Nebuchadnezzar

King Nebuchadnezzar ruled over the largeBabylonian Empire.

The capital city was called “Babylon.” In that day Babylon was the greatest city in

the world.

Babylon measured 14 miles from north to south,and 14 miles from east to west. The city was sur-rounded by walls 350 feet high, the height of amodern 35-story building. The walls were 80 feetthick. Just imagine walls like this around a city!

The great river Euphrates looped and floweddiagonally through the city. The walls were archedover the river at the points of entry and exit.

In daylight, a constant watch was kept from thetop of the walls. From that height the watcherscould see an approaching enemy. At night, all gateswere securely closed and barred.

Babylon was the strongest fortress in the world.Even a small force of brave men could have held itfor years. It was considered siege-proof.

Within the city of Babylon were manybeautiful buildings.

There were large temples decorated withgold, silver, and, precious stones. In andaround the temples there were hundreds ofgold and silver images of gods. A solid goldimage of Bel stood 50 feet high, and weighed43,000 pounds.

There were also a number of other splendidpalaces for the nobility of the realm.

Babylon had many magnificent gardens. Itcontained one of the seven wonders of theworld known as The Hanging Gardens ofBabylon.

This was built by Nebuchadnezzar to pleasehis favorite wife, a princess of the Medes. Shewas unhappy on the flat plains of Babylon andlonged for the more rugged scenery of hernative country with its hills.

To make her happy, a garden consisting ofseveral levels, or tiers, was constructed with abase over a hundred acres.

Each succeeding tier, smaller than the onebelow it, was supported by enormous stonearches, thirty feet high, arch upon arch,forming a tapering pyramidal structure 300feet in height.

Each level was overlaid with soil, andplanted with exotic flowers gathered from allover the world. Their colorful blossoms hungdown and cascaded from one level to anotherwith spectacular effect.

Visitors from the world over came to see thismagnificent garden and also to admire all theother wonders of Babylon, the greatest andmost prosperous city in the world.

King Nebuchadnezzar toall peoples, nations, andlanguages, that dwell in all theearth:

Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to

show the signs and wondersthat the Most High God hasdone for me.

How great are his signs,how mighty his wonders! Hiskingdom is an everlastingkingdom, and his dominionendures from generation togeneration.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was atease in my house and prosper-ing in my palace.

Dan. 4:1-4

But as I was stretched out onmy bed I had a dream thatscared me — a nightmare thatshook me.

I sent for all the wise men ofBabylon so that they couldinterpret the dream for me.

When they were all assem-bled — magicians, enchanters,fortunetellers, witches — I toldthem the dream.

None could tell me what itmeant.

And then Daniel came in. His Babylonian name is

Belteshazzar, named after mygod, a man full of the divineHoly Spirit. I told him my dream.

Dan. 4:5-8

'Belteshazzar,' I said, 'chief of the magicians, Iknow that you are a man full of the divine HolySpirit and that there is no mystery that youcan't solve. Listen to this dream that I had andinterpret it for me.'

This is what I saw as I was stretched out onmy bed. I saw a big towering tree at the centerof the world.

As I watched, the tree grew huge and strong.Its top reached the sky and it could be seenfrom the four corners of the earth.

Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant—enough food for everyone! Wild animals foundshelter under it, birds nested in its branches,everything living was fed and sheltered by it.

Dan. 4:10-12

And this also is what I saw as I was stretchedout on my bed. I saw a holy watchman descendfrom heaven, and call out:

Chop down the tree, lop off its branches,strip its leaves and scatter its fruit. Chase theanimals from beneath it and shoo the birdsfrom its branches.

But leave the stump and roots in the ground,belted with a strap of iron and bronze in thegrassy meadow. Let him be soaked in heaven'sdew and take his meals with the animals thatgraze.

Let him lose his mind and get an animal'smind in exchange, And let this go on for sevenseasons.

The angels announce this decree, the holywatchmen bring this sentence, So that every-one living will know that the High God ruleshuman kingdoms.

He arranges kingdom affairshowever he wishes, and makesleaders out of losers.

Dan. 4:13-17

This is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar,dreamed. It's your turn, Belteshazzar—inter-pret it for me. None of the wise men of Babyloncould make heads or tails of it, but I'm sure youcan do it. You're full of the divine Holy Spirit.

