The Gentile Times Reconsidered Chronology Christ

250 THE GENTILE TIMES RECONSIDERED
As may be seen, the parallels between the literal fulfillment and the
claimed greater application are strained, and the greater application,
therefore, becomes quite complicated and confusing. Would not
this application have been far more probable if the vision had been
given to one of the last kings of Judah instead of to
Nebuchadnezzar? Would not a king of the royal dynasty of David
be a more natural figure of that dynasty, and the “seven times” of
loss of power experienced by such a king a more natural figure of
the loss of sovereignty in the Davidic line?
Evidently, then, the person to whom the vision was given is no clear
indication of another application beyond that one given directly
through Daniel the prophet.
d) The theme of the vision
The theme of the vision of the chopped-down tree is expressed in
Daniel 4:17, namely, “that people living may know that the Most High is
Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that to the one he wants to, he gives it
and he sets up over it even the lowliest one of mankind.”
Does this stated intent of the vision indicate it pointed forward
to the time for the establishment of God’s kingdom by his
Christ? 29
To draw such a conclusion would be to read more into this
statement than it actually says. Jehovah has always been the
supreme ruler in the kingdom of mankind, although his supremacy
has not always been recognized by everyone. But David did realize
this, saying:
Jehovah himself has firmly established his throne in the very
heavens; and over everything his own kingship has held dominion. —
Psalms 103:19, NW.
Your kingship is a kingship for all times indefinite, And your
dominion is throughout all successive generations.― Psalms
145:13, NW.
Thus Jehovah has always exercised control over the history of
mankind and maneuvered the events according to his own will:
And he is changing times and seasons, removing kings and
setting up kings, giving wisdom to the wise ones and knowledge to
those knowing discernment. —Daniel 2:21, NW.
This was a lesson that Nebuchadnezzar―as well as kings before
and after him—had to learn. The period that followed upon
Nebuchadnezzar’s desolation of Judah and Jerusalem represented
no exception or interruption to Jehovah’s supreme rule, in spite of
29 Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1 (1988), p. 134.