This refers to the crucifixion of Christ, which was the termination of the old creation, with the human government in the old creation, and the germination of God’s new creation through the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 1:3), with God’s eternal kingdom as the divine administration in God’s new creation. Thus, the cross of Christ is the centrality and universality of God’s work.
The book of Daniel bears a particular characteristic: to draw the marking lines of the ages. First, the crucifixion of Christ in His first appearing is the landmark that terminated the age of the old creation for the germination of the age of the new creation in Christ’s resurrection. In His crucifixion Christ, the last Adam, terminated the old creation (2 Cor. 5:14), and in His resurrection He became the germinating Spirit, the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45), to germinate all God’s chosen people in His resurrection (John 12:24; 1 Pet. 1:3) to be God’s new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). This new creation begins with the believers in Christ as God’s sons (Gal. 3:26) and as Christ’s members who constitute His Body (1 Cor. 12:27). This Body will grow (Eph. 4:13-16) and will eventually consummate in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21; Rev. 22). Second, the upcoming appearing of Christ with His overcomers as His bride will be the landmark that will end the age of man’s government on earth in the old creation and will initiate the age of God’s dominion over the entire earth in the millennium and in the new heaven and new earth for eternity (Dan. 2:34-35, 44; 7:13-14). Although in His first appearing Christ terminated the old creation spiritually through His death on the cross, the human government that began with Nimrod continues to exist. For this reason there is the need of Christ’s second appearing, in which Christ will clear up the human government in the old creation physically and will usher in the universal and eternal kingdom of God. By Christ’s appearing in these two aspects, and by the ruling of the heavens over all the environment on earth, Christ, who is the centrality and universality of God’s economy and of God’s move, will become the centrality and universality of God’s elect, including Israel and the church.