What is God’s will? God’s will is his planning and purposing everything that happens.

Nothing happens outside of God’s will and plan.

God knows the results for every dice roll..

God knows the day of our birth…

…and he knows the day of our death.

Even wrong and evil events happen according to God’s will and plan. God is not to blame for any evil or wrong event… but he does work out his purposes for good even through sinful actions and terrible events. ‘All things work together for good.’ Romans 8:28 Joseph’s understanding of the terrible things that had happened in his life fits with the whole teaching of the Bible: ‘You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.’ Genesis 50:20 Even the worst event in human history – was the most wonderful thing that ever happened! ‘Jesus, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.’ Acts 2:23

One of the accounts we have in the book of Daniel is an account of the most powerful man on earth learning that even he could not control God’s will!

The most powerful man on earth… Nebuchadnezzar thought that he and his gods were invincible! He even thought he was more powerful than the true God of Judah because he had defeated the kingdom of Judah and brought many of the most prominent citizens of Jerusalem as captives to Babylon. The truth was that the true God was punishing his own people using Nebuchadnezzar because of their disobedience to him! God allowed them to be defeated and go into captivity.

A view of the ruins of ancient Babylon from Saddam Hussein’s summer palace.

The most powerful man on earth learned that he could not control God’s will. Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream. Somehow he knew it was a very significant dream. He saw a great tree It had many beautiful leaves It had much fruit on it Many animals used it for shelter

The most powerful man on earth learned that he could not control God’s will. A ‘Holy Watcher’ probably an angel appeared and said: ‘Chop it down! Only leave a stump and bind the stump with iron! Let it be wet with dew. Let it eat with the animals Give it the heart of an animal Leave it like this for 7 years’

Inscription on the Ishtar gate: I (Nebuchadnezzar) laid the foundation of the gates down to the ground water level and had them built out of pure blue stone. Upon the walls in the inner room of the gate are bulls and dragons and thus I magnificently adorned them with luxurious splendour for all mankind to behold in awe.

The meaning of the dream… Daniel was given wisdom by God to understand the dream. Daniel is very concerned and very sorry for the King. The great tree represents Nebuchadnezzar. He will become like an animal for 7 years! He will learn that God rules!

A year after the dream Nebuchadnezzar was strutting around Babylon saying: Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my great power and for the honour of my majesty? Suddenly the dream became reality!

William Blake’s painting of Nebuchadnezzar learning his painful lesson.

Nebuchadnezzar learns the lesson… After 7 years living as an animal Nebuchadnezzar has learned his lesson: ‘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 honoured Him who lives forever. For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”’ Daniel 4:36-37

No one can say to God: ‘What have you done?’

God is in control! God is able to show that he is in control. Ultimately death shows we are not in control. We need to seek for God! We need to ask him to show himself to us. He does reward those who seek him!