Daniel 2:36-45 · Bible study
Daniel 2:36-45 Commentary: Four Kingdoms and God's Eternal Reign
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a statue, revealing four successive world empires and God's eternal kingdom that will consume them all.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A prophetic outline of four world empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome) leading to God’s eternal kingdom, established by Christ, that will crush and replace all human rule.
- Key words: Stone (H0069), cut without hands (H1505 Ithp'al), kingdom (H4437), iron (H6523), clay (H2635). The stone ‘cut without hands’ is a divine, non-human intervention.
- Main debate: Whether the fourth kingdom is Rome alone, or a longer sequence including divided successor states, and whether the toes represent a specific end-time confederation or a general description of Rome’s fragmented later phase.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over history and the certainty of his kingdom, which is not founded on human strength but on divine power.
- Best use: A framework for understanding biblical prophecy about world empires and Christian hope in the ultimate triumph of God’s rule.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
36This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation.
37You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory.
38Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
39But after you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule the whole earth.
40Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
41And just as you saw that the feet and toes were made partly of fired clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom, yet some of the strength of iron will be in it—just as you saw the iron mixed with clay.
42And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
43As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the peoples will mix with one another, but will not hold together any more than iron mixes with clay.
44In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.
45And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
36“This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.
37You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory.
38Wherever the children of men dwell, he has given the animals of the field and the birds of the sky into your hand, and has made you rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
39“After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to you; and another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
40The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, it will break in pieces and crush.
41Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay and part of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but there will be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
42As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
43Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they will mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they won’t cling to one another, even as iron does not mix with clay.
44“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
45Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
KJV King James Version 1769
36This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
36This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37Thou, O king, art king of kings, unto whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;
38and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all: thou art the head of gold.
39And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.
41And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.
44And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
36This is the dream, and its interpretation we do tell before the king.
37`Thou, O king, art a king of kings, for the God of the heavens a kingdom, strength, and might, and glory, hath given to thee;
38and whithersoever sons of men are dwelling, the beast of the field, and the fowl of the heavens, He hath given into thy hand, and hath caused thee to rule over them all; thou art this head of gold.
39And after thee doth rise up another kingdom lower than those, and another third kingdom of brass, that doth rule overall the earth.
40And the fourth kingdom is strong as iron, because that iron is breaking small, and making feeble, all things , even as iron that is breaking all these, it beateth small and breaketh.
41As to that which thou hast seen: the feet and toes, part of them potter's clay, and part of them iron, the kingdom is divided: and some of the standing of the iron is to be in it, because that thou hast seen the iron mixed with miry clay.
42As to the toes of the feet, part of them iron, and part of them clay: some part of the kingdom is strong, and some part of it is brittle.
43Because thou hast seen iron mixed with miry clay, they are mixing themselves with the seed of men: and they are not adhering one with another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44`And in the days of these kings raise up doth the God of the heavens a kingdom that is not destroyed--to the age, and its kingdom to another people is not left: it beateth small and endeth all these kingdoms, and it standeth to the age.
45Because that thou hast seen that out of the mountain cut hath been a stone without hands, and it hath beaten small the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king that which is to be after this; and the dream is true, and its interpretation stedfast.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
36This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.
37Thou, O king, art a king of kings, unto whom the God of the heavens hath given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;
38and wheresoever the children of men, the beasts of the field, and the fowl of the heavens dwell, he hath given them into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all: thou art this head of gold.
39And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; then another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth everything, and as iron that breaketh all these, so shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42And [as] the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
43And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay.
44And in the days of these kings shall the God of the heavens set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the sovereignty thereof shall not be left to another people: it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, but itself shall stand for ever.
45Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold, — the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter. And the dream is certain, and the interpretation of it sure.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
36This is the dream: we will also tell the interpretation thereof before thee, O king.
37Thou art a king of kings: and the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, and strength, and power, and glory:
38And all places wherein the children of men, and the beasts of the field do dwell: he hath also given the birds of the air into thy hand, and hath put all things under thy power: thou, therefore, art the head of gold.
39And after thee shall rise up another kingdom, inferior to thee, of silver: and another third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the world.
40And the fourth kingdom shall be as iron. As iron breaketh into pieces, and subdueth all things, so shall that break, and destroy all these.
41And whereas thou sawest the feet, and the toes, part of potter's clay, and part of iron: the kingdom shall be divided, but yet it shall take its origin from the iron, according as thou sawest the iron mixed with the miry clay.
42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay: the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall be mingled indeed together with the seed of man, but they shall not stick fast one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.
44But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people: and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms: and itself shall stand for ever.
45According as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the clay and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God hath shewn the king what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is true, and the interpretation thereof is faithful.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Daniel 2:36
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Daniel 2:36-45 presents the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The four metals represent four successive kingdoms: the golden head is Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar; the silver chest and arms are the Medo-Persian empire; the bronze belly and thighs are the Greek empire of Alexander; the iron legs are Rome. The feet of iron mixed with clay depict the divided, brittle final state of that fourth kingdom, with ten toes symbolising a fragmentation into weaker powers. The stone cut without hands is the kingdom of God, established by Christ, which will crush all worldly empires and stand forever.
