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Foretelling the Time for World RulershipOur Incoming World Government—God’s Kingdom
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26. What Hebrews likely joined the search for the king, and why?
26 It would seem highly appropriate that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah as “high royal officers” should be among those who searched for the restored king as a sign of their loyalty to him and of their having safeguarded his imperial interests during his mental illness. (Compare 2 Samuel 19:11-15.) These four worshipers of Jehovah God would particularly be interested in the effect of the king’s humiliating experience upon him at the hands of their God. More than all others in the king’s royal service, they appreciated Nebuchadnezzar’s confession of the Universal Sovereignty of the Most High “Ruler,” whom Nebuchadnezzar called “the King of the heavens,” reigning forever. They saw how this heavenly King gave back kingship to a man who for “seven times” was “even the lowliest one of mankind” in being degraded below the human level to that of a beast of the field. (Daniel 4:17) They understood what Jehovah had been doing!
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Foretelling the Time for World RulershipOur Incoming World Government—God’s Kingdom
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There is no basis for doubt that Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the heaven-high tree was prophetic, it being inspired by Jehovah God. But is the dream’s fulfillment limited to that ancient fulfillment on the person of one man, King Nebuchadnezzar, for him to learn a lesson regarding rulership? Is it through his personal experience that the purport of Jehovah’s dealing with him is achieved, namely, “that people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that to the one whom he wants to, he gives it and he sets up over it even the lowliest one of mankind”? (Daniel 4:17) By setting up over the kingdom of mankind “even the lowliest one of mankind” does the Most High God set up over mankind the lowest grade of rulership over mankind? Evidently not! (Daniel 4:36, 37) For the “people living” in our momentous twentieth century, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream must have a further and more far-reaching fulfillment. It does!
30. How does the tree picture Jehovah’s universal sovereignty?
30 Ancient facts certify the first fulfillment of the dream of the king of Babylon. How do the later facts establish the larger and complete fulfillment of that same dream? Well, Nebuchadnezzar, who for the time being back there was pictured by the massive tree, was ruler of the Babylonian Empire. So he symbolized rulership on a world scale, having worldwide recognition. Likewise, the “tree” that was illustrated by him stood for rulership on a scale grander than that held by the king of Babylon. At that time, what rulership or dominion was greater than that of Emperor Nebuchadnezzar, which stood without a rival on earth? Only the rulership of the one whom Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged to be “the Most High,” “the King of the heavens.” (Daniel 4:34, 37) For that reason, the heaven-high, life-sustaining tree of the dream symbolized the UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY of the Most High, Jehovah God, particularly in its relationship with our earth. This Universal Sovereignty is eternal, “to time indefinite,” for all generations.
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