Daniel 4:17 'This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.' NKJV

Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest king over the greatest kingdom of the world in his day. All kingdoms that came after Babylon were inferior in many ways, and as prophesied in Daniel 2, in the days of the Roman empire THE GOD of heaven would set up an everlasting kingdom that would never be destroyed (the church). The fullness of that eternal kingdom would reach its final culmination when the bride goes home to be with her husband, and live with him forevermore (Ephesians 5:23-33; Revelation19:7-9).

In the meantime man has to deal with the kingdoms of men. Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with pride in his kingdom, and despite being warned by God through Daniel, he spoke and acted as if he had what he had because he himself had built it. Human pride leads a man to think he has done all and seen all to the point that he speaks with arrogance concerning what he has. Nebuchadnezzar had to learn a hard lesson that humbled him and made him aware that there was and is a God in heaven that is Sovereign and in control of man’s affairs.

The passage cited above emphasizes these important points:
1. GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND INTERVENES IN THE AFFAIRS OF MAN. Were it not for God’s intervening in the affairs of man, man could not be saved. Deism (the idea that God created the world, wound it up, and is waiting for the world to wind down) is false, and leads one to atheism. The Bible clearly teaches that God is in heaven and in control of the universe, and that he is constantly looking over the world, watching his people and listening to their prayers. Many have been the occasions (again, as evidenced by the Bible) wherein God has intervened for his people – and the greatest proof of this is the cross. Thank God he is in control, and thank God he has done what he has to save us from our sin.

2.GOD GIVES KINGDOMS TO WHOMEVER HE WILL. This passage is interesting in light of the fact that we Americans pride ourselves on our electoral system, and in our pride we think that we set up presidents and congressman and senators. I will be honest – I have struggled in my mind with this passage, and wondered how this fits in with our ideas of government. I struggle with God allowing atheistic governments to reign and rule in the affairs of men (as in communist Russia and communist China). I struggle with how God could allow a Hitler to rule in Germany, and how a war had to be fought to destroy him and his armies. I struggle with how God allows Middle Eastern nations, heavily imbibed with Islam, to continue to reign, even though they deny the fact that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to the Father.

The best I can figure is that God allows Satan to have his way in some governments of earth, much to chagrin of the human race. But God even uses evil governments to carry out his will and way, as is evidenced from the Babylonians placing the Jews in subjection for seventy years.

But my struggles in understanding do not change the FACTS of this verse. It is not for me, a mere human, to understand the ways of an infinite God that can and does set up kingdoms and brings down kingdoms. I will simply trust and know that God is God, and that he will do what is best and right in all circumstances.

3.GOD SETS OVER GOVERNMENTS THE LOWEST OF MEN. Nebuchadnezzar had to learn that it was not him that had worked and built his kingdom – GOD had given it to him. Nebuchadnezzar also had to learn that God could use an imbecile to rule over the nations of men (not my statement, but Jim McGuiggan in Daniel, (1978, Star Bible Publications: FT Worth, TX) pps 77-78). Nebuchadnezzar was out in the field, eating grass like an ox, and the government and kingdom of Babylon was still intact and running without Nebuchadnezzar as its head.

I believe that for years “Christians” have placed too much faith in government and what government could do in advancing the agenda of Christianity. It is time that we place our faith once again in God, not government, and be about the task that GOD has given us to do. At the same time, if Christians should choose to vote, vote in a way that reflects the standards of Christ and His word, not your pocketbook or the changing standards of the world. God will hold us accountable for all we do!

I know that not everyone will agree with this – I ask us all to think!
In Christian Love
Tommy