To get Nebuchadnezzar's attention, God revealed to him, through a dream, a glimpse of the future. Daniel explained to the king that "there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days" (Daniel 2:28).
Daniel continued: "... The God of heaven has given you a kingdom . . . But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron . . . And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; . . . and it shall stand forever" (verses 37-44).
Because of Israel's sins, God granted gentile rulers dominance in that region until a final kingdom-the Kingdom of God-would reign at Christ's return. God revealed this most basic prophecy-an outline of future dominant powers in that region-to Nebuchadnezzar.
At about the same time, God sent Daniel to tell the monarch: ". . . O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous . . ." (Daniel 4:27). Although he temporarily acknowledged God's greatness, Nebuchadnezzar never really heeded Daniel's admonition.
God humbled the king by giving him over to insanity for seven years. During that time he proved himself incapable of administering the affairs of Babylon. Daniel had warned him: "They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen . . . till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses" (Daniel 4:25). God made sure Nebuchadnezzar was left with no excuse for disobeying Him.
When it was all over, Nebuchadnezzar issued a proclamation: "To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation" (verses 1-3).
The Babylonian king acknowledged God's power and authority over the earth. But we read no indication that he permanently changed his idolatrous ways and began serving only the true God. He came to understand, however, that Daniel's God was greater than all the other gods he worshiped.
A lesson of history
What God has shown, and history has repeatedly demonstrated, is that neither national leaders nor their people are able consistently to obey God on their own. Paul summed it up when he wrote: "What then? Are we [Jews] better than they [gentiles]? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks [gentiles] that they are all under sin. As it is written: �There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one'" (Romans 3:9-12).
Not until Jesus Christ establishes the Kingdom of God on earth, and God gives His Spirit to "all flesh" (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17, 38), to those who willingly repent, can righteousness become widespread. God revealed this same truth to Nebuchadnezzar: ". . . The God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44).
This truth is the focus of Bible prophecy. Prophecy shows how the Creator God will intervene in mankind's affairs and establish His Kingdom, which will bring peace, righteousness and salvation to all humanity.
Bible prophecy is international in scope. It is centered on the only Ruler-Jesus Christ, the Son of God-who can establish utopia on earth.
