Nebuchadnezzars of the Modern-Day
Recently I was reading in Daniel about the story of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his confrontation with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (aka Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). These three Hebrew men declined to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol because of their obedience to the Lord. And for remaining faithful servants of God, he sentenced them to death by being burned alive. The men survived Nebuchadnzezzar’s fiery furnace, and when he saw that the presence of the Lord was with them in the fire and that they then walked out of the furnace unscathed, without the lingering stench of smoke, he was amazed. This miracle caused him to praise God and give the men higher positions than their previous ones as city managers in Babylon.
This was not the first time the king praised the God of the Jews. Reading earlier in Daniel, you can see that Nebuchadnezzar had already praised God before, following the first time Daniel interpreted one of his dreams. Soon after this, as referenced in the paragraph above, we see that he constructs an idol and forces all peoples from all nations to bow down and worship it. After the incident with the three Hebrew men, God deeply humbled the king in efforts that he would recognize God’s sovereignty, His rule over the world as its Creator, and His worthiness of all glory for the good in the earth. In Daniel 4, the king has another dream and again calls Daniel in for interpretation. This dream foretold what would happen to Nebuchadnezzar if he did not humble himself before God, “until [he learned] that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.” (Daniel 4:25c). Rather than heed this warning from the Lord, the king exalts himself and claims to have built all of Babylon by his power to show his glory. In the king’s disobedience, God allowed him to experience firsthand the measure of his “power” against the Lord of Heaven’s Armies’ unfailing power. Daniel’s interpretation of the dream was proven to be true and Nebuchadnezzar then lived like an animal, away from humans and eating grass for the amount of time God had decreed. When this time ended, Nebuchadnezzar’s right mind was restored and he worshiped God, acknowledging Him as “the King of heaven,” saying, “All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.” (Daniel 4:37 NLT).
God gave Nebuchadnezzar a number of opportunities in his years as King of Babylon to submit to Him, and they were all due to the plan and role the king would play in punishing Israel and Judah for their sins. In the New Living Translation of Jeremiah 25:9, God appointed King Nebuchadnezzar as His “deputy,” or as most other versions say, “servant,” before the king began walking in submission to Him. This position would be a vessel of use for God to bring Israel and Judah back into submission to their loving and righteous Father, rather than submission to sin and the desires of Satan. By conquering God’s chosen people and destroying the land of Jerusalem, God would use this king to be the first of those who would reign over them during their 70 years of exile from Jerusalem. When that 70 years ended, He restored and redeemed the land of Jerusalem, making it fruitful and fertile ground, as well as having gathered all of His exiles back into the land He had carefully prepared for them. God desired the king’s submission to Him because He was pursuing Nebuchadnezzar’s heart as well as the hearts of His chosen people. The Lord’s decision making and implementation for punishing His people has never gone without any of the character traits we know Him by, and in His plan for the king, His capacity for self-control, patience, and longsuffering didn’t change.
The reason it took a few opportunities for Nebuchadnezzar to finally submit and be used for God’s true intention was his worship of idols and pride. Going back and forth between praising God and worshiping idols (including the idol of the self) has always been an obvious no-no for Jews and Christians alike, but I would argue that it’s still a common sight. How could they say he praised God and erected an idol at the same time? Biblically, it’s referred to as being luke-warm, and God Himself says in Revelation 3:16 that He will spit those that are luke-warm out of His mouth. He also says in Matthew and Luke that, “No one can serve two masters.” In closer reading, you can see that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom worships multiple gods, and with his polytheistic background, it makes sense that in praising God he might have seen it as simply adding the God of Israel to a long list of others. We know that to be the opposite of what God expects from His creation, though. Israel was given the description of being like a prostitute many times while they strayed away from serving the Lord with all their heart, mind, and strength. They sought other things to fill a void, but those things only brought them destruction and loss of dignity. Their case may seem extreme, but it’s no more extreme than the situation we find ourselves in today. People say they love God, but instead of fleeing from sin and forsaking all other gods, they run toward them. Instead of filling the void with the One who makes us whole, we fill it with things that are temporary and will pass away; with things that are counterfeits of the gifts God gives to us. We still think that we can worship God, who, “rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses,” and seek the things of the world at the same time (Daniel 4:37 NLT).
