As you read the book of Daniel, you are most likely to be impressed by the role of Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego in Babylon's government. The more you look keenly through these scriptures, the more you realise that God not only had the script of Israel's judgement and its ultimate redemption, but He also had the narrative of the other nations of the world e.g. Babylon and Assyria. As you meditate on these scriptures, you are likely to ask the following questions: Is God concerned with political leadership of nations? Does He play a part in ousting or establishment of political regimes? Does His perfect will for nations always prevail? We will attempt to answer these questions based on God's Word.In Daniel chapter 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him and he sought for its interpretation from his wise men. Daniel sought God regarding the interpretation of the King's dream and once he received God's revelation, he presented it to the King. Nebuchadnezzar's dream was about a large statue whose head was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron and its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. A rock was then cut out and it struck the statue on its feet and smashed them. The other parts of the statue were then broken to pieces and became like chaff. The chaff was swept away by the wind and no trace of it was left.
The different parts of the statue represented kingdoms. The head of gold represented Babylon which ruled between 606 B.C. and 539 B.C. The chest and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persian empire whose reign was from 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. The belly and thighs of bronze symbolised the Grecian empire which ruled between 331 B.C. and 146 B.C. Lastly, the legs and feet of iron and clay symbolised the Roman empire whose reign was between 146 B.C. - A.D. 476. Considering that the book of Daniel was written approximately in 536 B.C., God was revealing to King Nebuchadnezzar political happenings in the then known world, at least 1,000 years into the future. The rock cut out of the mountain depicted God's kingdom which would be ruled eternally by the Messiah- the King of Kings! God is the power behind all earthly kingdoms! (NIV Commentary).
Daniel 2:21-22 states, "He [God] changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him." This is sometimes a hard truth for Christians to swallow and digest. Many believers ask, "Does God play a part in the raising up of wicked kings?" Matthew Henry Commentary states, "It is God that changes the times and the seasons, and the face of them. No change comes to pass by chance, but according to the will and counsel of God."
When a wicked king rises to power, it is not without the knowledge and permission of God. Why does God allow wicked, unbelieving kings to rule even for a minute? Think about Adolf Hitler and the atrocities that he committed to the Jews. Look at the world dictators who oppress their people for decades and amass wealth for themselves while their people lavish in poverty. Humanly speaking, it does not make sense why these leaders continue to rule while we have a living and powerful God in heaven. However, if we reflect on the sovereignty of God and His foreknowledge, we will gain understanding. Firstly, God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Secondly, the Most High is Sovereign over all kingdoms of the earth and gives them to anyone he wishes (Daniel 4: 25c; 32b). All power belongs to God and this truth must be settled in our minds. Psalms 62:11 states, "One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: "Power belongs to you, God"".
Thirdly, God puts it in the hearts of world leaders to fulfill the purposes of God and the word God has spoken (Eddie Snipes). For example, though Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king, he was called a servant of God. He was in God's hand, a tool to be used for the punishment of Israel (Jeremiah 43:10). Eddie Snipes puts this into perspective by referring to the incidence when Jesus was presented to Pilate in John chapter 19. When Jesus gave no answers to Pilate's questions, Pilate asked him, "Don't you realise I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus' response is striking: "You would have no authority over Me unless it were given to you from above." Pilate was at such a time, placed in authority for fulfillment of God's purpose since he was to handover Jesus for crucifixion. The time for the stone foretold in Daniel 2 to smash the Roman empire had come! It was time for God's spiritual kingdom to take reign and the Messiah to rule eternally! This would only happen through Christ paying the penalty of our sin on calvary, and Pilate was part of God's script for our redemption. We too know that we await other aspects of God's reign on earth when believers will reign with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4) and when a new order of the new heaven and new earth shall come (Revelation 21:1-4).
God not only gives power to earthly rulers but He also holds their lives and ways in his hand.
Daniel 5:23d states, "But you [King Belshazzar] did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways." Such understanding ought to make leaders, at whichever level of influence, to remain humble before God. Just by God speaking His Word, a leader can be no more. When God wrote on the wall, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin," that marked the end of King Belshazzar's reign. Daniel 5:30 states that, "That very night Belshazzar, King of the Babylonians was slain,...." Proverbs 21:1 states, "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will (KJV)."
It is worth noting that God's divine influence and control over earthly kingdoms, should not be misinterpreted to mean that Christians have no (or have an insignificant) role to play in the leadership of earthly kingdoms. All through scripture, we see God involving the righteous in the governance affairs of earthly kingdoms. Considering that God is All-Sufficient, it is a privilege and honor that He has chosen to include us (Christians) in His work on earth. God used the prophets of old; young men: Joseph, Gideon, David, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego; women from different walks of life: Queen Esther, Rahab, Namaan's servant girl, Ruth and Deborah; men advanced in age: Abraham, Zechariah the priest and Simeon the righteous and devout man who awaited the birth of Jesus; to fulfill His purposes in earthly kingdoms. Today, God wants you and I to surrender to Him, to be used of Him as tools in His hand for His purposes. Are you ready? If you are willing and surrendered to Him, He will use you as His vessel of honor, for He shows no favoritism (Romans 12:11).
