During the period that the Israelites were exiled in Babylon, the prophet Daniel served in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. The King had a dream that scared him so he asked Daniel what it meant. Daniel said,

“You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven years will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed” (Daniel 4:25, 27).

A year later as the king was walking on the roof of his palace he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”(4:30). Then it happened just as Daniel said. The king lost his mind and went to live with the wild animals for 7 years. The king himself said,

“At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him; ‘What have you done?’…Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:34-35, 37).

There are lessons here for presidents and leaders of all kinds. First, God is the Lord over all. He delegates authority, but he can also take it away.

Second, every ruler must learn humility. Nebuchadnezzar’s problem was that he thought that he achieved everything on his own.

Third, no ruler is completely sovereign. Only God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Only God’s kingdom will last forever. And God is the only ruler that can’t be thwarted.

All of us who are in authority of any kind, whether it be as parents, bosses, teachers or government officials need to remember those same lessons. Any authority we have is a precious responsibility delegated by God. It is a temporary privilege that must be used wisely. We must use it to do right, and not to bolster our own pride. And finally we must remember that God is in charge over us all.