“You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:” (Psalms 8:6)*
In Daniel chapter 7, there is a lot of talk about dominion. Dominion being taken away from the four earthly kingdoms and given to the Son of Man. In conversation with others I have heard a great deal of confusion about dominion, power and who is ultimately in control. It is helpful to go back to the beginning and look at what was put in place from the creation to help provide perspective.
According to thefreedictionary.com, the word dominion can mean: 1. Control or the exercise of control; sovereignty 2. A territory or sphere of influence or control; a realm.
In Daniel chapter 7, the word dominion is used multiple times to describe sovereignty, and a realm, being taken away from the beasts and then given to the Son of Man. Here is just one example:
[12] As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. [13] I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. [14] There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:12-14)*1
What does it mean that the Son of Man is given dominion? In this context it refers to all the kingdoms of the earth and the people who live in them. This can be a contentious subject. Many Christians believe that because God is sovereign, He automatically has dominion over the earth because he created it. They believe that the Son of Man, who is also the son of God, exercises the same dominion by virtue of His deity and His role in creation. If the Son of Man already has dominion over the earth, what is the point of giving him something he already possesses?
Dominion over the earth
One answer is that God does not exercise dominion over the earth because He has already given that responsibility to humans. While God is completely sovereign and can do with the earth whatever He wants, God is also bound by His word and he will always be faithful to what He says. Since God can do whatever he wants, He has decided that He wants to give dominion of the earth to humans. In Genesis 1:26-28 God created mankind in His image and let them have dominion over the fish, the birds, the livestock, over all the earth and every living thing that moves on the earth.
[26] God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." [27] God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them. [28] God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:26-28)*
This command from God was for all time and it has not been rescinded or revoked. God cannot simply take over dominion of the earth from mankind without their consent, that would be a violation of His word and His will. Humans have dominion over the earth, for better or for worse, and God honors that. He is not obligated to come down and fix the mess we have made without an invitation.
Many people use suffering and injustice as evidence to justify their belief that God doesn’t exist, or that if He exists He is not good. They blame God by suggesting that an all powerful, benevolent God, would not allow so much suffering in the world. What they fail to realize is that the problem of suffering is our problem, not God’s. So, why do “we” allow so much suffering in the world? God would be eager to help in solving our problems if we would just ask Him, but the world seems to be on a mission to eliminate God from our culture rather than humbly ask for help.
It turns out that God becoming a human is actually part of the plan. Jesus Christ is worthy to exercise dominion over the earth because he left his exalted position in heaven and humbled himself to become a man here on the earth. Not only that, he also gave up his life for the sake of mankind and for the forgiveness of sins as he suffered and died on a Roman cross outside of Jerusalem. Why did he not become King of Israel and take over dominion of the world immediately after the resurrection? Perhaps, because the people were not ready to receive him.
The Dominion of Satan
While it is not revealed directly in Daniel chapter 7, chapters 12-13 of Revelation show that the beast from the sea gets its power and authority from the Devil and that this beast can exercise authority over all the kingdoms of the earth.
[2] The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The serpent gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. [7] It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. (Revelation 13:2,7)*
This suggests that the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream also symbolically represents an invisible demonic structure that operates behind the scenes corrupting and dominating all the kingdoms of the earth. The visible rulers are merely puppets, meanwhile the devil and his servants are pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Consider that John refers to Satan multiple times as the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, Satan claimed he would give Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-7). This suggests that Satan does have authority and that he can exercise dominion over the kingdoms of the earth. How is that possible?
When God first created mankind, responsibility for the earth, and the creatures that live there, was given to humans, not angels or any other created thing. This is mentioned in Genesis chapter 1 and again in Psalms 8.
[4] what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? [5] For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. [6] You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet: [7] All sheep and cattle, yes, and the animals of the field, [8] The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas. (Psalms 8:4-8)*
This means that Satan could not simply take over dominion of the earth because that privilege and responsibility had been given to mankind. In order for Satan to have dominion over the earth, he must work through people by manipulating and controlling them. This he accomplishes through lies, deception, seduction and fear.
