General beliefs recorded in scripture
He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Daniel 2:21
The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.
Daniel 4:17
Explanation
Daniel believed that it is God who puts leaders of nations in their positions and also removes them. King Nebuchadnezzar would learn this the hard way.
for he says: ‘Are not my commanders all kings?’
Isaiah 10:8
Explanation
This is God speaking through Isaiah the prophet. God calls Assyria the “rod” of his anger in verse 5. He “commands” him in verse 6 to bring judgement on Israel. Here in verse 8, God describes kings in general (or prime ministers or presidents or evil dictators) as his own commanders whom he has charge over.
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
Isaiah 40:22-23
Explanation
God removes leaders of nations. Verse 24 continues to describe how effortlessly God accomplishes this.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psalms 2:8-9
For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
Psalms 22:28
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
Psalms 33:10-11
God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
Psalms 47:8
who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
Psalms 66:7
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
Psalms 67:4
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
Proverbs 21:1
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
Luke 1:52
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
Romans 13:1-2
Specific examples of God controlling governments and leaders
And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.
1 Chronicles 14:17
Therefore the Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
2 Chronicles 33:11-12
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
Ezra 1:1
And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Ezra 6:22
Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem,
Ezra 7:27
‘and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.’ Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.
Daniel 4:32-33
Thus says the Lord God: ‘I will put an end to the wealth of Egypt, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.’
Ezekiel 30:10
At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark, when I break there the yoke bars of Egypt, and her proud might shall come to an end in her; she shall be covered by a cloud, and her daughters shall go into captivity.
Ezekiel 30:18
I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the pride of the strong, and their holy places shall be profaned.
Ezekiel 7:24
And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a man mortally wounded.
Ezekiel 30:24
The Lord of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.’
Isaiah 14:24-25
Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.
Jeremiah 27:6-7
