InPerspective

Harry Reeder: I was flying at 42,000 feet back from Israel on the second trip I ever took people to Israel and on the way back, a lady that was in the group turned to me and she said, "Pastor, I appreciate your ministry. When were you broken?" I asked her later why she asked me that question. I answered her question.

She gave a great insight. She said, "Pastor, this is what I know. No Christian and no servant of the Lord will he ever use until we're broken before him." God loves us enough that he will bring the discipline of brokenness.

Guest (Male): Putting life in biblical perspective with Dr. Harry L. Reeder. This is InPerspective, a radio and internet ministry of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Even though King Nebuchadnezzar saw God powerfully work in the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and even in his own life through them, he remained intoxicated with regal power and pride over his lofty position and abundant possessions.

How did God transform this pompous pagan ruler into a contrite convert to the one true and living God? Stay with us now as Dr. Reeder continues our series on Daniel's Memorable Memoirs and Message as he takes us to Daniel Chapter 4 for today's teaching, part one of his message: The Conversion of a Pagan King.

Harry Reeder: Any conversion is a miracle of the grace of God. Dead sinners are brought to life in Christ. It's a spiritual resurrection. It is a miracle. Men and women are dead in their sins and they're brought to life. But there are some conversions that, of course, are just so challenging and overwhelming when you consider them.

There are three such events in the Bible that overwhelm me. One is the revival and conversions that took place in the city of Nineveh at the conclusion of the book of Jonah. And then secondly, of course, is the most astounding conversion that I see in the Bible, again, recognizing that every conversion is a work of amazing grace.

But it's what I would call the conversion of the Osama bin Laden of his day, and that was the apostle Paul. The apostle Paul was a religious terrorist who killed Christians and he met Jesus on the road to Damascus and he was converted. And the persecutor became a preacher. The church destroyer became a church planter.

The enemy of Christians became a great evangelist to bring men and women to Christ. The work of grace is so glorious not only in rescuing him but transforming him. Now this is a third one. Here is a pagan king. By the way, I don't have the time to trace out all of the remnants in the extant literature that affirm the biblical truth of this text that's in front of us.

I don't have time to do that; suffice it to say God's word is true and continually stands the verification of time and truth and historical fact. But Nebuchadnezzar, of course, the question comes to me: do you really think he's converted in Chapter 4 or was he converted earlier? Because there are a couple of occasions earlier that maybe he was converted then.

And then if you don't think he was converted previously, why would you say this is the conversion? In fact, could this not just be a politician taking advantage of the winds of the day, acknowledging that something supernatural has happened to him but not necessarily his conversion? Well, I hope to draw out for you why I do believe this is a true conversion.

I fully expect to meet Nebuchadnezzar in the glories of eternity. And I want to show you why, and I think there are some amazing lessons that we can draw out of this. But this conversion doesn't take place without some things that have led up to it. We kind of call this the pre-evangelism, pre-conversion work of the Holy Spirit through his people that has taken place.

Before I read in Daniel Chapter 4, go back and read with me to Daniel Chapter 2. Do you remember that there was an earlier dream? We're going to have a dream in Daniel 4, but there was a first dream in Daniel Chapter 2. And in Daniel Chapter 2, that dream was interpreted and after that dream was interpreted by Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar was amazed at the power of God that allowed Daniel to have that interpretation.

So this is what he said in verse 46. Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, "Truly your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." Then the king gave Daniel high honors, etc.

So here in this interpretation where Daniel honors the Lord, he said, "It's not of me, it's of the Lord." Then Daniel is promoted along with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He is promoted to being the chief—let me just use another term—he becomes the chief scholar of all of the intellectuals and scholars, magicians, Chaldeans, astrologers, everybody. He becomes the head guy over everyone.

And so he's moved to that position and Nebuchadnezzar says some amazing things that are accurate about God, but he's not yet converted. Of course, we know that because a little bit later, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will not worship his golden image, what is he ready to do? Well, if he was converted, he would have affirmed what they had done.

But on the contrary, he is ready to kill them because he's like, "You can have your God, but he's still one of the tribal gods. He's not God of all gods." He hasn't come to that embracing on a personal basis even though he has said something very true in Chapter 2. But by the way, that's not the only time. Remember there was a time we looked at last week where Jesus Christ himself, in a pre-incarnate ministry, comes into the fiery furnace and delivers out Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

And Nebuchadnezzar sees that and says, "What God is there that can deliver in this way?" And then look at what he does. Go to Daniel Chapter 3. And here we find another movement of the heart of Nebuchadnezzar, not yet to conversion. Notice in verse 28, Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him and set aside the king's command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any God except their own God."

"Therefore I make a decree: any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other God who is able to rescue in this way." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. So he's still not converted.

