The Sovereignty of God

Introduction

Time does march own, but not according to her own beat and way. Time and history move forward according to God’s sovereign will, sovereign plan. Nothing takes place by happenstance. God has been and will always be in control of what does and does not happen throughout the ages. Within the dream of Nebuchadnezzar comes face-to-face with the reality that he is what he is only because God ordained as such. Truly, there are no self-made men, or in this case, kings/rulers.

Focus Passage: Daniel 2:31-49

Daniel 2:31–49 NASB 2020

31 “You, O king, were watching and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary radiance, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You continued watching until a stone was broken off without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed to pieces all at the same time, and they were like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the entire earth. 36 “This was the dream; and now we will tell its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the honor; 38 and wherever the sons of mankind live, or the animals of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has handed them over to you and has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold. 39 And after you another kingdom will arise inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so, like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all these things. 41 And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have within it some of the toughness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 And just as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong, and part of it will be fragile. 43 In that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in their descendants; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not combine with pottery. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Just as you saw that a stone was broken off from the mountain without hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is certain and its interpretation is trustworthy.” 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and paid humble respect to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and incense. 47 The king responded to Daniel and said, “Your God truly is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon, and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court.

Outline

Only a Spectator to God’s Plan (vv. 31, 36-39)

1. Nebuchadnezzar had all the power, but was only a spectator - ‘…You, O king, were watching...’

2. Nebuchadnezzar believed he was in charge, but was only a spectator - ‘…this was a dream; and now we will tell its interpretation before the king…(v. 36)’

Nebuchadnezzar was powerful among men - ‘…You, O king, are the kings of kings… (v. 37a)

Nebuchadnezzar had reign over all of the known world at the time. All that was fed into his megalomaniac persona. May we understand that absolute power corrupts absolutely all the time. He was corrupt. All that was answered to him, you rule over them all…over all the earth (v. 39b).

3. Nebuchadnezzar was nothing but a spectator to God’s sovereign plan - ‘…whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the honor…He has handed them over to you and has made you…(v. 38).

God’s Sovereign Plan Revealed (vv. 32-33, 39-43)

God is sovereign. God has been involved throughout the history of His creation. From “In the Beginning” to “Amen” God’s sovereign plan is in play. Man is a mere spectator and chest piece to His will, design, and plan. God governs history fulfill His will. What is meant by this? Millard J. Erickson, in his book, Christian Theology, states the following:

By the government of God we mean his activity in the universe so that all its events fulfill his plan for it. As such, God’s governing activity of course broadly includes the matter referred to as preservation…however, the emphasis is more fully on the purposive directing of the whole of reality and the course of history to God’s ends. It is the actual execution, within time, of his plan devised in eternity (Erickson, 365).

God is sovereign within those areas that we consider as coincidence. When there is not such thing as coincidence. As Solomon wrote:

Proverbs 16:33 NASB 2020

33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.

The apostle Paul echos this truth when writes to the church at Ephesus:

Ephesians 1:11 NASB 2020

11 In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will,

Daniel, contextually, has already revealed this truth to King Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 2:21 NASB 2020

21 “It is He who changes the times and the periods; He removes kings and appoints kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding.

God is specific in His plan and specific in His sovereignty, meaning, God ultimately decides even the details of his plan and ensures that they eventuate as he intends, even the most minute and meticulous details (Erickson, 369).

As we look our text, we, just as the megalomaniac king Nebuchadnezzar, become spectators to prophetic view of Nebuchadnezzar’s future, our past, and the birth of a kingdom, not of this world, that will last forever.

God defines four kingdom at first. One kingdom that was and three to come.

The Statue: Four Kingdoms

The head of gold: Babylonian Empire - ‘…The head of the statue was made of fine gold...You are the head of gold...’

The Babylonian Empire was great. It was powerful and would be used of God to judge His very own people. We find through the work of the prophet Jeremiah that Israel would be in captivity for seventy years. However, after that seventy years, God would judge the enemy of His people and they would be released. They would be allowed to rebuild the temple. This is what happens in the next empire.

