Daniel 2.44 NLT




'During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.'
Daniel had the seemingly impossible task of not only interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream but actually telling the King what he had dreamt. Amazingly he did exactly that and told the powerful King of Babylon that there were going to be four kingdoms, all of which gave an impression of strength, but which would all fall. However, at the same time, God was establishing his own kingdom which would last for ever.
Through the years, people have wanted to identify the four kingdoms. There have been lots of candidates, but that is not the point of the dream. The point is that when God establishes his kingdom, it will endure. That is to say, history is in God’s hands. Through the centuries there have been a succession of powerful kingdoms. At the time they gave the impression of being all-powerful. They were militarily strong, shaped powerful cultures and dominated people’s thinking. It was unthinkable that they could ever come to an end. But they did. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream revealed that God’s kingdom is greater than any human kingdom and will ultimately win through. So no one should despair when facing up to one of the world’s failing empires. Strong as they might seem, God’s kingdom is greater.




As we look at the problems of our modern world, these words should be an encouragement to us. There is much that is commendable about our world, but much that is oppressive and broken. When we pray the Lord’s prayer we pray for the coming of the kingdom of God and we should do so with confidence and conviction. As we live in line with God’s will we see his kingdom slowly but surely emerging here on earth as it is in heaven. However terrible the day’s news we should not despair because the kingdom that God is establishing will last for ever.




Question: In what way does it encourage you to know that history is in God’s hands?
Prayer: Loving Father, we worship you because history is in your hands. We thank you that your kingdom is coming here on earth as it is in heaven. Amen

Released on 3 Jun 2022