Church of Christ

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Daniel 2:44

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: . . ."

Problem:

Since the period of these kings is symbolically portrayed as feet of iron and clay, (which is assumed to represent the Roman Empire), then the kingdom of God must have been established during the existence of the Roman Empire - i.e., on the day of Pentecost.

Solution:

1. The period depicted as iron mixed with clay indicates a disunited period, having the influence of the iron (Roman influence) but the weakening effect of the miry clay. The Roman Empire was not in this state on the Day of Pentecost, it was rather in the period designated by the legs of iron. (vs. 33). Later to be divided into East and West, but nevertheless still in the iron phase.
   
2. Even if it be assumed that "in the days of these kings" referred to the Roman Empire, the ecclesia established then did not break in pieces and destroy all other kingdoms. Clearly, the kingdom of God cannot be the ecclesia. Persecution and death, not "breaking in pieces and destroying" describes the history of the ecclesia. See e.g. Acts 4:17; 5:17,18; 7:58; 8:1; 9:1,2; 16:22,23, etc., Furthermore, Dan 7:20, 21 indicates that the fourth beast would give rise to a horn "that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things" which would make war with the saints, and "prevailed against them". Such language indicates the erroneousness of the Church of Christ interpretation which identifies the Kingdom of God with the "church".
   
3. The Babylonian, Persian and Grecian Empires were non-existent as political entities in the period of the political domination of the Roman Empire (B.C. 67-A.D. 493). Clearly, only the influence of the Babylonian, Persian and Grecian Empires existed within the framework of the Roman Empire as the conquered territories became assimilated. Similarly, the fourth kingdom (Rome) which was "as strong as iron" would be divided into two (eastern and western sections) and would progress to the feet of iron and clay. It is in the ten-toed phase of the Roman Empire that the saints possess the kingdom. This can be shown by the fact that the beast of chapter 7 are similar to the metals of the image of chapter 2. It is only after the fourth beast gives rise to ten horns (paralleling the ten toes of the image) that the saints possess the kingdom (See Dan. 7:23-27). The Roman Empire formed into its eastern and western "iron-legged" sections after Justinian (A.D. 529-533), and since the ten-toed phase would be entered after this time, the kingdom could not have been set up at Pentecost (A.D. 30).