Today's Scripture Reading (October 9, 2026): Daniel 4
I have to admit that until recently, I
believed our politicians had less power than we sometimes think they possess.
The reality is that the checks and balances built into the political structure
of most democratic nations leave little room for leaders to act. I still
believe that when everything in the nation is going well, political leadership
likely has less to do with it than many will admit. During tough times, the
blame belongs less to our political leaders than their critics are ever willing
to admit. However, Donald Trump's presidency has changed my thinking a bit.
Political leaders can do things that tank a nation, something I am not sure I
really believed before Donald Trump. Of course, even Donald Trump requires the
permission of key people and the public to bring the nation down. Writing this
in the mid-2020s, I hope we are not watching the demise of the American Empire.
That reality probably rests on the political reaction to Donald Trump after his
term is through.
What sometimes amazes me is how divergent
public opinion is about our political leaders' potential. One sector often
considers our leaders saints, while another part of society sees them as
demons. Sometimes the obvious has to be stated; usually, they are neither.
Could you imagine a book on the Republican Party's (the Grand Old Party)
influence on U.S. politics and its impact on world events? The book would
include writings by and about the Great Republicans of the past. It would even
mention Republicans who didn't shine the way the Grand Old Party wished they
had. Overall, the book would be generally positive yet offer a balanced look at
Republican politics. However, in the middle of this book about Republican
politics is a chapter written by Barack Obama. That chapter would not seem to
fit. After all, it was the Republicans who have done the most to demonize the
former Democratic President. Maybe the flip side is easier to imagine: a book
on Democratic politics with a chapter written by Donald Trump. How insane would
either scenario be?
Yet, that is exactly what the fourth chapter
of Daniel represents. This chapter is written by someone who is not a Jew and
who is actually demonized in many places in the Hebrew Bible. The Babylonian
invader, Nebuchadnezzar, wrote the chapter. The same Nebuchadnezzar who was
responsible for destroying Jerusalem, demolishing the Temple, and taking the
people of Judah away from their homeland into exile. The fourth chapter of the
Book of Daniel is one of the most unexpected chapters in literary history.
But the chapter exists. It testifies to the
Babylonian king's support for the God of Israel, proving that God can reach
into every corner of the earth and that all the people of the earth truly
belong to him.
Tomorrow's
Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 40
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