What Nebuchadnezzar Learned

God has given us the ability to learn from the mistakes of others, and God is able to redeem ignorance and sin to bring divine revelation.  We observe this in the life of king Nebuchadnezzar, God's chosen servant.  The odd thing is, for a long time Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge of this.  From the captives taken to Babylon to teach them the language and ways of the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar received a crash-course in the glorious God of Israel who is sovereign over all, the KING OF KINGS.

There are three notable incidents recorded in the book of Daniel that all end with king Nebuchadnezzar having his eyes opened to the almighty God:  after Daniel revealed his dream and interpretation, after Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were miraculously preserved in the fiery furnace, and after king Nebuchadnezzar was rendered senseless like a beast for 7 years.  After Daniel revealed the dream and interpretation to the king no wise man or astrologer in the kingdom could, he fell on his face before Daniel in worship.  Daniel 2:47 says, "The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."  This acknowledgement of God with his mouth was far from Nebuchadnezzar surrendering his heart before the LORD of all.

In Daniel 3 Nebuchadnezzar built an enormous statue of his image and commanded all the rulers in his kingdom to worship before it at the sound of music.  The three aforementioned Jews refused to do so, and were challenged by the power-tripping king:  "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"  When they were not swayed by his threats, the king commanded they be thrown alive into a burning furnace.  To his amazement they were unharmed by the violent flames that slew his mighty men who threw them in, and there was a forth man who walked with them likened to the Son of God.  After he called them out and inspected them, having observed no singeing or even the smell of smoke on them Daniel 3:28-29 states, "Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! ²⁹ Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."

Nebuchadnezzar knew God revealed secrets and delivered those who trusted him, yet he was not humbled before him.  After Daniel interpreted the dream of the king and urged him to repent, a year later the king was proudly walking through his palace when the LORD stuck Nebuchadnezzar and deprived him of a sound mind.  He was suddenly feral as an wild animal and ate grass in the field.  His unkempt hair became matted and his neglected fingernails resembled claws.  Daniel 4:34-35 reads, "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?"

Nebuchadnezzar, through the testimony of God's people and personal experience, came to know the God of Israel is the God of Gods, the revealer of secrets, one who delivers those who trust in Him, He is eternal with an everlasting dominion, and no one can question or restrain Him from doing anything.  The final words of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in scripture are found in Daniel 4:37, a summary of the glorious God he served:  "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."  Praise the LORD who reveals Himself to mankind, whose works are truth and ways justice.  God is able to humble the proud, and how blessed and privileged people are to serve Him.