Nebuchadnezzar was considered the most powerful King of the Babylonian Empire. Shrewd, intelligent, and ruthless; he marched the Babylonian empire into a successful reign of the region. Babylon was felt to be a great seat of learning and culture. The Assyrian Empire essentially fell when a Babylonian-Medea coalition overtook Nineveh. The last Persian King tried to restore his power by making an alliance with Egypt (as did also Judah, despite Assyria overtaking Northern Israel). Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt as well as Judah, making himself a great war hero. Soon after he became King in his father’s place. But he was about to meet God. Hence one all pursuing powerful God can transform the most wicked, if only their eyes open to the truth. It may begin slowly, but step by step God presents His case even to King Nebuchadnezzar.
It is said that in his inaugural speech, Nebuchadnezzar gave tribute to Marduk (one of the false gods of their day. He is quoted as saying, “O merciful Marduk, may the house that I have built endure forever, may I be satiated with its splendor, attain old age therein, with abundant offspring, and receive therein tribute of the kings of all regions, from all mankind.” (Kerrigan, 39)[1] King Nebuchadnezzar was unaware that he was about to meet The All Pursuing, Powerful God-the great I AM, creator of the universe who allowed and orchestrated even King Nebuchadnezzar ability to rise to power. Nothing can happen on earth, but God permissive will allows it and God will even use that which is evil to accomplish what He loves—the redemption of His own.
A First Glimpse of One ALL Pursuing Powerful God
In chapter 2 of Daniel, we find King Nebuchadnezzar very disturbed by a dream. Yet, the details of the dream escape him, only the essence of its terror. He calls in all his wisemen and magicians, asking them to tell him the dream and the interpretation. When they said they could not do it, even on threat of death, they make a very important statement.
“There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” Daniel 2:11
But they did not know the real God who does dwell with man.
Therefore, it appeared that all would be put to death. Well, but God had another plan. Daniel asked the King to give him one day to ask God for the answer. So, that night Daniel and his three friends (Hananiah, Mishel and Azariah) prayed all night and in the morning, Daniel knew the dream and the interpretation. That is what he presented to the King but not before having thanked God.
Daniel 2:20-23
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
A Dream Revealed and Interpreted
But notice this, God had revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar the future of this world we live in. Notice the detail and the accuracy to this point.
27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind. Daniel 2: 27-30
I encourage you to read the remainder of Chapter 2.
One All Powerful God who Reveals
If you look at the dates and times, remember God revealed this to King Nebuchadnezzar nearly 600 years before Christ. There are many scriptures in the New Testament and later in Daniel that clarifies and gives even more detail regarding each of these periods.
But note the stone, not made by hand which will destroy all human empires.
I PETER 2: 4-11
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[a]
8 and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
We the church are that Kingdom who soon will be raptured and then we will return with Him to set up His Kingdom as shown in Daniel 2.
Daniel 2: 44-45
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
To this Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes saw the first glimpse of one all pursuing, all powerful God and he said.
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
But that was not enough to fully transform his heart, but it was a start.
HOW QUICKLY ONE FORGETS
Well, after all, Daniel did say that the head of gold was King Nebuchadnezzar. He then made a statue of gold and put it on display, telling everyone to bow down and worship the statue. Forgetting that it was God who allowed him the dream and the power, he wanted himself to be worshipped. How quickly do people forget what God has done for them in answering even the prayers of unredeemed sinners. He tries to draw them to Him, but they walk away.
Then, he threw the three young men who refused to bow before the statue into a burning pit.
Daniel 3: 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.[c] But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.[d] 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
One All Pursuing, all-powerful God gives the King a glimpse of Christ
Daniel 3 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” The Son of GOD-Jesus was there with them.
Then one step nearer to believing, the King declares:
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[f] the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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New English Translation (NET)
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New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] https://www.worldhistory.org/Nebuchadnezzar_II/ accessed 1/29/2022