Daniel 4:34-37
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
God is sovereign. That means that there is nothing outside of His jurisdiction, oversight, and direction. He governs the universe that He created with absolute power and authority and He cannot be dethroned nor His plans thwarted. Fallen mankind has a problem with this. We desire to be our own God and to be the arbiter of our own existence. This desire and demand to rule ourselves is called pride and it is the root of all sin. When we try to rule ourselves, we inevitably bring destruction. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). This is why God hates pride as an abomination (Proverbs 6:16-17).
In the book of Daniel we read about one of the most powerful kings that ever ruled throughout human history over one of the largest empires mankind has ever seen. His name was King Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom was Babylon. When Israel rejected God and worshipped other gods, God punished them for their disobedience by sending the Babylonians to conquer them and take them captive. Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king who carried out that task. Daniel was one of the young men taken back and, through God’s providence, he became a trusted individual in the Babylonian kingdom and to Nebuchadnezzar personally.
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel interpreted it for him in Daniel 4. The meaning of the dream that Daniel gave was that Nebuchadnezzar would become puffed up with pride and he would be humbled by God. One day Nebuchadnezzar looked over his magnificent kingdom and declared, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). As soon as the words left his mouth, Nebuchadnezzar was made like a wild animal for seven years. At the end of the seven years, God restored to him his sanity and his kingdom, but Nebuchadnezzar was a different man. In Daniel 4:34-37, we see his recognition of God as the only Sovereign and the true King who rules over all. In his statement we learn three things about the sovereignty of God.
First, He reigns eternally. Nebuchadnezzar recognizes that even the greatest kingdom and most powerful king the world had ever seen to that point could be brought to nothing in an instant. He is left in humble recognition that God alone reigns eternally. God’s reign is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:1). There was never a time when He was not on the throne and there will never be a time when He will not be on the throne.
He also reigns absolutely. As vast as Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was, he had to recognize that God reigned over all. As powerful as Nebuchadnezzar’s military might was, he had to recognize that only God is all-powerful. God does whatever He wills and no one can stop Him or question Him as His counselor. He is absolutely sovereign. The psalmist declares, “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3). What a comfort it is to know that God is on the throne and that there is nothing in my life or any life that escapes His sovereign rule.
Lastly, He reigns righteously. We can all recognize from history evil dictators that have had large empires and ruled their people with fear and coercion. Our God is not so. He is absolutely good, loving, and perfectly righteous. All that He does is good and right. He sits as the “judge of all the earth” who will always do right (Genesis 18:25). Nebuchadnezzar comes through his humbling experience and declares at the end of it that God is good and true. Think about the grace shown Nebuchadnezzar. His prideful statement, and his countless other blasphemies, should have brought him death. Instead, he is humbled and given his kingdom back better than it had ever been before. God is so gracious and righteous and He reigns in absolute truth and goodness.
The question for us is, “Are we submitting to the King of heaven, or are we rebelling against him?” God is king and we look forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will return and set up His kingdom on earth that will last forever. Daniel would prophesy about that future time (Daniel 7:13-14). How amazing to know that the One who rules and reigns forever loved His creatures by coming and dying for their sin to forgive them and reconcile them to Himself. Ultimately, everyone will bow and confess Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). His promise is that those who are His will reign with Him forever. Jesus promised the church of Laodicea, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21). What marvelous grace! The King of heaven invites those who have rebelled against Him and committed treason against Him to receive forgiveness and rule with Him. Will you bow before Him today?