28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. (Daniel 4:28–37)
All nations of the world exist under the absolute control of God. At His command they rise or fall; prosper or decay; flourish or perish. At no time can they rid themselves of His presence, power, or rule. Not one ruler of any nation—no matter how successful he might appear—can accomplish anything unless permitted by God. God determines what nation will rise against another and which will triumph in victory. This extends to all peoples—everywhere. None is exempt.
King Nebuchadnezzar was moved from a palace to a pasture in a matter of minutes. He was made to “acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes” (v. 32b). Babylon was used as an instrument of judgment by God for the sins of other nations (cf. Jer. 25). Babylon’s prosperity came at the demise of others—all according to God’s power and decrees. The king’s sanity returned only when he obeyed the word of God and acknowledged God’s powerful rule in the affairs of the entire world. He began to praise the only true God whose dominion is eternal and enduring (v. 34).
Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and arrogance so clouded his judgment that he actually believed his power and wisdom made Babylon prosper. Refusing to acknowledge the sovereign work of God, he was extracted from his kingdom by the roots. Made to become like an animal, he was brought low to see that he possessed as much power to determine the position of his life and kingdom as the cattle and birds did for their daily food. He was trained by experience to realize his very life was dependent on the goodness of a sovereign’s authority that superseded his own.
National prosperity is no accident. It comes by the will of God and is sustained by His continued mercy. As happened with Nebuchadnezzar, pride can quickly make beasts of those who boast. The key to abiding security rests in the awareness that all national blessings have their source in the goodness and kindness of a God who does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. Repentance is the prerequisite for the blessing of God on any nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment