Daniel 4:17 This 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.
This passage of scripture reveals a very sacred truth that most people do not subscribe to, that God is still in control of the affairs of the earth, and in His capacity of Creator, He has complete jurisdiction over the works of His hands. God not only supplies all our needs, but He is also in charge of the various operations taking place across the globe, some of which we do not understand. When the above words were uttered to King Nebuchadnezzar, they were being given in response to his boastful claim that he had built Babylon by his own might and skill, thereby removing God from the human equation. Let's read:
Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
Here in his own words the king credited his success and achievements to human wisdom and power, not acknowledging that all that we have and are is a direct result of God interacting within the sphere of human existence. This sacred truth is echoed in the book of Acts, where Paul correctly states that "In Him we live and move and have our being".
Thus, because of king Nebuchadnezzar's pride and self-dependence, the Lord had to humble him in order to save him, by performing a miracle that defies our knowledge of human biology and chemistry. God immediately changed the king's skin, his hair, his toenails, his fingernails, his digestive system, his heart, his mind, his eating habits, his sleeping habits, his vocabulary, his immune system, his face, his expressions, his emotions and everything else so many people take for granted, as being independent of God. Let's read:
Daniel 4:31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
In our day, the same error is repeated all to often through the teaching of evolution, in which it is purported that as human beings, we arrived at where we now are by chance, through a system of slow development from quadrupeds to intelligent people, who can now invent sophisticated products like drones, rockets and bullet trains, all without any input from an all-wise Creator. The very idea should be repugnant to intelligent minds, and the Bible cautions us not to follow in the footsteps of Nebuchadnezzar, by making similar assertions, for the comments that were then made, sent him into "Neverland" for a period of seven years.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture that reminds us of our roots, that we were made in the image of an intelligent, all-wise God, and thus it behooves us to use our intelligence to serve and honor Him in whatsoever we do, think, or say. Let's read:
Acts17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.
We sincerely hope and pray that God will grant us an understanding heart on an ongoing basis, so that we may always remember that He is sill in control. "Good night" and God bless!