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On the other hand are the Futurists who say that the little stone will hit the image in the toes
                       (even though the text does not state this) which to them means: after the Roman Empire was divided, the
                       kingdom of David is to be restored at Jerusalem. Because Yeshua did not restore the earthly rule of
                       David's throne, the Futurists believe that the event was postponed. Thus they see the little stone as the
                       Millennial Kingdom which is yet to come.

                              We are told by them that this 5th Empire -- or Stone Kingdom of Daniel 2 -- does not repre-
                       sent a literal kingdom like the gold, silver, brass and iron empires, but that it is the spiritual kingdom of
                       YEHOVAH -- having no material aspect whatsoever! These people seem to be totally unaware of the
                       illogical position they find themselves in. For, if the four metals which made up the image are literal king-
                       doms, and are as much a part of the earth as the ore from which the metals were refined, then by what
                       method of reasoning or logic do they make the stone represent a spiritual kingdom only -- since it is just
                       as much a part of the earth as the ore was? Not only that, but it was also cut out of the same mountain
                       from which the ore was taken! The only difference between the ore and the stone is that the ore was
                       taken from the mountain by men who refined it into the metals in which it appeared in the image; and the
                       stone -- though also of the earth -- was cut out of the mountain without the assistance of men. Daniel
                       declared "that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands."


                                                           Is it the Church?


                              Those that have taught that the "Stone Kingdom" is the Church -- cannot be correct for the fol-
                       lowing reasons --

                       1) The Church of God had nothing to do with the "breaking in pieces" of Babylon because Babylon
                       fell in 538 B.C. -- over 500 years before the Church was formed!


                       2)  The Church of God could not have "broken" Medo-Persia, because Medo-Persia fell in 336 B.C.
                       -- over 300 years before the Church was born at Pentecost in 30 A.D.


                       3)  Similarly, the Church did not "break in pieces" Greece, because the Grecian Empire came to an
                       end in 62 B.C. -- over 60 years before there was any Church of God!

                       4)  The Church did not "break in pieces" the pagan Roman Empire because it came to an end in 476
                       A.D. by the hammer blows of the Goths -- who were definitely not Christians!


                              It is exceedingly clear, then, that the Church is not the "Stone Kingdom" -- considering that the
                       "Stone" was to break those four Empires, and the Church did not "break" a single one of them!


                                                  Is Yeshua the Smiting "Stone"?


                              Many others in the Church of God have taught that Yeshua is the smiting "Stone," and that this
                       will take place at the Second Coming. This is totally without basis for the following reasons --

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