Ruler Over All

History has seen its share of mad monarchs who have created grief for humanity. Caligula, the infamous emperor of Rome (ad 12 to 41) certainly is near the top of the list of men who wielded authority in cruel and sometimes eccentric ways. Zhengde, emperor of China (1491 to 1521), could also dispatch subjects he didn’t like with quick brutality. Ivan the Terrible (1533 to 1584) took pleasure in torturing the nobility of Russia to keep them in line. He even murdered his own son in a fit of rage.

Still, the craziest king in all history literally went mad for seven years. The Bible describes what happened to Nebuchadnezzar, a proud Babylonian king who thought he was God. “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). While these words were still on his lips, he suddenly became mad and behaved like an animal.

At the end of seven years, the Scripture records that Nebuchadnezzar’s senses returned and he humbly praised God. “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. … He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand” (Daniel 4:34, 35).

Nebuchadnezzar left us a fitting description of the sovereignty of God. While many earthly rulers have attempted to hold absolute authority over their kingdom with cruelty, there is only One who is truly the sovereign head of all the universe, the Lord God of heaven. No one rules over God. “Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places” (Psalm 135:6).

Unlike the cruel tyrants of human history, we can trust in the sovereignty of God. Someday all the universe will agree, “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!” (Revelation 15:3).

Apply It:

Who was the best king in all Bible history and what qualities of this ruler were like God?

Dig Deeper:

1 Chronicles 29:11, 12; Psalm 29:10; Proverbs 16:4

Key Bible Texts

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1 KJV)