Daniel 4:35 CSB – All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and he does what he wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can block his hand or say to him, “What have you done?“
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had immense authority. His word was done. If anyone disobeyed, he punished them. No one could resist. He was greatly humbled because of his pride, for the King of kings had authority over him.
After humbling himself (7 years’ worth (Daniel 4:32)), he gave testimony to the greatness of God and that God had authority much greater than himself. What decisions God made were done and no one could resist (Psalm 115:3 and Psalm 135:6). What Nebuchadnezzar thought he had as ultimate authority. The truth is that all was subject to the approval of the God of heaven and earth. Daniel 5:21 CSB – “He was driven away from people, his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.
Some things God decrees are unconditional and will be done whether we like it or not, approve of it or not, submit to it or not as in Genesis 2:17 CSB “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” There are no choices.
Some things are conditional depending on faith and obedience as in
- Deuteronomy 28:1-2 CSB – Now if you faithfully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all his commands I am giving you today, the LORD your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the LORD your God.
- Deuteronomy 28:15 CSB – But if you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all his commands and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overtake you.
God is not a tyrant, as some theologies teach, but a Shepherd king.