“Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him.  The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets it over the lowliest (basest) of men.” Daniel 4: 16-17.

This passage from Daniel is the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that Daniel interpreted.  The King had grown powerful, with his dominion extending to the ends of the earth, and along with it his pride had grown.  He came to believe that he had built his great kingdom by his own power.  The dream was God’s pronouncement of judgement on the King that he would be made to become like a beast of the field, including eating grass, until such time as he understood that God rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he wills.

This passage illustrates that God, in His sovereignty, allows even wicked and base (lowly) men to rise as world/government leaders but He alone controls which leaders are established.  God has His Watchers, His angels, watching every world leader and available to carry out His decrees to punish leaders who act wickedly and fail to honor Him.  This is a great assurance to us that we can trust to God’s sovereignty and not worry about all the wickedness and corruption we many times see in our government leaders.  This leaves us safe to do our duty of submitting to the government authorities God places over us and leave its judgement, if necessary, to God which is His prerogative.  God is behind every throne and government official so we can trust him to impart appropriate judgement to the wicked leaders/officials until they may come to know that God rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he wills.