A lot of times, the enemy uses things that are neutral, not in themselves good or evil, to put our desires against God’s. A statue of a calf or man isn’t inherently evil, but when you worship and submit to it, you commit a sin. You fall short of the calling of God for you, and you give bits of your life to things that aren’t and will never be worthy of it. Anything you have positioned higher than God in your list of priorities is an idol. Nebuchadnezzar’s tendencies are not far from our own, in fact, they’re right in line with society today: making idols of ourselves, our accomplishments, our belongings, and even the things we covet.
But not only do we place idols on a pedestal ourselves, we want others to join in with us, to validate us, and justify our behavior and acting on ungodly desires. It’s easier to fall into traps and scams like these idols when we see others doing the same. We want to avoid being an outcast, seen as “other”, or being disagreeable. Simply, we want to belong. When someone in a position of power, or as we’d describe it today, “with a platform,” uses it to encourage a certain kind of behavior, they set a precedent for others to follow suit. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case, he had countless examples of kings, nobles, and nations before him behaving in the same way he was, only God chose to give him more than those before him. With the power and responsibility God had bestowed upon him, more was expected from him and more could be used against him by the enemy. The enemy will try to use the gifts God gives you against you, and this is why submitting yourself and your gifts to Him is so crucial. If you give God control and license to use your gifts for His glory, the enemy is displaced and removed from power.
Today, we have access to more than ever before. And with more at our fingertips, more is expected from us and more will be used against us. But like Nebuchadnezzar, God has created us and positioned us specifically for this time. He has entrusted us with the riches of technology, ultra luxury, and instantaneous, gratifying results. When we use them irresponsibly, from a place of pride, entitlement and/or greed, we go against God’s purpose and design. We become distanced from Him, and it becomes easier for the enemy to tempt us with money, fame, trends, hyperconsumption, and anything else that says a relationship with your Heavenly Father and Creator isn’t enough. Things that make you think you need more, more, more to improve your life or to be some kind of savior in it. Everyone else joins in, and you find yourself in an echochamber of sinful desires. What all of us soon realize, though, is that idols and the enemy’s plans are temporary, limited, and have an expiration date. What takes longer for us to realize is that only God is worthy of praise for His plan that is eternal and holds unlimited power to work everything, “for the good of those who love [Him] and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NLT).
God is on the throne for eternity, and He wanted Nebuchadnezzar to become aware of this fact, submitting to His authority so that he could have a necessary role in His plan for Jerusalem and the Israelites. He took away Nebuchadnezzar’s position, power, and control for a period of time, allowing him to experience God’s mercy and grace in a deeply profound way. In taking these things from the king, God actually saved him from sinful desires of the enemy and the flesh. God humbles us in order that we would have a clear opportunity to seek Him and His salvation, so that we would realize we are dependent on Him and Him alone, so that we would see the people He puts around us to hold us accountable and correct us as intentional blessings.
Deuteronomy 8:5 says this:
“Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good.”(NLT)
Hebrews 12:7-11 says this:
“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”(NLT)
It’s not to late for today’s Nebuchadnezzars. They probably just need some major tough love from their Heavenly Father, as we all have at some point, and/or certainly will in the future. Maybe they’re someone you know or maybe you’re the king of Babylon in your community. Either way, Nebuchadnezzar’s life and purpose was still of value to God, his story was still redeemed, and he still brought the Lord glory. This first King of Babylon in Israel and Judah’s captivity set the stage for the Kings of Babylon that would succeed him by placing God in His rightful position among the peoples. There’s no one God can’t use to turn generations of idolatrous sin and selfishness into generations of reverence for the Lord, respect for His children, repentance for wrong, and renewing relationship for eternity. In Nebuchadnezzar’s submission to the Lord, he took off the yoke of worldly power, and put on the yoke that is easy and the burden that is light.
Modern-day Nebuchadnezzars: I have been like you in many seasons of my life. God loves you enough to discipline you and mold you into the person He has called you to be. In giving Him back the gifts He’s granted you in this life, you receive eternal rewards and encourage the generations before and behind you in the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He has control, but He will not impose on your free will because of His love for you. Give your burdens and sinful ways to the One who carried them on the cross for you, not the ones who will use them to crush and accuse you.
love & be loved,
Ashlyn
