Nebuchadnezzar didn’t believe in God… at first

And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Daniel 4:32

When God wants to do something in the life of an individual, there are no restrictions on what He might do. It was God’s desire to use Nebuchadnezzar as an instrument of His grace while the children of Israel were in bondage there. Like Abraham of old, he was a pagan and his biggest problem was that he was full of pride. God’s word speaks often of the sin of pride, even spiritual pride. Notice that the very word “pride” has “I” right in the middle. Nebuchadnezzar was so full of himself that he had a huge statute made of himself and demanded the entire nation to bow down before it in worship.

While pride keeps many people from trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it also keeps many Christians from standing true to the Lord. We must not think that Christians are exempt from this sin. In fact, some are known to be very guilty of spiritual pride, comparing themselves with others, filled with self-obsession and usually defensive, especially when accused of anything. Yet, on the other hand, they are good at calling out the faults of others. Jonathan Edwards called pride the secret enemy of the believer.

• Pride produces contention.
• Pride makes a person impatient.
• Pride is highly self-assertive.
• Pride is exacting of others.
• Pride is over-bearing.
• Pride tends to “know-it-all.”
• Pride has an exalted view of self. (This kills a servant spirit.)

How quickly Nebuchadnezzar seemed to have forgotten how the one true God freed the three Hebrew teenagers from the fiery furnace. More than that, he did not realize that it was God Who gave him all things.

We should recognize that if Jesus Christ were to descend out of heaven and come into the midst of a huge number of people, perhaps at an NFL football game or amid a Minneapolis demonstration, instead of believing, people would shake their fists at Him and try to kill Him again.

Moses told God, “They will not believe me,” and he was right (Exodus 4:1). God told the prophet Habakkuk that even though the people would hear him, they would not believe. The members of the Sanhedrin asked Jesus directly, If You are the Christ, tell us. Jesus said, If I tell you, ye will not believe (Luke 22:67). God graciously sent prophets repeatedly to warn Israel to turn back to God but they did not believe in the Lord their God (II Kings 17:14). John the Baptist came with a message from God relating to the coming of Christ and the people reasoned with themselves and did not believe him (Matthew 21:25).

God made Nebuchadnezzar to act like a cow, to eat grass as oxen…until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will (Daniel 4:32). What will it take for people today to believe that God is the sovereign ruler of the entire universe? It is God’s intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men (Daniel 4:17). God chose to reveal Himself and so many of His plans and purposes for mankind in His Holy Word, yet man continues to reject what God clearly wrote down for them to read. There are so many prophetic passages about the future that are taking place in our very day. There are also many discoveries that reveal the reality of what God said, and still mankind ignores the truth, stating that truth is relative. “What is true for you may not be true for me,” and yet mankind God will judge men based on revealed truth.

Historically, we should recognize that no Gentile nation up to this time had ever been in control of the entire known world. Egypt and Assyria were powerful in their own lands. Even Israel at times had great power. Nevertheless, Babylon conquered the known world of its day, including the people of God. Amid what was happening to Israel, God was telling the world that He was ultimately in charge and that is exactly what is going to happen when Christ returns at which time He will rule the entire world for a thousand years.

God’s people lost their power because of their failure to fear God. Many of them died and the rest of the nation, except for the very weak and aged, went into bondage to the world power of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar thought himself a god, until the day, the one and only true God brought judgment upon him causing him to behave like a cow out in the pasture. When God allowed him to return to his throne, he was a changed man. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those what walk in pride He is able to abase (Daniel 4:37).

God can do the same today, but this is not part of His plan. The prophecies are laid out clearly in His Word for people to read and know that He is God, but they choose not to believe.

Our responsibility does not change as the world changes. Like Daniel of old, we must live for God and testify to the world that He is God and that His plans for us as individuals and nations will happen regardless of what man does. Prior to the next big events on God’s calendar, the Rapture of the Church and the terrible period of Tribulation, we need to be fervent in our witness to those who are still without Christ. How do you see yourself fitting in to God’s overall plan for our world?

George Stiekes serves as a Lay Pastor at Bethany Bible Church in Hendersonville, NC. See here for a more complete bio of brother Stiekes extensive ministry. We republish his material by permission.