Harry, how do you know that? He just said he's God of gods again. How do you know that? Because he still hasn't been changed. Who does he think he is? I'm the Godmaker. If you don't bow to this God, I'll tear you from limb to limb. That's not what a converted man would do. He still sees himself in power. Earlier, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, if you don't fall down to my God, I'll throw you in a fiery furnace.

Now, if you don't fall down to this new God, then I'll tear you from limb to limb. He's still not converted, but clearly something is happening to him. Now we come to a second dream in the book of Daniel and a second edict. Remember he's already passed one edict. We just read it in Daniel 2. Now he's giving a second edict.

And by the way, very likely what I'm about to read probably was, as it were, dictated by Nebuchadnezzar but wordsmithed and edited by his chief of scholars, which was Daniel himself. Very likely that's what took place. Now look with me in Daniel Chapter 4. It starts off with the edict. The edict is in front. We've got the edict and the event.

Here's the edict: King Nebuchadnezzar to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth. Peace be multiplied to you. It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Now here is an edict from King Nebuchadnezzar that exalts the one true and living God as God of gods, King of kings, and his kingdom is over all kingdoms. That's the edict. Now how did Nebuchadnezzar get here? How did he get to this point? Well, the edict will now reveal the process through which this pompous pagan became a contrite convert to the one true and living God, to trust in him alone.

Here's how it happened. It's revealed to us starting in verse 4. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my palace, in my house, and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed, the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. Now some may say, "Well, if he called all those people in, why didn't Daniel come with them?" Because this is a subset of those. These would be the people that you would consult on the basis of dreams.

Daniel would not only be consulted for that, but he would be even above that. In his new appointment, as I said, he's like the chief scholar of everybody. And so he is not yet been brought in. But now look, and by the way, remember this phrase: At last. Daniel came in before me. Notice, not "lastly" Daniel came in, "at last" Daniel came in before me.

He who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the Holy Gods. And I told him the dream, saying, "O Belteshazzar," so he's using now in this edict, he is using the official name that he has given to Daniel. "O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the Holy Gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you."

"Tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all."

"The beasts of the field found shade under it and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed and behold, a watcher, a holy one"—that would be another term for in his language of an angel—"came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: 'Chop down the tree, lop off its branches, let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.'"

"'But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man's and let a beast's mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him.'"

"'The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.' This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able for the spirit of the Holy Gods is in you."

So here with his past experiences with Daniel, Daniel's relationship to the Most High God, Daniel's abilities that he attributes to divine inspiration, he now calls upon him to interpret this dream. This is his second dream and the second time that Daniel now comes to give an interpretation that others could not. Now look at that interpretation beginning in verse 19.

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while and his thoughts alarmed him. In other words, he's about to give an interpretation he doesn't want to have to give. He is about to say something that he knows could be dangerous to his continued existence. So the king answered and said, "Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you."

Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies." In other words, "My lord, I would hope this would be for others, but this is the interpretation for you. The tree you saw, which grew and became strong so that its top reached to heaven and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived, it's you. It is you, O King."

Now let's stop there just for a moment. This use of tree and loftiness and everything being sustained from it is not new in the scripture. It is used to describe the work of the kingdom of God in the book of Ezekiel and in the book of Revelation. It is also used to describe the worldly empires that rise up against God and what they claim to be able to provide and to some degree do provide for a short period of time in arrogance against the God who has allowed them to exist.

This is used continually in scripture as such a picture, both in a positive sense of the kingdom of God and also in a negative sense of the kingdoms of men and how in such cases men rise up in arrogance and rebellion against God. But it's not just the kingdom, he says. It's not just the empire, the Babylonian empire. It's you, O King.

This is very similar to the moment when Nathan says to David, "You are the man." It's very similar to the moment when John the Baptist says to King Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have her." Now before he gets to the interpretation, Daniel recites the dream in clarity, with precision, so he knows there's no mistake on this interpretation.

And before he even gives the interpretation, he gives the bottom line: The tree is you that's about to be chopped down. Now look at what he says as he continues from that. He says, beginning in verse 22, "It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heavens and your dominion to the ends of the earth."

"And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field and let him be wet with the dew of heaven and let his portion be with the beasts of the field till seven periods of time pass over him.'"

"This is the interpretation, O king. It is a decree from the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men. Your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be with the beasts of the field, you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you till you know"—this will last how long?—"till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."

"And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you. Break off your sins by practicing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."

Now what does he say? He says, "King, you're the man. You're going to be chopped down. This is a message from heaven delivered by the angels." King, it has not happened yet. Daniel, of course, is now appealing to the one thing that could deliver him. Before this occurs by the hand of God, which will last until you're broken, go ahead and break now.

Go ahead and humble yourself. Go ahead and repent. Embrace righteousness in the Lord and abandon the arrogance of your self-exaltation. Abandon the arrogance of your sin. Repent now, O king. Well, look at what happens after this. All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. In other words, he didn't repent, so all that was prophesied came upon him.

