There is a vast difference between lawmaking and governing. Law expresses a ruler’s will; government demands observance. After the flood of Noah, God instituted government; violence must now be restrained, and human life respected. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Gen. 9:66Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:6)). Inquisition for blood was placed in man’s hand, and God supported him in it.
The Necessity for Government
The necessity for government points to its use: the restraint of lawlessness and the support of well-doing. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well” (1 Peter 2:13-1413Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (1 Peter 2:13‑14)).
In order to appreciate rightly God’s present use of government, we must bear in mind that it is only a temporary provision until the scepter is given to “the Prince of Peace.” “Of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:3333And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:33)). In the meantime, God has two objects of interest on the earth — Israel and the church. But Israel, the natural seed of Abraham, must wait until the church is gathered home. Paul could say, “The Lord... will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:1818And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)). But a remnant of the Jewish nation will be preserved for the earthly kingdom.
Until His designs for both are accomplished, God will have the world kept in a measure of order, though, if He sees it necessary, He may permit persecutions, national conflicts, or commercial upheavals to prevent their settling down, for neither are yet in their destined position. Israel’s place is Canaan; the church’s home is heaven, and God is behind the scenes acting for both.
God’s Ideal in Government
God’s ideal in government is to have all power placed in the hands of one man — the one only Head (Eph. 1:1010That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10); Psa. 2:6-86Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Psalm 2:6‑8)). He gave Nebuchadnezzar absolute control, but instead of using it for God’s glory and man’s blessing, he used it for his own glory and man’s destruction. In a little while absolute dominion shall be given to another Man — Christ. Then God’s will shall “be done in earth as it is in heaven,” and “men shall be blessed in Him” (Psa. 72:17,1917His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. (Psalm 72:17)
19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. (Psalm 72:19)).
Consider the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. In this image we get a glance at the whole scope of Gentile government as God foresaw it to its end. Four imperial powers are represented in this image by the four chief materials that form it (Dan. 2:38-4338And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. 39And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 40And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. (Daniel 2:38‑43)). The head is of fine gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, with a combination of “potters’ clay” at the lowest extremity — “his feet part of iron and part of clay” (vs. 33).
The Head of Gold
Nebuchadnezzar’s power was absolute. Fine gold represents it (Dan. 2:38; 5:18-1938And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. (Daniel 2:38)
18O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor: 19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. (Daniel 5:18‑19)). “Thou art this head of gold.” Succeeding powers are more and more inferior, down to the toes. It is important to take note of this, for we can gauge the present whereabouts of Gentile government only in the light of the real secret of its decline.
It is said of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, “Whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive” (Dan. 5:1919And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. (Daniel 5:19)). But Darius the Medo-Persian had no such supreme authority. He tried his utmost to deliver Daniel from the lion’s den, but failed. Why? It was the intrusion of other wills. That principle has been gradually developing ever since, until today it is not a few wills backed up by royal assent, but millions of wills — wills strong and weak (iron and clay). These wills are making their voices heard by representation, to make laws that suit themselves, and to which the king (or other head of state) is expected to put his seal! When subjects rule and kings are expected to submit, we are approaching the very opposite of God’s ideal, and, according to the image, the end of Gentile government.
But pause here a moment to notice one thing. The figure of “potters’ clay” is associated in Scripture with the supremacy of God’s will over man’s. “Hath not the potter power over the clay?” God will have the last word; He who set up Gentile government will, in His own time, set it aside forever. It is when the utmost extremity of the “image” is reached that the “Stone cut out without hands” will completely destroy the whole image, and the atoms will be carried away as chaff.
The Stone
The Stone that smites the image will then fill the whole earth. David in the Psalms (Psa. 118:2222The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (Psalm 118:22)), Isaiah (Isa. 8:14-1514And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. (Isaiah 8:14‑15)), and the apostles Peter (Acts 4:11-1211This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:11‑12)) and Paul (Rom. 9:3333As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33)) all declare that the “Stone” is Christ. And this is confirmed by the Lord Himself, for He says, “On whomsoever it [the Stone] shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Luke 20:1818Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Luke 20:18)).
If having fellowship with both the image and the “Stone” will be an utter impossibility then, why try it now? To spend our best on that which is certain to be demolished is not true wisdom and can only diminish our interest in the Kingdom “which shall never be destroyed” (Dan. 2:4444And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44)). How much better to take the blessed Savior’s advice: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:3333But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)). One great help toward this is to see the import of Daniel’s dream in Daniel 7.
Daniel’s Dream
In this dream the same four powers are brought before us, but this time under the figure of four beasts. A “beast” in this context is God’s symbol of earthly government, but the figure is not intended as any personal slight upon the king himself, for God says, “Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:1717Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)). The first three powers are definitely named: Babylonian, Medio-Persian, and Grecian. The fourth and last, the Roman Empire, is named in the New Testament (Luke 2:11And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (Luke 2:1)). This power held sway during the lifetime of the Lord and His apostles. It was set up shortly before Christ’s first appearing and will be ended by His second. This great empire has since been divided into many kingdoms, but it will again be united under one political head, spoken of in Revelation 13 as a beast rising out of the “sea.” The mass will gladly hail his advent as the very man they have been looking for!
The Beasts
In the “image” of Daniel 2, the prominent thought seems to be the sovereignty of God’s will in earthly government. In the “beasts,” it is more the ravaging of man’s will. The symbol is a simple one. With the exception of the fourth beast, they are all beasts of prey: unclean, but with conquering power.
Now, a beast naturally follows the bent of its own will, without any reference to God, or even to man, save for its own protection. The Lord Himself provides us with a key for the understanding of this figure of a beast. The unjust judge in Luke 18 “neither feared God, nor regarded man,” and a judge is clearly representative of governing power. As a matter of justice, this judge disregarded the widow’s appeal. It was only when she gave him trouble that he interfered for her. As to motive, he served himself; in result, he served her. So with God’s symbol.
Men in power may think that their policies serve their own ends. But they forget that, long before their scheme was thought of, God had secret designs of His own to further. By a hidden link with theirs, He can give effect to His own. If governing powers will not by choice carry out God’s will consciously, they shall, by the very force of their own wills, carry it out unconsciously.
The Most High Rules
If rulers are God-fearing men, all the better, but while things are in disorder, God does not confine Himself to good men for earthly government. “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Dan. 4:1717This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (Daniel 4:17)). As an example, we know that one of the greatest boons in British history came to the nation through one of the basest of her kings. When, for his own ends, Henry VIII defied papal authority, the very Bible, which condemned his wickedness, was opened to millions of his subjects. By the will of God, however dark the monarch’s motive, the bright result was an open Bible and full liberty to read it. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will” (Prov. 21:11The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)).
Even if there is a combination of powers, it is all the same. If ten kings at last combine to give their power to the beast and destroy the harlot, it will be because God puts it into their hearts to fulfill His will (Rev. 17:16-1716And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. (Revelation 17:16‑17)). It was so with our blessed Lord. “Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.” They did so for their own wicked ends, but in God’s account it was “to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done” (Acts 4:27-2827For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. (Acts 4:27‑28)). In all things, it is “whomsoever He will,” “whithersoever He will,” and “whatsoever He predetermines.”
G. Cutting (adapted)