12 KiB
[!question] MANKIND NEEDS BETTER RULERSHIP (4 min.) Is it time? - To Eat? For Bed? To Leave? - Time for Change? - What kind of change? Why do we need change?
[!question] Why do human governments fail to meet the needs of their subjects? (Pr 29:2)
[!help] Lets take a quick look a the state of the world.
- Covid-19 : 7.1 million confirmed deaths
- As of April 2026, 30 countries are experiencing active armed conflicts.
- According to the inflation calculator, cost of living has risen ~38% over the past ten years
Why? Mankind often looks to their leaders, the governments to fix these things, but often finds these same governments are the ones contributing to, or even causing these problems.
So, what gives? Why do human governments fail to meet the needs of their subjects?
[!question] Man has neither the right nor the ability to govern himself successfully This same issue has been plaguing mankind for the past 6000 years
Read (Jer 10:23)
- It does not belong to man to direct his own step, nonetheless others steps, nonetheless an entire countries worth of people's steps.
His efforts to do so have led to much injustice and suffering (Ec 8:9, 11)
So, what then? Is that the end of it? Are we doomed to a future of repeating failure?
[!question] The Bible foretells that God’s Kingdom will soon replace human rule (Da 2:44; 7:13, 14) Read Daniel 2:44
Focusing on this scripture for a second, what comes to mind when you hear the word "Kingdom?" -> King/Queen/Castle/Peasants -> Form of government.
Contrast God's Government with Mankinds Governments
- God can direct man's step
- Got has the power to solve the worlds problems
- Will not be destroyed, will crush all other governments
- On every point, God's Government will be better then man's attempts at government
When will God’s Kingdom begin ruling? Has it already started ruling? When will it take full control?
[!question] DANIEL CHAPTER 4**—A PROPHETIC DREAM ABOUT RULERSHIP** (5 min.) To answer these questions, we're going to look at a prophecy in Daniel. We're going to study Daniel chapter 4 in depth, and see what information it holds that pertains to the questions we just asked.
[!question] Jehovah caused King Nebuchadnezzar to have a dream about rulership (Da 4:10-17)
- Read Daniel 4:4,5 - Sets the stage
- Next few verses he calls in the wise men of Babylon to interpret the dream, but nobody can. Nobody except for Daniel, a known servant of Jehovah.
- Read Daniel 4:10-17 - The dream
Right away we know the dream is not literal. A tree of such size can not exist. Also in verse 16 it states that the heart of the tree will change from a human to a beasts.
So, what's it mean?
[!question] God inspired Daniel to interpret the dream Read key portions of Daniel 4:20-27
- Vs 22 - Tree is King Nebuchadnezzar
- Vs 24,25 - King will driven from men, and become cow
- Vs 26,27 - King will return
- Vs 28 - All of this came to pass
We right away learn two things:
- Daniel accurately interpreted and foretold these events, which confirms this dream was from Jehovah, and thus its fulfilment to be taken note of
- The dream emphasizes that Jehovah God has the right to determine who will rule mankind
Ok, great, we have a weird dream, we have a crazy fulfillment, why are we discussing this after we just mentioned God's Kingdom?
[!question] THE DREAM FORETELLS THE RULE OF GOD’S KINGDOM (16 min.)
This dream is a prophecy that has a larger fulfillment in connection with the establishment of God’s Kingdom (it-1 132-135)
[!question] What reason is there to suggest that the dream is more than just an interesting story about the humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar?
- The dream was given at the time when God had just allowed his earthly kingdom to be overthrown - Context First: Read 1 Chronicles 29:23 - Jehovah had an Earthly Kingdom already set up in Jerusalem - The time this dream was delivered was 607 BCE, right after Jehovah used Babylon to overthrow Jerusalem, his earthly kingdom. - Gods kingdom was "cut down" for a time. There was no kingdom that directly represented Jehovah at this point in time
- The person to whom the dream was given was the very one used by God to cut off rulership in Jerusalem - Nebuchadnezzar was directly involved in the temporary "cutting down" of Jehovah's rulership
- The theme of the dream is God’s right to rule over the entire “kingdom of mankind” (Da 4:17, 25, 32) - Daniel 4:17 stated "So that people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind+ and that he gives it to whomever he wants"
- The dream’s context, the book of Daniel, repeatedly points forward to the rule of God’s Kingdom - Not only the theme of this dream, but the entire book of Daniel is pointing forward to God's Kingdom
- Daniel’s prophecies would not be fully understood until “the time of the end” (Da 12:4, 8, 9) - Read Daniel 12:4,8,9 - Focus on "Time of the end". - Thats the time we're in right now.
