“WITHIN THe pages of scripture god has placed amazing stories of great feats, great people, and great events. however, i’ve discovered one of The greatest was the conversion of perhaps the greatest RULER in secular history.”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about an exciting story from the pages of the bible and human history …

 … Today I’m going to explore what the Bible tells us about a man named, Nebuchadnezzar. His name is perhaps, foreign to the secular minds of many Americans today. The reason is, our public schools for decades have all but eliminated the historical teaching about him for the main reason – such study will lead young minds to consider the great God of human history and the bible called YAHWEH! However, Nebuchadnezzar will not go away, for he is a real historical person who was one of the greatest of kings of history, who ruled one of mankind’s greatest kingdoms known as Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is of all men in the class of Caesar, Napoleon, even Hitler, among others.

In fact, he was the first “world emperor,” reigning over all the peoples of the known world of history. Now were do we find the historical report and writings of such a great world king? Why the Bible of course! Nebuchadnezzar is found in eight books of the Old Testament known as: II Kings, I and II Chronicles, Esther, Ezra, Ezekiel, Jeremiah and of course the Book of Daniel. I believe his most important place in God’s Word lies in the fact that the Creator God determined to capture this King and use him for His own glory and purpose. However, it is what Nebuchadnezzar did and what God did in response that intrigues me to share his story of how this heathen king become one of history’s followers of the one true God of the Bible. So don‘t go away, I’ve got a story worth telling to share with you, after one more pause for this bright moment of music…

… How real a character of history is this man named Nebuchadnezzar? Well, Over 500 administrative and contract tablets dated according to the days, months and years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign have been archaeologically found and excavated. Also there are about 30 building and honorific inscriptions mostly on stone cylinders and bricks, but including the important East India House Inscription, a black basalt Stella with 621 lines of script describing his fortifying Babylon and restoring the old palace and the building of a new one. The 720 line Wadi Brissa inscription in Syria (ANET, p. 307) records his conquest of Lebanon and transport of its mighty cedars to Babylon. Indeed the man named Nebuchadnezzar is without a doubt indelibly inscribed in human history as a real live person who lived and died as one of the greatest rulers of history.

Nebuchadnezzar was unquestionably the greatest of the rulers of the short-lived Neo-Babylonian Empire over which he reigned for 43 years (605–562 BC). His father was Nabopolassar, the famous leader of the Chaldean Dynasty defeated the Assyrians in 612 BC. On August 16, 605 BC, Nabopolassar died, and Nebuchadnezzar, his son took his place. Nebuchadnezzar exceeded his father’s exploits of conquering.  The Bible tells us his power was given to him by God who raised him up and gave him the ability and desire to take conquest specifically of the land of Palestine. Now this in itself seems impossible, that the God of Israel would abandon His people to this blood-thirsty heathen king, Nebuchadnezzar, but that is what God did as recorded in the Bible. The Scriptures also record that God’s patience had run out with dealing with Israel’s sins of idolatry and disobedience to the Laws God gave them.

You see, it was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who brought the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, long before, to serve Him in the land of Palestine which He gave them as an inheritance of Abraham. The Bible makes clear, God owns the earth and all there is in it, and He has the right and authority to decide who lives in it and where. Yes, God cast out the Canaanites from this land because of their hardened sin and rebellion to God’s laws written on their hearts. Indeed, God then “moved in,” the Israelites and promised them He would bless them in the land and protect them from all enemies round about – “if” they would follow His laws and Word and love Him with all their hearts. If they refused to do this, God promised them they would, like the Canaanites, be cast out.