Firstly, believers in the 21st Century church ought to surrender their lives and be Christ's ambassadors in their areas of influence. We must not only profess Christ by our lips, but our lives must be a reflection of Christ. We must desire to live lives worthy of the calling of God. Ephesians 4:1 states, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." God is calling us to be His prisoners; to be slaves of righteousness. This entails absolute surrender to God, and allowing His Lordship over every aspect of our lives. Believers ought not to be ignorant of the devil's schemes to deter them from fulfillment of God's purposes. We must remain alert and sober for the devil prowls around like a lion, looking for someone to devour (1st Peter 5:8). Potiphar's wife was Satan's scheme to derail Joseph from God's purpose. The king's rich food and wine was fashioned to desensitize Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego's hearts from God's will and promptings. The aforementioned, by God's grace, made tough decisions to ensure that they remained in the course of righteousness. We must not give the devil a foothold in our lives and must jealously guard against corruption of our hearts. When we walk in righteousness, we maintain our position in Christ, which is essential if we are to fulfill God's purposes for our lives.
Secondly, believers in the 21st Century must be vigilant in prayer. God's Word commands that we pray without ceasing (1st Thessalonians 5:17). Isaiah 62:6 states, "I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." God has posted believers in Kenya and in the nations of the world as watchmen to continuously travail in prayer until the purposes of God prevail. We must not be silent; we must not slumber! We must remain sober and watchful to engage in spiritual warfare, for our battle is not carnal. Matthew 18:18 states, "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." God has given us authority to bind that which is of the kingdom of darkness and to loose that which we desire to see manifest in our nations. 1st Timothy 2:2 states, "... I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity." God has chosen to involve us in His work on earth. We must not grow weary; we must not faint!
Prayer for believers ought to be a lifestyle. Daniel stood out in Babylon for his exceptional character and service, and this made his government colleagues jealous. The colleagues looked for grounds to charge Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but could find none. In desperation, they decided to charge him on grounds of his faith because he had continued to pray three times a day as his routine was, contrary to the King's decree. Daniel had a disciplined prayer life that was inseparable from his daily life. How is your prayer life? Will anyone accuse you for praying if a similar decree was issued in your country?
What's the description of Kenya's watchmen (believers with whom God has entrusted to stand in the gap for the nation)? Israel's watchmen were once described as blind; lacking knowledge; mute dogs that cannot bark; lying around and dreaming; lovers of sleep; dogs with mighty appetites; never having enough; and seekers of their own gain (Isaiah 56:10-11). Living in sin makes believers blind; it makes them to lack understanding; it makes them to lack spiritual authority to speak in the demonstration of God's Spirit and power; it makes them to spiritually slumber and pursue the gratification of their flesh. As believers in Kenya, we ought to turn to God in repentance, if any of the aforementioned describes our current state. We must be set apart for God and daily put on His armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) if we are to influence for God in our areas of planting.
Thirdly, as believers walk in righteousness and seek God's face in prayer, He will reveal deep mysteries regarding His work in the nations of the world. Amos 3:7 states that, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." God has in the past revealed many things regarding Kenya. Prophecy has revealed that Kenya is a spring board for revival; Out of the nation of Kenya, great light will go forth into the nations of Africa and into the rest of the world; Kenya will be a place of refuge for many nations; only to mention but a few. Some of the prophesies are already being fulfilled, while others await the fullness of time.
God has spoken, is speaking and will continue to speak over Kenya and the nations of the world. For example, during this season of elections in Kenya, God is speaking. However, we must be consecrated and still to hear Him speak. There are many voices that overshadow God's small still voice; many activities that distract us from seeing God's hand at work. As believers, we must remain alert and sensitive to what God is saying during the different seasons of our nation. Why does God reveal the future to the Church? His intent is to involve the righteous in His reign on earth and to display His manifold glory through the Church (Ephesians 3:10). Just as it was during Daniel's time in captivity, God expects believers to travail in prayer for the fulfillment of His Word over our nation. Daniel 9:1-3 states, "In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes."
There is intense spiritual warfare to resist God's will, for the devil (the god of this world) does not sit pretty to watch God's Word and will prevail on earth. Daniel chapter 10 helps us understand what spiritual warfare is like in the heavenly places. Verse 12-13 states, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia."
Secondly, God expects us to prophesy His Word over the nation. When other voices speak destruction, blood shed, strife and oppression over the land, believers must prophesy God's Word. We must prophesy to the giants of corruption, tribalism and idolatry in our nation and command them to release their hold over Kenya. We must prophesy life, peace and prosperity in the land. Kenya belongs to God! Kenya is a spring board of revival! Out of Kenya, a great light [the gospel] shall go forth to the nations of Africa, and to the rest of the world!
From our reflection, it is clear that God is concerned and in control of political leadership of nations. He deposes and raises up kings for His purpose. Since God is Sovereign, He allows certain regimes to reign, despite some being wicked. It is exciting to know that God has privileged believers with the opportunity to partner with Him in the fulfillment of His purposes on earth. Just as Jesus taught us to pray, "May God's Kingdom come over Kenya and over the nations of the earth; may His reign be established in our land and in the nations of the world as it is in heaven." Amen.
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