How did it happen? Well, at the end of 12 months—and by the way folks, we are getting toward the end of King Nebuchadnezzar's reign and not too far away from the destruction of Babylon, which will come down just like the king. After about an 80 to 90 year reign where God had raised it up for a specific purpose to deal with his people.

Isn't it amazing? God raised up this nation that he said he was going to raise up to discipline his people. How long was he going to discipline his people? 70 years. How long was this kingdom to last? About 80 to 100 years. And we approach the end of its key leader, Nebuchadnezzar, toward the end of his reign after Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Belteshazzar or Daniel have been there for some time.

But now we come to the end of 12 months, about a year later. He was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. Boy, kings get in trouble when they walk on roofs, don't they? Go ask David. "Is this not great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?"

While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."

Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox and his body was wet with the dew of heaven and his hair grew as long as eagle's feathers and his nails became like bird's claws. By the way, we have a term for this; we still see this today. It's called boanthropy. It's when men become animal-like in their appearance and in their actions, usually their actions first and their appearance afterwards.

Now what happens at the end of those seven periods of time? I know you're asking or perhaps thinking: seven periods, is this seven years? Could be. Seven periods of time is there to tell us that there is a specific period of time from the time that God brings his discipline upon Nebuchadnezzar to the time when it is successful and breaks Nebuchadnezzar.

And the seven is used to indicate this is of the Lord; it's not of man. The seven is declared for that purpose. It's not necessary whether it's seven months or seven years for us to come to a conclusion in this text. Although in my opinion, it is a seven-year period, but I don't think that's necessary to assume. It's seven periods of time, which means the divine hand of God's sovereign work is here accomplishing his perfect plan.

Well, at the end of 12 months comes the breaking. He's sent out into the field and he looks and acts like an animal. He lives with no shelter under the dew of the heaven; he feeds upon the grass of the field. He has become like an animal in his existence. Now look at what happens in verse 34. At the end of the days—that's the seven periods—I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven.

No longer down to the earth, no longer looking at the field. I lift my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. And I blessed the Most High and praised and honored him who lives forever. For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?"

At the same time, my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom and still more greatness was added to me. But now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just, and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

I believe this is the testimony of a converted man, and let me give you the reasons why. Here are the takeaways as I'll walk you through them. The takeaways are nine lessons from this text. Let me give them to you. Here's the first one. From this text and the conversion of Nebuchadnezzar, there's a lesson I don't want us to miss, particularly with our desire to be engaged in the process of sharing the gospel.

Here's the first thing. Conversion is an event that is usually preceded by a process of internal and external calling. Now let me explain this. If I have ever prayed with someone at any time in my life that I have prayed with someone who came to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, I have never in my life prayed with someone who gave their life to Christ, who was taken from death unto life, and that was the first time that someone had talked to them about Christ.

Somebody had planted. Somebody had watered. Somebody had cultivated. Nebuchadnezzar is brought to this event of his conversion through a process. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—on the one hand bold, on the other hand compassionate. On the one hand courageous, on the other hand contrite.

These men who lived this Spirit-filled, grace-overwhelming life, God had used for three chapters. We've got the accounts of it throughout the lifespan of Nebuchadnezzar and their engagement with him from the time when they got there when they were probably about 14 to 15 years old to this time which is probably 25 to 30 years later.

During all of this time, they have borne a consistent witness. God has used them and systematically God has blessed what they did and shared externally with what he was doing internally to give Nebuchadnezzar eyes to see and ears to hear.

Guest (Male): King Nebuchadnezzar was a living example of the saying, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." But God cut this proud and arrogant pagan king down to size and his divinely decreed humiliation led to his miraculous conversion. You are listening to InPerspective featuring the teaching of Dr. Harry L. Reeder. Our current sermon series: Daniel's Memorable Memoirs and Message.

Visit inperspective.org for additional teaching by Dr. Reeder. The Bible: fact or myth, historic or fiction? How does the Bible stack up against true science? Good questions. Find out the answers by requesting this month's free gift offer, Dr. Reeder's series: Is the Bible Reliable? For your free copy, call 1-800-488-1888 or visit inperspective.org. This gift is our way of saying thanks for listening.

Thanks too for your prayer support and your financial support, both of which enable us to continue bringing you Dr. Reeder's excellent, insightful, biblical teaching. Make a one-time contribution or better yet, become a monthly donor. Contact us through inperspective.org or call 1-800-488-1888. If you enjoy the teaching of Dr. Reeder on InPerspective, we think you'll enjoy and benefit from his daily devotional entitled Fresh Bread. Listen and subscribe to Fresh Bread through inperspective.org.

And again, if you would like to receive this month's free gift offer, the series: Is the Bible Reliable? call 1-800-488-1888. Join us again next time as Dr. Reeder explains how King Nebuchadnezzar became a living example of the biblical maxim: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. That's next time as we turn back to the scriptures to put life in biblical perspective.