The great human image will be replaced with a great mountain, signifying the eternal kingdom of God, which will fill the whole earth (2:35b, 44a). This means that after Christ comes to crush the aggregate of human government, He will usher in the eternal kingdom of God on earth.
Daniel 2:35b says, "The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." This increase of the stone into a great mountain signifies the increase of Christ. The fact that Christ can increase is clearly revealed in John 3. Referring to Christ, verse 30 says, "He must increase." The increase in this verse is the bride spoken of in verse 29: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom." Christ, therefore, has an increase, and this increase is His bride. Just as Eve was the increase of Adam, the bride is the increase of Christ as the Bridegroom.
The church today is Christ's increase in life, but the eternal kingdom of God is Christ's increase in administration. In life Christ increases to become the church; in administration Christ increases to become the eternal kingdom of God. Hence, Christ is not only the church but also the kingdom of God. Both the church and the kingdom are His increase.
The parable of the seed in Mark 4:26-29 reveals how the kingdom of God is the increase of Christ. Verse 26 says, "So is the kingdom of God: as if a man cast seed on the earth." This seed is Christ as the embodiment of the divine life. According to the parable, this seed sprouts, grows, bears fruit, matures, and brings forth a harvest (vv. 27-28). From the time Christ came to sow Himself into the "soil" of humanity, He has been growing and increasing. Eventually, this increase will become the great mountain that fills the whole earth to be the eternal kingdom of God.
The word regarding Christ as the stone and the mountain in chapter two of Daniel reveals that Christ is the centrality and the universality of God's move. We may say that as the stone He is the centrality and that as the mountain He is the universality. The stone is Christ as the center, and the mountain is Christ as the circumference, the universality. Christ truly is the all-inclusive One. He is the stone and also the mountain; He is the church and also the kingdom. He with His increase is the great mountain that fills the whole earth.
In 2:46-49 we see Nebuchadnezzar's honoring of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and worshipped Daniel, commanding that they offer an oblation and incense to him and saying, "It is certain that your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a Revealer of secrets, for you have been able to reveal this secret" (vv. 46-47). Then Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief of the prefects over all the wise men of Babylon. Furthermore, in response to Daniel's request regarding his three companions, Nebuchadnezzar appointed them over the administration of the province of Babylon. Thus, Daniel and his companions were appointed to govern in the province of Babylon.