I really wonder how many Christian pastors have paid close attention to the astounding revelation God gives us in the 4th chapter of the Book of Daniel. It begins in verse one with the pagan Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar extolling and praising the one true God, calling Him “the high God” in verse 2 of that 4th chapter. In the 8th verse of that chapter King Nebuchadnezzar points out the fact that Daniel had been given the name Belteshazzar, according to the name of Nebuchadnezzar’s god, the pagan god Bel. Nebuchadnezzar has had a troubling dream and desires that Daniel interpret it for him as none of the Babylonian magicians, astrologers, the Chaldeans, or the soothsayers had been able to provide the king with an interpretation of his dream.. King Nebuchadnezzar then tells Daniel the dream, summing up what he has seen in his dream by saying how “a holy one” (i.e., an angel) ended the dream by saying, “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men” (verse 17, Daniel 4). Yes, even an idolatrous Nebuchadnezzar or, most recently, a Hitler, a Mussolini, or a Stalin!
In giving the interpretation of the dream, Daniel informs King Nebuchadnezzar that the king himself is depicted by the great tree he has seen in his dream, a tree whose height reached into heaven and so huge it could be seen from all the earth. (Remember, this is a dream – not reality). And twice more, in giving the interpretation of the dream, Daniel says to the king that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will.” (See verses 25 and 32). In the 27th verse Daniel urges the king to stop sinning and live righteously as such a repentant change of heart and conduct might well lengthen the days of his reign and forestall the loss of his powers of reasoning, as the interpretation of the dream declared that he would indeed suffer a total mental breakdown. King Nebuchadnezzar failed to heed Daniel’s advice and twelve months later he suddenly lost his reason and became mad. This madness continued for seven years (called “seven times” in verses 23 and 25).
“And at the end of the days (the seven years) I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that lives for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom (governing of the nations) is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing (in comparison to God’s might, power and glory), and He does according to His will in the army of heaven (the countless angelic beings), and among the inhabitants of the earth (electing and calling whom He will when He will), and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, ‘What are you doing?’ At the same time my reason returned unto me….and I was established (once more) in my kingdom….Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment…” (See Daniel 4:34-37).
Yes, ALL God’s works are done in truth and ALL His ways are done in judgment and fairness! None, no, not one, will ever be able to stand before God and truthfully say, “I never was given an understandable full and free opportunity to know you, to have fellowship with you, to comprehend what it was I needed to do in order to be forgiven of my sins and inherit eternal life. I never had a chance!!!” No, my friend, NONE will ever have cause to raise that argument before the great God of glory, the God who declares that He is not willing that ANY should perish, the Eternal who says He desires that ALL humans be saved and inherit everlasting life, and who declares that “as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL (that same all) be made alive, but every man in his own order” (See I Corinthians 15:22-23).
So, no, God is not even trying to get all the world’s inhabitants saved now, nor has He been trying to do so in any previous generation. When Jesus Christ returns He will not say, “Gentlemen, it’s all over.” No, He will say to His elect sons and daughters, “Brethren, let’s get started. There’s a great tremendous work to be done.” We, the elect, have come in on the ground floor of God’s great family building project. The work is not finished. It is only in its’ beginning stages. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley