"the Most High Rules In The Kingdom Of Men"

William Ernest Henley ends his poem Invictus with the lines, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." Many leaders throughout the course of history seem to have believed and followed this philosophy. They have engaged in campaigns of global conquest, genocide, or oppression. Too late, they have found out that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of men.

One such ruler was Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Babylon was the world power of its time. It had defeated the Assyrians, the Egyptians, and - also- the Israelites. Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest of its kings. In his own words, he recounts his learning of Who was truly in control of his kingdom: "All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?’ While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.’ That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws." (Daniel 4:28-33 NKJV). It was a difficult lesson for Nebuchadnezzar to learn, but he did. He went on to say, "And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. . . He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. . . Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down." (Daniel 4:34-37 NKJV).

Currently, there is leader in the Mid-East who believes he is another Nebuchadnezzar. He, too, will learn who is really in control. When governments fail in their God ordained duty to punish the wicked and protect the innocent, God will bring them down. Notice God’s words concerning ancient Israel and Babylon: "Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon Has devoured me, he has crushed me; He has made me an empty vessel, He has swallowed me up like a monster; He has filled his stomach with my delicacies, He has spit me out. Let the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon, The inhabitant of Zion will say; ‘And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!’ Jerusalem will say. Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry. Babylon shall become a heap, A dwelling place for jackals, An astonishment and a hissing, Without an inhabitant.’" (Jeremiah 51:34-37 NKJV).

For some national leaders, it is a hard lesson to learn that they are not the "masters of their fate," but that the Almighty God is the one in control. It was a hard lesson for Nebuchadnezzar, and it will be a hard lesson for Saddam Hussein. Nevertheless, it is the price leaders and governments pay for not fulfilling their God given obligations.