On the plural ‘we will tell’ in verse 36, Barnes and Wesley note that Daniel speaks as part of a fellowship: he and his companions had prayed together for revelation (Dan 2:17-18), and Daniel modestly includes them rather than claiming sole credit. Calvin and Matthew Henry see the phrase as an act of gratitude, acknowledging that the answer came through united prayer.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Traditional four-empire scheme (Rome as fourth): Supported by early church fathers, most Reformers, and many modern commentators. The iron's crushing strength fits Rome's military dominance.
- Hellenistic fourth kingdom: Some interpreters (e.g., early Jewish sources) see the fourth as the Greek Seleucid empire, emphasizing the division after Alexander as the feet of iron and clay.
- Futurist / revived Roman empire: Dispensationalists view the ten toes as a future ten-nation confederation that will be destroyed by Christ's second coming.
What is clear: God alone establishes and removes rulers, and his kingdom — inaugurated by Christ and fully realized at his return — will supersede all human kingdoms and last forever.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Plural 'we' in v.36 | Commentators (Barnes, Wesley, Calvin) agree that Daniel speaks for himself and his companions, acknowledging their shared prayer for revelation. | Some see it as a modest rhetorical convention; others emphasise that the three friends were co-recipients of the vision (though only Daniel received the direct interpretation). |
| Identity of the four kingdoms | All major traditions identify the first kingdom as Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. The second is Medo-Persia, the third is Greece under Alexander. | The fourth kingdom is debated: most Protestant and Catholic interpreters say Rome, but some (e.g., early Jewish interpreters, a few modern scholars) see it as a later Hellenistic empire (Seleucids) or a continuous sequence ending in a revived Roman confederacy. |
| Meaning of the toes of iron and clay | The toes represent a divided state in the final phase of the fourth kingdom, part strong (iron) and part weak (brittle clay). | Historicist interpreters see the ten toes as ten kingdoms that emerged from the Roman Empire (e.g., the Barbarian kingdoms). Dispensationalists view them as a future ten-nation confederacy. Amillennialists tend to see a general description of Rome’s weakness and division. |
| The stone cut without hands | The stone is a symbol for God's kingdom, established by divine power (not human effort), which will destroy all earthly kingdoms and endure forever. | Some traditions identify the stone directly with Christ and his first coming (e.g., the church age), while others see a future, physical establishment of God's kingdom at the second coming, crushing the final form of worldly power. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Daniel and his friends were among the Jewish exiles taken to Babylon after the first deportation. King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream and demanded that his wise men both recount the dream and interpret it, on pain of death. When the Babylonian sages failed, Daniel sought God in prayer alongside his companions. During a night vision, God revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel (Dan 2:19).
Now Daniel stands before the king to deliver the interpretation. The image of a statue made of deteriorating metals echoes a common ancient motif: history was often thought to decline from a golden age to base metals. But Daniel reworks that idea to show God’s sovereignty over history. The four kingdoms correspond to real empires known from biblical prophecy and historical record: Babylon (head of gold), Medo-Persia (silver), Greece (bronze), and Rome (iron). The toes of iron mixed with clay represent a final divided phase of the Roman empire, where power is alloyed with weakness. Attempts to unite these parts through marriage alliances (‘mingle themselves with the seed of men,’ v.43) fail, just as iron will not bond with clay.
The stone cut without hands signals a kingdom not established by human means. In the ancient world, stones symbolised strength and permanence. That this stone is cut from a mountain without human hands underscores divine origin. It strikes the statue at its weakest point, the feet, causing the entire image to collapse. The stone then becomes a great mountain filling the earth, signifying the universal and eternal scope of God’s reign.
Textual Notes
The Aramaic text of Daniel 2:36-45 is well preserved, with no significant variants noted in the supplied commentaries. A few manuscripts differ in spelling (e.g., the definite article on certain nouns), but these do not affect interpretation. The word for ‘clay’ in v.41 is chasaph (H2635), and ‘miry clay’ is tin (H2917), both stable across traditions. The phrase ‘without hands’ (v.45, lā’ bīdayin) is consistent. The overall unity of the passage is widely accepted.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have understood this passage as a prophecy of Christ’s kingdom since the early church. Irenaeus and Jerome saw the four empires as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, with the stone as Christ’s incarnation. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin used the passage to argue that God alone establishes legitimate rulers and that earthly empires are transient. In the nineteenth century, historicist readings (e.g., in the notes of Matthew Henry and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) identified the iron-clay mixture with a divided Rome, sometimes linked to the papacy as a corrupt mixture of church and state. Dispensationalist traditions (e.g., in the notes of the Scofield Bible) treat the ten toes as a future ten-nation alliance in the end times. Amillennial interpreters (e.g., in Reformed confessions) see the stone’s kingdom as the present spiritual reign of Christ through the church, anticipating its full cosmic consummation.
Jewish interpretation has generally understood the passage as referring to four successive world empires that oppress Israel, culminating in the messianic age. The Babylonian Talmud (Avodah Zarah 2b) and medieval commentators like Rashi align the four metals with Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Edom), with the stone representing the coming of the Messiah.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God reveals the direction of history. The dream shows a sequence of world empires, each less valuable than the last, culminating in God’s kingdom. History is not random; God knows its end from its beginning.
