(Lessons from King Nebuchadnezzar)
Daniel 4:1-3 This is a proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar the king, which he sent to people of every language in every nation of the world:
Greetings:
I want you all to know about the strange thing that THE MOST HIGH GOD did to me. It was incredible—a mighty miracle! And now I know for sure that HIS kingdom is everlasting; HE reigns forever and ever.
KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR
MY PROCLAMATION
Greeting. I am called Nebuchadnezzar. “Nebuchadnezzar” is the name the Israelites call me. My father named me Nabu-kudurru-usur, which means “Nabu, preserve my first son.” Nabu is the name of one of the gods in my culture. Names are very important in my culture. That’s why when we capture slaves, we rename them. We want to assimilate them into their new culture as quickly as possible. We want to separate these slaves from their past and their GOD.
Let me tell you who I am. I am the king of Babylon, one of the greatest cities in the whole kingdom. I am the most powerful man in all the kingdoms. I have a powerful army and I have conquered many cities, which are now cities within my kingdom. I am king!
A few years ago, I attacked and conquered Jerusalem, the famous city of the Jews. I took the sacred cups from the Hebrew Temple of GOD and placed them in the treasury house of my god, Shinar. Daniel 1:2 I selected the best of the Jewish boy captives and instructed Ashpenaz, my master eunuch, and the chief of my court officials to train these boys so they would become Babylonians. I wanted to change their minds and change their allegiance to me and my gods.
There were four special Jewish boys. The one called Daniel I re-named “Belteshazzar,” which means “Bel protect the King.” “Bel” means lord or master. Bel is what we call the Babylonian, god, Marduk. We call Marduk lord and master because that is what we believe. I gave the other three Jewish boys Babylonian names too. I called them Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego. These Jewish boys turned out to be very smart and very wise. All of them became advisors in my court. Their advice seemed to far better than that of all the skilled magicians and astrologists that I encountered in all my kingdom. Daniel 1:20
During my early reign, I was very powerful! If fact, I was intoxicated with power. Intoxication can be a dangerous condition. It can distort one’s vision, cause one to see oneself bigger than one actually is. Intoxication can also cause one to make mistakes, stumble, and fall. Power intoxication can be a dangerous condition. It can also lead to what I like to call “royal tantrums.” A “royal tantrum” is when you become so intoxicated with power that when you don’t get what you want or sometimes even when you do get what you want (but want even more), you become irrational and lose sight of the humanity of others. You lash out indiscriminately, not caring what happens to those around you! It is an especially dangerous condition for a king like me, who is already very powerful, because when I went into a royal tantrum, I not only became a danger to others and, as you will see, I became a danger to myself as well. This is what happened:
MY ROYAL TANTRUMS
Tantrum #1 - One night I had a terrible dream. I woke up trembling with fear. Yes, trembling! And, I was king! And to make matters worse I couldn’t remember my dream or what had caused my fear! I just knew it was bad!
I called all of my magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, astrologers and demanded they tell me my dream and its meaning. Daniel 2:2-4 They replied that if I told them the dream, they could tell me its meaning! But I wasn’t falling for that! They could have told me anything or continue to stall until the calamity that I feared was coming came and then they could be rid of me! Daniel 2:5 So I told them that if they didn’t tell me my dream and interpret it, they would be torn limb from limb and I would destroy their houses. But, on the other hand, if they did what they claimed they could do and tell me what I wanted, they would be given gifts, rewards, and a great honor! Daniel 2:6 I wanted action right now! But they replied there wasn’t a man alive who could do what I demanded. They said the only god could do this and the gods did not they live in human dwellings, so they were not readily accessible. Well, this was an outrage! I was furious and I had a royal tantrum. I immediately issued an order to execute all the wise men of Babylon! I wanted every last one of them rounded up! If they didn’t do what I wanted they were going to face the consequences, execution. Daniel and his three companions were rounded up for execution too!
