“The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Dan. 4:17)
God Has Something to Say
In taking up the subject of God’s word to America, no appeal is made to any special revelation from the Lord. Rather, what God has to say to our nation is found in His Holy Book, the Bible. While the prophets of old, such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, were under personal and direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the modern day prophet simply sets forth what has been said by others. When this is properly done, and the Scriptures are faithfully exegeted, the word of the living God falls afresh on our ears to touch our hearts, and to change our lives. No special revelation is needed. What is needed is for people to read the Bible, and listen to what God has to say.
Again, in taking up the subject of God’s word to America, it must also be said that America is not to be equated in any way with national Israel. God had a special relationship with national Israel that no other nation has ever enjoyed. Through Amos the prophet God said, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth:” (Amos 3:2) And because of that special relationship the Lord was determined to punish Israel when she turned away. In Romans 9, Paul speaks of the special privileges given to that nation. “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Rom 9:4-5)
While the nation of Israel had a unique relationship with Jehovah during the Old Testament economy, and many special privileges, today, all the nations of the earth have a relationship with the Lord because of His kingship. All the nations of the earth belong to Christ. “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” (Psalm 2:8) Christ asked for His inheritance, and it was given to Him, so that Jesus could say, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt. 28:18)
In order to press this point, and manifest its importance, the idea of the subjugation of all nations to the sovereign rule of God must be embraced. No one will ever receive God’s word unless they are intelligently convinced from the Scriptures that God still speaks to nations collectively, and to individuals personally. There are several key texts that sets forth this important truth, such as Daniel 4.
During the time of Daniel, the Babylonian Empire existed to dominate the nations of the earth. Leading the Babylonians was the ruler Nebuchadnezzar, who ascended to the throne in the year 605 BC following the death of his father, Nabopollassar. In the course of his reign, God gave to Nebuchadnezzar an unusual dream. He called all the wise men of the empire to his court and demanded an interpretation. However, they were unable to give the king what his heart desired, peace of heart, and the certainty of interpretation of the dream.
When the king heard of Daniel, and his reputation in such matters, he was summoned to the court. Could Daniel interpret the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar? Indeed he could. Boldly, and with confidence did Daniel speak.
“Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3 How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:1-3)
Following this introduction, Nebuchadnezzar proceeded to tell his dream to Daniel, whom he called Beltshazzar. As the king concluded his narrative, he mentioned why God had given him the dream. There was a reason. The divine purpose was to let the living ones in the whole world know that “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Dan. 4:17)
It was not a flattering self-description which Nebuchadnezzar confessed in reporting his dream, but it is an accurate description of reality. The basest of men are often rulers of great nations and empires. Go through history, and you will find the most defiled and wicked of individuals in positions of great power. In modern years the world has witnessed the rule of Mussolini in Italy, Adolf Hitler in Germany, Joseph Stalin in Russian, Mao Tse Tung in China, Idi Amin in Uganda, Saddam Hussein of Libya, Fidel Castor in Cuba, and Kim Jong Un in North Korea.
Go through the forty-five presidents in American history, and you will find a cast of characters that include slave traders, adulterers, fornicators, drunkards, murderers, backstabbers, and ruthless schemers. Men full of pride and self-importance, with their greedy hands stretched forth to take all they could from the country, have occupied the White House. Behind the human election of these men to the highest office in the land, is God, who rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will, and, more often than not, sets up over nations the basest of men.
In Daniel 4:19, the prophet of God began to reveal the meaning of the dream King Nebuchadnezzar had. The tree that was in the dream that was cut down is Nebuchadnezzar himself. It did not need to happen. Daniel gave good counsel to the king. “Let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.” (Dan. 4:27)
But Nebuchadnezzar did not listen to the counsel of Daniel. Twelve months passes and Nebuchadnezzar went mad. He became like a beast of the field. In a state of madness, known as lycanthropy, Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an ox. His body became wet with the dew of heaven because he slept outdoors in the field. His hair grew long. His nails grew like birds’ claws.
In the providence of God, his reason returned. Then Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his eyes to heaven and blessed the most High. “And I praised and honored him that liveth forever, 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?” (Dan. 4:34-35)
God taught Nebuchadnezzar an important lesson. No matter how great a nation, it is God who rules over the affairs of men. Every nation, and every ruler, remains in subjugation to His will.
Job understood the government of God over the earth. “He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.” (Job 12:23) It is God who expands the power and territory of a nation, and decreases it. It is God who gives reason to rulers and causes them to understand who He is, and what is just and holy. It is God who blesses a nation with wise leaders.
And when those in authority grope in the dark without light, and stagger like a drunken man in moral and spiritual disarray (Job 12:25), it is God who causes the rulers of the earth to wander about in darkness and confusion.
When the leaders of a nation cannot sort out the complex problems of a nation, it is God who causes them to be as foolish as a drunken man, who cannot make the most simple and reasonable decisions.
The Need for Common Sense
By way of application to America, it is obvious that the present Congress is groping about in the dark without a moral compass, or a sense of godly direction. The Congress staggers from day to day like a drunken man who cannot exercise common sense, and millions follow along drinking from the same cup of political correctness.
Common sense tells people to secure the national border.
Common sense demands that the inhabitants of a country be registered and numbered.
Common sense says that over taxation, and over regulation, is harmful to the economy.
Common sense says that it is wrong to spend more money than one has, and that a national debt of 21 trillion dollars, and more, is unsustainable.
Common sense says that people must have one language, one God, one flag, and a unifying culture.
Common sense says that sanctuary cities are immoral. Government should protect citizens, not illegal aliens.
Common sense says that individuals are male or female and not transgender, or homosexual.
Common sense says that children in public schools should not be taught the sexual perversions of the Planned Parenthood curriculum.
Common sense teaches people to salute the nations’ flag and have national pride.
Common sense says that a nation should not slaughter its children through acts of abortion, or fail to protect them from murderers while they are in school.
Common sense says that a well-armed citizenship is the ultimate protection against tyranny.
Common sense says that criminals must be taken off the streets, and locked up.
Common sense says that many drugs addle the brain, and should be regulated, and guarded.
Common sense says that government officials should not be allowed to collect data on citizens and spy on them without due process and a good reason. And common sense says that government officials who violate the law should be prosecuted, no matter what title they hold.
The foolishness found in America shows that God has been at work, causing national leaders, and politically correct Liberals, to stumble about like a drunkard, raving like the lunatics they are about open borders, and classless societies. They rail against homophobia, xenophobia, sexism, and racism, while promoting the same. Hypocrites, all.
