Daniel
answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and
might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes
kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who
have understanding. Daniel 2:20-21 NKJV
A
thought occurred to me this past week as I was watching and reading all the
news concerning the upcoming debates, caucuses, etc. which concern themselves
with the race for the presidency of the United States. That thought was this; why do you never see a
race for the vice-presidency? Do you
suppose it is because no one really wants to be number two? After all, who wants to run for second place,
play the super bowl to be the loser, or compete in anything just for the glory
of being the runner up? So what really
made me smile this week was the realization that this is, in reality, exactly
what we are seeing in the upcoming elections, and truthfully what we see around
the world as leaders of other nations attempt to gain power.
A
perfect example of this can be found in the book of Daniel, one of my favorite
books of the Bible, and one that I encourage you to become familiar with if you
have not already done so. In this book
we find Daniel, a young boy, taken into captivity along with the nation of
Israel by the Babylonian Empire, and transported to what would now be modern
day Iraq to serve as slaves. This
captivity would last for seventy years as a punishment to the nation of Israel
by God for their disobedience to Him.
The King at that time was named Nebuchadnezzar, and for all intents and
purposes, he considered himself to be, and more than likely could be described
as, the King of the World.
Yet
while he might have thought of himself that way, and the rest of the world as
well, Daniel tells us that there was a harsh reality waiting for Nebuchadnezzar
which would literally cut him down to size.
You see, while man might believe that they can rule the world, the
reality is that no matter how big they get or how much of the world they manage
to control, they are still number two.
“But
when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was
deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
“Then he was driven
from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was
with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet
with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the
kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. Daniel 5:20-21 NKJV
There
have been reports lately concerning the plans of the president after he leaves
office next year, and the speculation that his desire is to serve as the leader
of the United Nations. Many of the
articles that discuss this possibility contain the phrase “King of the World”. As I read this I could not help but laugh at
the idea that someone could consider the possibility of actually being able to
rule a world with so many diverse cultures, religions, and political ambitions. Not to mention the fact that the Bible seems
to make it perfectly clear that there is only one true King. Yet to be completely honest, the Bible also
tells us that there will come one individual who will not only make the
attempt, but will truly believe he can pull it off.
I
find it ironic that it is again, Daniel, who tells us in the context of
Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling, that another will come and attempt the very thing
God showed could not be done.
“Then
the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself
above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall
prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined
shall be done. “He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire
of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.
“But in their place
he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he
shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things.
“Thus he shall act
against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall
acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many,
and divide the land for gain. Daniel
11:36-39 NKJV
This
is, of course, a description of the coming world leader most commonly called
the antichrist. This name is appropriate
when you read in this passage that he blasphemes the name of God, and exalts himself instead, considering himself to be a god. So once again, just as in Daniel’s time, God
acts to show who the King who rules truly is, and the power that only He can
control. Is it any wonder that this
period of time is called the “wrath of God”, the “time of trouble”, the “Great
Tribulation”, etc?
“At the
time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the
North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and
with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass
through. “He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many
countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom,
Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. “He shall stretch out his hand against the
countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. “He shall have power
over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of
Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. “But news from the
east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury
to destroy and annihilate many. “And he shall plant the tents of his palace
between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end,
and no one will help him. Daniel 11:40-45 NKJV
While
God appoints leaders to rule on earth, none should ever forget who the King of
the world really is. No matter the
position or title, “the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it
whomever He chooses.” Fortunately for the Church, and all who believe
in the saving blood of Jesus Christ, thanks to an event called the rapture, we will be taken home to be with the
Father before He pours out His wrath on the earth, and those who would believe
they could be"King of the World". If
you have yet to make the choice to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, I urge
you to do it today. Simply ask Him to
forgive you of your sins, and tell Him you believe He has the power to save you
by virtue of the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The
LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the
peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His
heart to all generations. Psalms
33:10-11 NKJV
Keep
watching.