Page 55 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Kingdom and the Old Testament

delivers a message directly from God to Israel. In these messages, He
reminds Israel that He is their King and Redeemer:

• “I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King” (43:15).
• “This is what the LORD says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD
Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is
no God” (44:6).

Jeremiah—God Rules Over the Nations

Jeremiah also has much to say about God being King. In a prayer to
God, he recognizes His kingship over the nations. “Who should not revere
you, O King of the nations?” he prays. “This is your due. Among all the
wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like
you” (Jeremiah 10:7). On another occasion Jeremiah exhorts Israel, “The
LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King” (10:10). Two
times in Jeremiah, God declares himself to be the “the King, whose name
is the LORD Almighty” (46:18; 51:57).

Daniel—The King of Heaven and Earth

The prophet Daniel presents God as the King of heaven and earth.
He tells the story of how Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, refused to
acknowledge God as ruler of the universe. Instead, he exalted himself,
declaring that he had built Babylon by his own power and for his own
glory (Daniel 4:30). Immediately, a voice came from heaven, telling
Nebuchadnezzar that because he refused to acknowledge God’s supreme
authority as King of the universe, his kingdom would be taken away from
him. The voice declared:

You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild
animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for
you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over
all kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. (v. 32)

Nebuchadnezzar became insane, and for the next seven years he
lived like an animal in the wilderness. At the end of the seven years,
Nebuchadnezzar looked to God, and his sanity was restored. He then
declared, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the
King of heaven” (4:37). He further declared, “His dominion is an eternal

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