In the annals of human history, the

growth of nations, the rise

and fall of empires, appear

as if dependent on the will

and prowess of man; the

shaping of events seems, to

a great degree, to be deter-

mined by his power, ambition,

or caprice. But in

the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we

behold, above, behind, and

through all the play and

counterplay of human interest

and power and passions,

the agencies of the

All-merciful One, silently,

patiently working out the

counsels of His own will.

In words of matchless beauty

and tenderness, the apostle

Paul set before the sages of

Athens the divine purpose

in the creation and distribution

of races and nations.

“God that made the world

and all things therein,” declared

the apostle, “hath

made of one blood all nations

of men for to dwell on

all the face of the earth, and

hath determined the times

before appointed, and the

bounds of their habitation;

that they should seek the

Lord, if haply they might

feel after Him, and find

Him.” Acts 17:24-27.

God has made plain that whosoever

will, may come “into

the bond of the covenant.”

Ezekiel 20:37. In the creation

it was His purpose

that the earth should be inhabited

by beings whose

existence would be a blessing to themselves and to

one another, and an honor

to their Creator. All who

will may identify themselves

with this purpose.

Of them it is spoken, “This

people have I formed for

Myself; they shall show

forth My praise.” Isaiah

43:21.

In His law God has made known

the principles that underlie

all true prosperity, both of

nations and of individuals.

To the Israelites Moses declared

of this law: “This

is your wisdom and your

understanding.” “It is not a

vain thing for you; because

it is your life.” Deuteronomy

4:6; 32:47. The blessings

thus assured to Israel

are, on the same conditions

and in the same degree, assured

to every nation and

to every individual under

the broad heavens.

Hundreds of years before certain

nations came upon the

stage of action, the Omniscient

One looked down

the ages and predicted the

rise and fall of the universal

kingdoms. God declared

to Nebuchadnezzar

that the kingdom of Baby506

Prophets and Kings

lon should fall, and a second

kingdom would arise,

which also would have its

period of trial. Failing to

exalt the true God, its glory

would fade, and a third

kingdom would occupy its

place. This also would

pass away; and a fourth,

strong as iron, would subdue

the nations of the

world.

Had the rulers of Babylon—that

richest of all earthly kingdoms—

kept always before

them the fear of Jehovah,

they would have been

given wisdom and power

which would have bound

them to Him and kept

them strong. But they

made God their refuge only

when harassed and perplexed.

At such times, failing

to find help in their

great men, they sought it

from men like Daniel—

men who they knew honored

the living God and

were honored by Him. To

these men they appealed

to unravel the mysteries

of Providence; for though

the rulers of proud Babylon

were men of the highest

intellect, they had separated

themselves so far

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream 507

from God by transgression

that they could not understand

the revelations and

the warnings given them

concerning the future.