When Arioch the chief executioner came to kill Daniel and his friends, they didn’t seem at all upset or fazed! I’m told Daniel told his friends to just pray with him to their GOD. Daniel 2:17 Well that night, Daniel’s GOD revealed the vision to Daniel, and the next day, praising his GOD, Daniel appeared before me and revealed the vision to me! Daniel described exactly what I saw in my dream! As soon as he told me, I knew in my spirit he was telling me the truth. Then, Daniel interpreted the dream.
Daniel told me that I was king over many kings but that his GOD had given me my kingdom, strength, and glory but that my kingdom would not last forever. Daniel told me about other kingdoms that would come after mine and that they would end too. Daniel said that one day the GOD of HEAVEN would establish HIS KINGDOM. GOD’s KINGDOM would shatter the greatness of all of the former kingdoms that had come before. And, GOD’s KINGDOM, unlike the rest, would last forever and ever! Daniel 2:37-44 I immediately fell on my knee, for I knew that only Daniel’s GOD had revealed this to Daniel! I was full of immediate praise for Daniel’s GOD and gave Daniel great gifts and honor. I made Daniel chief of all my wise men and my chief advisor in my court. Daniel 2:46-47,49 That day I had nothing but praise for Daniel’s GOD. But, over time, I guess I forgot my dream and what Daniel told me.
Tantrum #2- As I’ve said, power can be intoxicating. And, this time, my cup was full to overflowing! It all began when I made a golden statute. It was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide! I thought it was magnificent! I set it up on the plain of Dura, in Babylon so that everyone could see it. I then gathered everyone to admire “my statute” (and my stature) and decided to dedicate my great work! Daniel 3:1-2 So, I issued a decree, a proclamation, through my entire kingdom. I decreed and commanded everyone---no matter what their nationality, their language or religion--- that at the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe they were to immediately fall down and worship the golden statue I created. Anyone who refused to obey my decree would be cast into a fiery furnace! I created a god and I wanted everyone to obey me! Daniel 3:5
After I issued the decree, I immediately received word from some of my officials that there were three Jews, those three companions of Daniel, who had not fallen down and worshipped my golden image when the music played. They were refusing to obey me! I decided to give these Jews another chance. I told them the next time the music sounded if they fell down and worshipped my golden statute, everything would be well. But if they didn’t, I warned them I would cast them into a flaming furnace within the next hour! I was pretty sure that this would ensure their obedience. After all, I was the king and I told them they were in my hands now! Daniel 3:15
Well, those three didn’t seem concerned at all. They had the nerve to calmly look at me and even tell me they were not worried about what happened to them. They told me they knew their GOD was able to deliver them. But, they said, if their GOD did not, under no circumstances, would they ever bow down and or worship the golden statue I had erected. Daniel 3:18 Well, I was furious! Livid! No one speaks to me, the king of Babylon, like that!
I immediately ordered the furnace heated up seven times hotter and ordered my soldiers to tie these men up with rope tightly, fully clothed, and cast them in the fire. Daniel 3:19-21 I then stood back a distance, so I could watch with pleasure as these three burned! I stood back because the flames were leaping out of the furnace so fiercely that it killed the soldiers as they were throwing the three in the fire! Daniel 3:22
Then, something strange happened. As I was watching I suddenly saw four, not three, men walking around in the midst of the furnace! I was so astonished, I leaped to my feet! I turned to my advisors, who were standing nearby and asked: “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They looked at me and they all said: “True, O King” As I looked back in the furnace, I said: “Look! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they aren’t even hurt; and the fourth, looks like the SON of GOD!” Daniel 3:24-25 I then went to the mouth of the furnace and yelled: “Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of THE MOST HIGH GOD, come out! Come here!” I watched in amazement as the three men stepped out of the furnace. I saw that the fire hadn’t even touched them! Their clothing was not scorched!
They didn’t even smell of smoke! Right then, I knew then that no other GOD could do what their GOD can do! I blessed their GOD because I knew that there was none like THIS GOD! I immediately issued a decree that no person or any nation, language, or religion ever speak a word against the GOD of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego or face the threat of being torn limb from limb or have their house laid in ruins! Then I promoted Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego!