However, one difference needs to be noted. Although God would cast the Jews out of the Promised Land, God long ago made a promise to their father Abraham, that He would never abandon his children and one day would re-gather them together, and give them a righteous kingdom with a righteous king who would rule them forever. So although God did cast Israel out from the land, God is not through with the Jew and one day will re-gather them to the land to be ruled with their greatest king, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Listen to the Word of God now concerning God’s warning of disobedience,

Deu 4:24-29 (NIV) “ For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. 25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking him to anger…You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. 27 The LORD will scatter you among the [nations], and only a few of you will survive… to which the LORD will drive you… 29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Here is God’s warning to the nation of Israel. History records the nation was unfaithful to God and took for granted their place in Palestine as a “right” rather than a “privilege,” and in time after centuries of abuse, God finally kept His word. How did he drive the Israelites out of the land? Well Scripture tells us He raised up a man named Nebuchadnezzar, a vicious blood-thirsty heathen king of the nation of Babylon. What’s most amazing is that this heathen king was used by God as His servant; to do God’s will in destroying Jerusalem and capturing Israel. Does God at times use the unsaved in the world for His divine purposes? Absolutely! Jeremiah the prophet writes,

Jer 25:9 (NIV)  I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon," declares the LORD, "and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin.

God’s Word goes further and tells us that after long warning and patient, loving pleading by the prophets of God, He brought Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon against His own beloved people.

2 Chr 36:15-17 (NLT)  “The LORD, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple. 16 But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord's anger could no longer be restrained and there was no remedy. 17 So the LORD brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonians… had no pity on the people, killing both young and old, men and women, healthy and sick. God handed them all over to Nebuchadnezzar.”

There you have it. This great world king, won victory over Israel “only,” because God gave them into his hand and used him to do His will. Now in taking Israel captive we are told that God had further plans for this heathen king, and to accomplish them He would use circumstances, and people to do it. In taking the Israelites captive, Nebuchadnezzar was a smart man. He selected from among them, Israel’s brightest and most promising young teens for His pleasure. He figured with training and adoption into his ways of Babylonian life and living, they would serve as excellent government officials of his large kingdom. Among them were four men, whose names were Shadrach, Meshach, Abednigo, and Daniel. God moved these men into King Nebuchadnezzar’s life for one great reason -- to SAVE this corrupt heathen king for His glory and purpose.

Those who know the Bible have heard the story of how God got Nebuchadnezzar’s full attention. One day Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream. This dream was so real to him and important that he demanded his wisemen to interpret it for him. The only problem was he couldn’t remember the details, only that it was the most important thing in his life at present. Of course, the wisemen could not do that, so in the king’s impetuous way he demanded that all the wisemen who advised him should be killed for they fakers. This included the four Hebrew teens who had now been fully schooled and serving as adults in King Nebuchadnezzar kingdom. However, God had other plans than their senseless deaths. So God revealed to Daniel the exact dream Nebuchadnezzar had and told Daniel what it meant. All this is recorded in the Book of Daniel chapter two.

Daniel is summoned and correctly recalls the dream which Nebuchadnezzar then remembers and interprets for him its meaning. Nebuchadnezzar saw a huge image of a warrior as the Bible describes,

Dan 2:31-35 (NIV)  "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue--an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

Here God revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar a prophetic look at the forthcoming historical future and describes four world kingdoms that would come forth from this prophetic dream. But in the end, all the kingdoms of the world would be smashed to pieces by a huge “rock” that would come from Heaven and take over all the kingdoms of the world.

We know today this dream came true as to the rising up of four world kingdoms. There was the head of gold, which was a picture of the greatest kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, followed by the Media-Persian kingdom, followed by Greece and then Rome. But the final kingdom to come has not yet been established, for it will be the KINGDOM OF GOD ruled by Jesus Christ!

So then, Nebuchadnezzar was told the story of biblical history and redemption. He saw that there was a Messiah, a Christ coming who would take over and rule the world forever, and that he was a fore-type or at least an illustration of another world ruler, the Lord Jesus Himself, who one day would come. Why did God give Nebuchadnezzar this dream? Well one important reason was God was in the process of saving this heathen king for Himself and His glory! God was opening his eyes to see God’s majesty, His love and grace to unworthy sinners such as he. But there was more work to be done in his life and heart.

You see, Nebuchadnezzar’s response to this miracle interpretation and knowledge of an unknown dream, was to raise up Daniel as become Nebuchadnezzar’s Prime Minister over all his great kingdom and to rule on his behalf. This shows that he now began to trust YAHWEH, the God of Israel for daily wisdom and guidance through the godly man named Daniel.