The chest and arms of silver: Medo-Persian Empire - ‘…its chest and its arms of silver…another kingdom will arise inferior to you...’

During the time of the Medo-Persian Empire the people of Israel would be released and would find that Medo-Persian Empire was not as strong, nor did it last as long as the Babylonian Empire. It truly was inferior. During this time we find the work of the prophets Ezra and Nehemiah and the find the descendants of those that were taken into captivity were now released and allowed to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple under king Darius II.

Following the Medo-Persian Empire, we find an empire far greater than them. This empire was…

The belly and thighs of bronze: Grecian Empire - ‘…its belly and its thighs of bronze…then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth...’

During this empire, Alexander the Great would conquer all of the known world. There would not be a land he did not conquer. It is reported by historians that Alexander the Great, while in his twenties, wept upon his throne, because there was no more land to conquer. During this time, the mid-eastern world would be unified. A global language, Greek, would be spread and learned by all. This would be used of God to bring about the Bible and have easily spread throughout the 1st Century world. The Grecian Empire is not the only empire discussed. There is yet a forth empire...

The legs of iron and the feet of iron and clay: Roman Empire (v. 40-43)

As God describes history and coming kingdoms to follow after Nebuchadnezzar, he spends the most time describing the Roman Empire. Why? Why spend more time on this empire? It would be through this empire that God would act most and eventually bring his promised Messiah and give birth to His bride, the Church.

During this time the Pax Romana would occur. Rome would come into power and for the next two hundred years, bring unification and peace through an iron fist. It would be as Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar for those that tried to stop Rome, just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all things (v. 40b). Just like every over empire before them, they would falter and come to an end. We see this through the weakness of the statues foundation, the feet of iron and clay. What caused the end to the Roman Empire, the same thing that plagues the U.S. today, a moral bankruptcy. Pride, ego, and a decline in morality would cause the eventual destruction and fall of Rome.

God showed Nebuchadnezzar four kingdoms that would rise and fall throughout history: the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Grecian Empire, and the Roman Empire. God would dictate the movements and historical value that each would hold, and yet, God would not be done. There was a fifth kingdom to come. A kingdom without end.

The Kingdom of God, a Kingdom Without End (vv. 34-35, 44-45)

As God molds and shapes His sovereign plan throughout history, God is also founding and developing a kingdom within the background that would come to fulfillment in the end, His kingdom.

God’s establishing His own kingdom that is but not yet - ‘…the God of heaven will set up a kingdom...’

God’s establishing His own everlasting kingdom - ‘…which will never be destroyed...’

God’s establishing His own dominion that will destroy all others - ‘…it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms...’

God’s establishing His own kingdom through the Rock, Jesus the Christ

Daniel 2:35 NASB 2020

35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed to pieces all at the same time, and they were like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the entire earth.

Daniel 2:45a (NASB 2020)

45 Just as you saw that a stone was broken off from the mountain without hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold...

God has solidified this prophecy through His very own hand, governance, and sovereignty, so the dream is certain and its interpretation is trustworthy.

Conclusion

Let us not be as king Nebuchadnezzar and give false humility towards others and false worship toward God. Let us not suck-up to those we believe have special powers that we want or a connection to God that we deserve. This is exactly what Nebuchadnezzar does.

He shows false humility by falling on his face before Daniel

He shows false worship toward God by stating, Your God truly is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets...’

He sucks-up to Daniel because of his interpretation and gives him wealth, power, and position.

Understand this, God does not need your false humility, false worship, or sucking up. What God wants is for you to legitimately fear Him. Understand unequivocally that He is sovereign. Come to the realization that same God, the only true God, that controls all of history, is the same God that you will stand before and give an account to. It is this same God who sacrificed, and rose His son from the grave to afford you eternal life. It is this same God who will judge the living and the dead.

You must ask a question this morning? Are you ready to meet God? Are you ready to give an account? Are you ready to be face-to-face with the sovereign God of creation?

There is but one way to be ready and that is through a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, the rock of offense, the one the builders rejected, the one who saves, the one that struck the statue and became a great mountain and filled the entire earth. Do you know Him?