Satan can exercise dominion over the earth only because people allow him to. Some actively give their allegiance to him for a promise of wealth, or power, or pleasure. Others passively submit out of ignorance or fear. Still others will actively fight against the devil with varying degrees of success, but they do so in the face of persecution and some at the risk of their lives.
Dominion over mankind
When God proclaimed that He would give humans dominion over the creatures of the earth in Genesis chapter 1, it does not say that God gave man authority to exercise dominion over one another. At least not in the beginning. Throughout the entire book of Genesis, there is no mention of a God-ordained system of government or a divine social structure where men rule over one another. The primary social structure defined in the book of Genesis is marriage and the family. That is the primary building block of a healthy society. Powerful men like Nimrod created empires to control and oppress people, but this was not sanctioned by the Lord in Genesis.
When Israel came out of Egyptian captivity they had Moses and later Joshua as leaders, but they had no king. During the time of wandering in the desert the children of Israel were given the law of Moses and God established a society structure where the power was decentralized and divided among the 12 tribes. For a while, they were ruled by judges who provided leadership and organized military campaigns, but these judges did not establish a central government or a kingdom. It was a self-governing model where everyone was accountable to God and to the Law of Moses by means of the priestly decedents of Aaron. In reality, this devolved into anarchy because some of the priests were corrupt and greedy. Eventually “every man did what was right in his own eyes”2 so that the Laws of Moses were not being followed.
Because of the corruption of the priesthood, in 1 Samuel chapter 8 the children of Israel demanded that the prophet Samuel “Give us a king to judge us” so they could be like the other nations. This displeased God and he warned them of the consequences that come with a monarchy.
[10] Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king.
[11] He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; [12] and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. [13] He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
[14] He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants. [15] He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. [16] He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. [17] He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.
[18] You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
(I Samuel 8:10-18)*
The Lord was not mistaken in this assessment, every part of this warning came true in time. In fact, this is how monarchies still operate today, only they take a lot more than 10% of your wealth in taxes. Some may argue that self government (e.g. democracy) has changed the game and monarchies no longer exist, but the same characteristics are prevalent even in societies with democratic-style governments. Governments today still rob their people through corruption and unjust taxation. They enslave them through debt and uncontrolled federal spending. They still take our children and send them to fight endless wars with no justified purpose. The people are servants to the government, rather than the other way around. If one were to investigate objectively, they would quickly conclude that the ideals of self government have not been fully realized and the pattern of oppression still prevails.
The concept of ruling over one another was the subject of Jesus teaching to his disciples in Matthew chapter 23. In this and other passages he advocates for humble service toward your fellow brothers rather than exercising dominion over one another. God is our Father and Christ is our only Lord and master. We are to love and serve one another in humility under the authority of Christ.
8 But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. 9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Messiah. 11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:8-12)*
This spirit of mutual submission is not what we see demonstrated in the halls of government today, no matter what type of government it is. This is not even the spirit we see in most churches and church boards. The struggle for power and control is what we consider normal today, but it is not how the everlasting kingdom will operate.
The nations of the earth will serve and obey Christ in the eternal kingdom by voluntary submission, not by force or coercion. God promised Jeremiah that He would make a new covenant with his people and everyone from the least to the greatest would know Him.
[10] "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days," says the LORD; "I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [11] They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. [12] For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)*
Jesus Christ will be given dominion over the earth because he is the Son of Man, the son of God, and because the people of all nations will serve and obey him. When this happens, mankind will truly be able to exercise dominion over the earth without destroying and corrupting it. They will finally be able to fulfill their destiny as God’s representatives on the earth, just as the Lord said in the very beginning.
Up Next… Appendix 2
Return to the Table of Contents: Battle for the Everlasting Kingdom
Biblical Reverences
*All Scripture quotations are from the New Heart English Bible unless specifically designated otherwise. The New Heart English Bible [NHEB] is in the public domain. https://nheb.net/