The Bible Chapter Written by a Pagan King

The Bible Chapter Written by a Pagan King

History records the glories and triumphs of the golden kingdom of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar.

King Nebuchadnezzar had conquerd Assyria, Egypt and Israel. He had taken the gold from the temple in Jerusalem to add to his already abundant store. He was the greatest warrior-king and ruler in the known world.

However, he had failed to achieve his dream of glory when he erected the 90-foot golden image that represented himself and his kingdom. The show was stolen simply because three Hebrew God-followers refused to worship that image. This brave trio refused to be intimidated by severe threats of losing their lives. All worship of the golden image was forgotten. Every eye was riveted upon the blazing fire in that smelting furnace. When the three were consigned to the fiery furnace, a fourth--a divine being, joined them—all walking in the blazing fire. When removed, the three were intact, their clothes and hair unsinged, and lacking even a trace of smoke. No doubt the talk around the home tables later extolled the bravery and deliverance of the three honoured men, outstripping talk of the impressive ceremony to worship the golden image. (see Daniel 3)

Time erased the bitter memory of this deflation of his arrogant pride. Again, years later, the king became overly satisfied with his conquests and building up Babylon to heights of beauty and glory. He boasted, “Is not this great Babylon that I have built...by the might of my power and for the honour of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30)

Previously warned in a dream which the Jewish captive Daniel had interpreted, the king seemed heedless of what was about to happen from indulging his overarching pridefulness. Immediately following these boastful, self-praising words he was stricken and spent seven years reduced to insanity and animal-like conduct. At the end of that time God restored his reason and his kingdom.

Then it was that as a changed man, King Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself before God, recounted the entire humiliating experience, writing in Aramaic his personal conversion experience as recorded in Daniel chapter 4.

It would appear that he spurned his former belief in his pagan god Marduk, and extolled the God of heaven who had manifested Himself so powerfully to the king. He closes his account with these God-honouring words: “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment, and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” (Daniel 4:37)

Friend of mine, is it clear that God saw something in that proud king that He knew would respond to Him when his pride was abased? Do you think that God sees our pride and allows events to humble us so that we, too, can grasp the opportunity to praise the God of heaven alone? Then we, like Nebuchadnezzar can cease bragging about our achievements, but instead glorify our Father which is in heaven.

Picture originally found here

 

Related Articles

More From Articles

Four in the Torah

There are a lot of sets of four in the Torah and below are just a few examples:
Four in the Torah

Torah-Don't Make Stuff Up

The Torah says, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and…
Torah-Don't Make Stuff Up
Abraham's Seed

Abraham's Seed

God made a promise to Abraham that from His seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.…
Abraham's Seed

A Fool's Wrath

“In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king.…
A Fool's Wrath

Torah Lessons

It is sad to see that people seem to be increasingly considering it inappropriate for anyone to…
Torah Lessons

Jonah

God sent Jonah to the city of Nineveh with the commission to cry out against it, because of its…
Jonah

The Servant

The prophet Isaiah wrote, "Behold, My servant shall prosper, He shall be exalted and lifted up,…
The Servant

Samson's Mistakes

Have you ever heard someone say, ‘Everything works together for good’?
Samson's Mistakes

Torah: Where is the Good?

In the Torah we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…Then God saw…
Torah: Where is the Good?

God Created Man

God said "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness."
God Created Man

Women to Women, Men to Men

Moreover, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shifrah and…
Women to Women, Men to Men
Reuben

Reuben

Jacob, whom GOD later renamed Israel, had 12 children. These 12 children and their descendants…
Reuben

Elishah & Gehazi

Naaman, a commander in the Syrian army, was instructed by a young Jewish girl to go to Israel…
Elishah & Gehazi

God Called Moses

Have you ever felt that you could not accomplish something important?
God Called Moses

Be Faithful to Truth

Is It reasonable to believe that if we hold onto one cherished sin it can poison our entire…
Be Faithful to Truth

Who is Really Israel?

Do you have to be born from the literal ancestry of Abraham to be considered a part of Israel?…
Who is Really Israel?

Publish the Menu module to "offcanvas" position. Here you can publish other modules as well.
Learn More.


donation