the God of heaven

Sunday 10 March, I was privileged to speak during the study day, in Zoetermeer, about the famous dream of Nebuchadnezzar. It was a dream about a huge image of gold, silver, copper and iron, portraying four successive world empires; starting with Nebuchadnezzar itself: the Golden head. Historians call this period (around the sixth century BC) the pivot or hinge-time of history. A whole new era dawned. Just think, it was the time…

• of Confucius and Laotse in China
• of Buddha in India;
• Of Zoroaster in Persia;
• Of Thales and Pythagoras in Greece

These were contemporaries of Daniel and were the names of men who in a spiritual, philosophical and religious way, shaped the world as it is today. Biblically formulated, at that time began “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). Those are the times when the “throne of Yahweh” (1Chron.29:23; Jer.3:17) in Jerusalem is vacant and the city is trodden down by the nations. Those times began in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. There came to be a ‘definitive’ end to the dynasty of David, but also to “the ark of the covenant” where YAHWEH was “enthroned between the cherubs” (1Chron.13:6). Since those days, no Davidic king ruled over Jerusalem. And even though the temple was rebuilt decades later, at the time of Ezra, and again centuries later embellished by King Herod, the ark of the covenant was missing. God had left His abode on earth, forsaken, and very characteristic for the new situation, He is called, in Daniel,  “the God of heaven“. See: Dan.2:18,19, 37.44). A God at a distance, Who has withdrawn Himself “from public view” and has given dominion over the earth to the nations. Until …

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