DAILY TEXT, Today Thursday April 18, 2024, Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians (Dan. 5:28).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Thursday April 18, 2024

Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians (Dan. 5:28).

Jehovah has demonstrated beyond a doubt that he is far above “the higher authorities” (Rom. 13:1). Let's look at three examples. The Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved Jehovah's people, and again and again he refused to set them free. But God freed them and drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea (Ex. 14:26-28; Ps. 136:15). King Belshazzar of Babylon held a banquet and defied “the Lord of heaven” and praised “gods of silver and gold” instead of Jehovah (Dan. 5:22, 23). But God humbled that arrogant man. “That same night” Belshazzar was killed, and his kingdom was given to the Medes and Persians (Dan. 5:30, 31). King Herod Agrippa I, of Palestine, killed the apostle James and then imprisoned the apostle Peter with the intention of eliminating him. But God prevented him from carrying out his plan. “The angel of the Lord made him sick,” and Herod died (Acts 12:1-5, 21-23). w22.10 15 para. 12.

Give an example of how Jehovah defeated entire coalitions of rulers.

Jehovah has also demonstrated that he is far above entire coalitions of rulers. He fought for the Israelites and helped them overthrow an alliance of 31 Canaanite kings and conquer a large part of the Promised Land (Josh. 11:4-6, 20; 12:1, 7, 24). He also dealt a mortal blow to King Ben-Hadad and 32 other Syrian kings who went to fight against Israel (1 Kings 20:1, 26-29).

What did Kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius say about Jehovah's sovereignty? and What did the psalm writer say about Jehovah and his nation?

Jehovah has proven time and time again that he is Supreme. When another king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, boasted of his own strength and power and the glory of his majesty instead of humbly acknowledging that Jehovah alone deserves praise, God caused him to go mad. After coming to his senses, Nebuchadnezzar praised the Most High and recognized that Jehovah's dominion is eternal. And he added that there is no one who can prevent him from acting (Dan. 4:30, 33-35). After Daniel’s integrity was tested and Jehovah rescued him from the lions’ den, King Darius gave the following command: “The people in every corner of my kingdom must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and abides forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed and his sovereignty is eternal” (Dan. 6:7-10, 19-22, 26, note, 27).

The writer of a psalm said: “Jehovah has brought to ruin the evil plans of the nations; he has thwarted the plans of the people.” And he added: “Happy is the nation that has Jehovah as its God, the people whom he has chosen as his property!” (Ps. 33:10, 12). What a good reason to be blameless in the eyes of Jehovah!

What can we be sure of, and why? (See the drawing).

We have already seen what Jehovah did in the past. So what do we expect to happen in the near future? We can be sure that Jehovah will save his loyal servants during the “great tribulation” (Matt. 24:21; Dan. 12:1). He will do so when a coalition or group of nations—Gog of Magog—launches a savage attack throughout the world against Jehovah's faithful servants. Even if that coalition is made up of the 193 members of the United Nations, it will be no match for the Supreme and the heavenly armies of him. Jehovah promises: “I will without fail exalt myself, sanctify myself, and make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Jehovah” (Ezek. 38:14-16, 23; Ps. 46:10).

What awaits the kings of the Earth, and what will happen to those who are upright?

Gog's attack will trigger the final confrontation of Armageddon, in which Jehovah will destroy “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” (Rev. 16:14, 16; 19:19-21). Instead, “only the upright will live in the land and only the upright will remain in it” (Prov. 2:21, note).

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