However, his conversion was not accomplished, for Nebuchadnezzar in time, slips back and begins to think that his greatness is of his own doing. One day, he decided to build a huge golden image and unite the people of his kingdom to worship it, thus bringing them together with a one world religion. As impetuous as Nebuchadnezzar was, he passed an edict that all must worship and bow down publicly to it in honor of the king. However, the three Hebrew men called Sharach, Meshach and Abednigo refused and were willing to die rather than commit this idolatry. The penalty was excruciating death by burning in a huge furnace of fire.

So all who refused to bow down to this idol, they were cast into the fire but rather than being incinerated as the guards were who came so close to throw them in, the miraculous thing was – none of them were burnt, singed or even smelled of smoke when they came out alive and unharmed. Nebuchadnezzar watched this miracle sight, and was mind boggled, as he saw four men walking around in the fiery furnace, unharmed. The fourth image in the furnace I believe, was what OT scriptures calls, the “Angel of the Lord,” which is the preincarnate appearance of God the Son, Jesus Christ. Hear Nebuchadnezzar’s own words of astonishment,

Dan 3:25-26 (NIV)  He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,

Notice the words used to describe the God of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar calls Him by His correct name, “the Most High God.” Upon their retrieval, Nebuchadnezzar’s heart is again softened as he now realizes there is a God above Him who rules the world, and it’s time he includes Him in his life and kingdom, so now listen to Nebuchadnezzar’s decree,

Dan 3:28-29 (NIV)  Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."

Well one can see that King Nebuchadnezzar is well on his way to personally acknowledging the one true God of history and the Bible. However, he still is not saved. Knowing about the one true God saves no one, only embracing Him personally will save you or me. Well time moves on, and again Nebuchadnezzar is corrupted by his own sin nature unabated, and his great unrestrained power; and, he begins to again think that his greatness is due to his greatness! We know from the Bible, God hates all pride! This pride brought a judgment against King Nebuchadnezzar for we read what happened as a result of his terrible boasting and inner pride,

Dan 4:31-32 (NLT)  "While he was still speaking these words, a voice called down from heaven, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32 You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.'

God discipline Nebuchadnezzar by causing his mind to become like that of an animal. Since Nebuchadnezzar wanted to live like one, as do all the ungodly, so God specifically gave him his wish. For seven years, he was completely deranged in his mind, and thought he was a cow. His officials kept the kingdom going, hoping he would be revived, but it looked hopeless as the great king was brought down to be like a naked beast in the field, grazing among the cows, bellowing like one too.

But God’s disciplines ended seven years later, as promised, and Nebuchadnezzar’s mind was miraculously and perfectly restored. He immediately returned to his kingdom and cleaned himself up and now he knew who was really king over all the earth; and better yet, king of his life and heart. Listen to his own amazing yet tender testimony of how God saved him,

Dan 4:34-37 (NIV)  At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" 36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Was King Nebuchadnezzar really saved? I believe so. It took a long while to get hold of his heart, but now God had him and it. Nebuchadnezzar learned there was a great God over all; he also learned that this God was the very God of Israel and the Bible; and, that he was sending His Messiah to rule the world one day in the future. He then he learned, most important of all, this great and mighty God loved him enough to save him from first himself.

I wonder my friend have you learned that? In order to be saved, all of us like Nebuchadnezzar, must relinquish the “rulership” of our own heart and life. We do this by giving it back to the God who created us, and loves us so much that He sent his son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ to die in our place for our sin penalty which all humanity faces one day in eternity. Have you confessed Jesus Christ as your God and Savior? Until anyone does they cannot be saved from themselves and unto God Himself. May the story of this great king of history help us all to see the need for placing our creator God as first place in our lives too, as we acknowledge Jesus Christ, God’s Son as our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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·         Radio talk # 4606

·         Broadcast date: November 12, 2006

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 60033 Grand Junction, CO 81506

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The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 24 years, and serves as General Director.

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