I should have remembered this lesson, but I guess over time I forgot again!
GOD Forewarns me! – Perhaps the GOD of Daniel, Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego knew that I would forget, because I enjoyed myself, prospering in my palace when I suddenly had yet another frightening dream! I issued a decree for all the wise men of Babylon to come before me and interpret my dream. Many came, but none of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, fortune-tellers, or wizards were able to interpret my dream when I told them about the dream! Daniel 4:4-7 Finally, they brought Daniel to me. I told Daniel about my dream. Daniel 4:8 I remember he had interpreted my dream before and that no mystery was too great for him to solve. But, after listening to me tell him about the dream, Daniel just sat there, stunned! He was silent for an hour! Daniel 4:19 When I encouraged Daniel to speak, he finally told me the meaning of the dream. Daniel told me the dream was about my future. Daniel 4:20-26
After telling me the meaning of my dream Daniel urgently advised me to listen to him! Daniel told me that perhaps it wasn’t too late! He advised me to do the following:
Stop sinning; do what you know is right; [and] be merciful to the poor.
Daniel 4:27 Daniel said if I changed, perhaps GOD would spare me from this future that was sure to come about if I didn’t change!
I only wish I had listened more carefully to Daniel and heeded his advice. I didn’t.
Twelve Months Later – Twelve months passed. I remember I was walking on the roof of the palace. I was standing there, looking around me, admiring the great city of Babylon! My city! I started talking about its greatness and my greatness. I started talking about how powerful I was. I remember talking about my mighty power –I was probably thinking about my army power. See, my father, Nabopolassar, was a great military general before he became king! I believed in dominant military rule too. I admired the power of the military to come in, take immediate control, subdue people, and make them obey. A good military force left no doubt who was in control, which was me! Perhaps I was thinking about how I had conquered cities like Jerusalem and established my kingdom. I recall saying “I built this beautiful city.” [Forgetting, that GOD had told me HE had allowed me to conquer Jerusalem and forgetting that GOD had already told me these earthly kingdoms, including my own, would all fall!]
That day on my palace roof, I recalled thinking of all the land I owned, the royal palace, the capital, my empire. I was suddenly intoxicated with power, full of myself, looking around me at what I consider all that was mine! [I was definitely thinking about things, power, and my own greatness instead of people, the poor, or about the welfare of those who lived in the city. Most importantly, I was completely forgetting about GOD and GOD’s WORD! At this point, I was probably one of the greatest threats to myself and the people around me than I had ever been! All I wanted was more, to admire and worship myself! I was turning myself “into a god” in my thoughts and in my own mind!]
Suddenly my train of thought and all of self-admiration was abruptly interrupted. I heard A VOICE abruptly announce that I was about to receive a ROYAL DECREE from HEAVEN. THE VOICE said:
“This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the MOST HIGH is SOVEREIGN over the kingdoms of men and given them to anyone HE wishes.”
Daniel 4:31-32 Immediately it all happened! What Daniel told me would happen to me 12 months earlier suddenly started happening! I fell to my knees. I then started to eat grass like an ox in the fields. My mind left me. And, for the next seven years, my body was drenched with dew, my hair grew long, like feathers, and my nails became like bird’s claws. I was reduced to an animal in a field.1 I was totally humbled!
HOW I GOT THROUGH IT
At the end of seven years, GOD allowed my mind and my sanity to return to me. When my sanity returned, I then looked up and praised GOD!
I am still praising GOD! I will honor GOD for the rest of my life! Daniel 4:34 Because there is none like HIM! No one can stop HIM or challenge HIM! GOD judges us all! HIS works are truth. HIS ways are just!
GOD not only restored my sanity GOD restored my kingdom. Daniel 4:36 GOD was merciful and even gave me greater honor than before. I will never, ever forget what GOD did for me! HE humbles those who walk in pride---men, like me, who think themselves great. Daniel 37
So, I, King Nebuchadnezzar, issue this decree to you. Learn from my story. Learn from me.
