God’s rule over human happenings Essay

idol controls events of homophile history to accomplish of his purposes. Gods rule over human happenings is demonstrated many times in the Bible. One of the cleargonst examples is recorded in the first four chapters of the book of Daniel. Daniel and three of his friends were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In Babylon they argon trained to be special servants of the king. When Nebuchadnezzar had a romance and apparently forgot it, he demanded that his wise men discover him what he intakeed and give its interpretation, on penalty of death if they didnt. When Daniel heard about this situation, he and his friends prayed to God to learn about the dream and its interpretation.When God revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel, Daniel thanked God by give tongue toing, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for soundness and might are His. . . . He removes kings and raises up kings He gives wisdom to the wise and doledge to those who inhabit savvy. . . . I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers You have apt(p) me wisdom and might, and have now made kn cause . . . the kings demand (Daniel 220-23, NKJV).The dream was about a man with a head of gold, his chest and arms of silver, his thighs of bronze, his legs of iron, and his feet partially of iron and partly of clay. Daniel told the king that God had revealed to him the dream and its interpretation. He declared that different parts of the man repre directed sundry(a) kingdoms. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar. His was the greatest kingdom. After him would come lesser kingdoms, represented by the substandard medals, until the coming of the greatest an everlasting kingdom represented by a stone, uncut by human hands. The stone would strike the image and broke it in pieces. It would then became a great mountain and modify the whole earth.Nebuchadnezzar was grateful to Daniel for telling him his dream and its interpretation. He declared, Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret (Daniel 247). The king then promoted Daniel to be ruler over the whole consistency politic of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Moreover, Daniels three friends were placed in positions of power in the duty of Babylon.Nebuchadnezzar was a most powerful king. He was also very conceited. He built an image of gold, ninety feet tall. Why he built it is not declared in scripture. However, it may be because the dream, wherein he was represented as possessing a kingdom portrayed with a head of gold, cause him to exalt himself in that way. He called for everyone to fall d birth in the first place the image and worship it. But Daniels three friends refused. Nebuchadnezzar threatened them, saying that they would be put into a furnace of fire if they didnt prostrate themselves before it. They still refused, saying that God would deliver them, but even if he didnt, t hey would not worship the image. Nebuchadnezzar, serious of fury, had them put into the fiery furnace. Afterward, however, when he looked into the furnace, he was greatly surprised.There was a fourth person, one interchangeable a son of the gods, walking among them and none of them were burned. When Nebuchadnezzar called for them to come out of the furnace, he discovered that they were not singed, nor did they have even the smell of fire on them. Therefore he said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him . . . that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own GodTherefore I unclutter a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything askew against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap because there is no other God who can deliver like this. (Daniel 328-29) He then promoted them in the province of B abylon. Nebuchadnezzar thus came not only to recognize, but also to appreciate the near High God. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar was still modify with great pride.In his own words, Nebuchadnezzar told how he came to be humbled by God. He had another dream which none but Daniel could interpret. The dream was about a great, strong, and high tree with lovely leaves and abundant fruit. In it the birds lodged, under it animals found shade, and from it all flesh was fed. But a voice from heaven commanded the tree to be cut down. Even so, the stump and roots were to be left, bound with iron and bronze in the lowlife of the field. Before being told the meaning of the dream, Nebuchadnezzar recognized that This decision is . . . in order that the living may knowthat the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He go out, and sets over it the lowest of men (Daniel 417).When told the dream, Daniel was distressed because he knew it was against the King. The tree represented the king. Although the king was great, he would be cut down but not destroyed. His heart would bring to pass like that of an animal and he would eat grass for septenary times (probably seven years). However, Nebuchadnezzar was assured that the kingdom would be his after he came to realize that Heaven rules. Daniel then advised the king, reveal off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity (Daniel 420).The dream began to be fulfilled a year by and by while Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace. He said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty? (Daniel 430). It was then that a voice from heaven said, King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken the kingdom has departed from you And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen and seve n times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses (Daniel 431-32). And so it was.Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an ox, his body was wet with the dew of heaven, his hair grew like eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws. At the end of the time, Nebuchadnezzars understanding returned to him, as did his kingdom, honor, splendor, counselors and nobles. He then blessed the Most High, saying, His dominion is an everlasting dominion, . . . He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, What have You done? (Daniel 434-35). He then praised and honored the King of Heaven, saying that his works are true and his ways just. Moreover, he said, those who walk in pride, He is able to put down (Daniel 437).God rules. He sent dreams to Nebuchadnezzar. Through Daniel, God made their interpretations known. In this way God caused Da niel to become ruler overall Babylon and his friends to be elevated to rulership positions. God changed Nebuchadnezzars heart and made him to be a believer in the Most High God. He also humbled and then restored Nebuchadnezzar to his kingdom. He thereby caused His name to be heralded by the King throughout all Babylon (Daniel 41-3). Nebuchadnezzar came to know that God ruled. Yet he probably did not understood the extent or purposes of Gods rule. He may not have realized that in all these things God was preserving the Israelites in their captivity.When we make up ones mind disturbing conditions in our world (just as the Israelites saw and were disturbed by the fall of Jerusalem and the annihilate of their nation by the Babylonians) we should realize that God reigns over the nations, God sits on his holy throne (Psalm 478 See also Jeremiah 187-10). He still rules in the kingdom of men. And while we may not know the extent of Gods rule, we should realize that God is working out his own purposes through contemporary human events.