The Conversion of a King
- Alan Fong
- Jul 6
- 3 min read
Today's Verse:
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. ~Daniel 4:37
For years, kings have been considered the highest of human rulers. The idea of a king ruling over people conjures thoughts of a leader who is fearless, wise, strongly influential, decisive, a conqueror in battle, a provider, and feared. Kings are men who possess a very strong personality and ego. Many in the past succumbed to the vast power that a king is given and used the office to enrich his personal coffers, oppress the people whom he led, and fancied himself in a life of excessive self-indulgence. King Nebuchadnezzar was one of the greatest of the kings in history. The Bible account of King Nebuchadnezzar validates the historicity of the Bible and also gives us insight into this man. In our devotion this morning, we see how God deals with this king.
We see a king who is eminent.
King Nebuchadnezzar established himself as one of the greatest kings in history. He was feared as a conqueror. He built magnificent gardens, water conduits, massive architecture, and infrastructure that showcased his ingenuity. However, he was a proud and conceited man. He built a 90-feet tall image of himself on the road to Dutra and issued a command that, at the sound of certain music, everyone was to bow to this image. This image was strategically placed so that people would see it and behold for many miles. He was at a place where he gave himself credit for his accomplishments. The most prominent word in his vocabulary is “I.” He was the most eminent man alive, and he was “proud” of it.
We see a king who is enlightened.
He had a dream about a massive tree which people gathered under, but it was abruptly chopped down and the people scattered. Daniel was called in to interpret this dream. Daniel was so astonished that he was speechless for one hour. Daniel revealed to this king that he was the great tree that would be chopped down. This dream described the fall of Nebuchadnezzar. It was God telling him that He has had enough of this king’s pride and arrogance. God hates pride. It is one of the six things that the Lord hates, and of the seven sins that are abominations. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” The dream that God gave him was a warning to repent of his sin and to give God the glory for where he was at in life. Daniel pleaded with the king to give heed to the dream and to humble himself before God.
We see a king who is embarrassed.
Twelve months after he received this dream, he walked in his palace and boastfully exclaimed, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” God immediately humbled this king and brought him down to the level of an animal. He lost his mind, wandered about on his hands and knees, was personally unkempt, and ate grass like an animal. He lived in an embarrassing and humiliating condition for seven years. God must deal with sin. God will deal with sin harshly. God will deal with the sin of pride by bringing the proud man very low.
We see a king and his election.
The day came when this king came to his senses. “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.” He looked up to God! This king finally came to the place in life where he acknowledged God in his life. I believe that what is recorded in Daniel 4:34-37 is his prayer of confession. In this prayer, he was confessing that there is only one God and this God is a God of truth and judgment. In this prayer, he acknowledged that God has humbled him. We see this king and his conversion. He made the decision to come to God as his Savior and his Sovereign (the King of Heaven). The last thing recorded about Nebuchadnezzar was this prayer of confession.
This passage is a reminder to us that God loves all men. God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Humble yourself, and look to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of your faith. Salvation begins and is final through Him alone.
Have a humbled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalms 120-125
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