At first Daniel, who had been renamedBelteshazzar in Babylon, was upset. Thethoughts that came swarming into his mindterrified him.

"Belteshazzar," the king said, "stay calm.Don't let the dream and its interpretation scareyou."

"My master," said Belteshazzar, "I wishthis dream were about your enemies and itsinterpretation for your foes."

Dan. 4:18-19

"The tree you saw that grew so large andsturdy with its top touching the sky, visiblefrom the four corners of the world;

"The tree with the luxuriant foliage andabundant fruit, enough for everyone; the treeunder which animals took cover and in whichbirds built nests—

"You, O king, are that tree. You have growngreat and strong. Your royal majesty reachessky-high, and your sovereign rule stretches tothe four corners of the world."

Dan 4:20-22

"But the part about the holy angel descending from heavenand proclaiming, 'Chop down the tree, destroy it, but leavestump and roots in the ground belted with a strap of iron andbronze in the grassy meadow; let him be soaked with heaven'sdew and take his meals with the grazing animals for seven sea-sons'--this, O king, also refers to you.

"It means that the High God has sentenced my master theking:

"You will be driven away fromhuman company and live with thewild animals.

"You will graze on grass like anox. You will be soaked in heaven'sdew.

"This will go on for sevenseasons, and you will learn thatthe High God rules over humankingdoms and that he arranges allkingdom affairs.

"The part about the tree stump androots being left means that your king-dom will still be there for you afteryou learn that it is heaven that runsthings.

"So, king, take my advice: Make aclean break with your sins and startliving for others. Quit your wicked life

and look after the needs of the down-and-out. Then you willcontinue to have a good life."

Dan. 4:23-27

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Just twelve months later, he was walking on

the balcony of the royal palace in Babylon andboasted,

"Look at this, Babylon the great! And I builtit all by myself, a royal palace adequate todisplay my honor and glory!"

Dan. 4:28-30

The words were no sooner out of his mouththan a voice out of heaven spoke,

"This is the verdict on you, KingNebuchadnezzar: Your kingdom is taken fromyou.

"You will be driven out of human companyand live with the wild animals. You will eatgrass like an ox. The sentence is for sevenseasons, enough time to learn that the HighGod rules human kingdoms and putswhomever he wishes in charge."

It happened at once. Nebuchadnezzar wasdriven out of human company, ate grass like anox, and was soaked in heaven's dew. His hairgrew like the feathers of an eagle and his nailslike the claws of a hawk. Dan. 4:31-33

At the end of the seven years, I,Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. Iwas given my mind back and I blessedthe High God, thanking and glorifyingGod, who lives forever. His sovereignrule lasts and lasts, his kingdom neverdeclines and falls.

Life on this earth doesn't add up tomuch, but God's heavenly army keepseverything going. No one can interrupthis work, no one can call his rule intoquestion.

At the same time that I was givenback my mind, I was also given back mymajesty and splendor, making my king-dom shine. All the leaders and impor-tant people came looking for me. I wasreestablished as king in my kingdomand became greater than ever.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise andextol and honor the King of heaven, forall his works are right and his ways arejust; and those who walk in pride he isable to humble.

Dan. 4:34-37

Lessons for Us

Luke 18:14: "Every one that exalteth himself shall beabased."

1 Peter 5:6: "Humble yourselvestherefore under themighty hand of God,that he may exalt you indue time."

James 4:6: "God resisteth theproud, but giveth graceunto the humble."

Pride is extremely dangerous!

Pride is a sickness which can lead to the loss ofeverything.

Pride develops very gradually and manifestsitself in a feeling of superiority, of being betterthan others.

The slightest tendency toward pride should benoted and curbed.

If you begin to think youare somebody greatand have a specialstanding before theLord above others,remember 1 Cor. 10:12:"Let him that thinkethhe standeth, take heedlest he fall."

If you think you are better than others, remem-ber Phil. 2:3: "...in lowliness of mind, let eachesteem others better than themselves."

The lesson Nebuchadnezzar learned was "thatthe Most High reigns over the realm of men,and gives it to anyone whom he chooses."

Nebuchadnezzar said in Dan. 4:37: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt andhonour the king of Heaven; for all he does isright, his dealings are all just, and haughtymen he is able to abase."