“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed …. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”
Daniel 2:44
The Pergamon Museum in Berlin houses remarkable artifacts from the ancient world, including the Ishtar Gate from Babylon and the massive altar of Zeus from the city of Pergamon (see Revelation 2:12-17). This altar, once a symbol of power and grandeur, now serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of human achievement. It stands in stark contrast to the eternal glory of God’s kingdom, which will never fade or be destroyed.
The grandeur of the Pergamon altar makes us think of how people in all of history have sought to glorify themselves through monumental architecture, art, and power. The people themselves are gone while their material wealth resides in museums as testimony to their greatness. Yet, as Christians, we are called to seek a different kind of glory—glory that comes from God’s presence and His eternal kingdom. Unlike earthly monuments, God’s kingdom is everlasting, and our hope is in His eternal reign.
Let’s reflect on where we place our focus—on transient achievements or on the lasting glory of God’s forever kingdom.
The grandeur of the Pergamon altar makes us think of how people in all of history have sought to glorify themselves through monumental architecture, art, and power. The people themselves are gone while their material wealth resides in museums as testimony to their greatness. Yet, as Christians, we are called to seek a different kind of glory—glory that comes from God’s presence and His eternal kingdom. Unlike earthly monuments, God’s kingdom is everlasting, and our hope is in His eternal reign.
Let’s reflect on where we place our focus—on transient achievements or on the lasting glory of God’s forever kingdom.
Scripture Focus
Daniel 2:19-45
Insight
“Jesus shall reign where’er the sun/ Does its successive journeys run,/ his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,/ Till moons shall wax and wane no more.” (Isaac Watts, 1719)
Bible In A Year
- 1 Samuel 24-25
- Psalm 132
- Galatians 1-2