In the book of Daniel chapter 2, the Bible gave an account of the king of Babylon – Nebuchanezzar, who saw a vision of a great image with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. And the vision was interpreted by Daniel (through God's help) to imply the then current and future ages of men in history. He interpreted each one (gold, silver, bronze, etc., to imply individual kingdoms that will rule or lead the whole world.
Daniel told the king that he was the head of gold – that is, he was the current ruler and the current leader of the world system; and after him, other kingdoms will emerge – each new kingdom destroying the older kingdoms. And really, from the time of the Babylonia Empire to the time of the Roman Empire, the whole world has been ruled or led by a kingdom per time – and each reigning kingdom took a lot ot time, effort and resources to establishing and enforcing their culture, value, governmental system, mindset, etc., through out the entire empire.
Without doubt, the whole world had been ruled or led by men with iron hands and iron hearts. And really, short trip into the various management and leadership books will reveal how various people in history have evolved systems (both cruel and not too cruel ones) to manage or rule other men.
The truth is, the world's leadership and management perspectives over the time, have been shaped by the spirit of the previous and current world orders of leadership and management: For thus far, we have lived in a world where the few rule and oppress the many in servitude. And the unfortunate side is the rate or prevalence of these "iron-hand" leaderships and managements in our societies today – from the family to the national leadership.
One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever.
Ecclesiastes 1:4
To those who think that the babylonian or Greek or Roman style of management and leadership (that rules in cruelness and excessive use of force or threat in manipulation of the will of people) would abide forever; let me just remind you again that is is only the earth that abides; but kingdoms of men and their philosophies and principles shall come and pass! But can you tell me the exact reason you would rather die or resign; than letting go of those archaic and ineffective leadership and management principles of yours?
Perhaps you believe in prophecy, then, let me take you briefly into the Bible to see a prophecy, which must be and is being fulfilled at the appointed time.
This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Daniel 2:32-35
And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Daniel 2:44
Kingdom simply denotes "the King's domain of influence" or "the area within a King's power and authority". And every kingdom has its unique culture, system of education, influence, citizens, etc. The educational system within every kingdom is usually committed to imparting the principles of the kingdom on the citizens of the kingdom. May I ask, the principles that currently guide your leadership decisions and choices at home, workplace, church, etc., where did you learn if from? From the passing and passed kingdoms of Rome, Greece, Persia and Medes, etc., or from the emerging and reigning Kingdom of Christ Jesus?
Let me state clearly, Jesus Christ is that stone that was cut without hands (Daniel 2:34), which is destined to crush, overthrow and eliminate all the past and passing kingdoms of this world. And in case you have forgotten, while the Cambridges, MITs, Yales, Harvards and Stanfords of this GENERATION are busy rolling out strong and convincing management and leadership principles; Jesus Christ is also taking His time to raise a growinggroup of emerging leaders – whose passion will not be to impress men; but to impart and impact men.
And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
Matthew 20:24-26
Jesus, having come from God to establish an everlasting Kingdom on the earth; he taught His disciples (student-leaders) salient leadership principles that guides in the Kingdom of God; and among such principles is the principle of service. And Jesus stated very bluntly that the emerging Kingdomis not just about the King of the Kingdom; but also about His sons , who are destined to become great leaders in their spheres of placement responsibility on the earth. But towards becoming such great leaders; Jesus gave them the secret – Service! Service! Service!
The word servant implies the helper. While many of us today thirst, hungers, prays and request for help; only a very few of us are willing and ready to help others. Yet, true leaders are helpers!
And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver. Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying,"Help, my lord, O king!" And he said, "If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?" Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you?"….
2 Kings 6:24-28
The reality in our nations and families today is not too far away from what we could call famine: For quite a lot of nations, organizations and families have been beseiged by various forces of the world's Political, Economic, Social and Technological (PEST) systems. And thus, life has become quite hard for many that ought to be blossoming in manifestations – relevance!
However, in a moment as this, what the inhabitants of the earth requires isthe Kingdom of God and the enforcement of its principles on the earth: For in moments of crisis, men always yearn for help from unavailable and incompetent places – "If the LORD does not help you, from where can I find help for you?"
The help that we all need is only sourced in God; but made available to the children of men by Christ Jesus. "…And (Jesus) have made us kings and priest unto our God, and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelations 5:10). Indeed, Jesus has made each man whose commitment is only to become like Him (Jesus), a king and a priest on the earth: For He Himself is the stone cut without hands, which has overthrown and is eliminating every false ideologies, principles and philosophies of men. His aim is to reign on the earth through you and I, by making us kings and priest. Thus, positioningus in strategic places in our families, neigbhoods, organizations and nations, to provide help to multitudes who are under the siege of ignorance, sin, sickness, poverty, addiction, etc. Friends, the essence of this write up today is to make an announcement to you that God is raising up unto Himself through Jesus Christ, a new breed of leaders at every level and scope: whose preoccupation is to help others! And really, I don't know for certain, what manner of help He would expect you to give to people around you; however, I believe that He would be glad to have you join the company of kings and priests that God is ordaining (appointing) to be helpers of people – even as God is the Helper of His people!
Take your leadership to the next level by shifting from the iron leadership and management generational principles; unto the helpers's generational principles. From today, make a commitment to help and not to use people:for when you help your people, you keep them; but when you use your people, you dump them!
