Who’s In Charge Here? – The Presidential Prayer Team

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. – Daniel 2:21

Theologians have long debated the implicit and permissive wills of God. Today’s verse provides a look at that conundrum. There is little doubt that God has ordained the precise axis tilt and rotation speed of planet Earth. He has established the beginning and the end of appointed times. And Scripture assures you that wisdom and understanding are gifts the Father gives. But what of “removing and setting up” kings: references to governmental heads of the nations of the earth, past, present, and future

In this portion of the hymn of Daniel, according to Dr. John Walvoord, “Daniel’s faith also contemplated a God greater than any king, and who could, therefore, remove or set up any monarch.” While God often allows humans to select leaders, as in the United States, He could easily override the decision “of the people” by various circumstances.

C.S. Lewis said, “Every prayer in the universe falls into two categories: Your will be done or my will be done.” It is God’s plan that those who follow Him “may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Dr. J. Vernon McGee stated, “The perfect will of God comes to the rescue of the permissive will of God.”

The bottom line is to trust the Lord and His sovereignty over all things. Study His Word to know His will for all humankind, “That you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days“ (Deuteronomy 30:20, NKJV). And Jesus added that you should also love your neighbor as yourself. Pray that the people of America would recognize Who is really in charge and submit their lives to Him.

Today’s Verse: Daniel 2:21

He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Deuteronomy 30:1-10

30 “And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, ²and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, ³then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. ⁴If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. ⁵And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. ⁶And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. ⁷And the Lord your God will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you. ⁸And you shall again obey the voice of the Lord and keep all his commandments that I command you today. ⁹The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, ¹⁰when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.