- Human kingdoms are temporary and flawed. Every empire, from gold to iron to clay, eventually falls. Even the mightiest rulers are limited by God’s timing (v.37 shows Nebuchadnezzar’s power as a gift from God).
- God’s kingdom is eternal and supreme. The stone smashes all other kingdoms and grows into a mountain. This points to Christ’s first and second coming, when his rule will be fully established and never end.
Five-point outline
- God sovereignly gives and removes power. Nebuchadnezzar’s throne is a gift, not an achievement (vv.37-38).
- World empires decline morally. The metals grow cheaper from gold to iron and clay, showing that human systems cannot sustain goodness on their own (vv.39-40).
- Human efforts to unite fail. Intermarriage and treaties cannot create lasting peace; iron and clay do not cling together (vv.41-43).
- Christ’s kingdom shatters all others. The stone, cut without hands, defeats the image without human force (v.44).
- The stone becomes a mountain filling the earth. God’s kingdom will expand to cover everything, standing forever (vv.44-45).
Illustration hooks
- A statue made of mixed metals: gold on top, then silver, then bronze, then iron and clay at the base. It looks imposing but is top-heavy and brittle at the bottom, reminding us that human power is weakest at the point of its fullest earthly reach.
- A small pebble triggering a landslide. The stone “cut out without hands” is tiny at first but becomes a mountain. This pictures how God often starts with what seems insignificant, a child in Bethlehem, a handful of disciples, to accomplish the greatest work.
- Trying to glue iron to clay: any attempt to unite opposites without a binding agent fails. This illustrates the futility of trying to secure peace apart from God’s kingdom.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How should Christians think about political powers if all empires eventually fall?
- Does “the stone without hands” refer to Jesus’ first coming, or his second coming, or both?
- What does the “mingling with the seed of men” mean for relationships and alliances today?
Leading a Discussion
This passage is one of the Bible’s most sweeping visions of history. It shows God’s control over the rise and fall of kingdoms, and his promise of a final kingdom that will never end. As you discuss, keep the main thing central: God is working out his purposes, and Christ’s reign is sure.
Discussion questions
- Read Daniel 2:36-38. Why does Daniel credit God for Nebuchadnezzar’s power? What does this teach about the source of all authority?
- Look at verses 39-40. The metals decline in value from gold to iron to clay. What does this suggest about the moral quality of world empires over time?
- In verse 41, the kingdom is “partly strong and partly brittle.” When have you seen this mix of strength and weakness in governments or institutions?
- Verse 43 mentions “mingling themselves with the seed of men” but failing to hold together. Why do human efforts to unite, through marriage, treaties, or alliances, often fall short?
- The stone “cut out without hands” destroys the image. What does the phrase “without hands” tell us about the origin and nature of God’s kingdom?
- How does this prophecy encourage you when you see injustice or instability in the world today?
- If God’s kingdom will ultimately conquer all others, how should that affect the way we pray, vote, or serve in our communities?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Daniel 2:23 | I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king’s matter.” |
| Daniel 2:24 | Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.” |
| I Kings 4:24 | For he had dominion over all on this side of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River; and he had peace on all sides around him. |
| II Chronicles 36:23 | “Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up.’” |
| Ezra 1:2 | “Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. |
| Ezra 7:12 | Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now |
| Psalms 62:11 | God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God. |
| Proverbs 8:15 | By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that Nebuchadnezzar's power came as a direct gift from the God of heaven, not from his own gods or skill. He then highlights how every human empire is temporary and swallowed by the next, but Christ's kingdom will never be destroyed and will remain to the end.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the four empires in the image represent Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, not the Turkish empire as some Jews later claimed. He notes that each successive monarchy was inferior not in power but in moral corruption, as vices increased over time. God revealed this prophecy to sustain His people's hope through each empire until Christ's coming.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes emphasize that God alone grants earthly power, making Nebuchadnezzar a king only by heaven's decree. The dream's sequence of declining empires shows God's sovereignty over history, and the stone cut without hands represents His eternal kingdom that will crush all human rule and never be destroyed.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB interprets the stone that destroys the statue as Christ's direct judgment at His second coming, not the gradual spread of the gospel. He sees the feet of iron and clay as a deteriorating Roman empire mixed with pagan nations, whose final ten kingdoms Christ alone will shatter.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange identifies the four kingdoms as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the divided Greek empire after Alexander, rejecting the Roman view. The iron legs represent the brief unity of Alexander's successors;
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees the dream as a clear outline of world history under God's sovereign control. The succession of empires, from Nebuchadnezzar's gold to Rome's iron and clay, shows that all human power is temporary. The stone cut without hands points to Christ's kingdom, which will crush every earthly empire and fill the earth.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights Daniel's modesty in crediting God alone for the interpretation. He then traces each kingdom's distinct traits: Babylon's long wealth, Persia's shorter reign, Greece's coarser brass, and Rome's iron strength that breaks others but is itself divided. The stone, Christ, shatters the image and establishes an everlasting, universal kingdom.