Do you remember the story of King Nebuchadnezzar? This guy fascinates me. He was so narcissistic, it was funny. I mean, building a huge statue of gold of yourself and forcing everyone in the kingdom to fall down and worship it? Sounds like some of our Hollywood stars and politicians today! But I digress.
King Neb ordered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to be tossed into the fiery furnace for not bowing down to his statue. Yet, instead of burning, they walked around in the furnace unscathed. When he ordered them to come out, there wasn’t a single burn mark on them. In fact, they didn’t even smell like smoke! Afterward, in Daniel 4, King Neb sent a note to all the peoples in his kingdom, proclaiming the mighty works of God.
Still, years later, Neb seems to have forgotten his own proclamation. He has a terrible dream, which Daniel translates as basically: You’re going to go completely nuts and live out in the wilderness, eating grass and being soaked with dew, until you acknowledge that God is God over all the kings of the earth.
Not exactly great news, huh?
But King Neb totally ignores the message. God gives him a year to repent of his terrible pride. One day, as he’s walking on the roof of his palace, he proclaims, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
A second later, God strikes him down with madness and drives him away from the city.
Why do I tell you all this? Because God has a plan. And that plan includes saving good ole King Neb for all eternity. Talk about your stubborn cases! It takes seven years to get every ounce of pride out of him. But after living like a wild beast in the fields all that time, King Neb finally humbles himself and praises God, giving the glory to God for everything.
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 (Daniel 4:37 NIV).
Do you know someone, a loved one or friend perhaps, who is stubbornly resisting God? Someone who won’t listen to you when you talk about the Lord, who maybe even laughs, or worse, who has cut off your relationship because of your faith? Are you praying for someone who seems so lost and so stubborn that they will never see the light? Then perhaps Neb’s story will bring you hope.
Believe me, when God decides to save someone, He goes to great lengths to open that person’s eyes. In Neb’s case, extreme lengths! But God got him, and who knows how many other people in that kingdom came to know God and are in heaven now because King Nebuchadnezzar finally submitted to God?
My husband was very much like King Neb. For years I prayed, I fasted, I tried to convince him about God. But he wouldn’t listen. Finally when I was nearly ready to give up, God showed up in a huge way. He gave my husband an experience similar to the one he gave Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul. God is a huge God. And He can save anyone, even the most ornery pirate!
MaryLu Tyndall