God Determines The Times And Seasons

God determines the times and seasons

“It is God who alters the times and seasons, and he removes kings and promotes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. “(Daniel 2:21ISV)

The sun and moon were created to give light to the earth, to separate day from night, and serve as signs to mark seasons, days and years. Time, is a temporary interruption in eternity. It is a commodity that can neither be bought nor sold. The only thing you can do with time is use it. If you don’t use it, you lose it. If time doesn’t work in your favour, it will work against you. Time and seasons are instruments of measurement, assessment, planning and perfection. Time is an effective tool in the hands of God in planning and executing his plans. In time, everything that has a beginning must have an end. If God did not create time and seasons, there will be no end to terror, sickness, disease, misfortune, misunderstanding, quarrels, poverty and illiteracy, failure and disappointment, corruption and wickedness. In fact, there will be no end to evil.

If the earth was designed to be like heaven – a timeless realm, then, there will be no end to evil and unpleasant circumstances, poverty, sorrow and sickness will never end. Nothing will change. Change is impossible in eternity. Anything in eternity stays on. Time is a temporary interruption in eternity. It is an instrument in measuring, assessing, planning and perfecting the inhabitants of the earth. In time, change is possible. Anything you don’t want, can be eliminated. In time, nothing is permanent – no condition is permanent. In time, a failure can become a success. In time, a child can become an adult. In time, the sick can become healed. In time, the imprisoned oppressed, afflicted can become delivered and reign in life. In time, what you cannot see in your today can be seen in your tomorrow. You can take advantage of time and seasons to change your circumstance and put in place what you long to see that is not in existence. Use time, don’t waste it. Redeem the time and don’t let it slip through your hands. Make most of every opportunity and don’t let your God given opportunities slip through your hands. Eph 5:16

Change is inevitable

Therefore the most powerful realities on earth are time and seasons. The most predictable truth on Earth is Change. Change is inevitable. Everything in Creation will change, nothing remains the same. There are massive changes will take place in 2014 ,e. g. there will be political, legal, social, cultural, ideological , moral, religious, scientific, technological ,spiritual, climatic and environmental changes will occur in the nations of the world. Change is the greatest Challenge of our time. One thing is certain, the Scriptures make a distinction between the “temporal” and the “eternal.” Paul says that the things that are seen are “temporal” but the things not seen are “eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). “Time” clearly does not relate to God and man in the same way. In describing God, the psalmist declares: “. . . from everlasting to everlasting, you are God . . .” (Psa. 90:2). Eternity is endless, but time is measured by a “beginning” and an “end.” The Bible commences with these words: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN THE AFFAIRS OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT

The book of Daniel in the Bible emphasizes especially the sovereignty of God. God is called “the living God,” “the most high God,” “the God of heaven,” “the King of heaven.” This sovereign God is in control, even of mighty human empires: “He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings” Daniel also emphasizes the certainty of God’s coming kingdom: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever”

Daniel was a man who had amazing character qualities. And God uses Daniel as the vehicle through which he reveals the unfolding of the redemptive plan of the history of the world. Now that's a monumental assignment. In chapter 1 we can see the circumstances that set Daniel in the right place. We have seen something of the quality and the character of the man that equips him to be God's very special man in this particular assignment. Daniel had an amazing commitment to virtuous and righteous character and he has set an uncompromising standard for his own life. There was a supernatural ability that allowed Daniel to have knowledge, skill and wisdom that a leader need, to get to the top. The God of Daniel is the God of sovereign power. He is the God, who rules nations; He has the power to remove a king, and replace him with another one. He has the power to crush the pride of earthly rulers. He is the God that reveals secrets. All the secrets of the universe are known to God. All the past, present and future are known to God. He can tell the destinies of nations.