Remember:
- Only GOD is GREAT! All GREATNESS belongs to HIM;
- GOD’s ways are JUST! So, remember people are more important than cities or things. Like GOD, be just and merciful to the people in the cities and areas where you live. Be kind and just to the poor, for they belong to GOD as much as you belong to GOD. We are all in GOD’s hands.
- Only GOD REIGNS forever. And, one-day GOD will REIGN! GOD is our ultimate KING and JUDGE
People everywhere, listen to my story, and learn!
MORE STRETCHING
- Shoulder and Side Stretch– Sit up straight in a straight chair with your hands extended in opposite directions like a cross. Relax your shoulders so your hands, arms, and fingers form a straight line. Keeping the left arm straight and unmoving, turn your waist and slowly string the right hand over to the left hand until the right hand and the left hand softly clap. Then bring the right hand back as if you’re drawing back the string of a bow, with your elbows coming straight back until your waist is facing the front of the chair. Unbend the right elbow until you both hands are in your starting opposite direction position and then repeat the clapping motion again on the left side 3-4 more times. Switch, repeating the same movements on the right side. You should feel the stretch along your sides and your shoulders. This exercise can also be performed standing up. Remember to turn your waist slowly in the direction of the clap and keep the elbow up the same height as the clap. Remember to exhale as you bring the string of your imaginary bow back. Don’t arch your back or shoulders. Remember as you turn your waist, look in the direction of the clap to avoid straining your neck.
- Knees to Chest- Lie down on your back on a rug or mat. Extend your legs on the floor. Keeping your lower back on the floor, slowly bend your knees and grasp the back of your upper thighs with your hands, slowly bringing your knees in toward your chest. Feel the stretch and hold for 10-30 seconds. Then release and repeat the motion. Remember to keep your head on the floor and relaxed. Try not to jerk. Gently open your legs as far apart as possible, keeping your toes and knees pointing outward. Place a hand along each side of your thighs. Place the right hand along the right inner thigh and left hand along your left inner thigh, close to your knees (but do not touch the knees). Keeping your spine neutral, gently hinge forward from the hips until you feel a mild stretch along your inner thighs. Again, be very gentle with yourself. For a more challenging stretch, after your hold, extend the feet about 6 to 12 inches off the ground and then bend the knees again. Do at least 3-4 reps.
- Straight Leg Stretch – Sit straight up on a mat with your feet extended straight ahead. This exercise can also be done sitting on a mat or rug with your back against a wall. Flex your feet so your toes are pointed toward the ceiling. Now raise your right leg the height of your left big toe and extend the right leg slowly toward the left until you feel and stretch and then hold for 4-6 second and then slowly move the right foot back to the same height as your big toe and then down, keeping both feet flexed the entire time. Repeat the same motion on the left side. Remember, these are slow stretch and hold movements. Don’t try to overextend the stretch to the right or the left. And, breath. Try to complete at least 3-5 reps on each side. For a different stretch, point the toes straight ahead instead of flexing the heals and pointing the toes toward the ceiling. Take breaks as needed and drink water to stay hydrated.
As always, if you have an injury, are concerned about safety or you have a medical condition, speak to your personal physician about what stretches are appropriate for you. If you experience dizziness, discontinue the exercise and again consult your physician.
GOD IS GREAT
When we think about GREATNESS, we should think about GOD! If we become obsessed with greatness, try to flex power to the detriment of others, we risk becoming a danger to ourselves and others. We also risk the anger and judgment of GOD!
Psalm 147:5 states:
GREAT is our LORD, and of great power: HIS understanding is infinite.
JESUS taught that greatness comes through service to others. See, Mark 10:44. In Matthew 20:27, JESUS taught:
[I]f you want to be right at the top, you must serve like a slave.
Greatness comes with sacrifice. Greatness comes through service.
There is no power greater than GOD!
So, serve a GREAT GOD! Praise a GREAT GOD!
Be humble, praise GOD, and BE BLESSED!
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1Boanthropy is a psychological disorder where the sufferer believes that he or she is a cow or ox. This condition still exists today. Many references to this kind of condition have been found in various other cultures. See, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boanthropy.
