The Conversion Of Nebuchudnezzar

Daniel 4

2 Corinthians 4:15 “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 3:22-23 “Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”

This has been regarded by many scholars as one of the most unusual passages of the Bible. Here are some reasons.....

It seems to be written or at least orated by a pagan, one writer wrote: “it is the only chapter in the Bible composed under the authority of a pagan.”

It is composed like an epistle, such as Paul or Peter would have written.

Towards the middle of the chapter, the writer changes from writing in the 1st person, but now begins to speak in the 3rd person.

The king was referenced as “I” in the 1st 18 verses.......

The king was referenced as “he” from verse 19-33.....

Then back to “I” in verse 34 on.

It is the king’s viewpoint of God’s operation in his life......an idol worshippers viewpoint of God’s sovereignty.......it is his true conversion from darkness to light!

There is a lot of detailed history that I can give to back this is up, but many scholars and commentators believe that chapter 4 is written some 30 years after chapter 4........Daniel would of been around 50 years old.

Verse 1.....This king declares his audience which was typical of the kings of Assyria and Babylon, they laid always laid claims to rule over all the earth.

Verse 2-3........The purpose of the king’s declaration is to tell of the greatness of the God of Israel...

The king stated that it is his pleasure (good) to tell of the greatness of Israel’s God!

After many wonderful works of God in the history of Neb’s rule and because of what we are about to read, the king goes into a doxology of praise for the God of Israel......

In referencing God as the High God, the king is declaring that God is sovereign over him and all the earth, that there is no other God!

The king was brought to this conclusion after these events that are about to be told to us.

What the king is about to relive, is a story that can be told by a lot of people throughout history and is warned of in Scripture.....

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 18:12 “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, And before honour is humility.”

That verse there seems to sum up these events in Neb’s life.

“I was at rest in my house and flourishing in my palace”.......

Reminds of the rich farmer......in Luke 12:19 “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

It seems that pride is lost in fear and this dream made the king fearful........which would bring us to the steps of redemption.......

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

The dream is fairly easy to understand, the Judge and the Holy One, cut down this mighty tree that provided for the world.........it was high and lofty thing brought low by “watcher” and “holy one”....

The judge found the tree guilty and ordered it hewn down, this tree could not stand in the scrutiny of the Holy One!

So it begins..........Little did the king know that taking Israel captive would lead to him coming to worship the One True God!

God planned it the whole time!

The kings starts off the way he always did, trusting in man.......he gave the ones that couldn’t tell of the dream in ch. 2 another go at it...........

They failed again......this was God’s dream and only God could interpret it!

Enter Daniel (Belteshazzar) {slave name}..............The king begs of Daniel to interpret his dream!

The tree is the king.........Neb was a great king by earthly standards.......

He conquered many countries and he did provide for his people.......

Daniel being troubled by the interpretation of this dream, means that Daniel had developed some relationship with the king........

Now, it could mean that he was fearful as what the king would do when he heard the interpretation

I like what this commentator says about verse 19: “Daniel was visibly shaken when he heard the dream, so much so that the king attempted to comfort the prophet by telling him not to let the dream or its meaning alarm him........ He was so upset by it that he was silent for a short while (“for a time”). Thoughts of these coming events “terrified” (better, “alarmed”) Daniel, not only because the prophet seemed genuinely to like and respect the Babylonian monarch but because of the effect this situation could have had on others, particularly the Jewish people. Nebuchadnezzar evidently had treated the Jews well throughout most of his reign. If he were deposed, there would be no guarantee of a like-minded ruler. That Daniel knew immediately the significance of the dream is clear by his wish that the evil foretold might be directed toward the king’s enemies.”

It seems that most scholars and commentators has the last part of this verse stating that Daniel wished that it was about his enemies.......that seems to fit....because the way that KJV has it worded is that the dream is for the king’s enemies, but then why would Daniel be upset?......

The most important fact to state that is not what was said, is that the fulfillment of the dream’s interpretation was on Neb, not his enemies.

Also, verse 23 solidifies that it was to Neb.

The right interpretation is something like......I wish, may the dream, if only.....

The interpretation is that the kingdom that Neb had will be cut down by God and even this great king will be made to act like an animal........some say it is an illness, however you put it, God brought this man and his kingdom to the lowest point......

Much like the prodigal son!

This lasted 7 times......which means years......So, Neb acted like an animal for 7 years!

At the end of the interpretation Daniel calls for Neb to repent, just as Jesus calls for us, John the Baptist, The apostles, and all of Scripture does for us!

Daniel tells him to repent and take care of the poor......... “The king certainly had the power and financial resources to help others. Nebuchadnezzar might not have been treating others cruelly, but he probably did what many people do today, practiced an indulgent lifestyle and simply ignored the misfortunes of others. By heeding the warning in this dream and performing good deeds, the monarch would prove that he acknowledged God’s supremacy over him.”

Verse 27 is much like what Jesus told the rich young ruler.....in Luke 18:18-23 “And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.”

There is humility when fortune is abandoned for God........a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

This where this calamity would lead Neb....to humility! An understanding that God is over all and that everything that you have is by God’s marvellous Grace!! All of this happened to Neb 12 months later!

For 7 years Neb’s influence and power was removed and he became a laughing stock to all those that he was over!

God did this......the understanding of this chapter is not necessarily about Neb or any other kingdom it is about God and it is stated in Daniel’s interpretation:

Daniel 4:25 “That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.”

That phrase there is what we must believe about God.....without it there is no humility.....The rich young ruler when he came to Jesus about what he must do to inherit eternal life......the emphasis was on what he must do, thinking that this power was in his hands.....why not, he had so-called kept the commandments and he was also very successful, he felt assured that he could do something......according to Jesus without Him we can do nothing!

I think maybe we are living in times where the comforts of life are brought on by what we do and not at anytime realize what Daniel says in verse 25........we are an arrogant people!

I pray it does not take the people of this nation a lot like Neb’s to figure out Who is the Most High!

Neb repents and then praises God.........Verse 34 Neb takes back over the narration and declares that he lifted up his eyes toward Heaven, God’s Abode...........

This sounds like the will of God for man as Jesus tells us........John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Philippians 3:20 “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Neb’s praises reflected the change in his heart and mind.........he was returned to his faculties and he began praising with his new heart and mind, transformed by his faith in the Most High God!

He knew where his power and all the greatness of his kingdom come from, it was from the King of Heaven!

All God’s works are true/right.........God’s ways are just...........

Every one that lives pridefully, like he has done something or is something will be brought low......

I like the scene in God’s Not Dead, the 1st one, where the rich guy that has no time for no one and is full of himself.....he visits his mother who is suffering from severe dementia.......and he mockingly ask her if her service all those years for God and the struggle she was going through was worth it. This mother has a lucid moment and tells him that the devil lays a trap for us in this life, he promotes fame and fortune and all the other goodies of life that buy into, all those things are like a prison, for a time with the door open, but one day that door will slam shut and there is no escape from your ruin!