Theological Bites
In political science, there is the concept of International Relations with the sub-topic International Law under which State and state sovereignty are discussed. Not being a political scientist, I hope I have not confused the order of study. The issue of sovereignty of states is part of political science. In political science, sovereignty is usually defined as the most essential attribute of the state in the form of its complete self-sufficiency in the frames of a certain territory that is its supremacy in the domestic policy and independence in the foreign one. (Grinin L. E. Globalization and Sovereignty: Why do States Abandon their Sovereign Prerogatives? Age of Globalization. Number 1 / 2008)
The events recorded in the book of Daniel are within the context of the politics of the Babylon Empire, whose sovereignty (power). Babylon was not a state but an empire that consisted of vassal states that it had conquered.
Sovereignty, not just military or political power, of Babylon, is exhibited in the interpretation of the king’s dream in Chapter 2 as Gold, Chapter 3 as cuius regio eius religio. = a Latin phrase which literally means “whose realm, his religion” – meaning that the religion of the ruler was to dictate the religion of those ruled. (Turner, Bryan (July 2007). “Islam, Religious Revival and the Sovereign State“. Muslim World. 97). The Sovereignty of Babylon is demonstrated in Chapter 4 beyond pragmatic terms to ideological tenets as the Stump and Root left in the ground after a huge tree (Babylon Empire) collapses in the following Chapters 5-6.
The Visions in Chapters 7-9 are not of any King but the ones Daniel himself received from the Lord concerning international politics and powers. Both practically in his age (reign of Belshazzar chapters 7-8 and after the fall of Babylon in the reign of Darius the Mede, Chapter 9 where he offers national repentance to God on behalf of his people-Israel) and ideologically in the ages to come, Daniel demonstrates that the issue is about who exactly is sovereign. Chapters 10-12 are not visions, these are rather revelations from God to Daniel about the fate of these powers and sovereignties in the event that Michael the prince and the ancient one suffices to contend these existing sovereignties. Precisely the theological message of the book of Daniel is therefore about the sovereignty exhibited and assumed by the earthly powers concerning the true sovereignty of God.
The book of Daniel communicates the concept of divine sovereignty through the historical events that transpired in the then world. The then superpowers assumed not just power but sovereignty over all other nations and peoples of the then world. The visions and dreams from both the Kings and Daniel are but an illustration of this message of the sovereignty of God in contrast to that of these kingdoms and Kings.
God’s Sovereignty in Scripture
The Sovereignty of God is presented in various biblical verses of the Bible. In the Old Testament (OT), it begins from the idea of Creation and the authors and believers of the OT do not even dare debate how sovereign God is but directly establish it. To them and us modern Christians, God has sovereignty over even our origin…it was he who created all things seen and unseen (Genesis 1:1). God is the sustainer of all things (Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16-17). For God’s whole creation is also in covenant with him: he is the Lord of all creation. His presence is everywhere, or as theologians say, he is omnipresent (Ps. 139; Acts 17:28). He is all powerful-omnipotent and always fulfils his will (Job 23:13) and nothing can frustrate it (Isaiah 14:27; 46:9-10). He is the commander in charge of both nature and humanity; he commands water out of the wilderness rock (Exodus 17:1-7), Ground opens and closes at his orders (Numbers 16:31-34). He brings fire down on Elijah’s Sacrifice and animals obey his voice (1Kings 18:36-38; 1Kings 17:6)
The Jews addressed him as El-Shaddai (God Almighty) which means that he not only has all power but he is as well all-sufficient. He has power over nature (Exodus 14:13-31; Jonah 1:4; Mark 4:31-45). He initiates a covenant with humanity in which he does almost everything for man. He shapes human history (Exodus 6:1-4; Isaiah 14:24-27; Joshua 1:1-7). He intervenes into natural affairs of men and if he will direct their speech (Proverbs 16:1) and the thoughts of Kings (Proverbs 21:1) therefore nothing is impossible for him (Jeremiah 32:17)
What is Sovereignty?
Sovereignty is not Just Power, but a power that supervises other powers and power (authority) within which all other powers exist, exhibit and exercise. The Book of Daniel is a message of God’s (Jesus) sovereignty. When we talk about the sovereignty of God-Jesus, we are talking about his lordship. The message to both the captives and captors in Babylon through the book of Daniel is the God is the Lord of both. He is in charge. The audacity of God’s sovereignty originates in the fact that he is the creator of all beings. The captors have to understand that the major components of God’s lordship are his control, authority, and the captives have to remember the reality of the covenantal relations they have with this God to keep their hope alive.
God’s sovereign lordship is deeply personal. To think of it as an impersonal and mechanical determinism by a powerful unquestionable God is evidence that we have both misunderstood God and who man is altogether. Next, we will look at divine sovereignty practically.
God you, I invoke TRUTH, WISDOM, and FAITH (2Tim 2:7)
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