This dream will have multiple fulfillments. In the first fulfillment, the large tree was King Nebuchadnezzar himself In the larger fulfillment, the tree represents Jehovah’s rulership. How can we say that?
[!help] For a period of time, Jehovah’s rulership had been represented by the Israelite kings who ruled in Jerusalem (1Ch 29:23)
- Two things to keep in mind:
- Jehovah promised David that one of his descendants would rule forever (2Sa 7:16)
- Just to quote: "16 Your house and your kingdom will be secure forever before you; your throne will be firmly established forever.”"
- Ezekiel foretold that the earthly representation of God’s rulership would be cut off and that God would later appoint a new Ruler [Read Ezekiel 21:26, 27]
- What is "Later"?
- In 607 B.C.E., Jehovah used Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem;
- Reference Daniel 4:16, talking about the "Seven Times"
- this marked the beginning of the “seven times” during which God’s rulership would be interrupted (Da 4:16)
- How long would this period last?
- Daniel does not say, but there are other parts of the bible that do tell us
- We're going to look a few scriptures that help us find the answer.
[!help] ** Jesus said that Jerusalem, representing God’s rulership, would “be trampled on . . . until the appointed times of the nations” were fulfilled (w06 7/15 6 ¶1-4)** First, [Read Luke 21:24]
- “The appointed times of the nations” are the same period as the “seven times” of Daniel chapter 4
- Jesus indicated that “the appointed times of the nations” were still ongoing during his earthly ministry, so the “seven times” could not be seven literal years counted from 607 B.C.E.
- Next up, Read Revelation 12:6, 14. As we read, focus on where it talks about timing
- 1,260 Days = 3.5 times. 3.5times x 2 = 7 times. 7 times = 2,520 days // About 7 years.
- “Seven times,” or seven Biblical years, are equal to 2,520 days (w06 7/15 7 ¶1-2)
- In 1914, Jesus began ruling in heaven as the appointed King of God’s Kingdom
- Why Jesus?
- As a descendant of King David, Jesus is “the one who has the legal right” to rule (Eze 21:27; Lu 1:32, 33)
[!help] GOD’S KINGDOM WILL SOON TAKE FULL CONTROL (5 min.)
- Does reality match up with this claim?
- Events since 1914 confirm that God’s Kingdom has been established (Mt 24:3, 7-14; w15 6/15 22-24 ¶12-14)
- Jesus disciples asked Jesus what the sign of his presence would be, and in Matt 24:7-14, Jesus gives many things to look out for.
- Wars, Food Shortages, Earthquakes, Tribulation, a shift in mankind's attitude
- History documents that these things have been increasing since 1914, with the start of World War I.
- World events confirm that Jesus is now ruling over God's Kingdom.
- What comes next?
- Jesus is now ruling “in the midst of [his] enemies,” and he will soon “complete his conquest” (Ps 110:2; Re 6:2)
- Read Rev 6:2
- We know this white rider as Jesus Christ himself
- Notice "he went out conquering and to complete his conquest."
- Rule by God’s Kingdom will bring blessings to obedient mankind (w14 10/1 5-7)
- That subject alone is an entire talk in itself, just to mention a few points:
- No more health problems
- No more death
- No more Homelessness or Unemployment
- No more War, Food Shortages, or Poverty.
- Humans will enjoy eternal life, in a paradise earth, enjoying life
- Is it time for change? Yes.
- Until then, now is the time to take your stand in support of God’s Kingdom
- Imitate Jesus by telling all we can, and sharing the Good news of the kingdom, and help everyone to eagerly await its arrival.