It has pleased God to put in place governmental authority within the whole of His creation. There are realms of authority in heaven which is clearly taught in the word of God, and when God created the world He placed Adam in control of the earth even before sin. He was crowned with glory and honour and set over the works of God's hands. After the fall the Lord still required for the earth to be governed and it pleased Him to put the rule of the world into various hands until Israel were given the supreme place to hold this world for God. Because of their failure to be faithful to the Lord they were removed from power and the government of this world was placed in Gentile hands, this was under Nebuchadnezzar and is recorded for us in Daniel Chapter 2. This began the “Times of the Gentiles”. The main thrust of the book of Daniel is to reveal the end of Gentile rule and this is the purpose of the book as seen in the four prophecies revealed to Daniel himself from chapters 7–12. In these tremendous revelations the Lord is unfolding the rise of the final world despot who will move in opposition to God, and under Satan will corrupt humanity as he brings men into rebellion against God. In these chapters we see the rise, the character he bears and the control he will manifest during the tribulation period.
