we truly know about what it is or if it is? Has the one really and truly ever crossed into the other?

Those questions hit me the other morning as I was once again studying the Book of Daniel, and in particular the vision that God had given Nebuchadnezzar; the vision of statue.

Dan 2:31-34 31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. ESV

And I, as probably most of you, have always understood that statue to be exactly what Daniel interpreted it to be… four kingdoms. But what often gets lost is the fact that there were five kingdoms represented in the statue. The four were the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires. And the dream ends with the destruction of the fourth empire by the “stone” that is the fifth kingdom.

Well, we all know that the stone that was cut out by no human hand was our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. But what I was reminded of was the fact that the fifth kingdom, the kingdom of God, has existed all along and has moved in parallel with the kingdoms of this world. It began in the Garden of Eden and the work to establish it on earth has continued ever since. That is what Daniel was referring to:

Dan 2:44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, ESV

Has His kingdom been established here on earth? Not yet, but it is “being established,” and here in Daniel we have the prophetic announcement that it will be established on earth and stand forever. And we are also given that moment when His Kingdom crossed over into the kingdoms of this world. The decisive moment for the kingdom of God, that moment when the two parallel universes crossed over and the unseen universe was revealed. It happened during the Roman Empire, when Palestine was an occupied country and Jesus came in Galilee to reveal it:

Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” ESV

God revealed His Kingdom to man, along with the promise that it is at hand… (eggizo; approaching, drawing near to be)… that it will soon be established on earth. 

In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel and his friends were given a message to hold onto during the dark days that lay ahead, and it’s the same message for us today. As the bride of Christ we are already citizens of His Kingdom, even though we live in a world dominated by other kingdoms just like Daniel did. And our life in this world is one of constant tension between the one we live in today and the one that is running parallel to it. But we have the assurance from the Word of God that in the end His Kingdom will be established here on earth and all other kingdoms will cease to exist. And in the interim we carry His Kingdom in our heart (parallel to the kingdoms of this age) and are witnesses to the fact that “it is coming and will be established.” Just read the end of The Book…

Rev 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” ESV

And as we lift up our prayer to the Lord we can look back on this moment in Daniel’s life and be reminded of the assurance of God’s Word as we pray for its fulfilment…

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come