Nebuchadnezzar’s New Humility | Daniel 4:34-37

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted 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,
            and 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. 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.

Daniel 4:34-37 ESV

After the time of madness, Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes to heaven, which was an outward sign of his newly humbled frame of mind. Only then was his reason restored to him. Twice the king tells us of his restored mind, and twice he follows with praise to God. He remarks in verse 36 that still more greatness was added to me; however, this appears to be an almost incidental fact now that he knows something of the greatness of God. Three quick notes are worth pointing out. First, while Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image appeared to be his declaration of the never-ending glory of his kingdom, now the king ascribed to God an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to generation (v. 34). Second, he now calls God the King of heaven (v. 37), acknowledging God as a greater king than himself. Third, he understands that God targeted his pride, saying, those who walk in pride he is able to humble (v. 37).

Nebuchadnezzar’s great sin was pride, but the rest of humanity holds no bragging rights over him. The Babylonian king’s pride was blatant and obvious as he was the highest ruler upon the earth; however, our pride against the LORD is just as damning as his was. Both James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 quote the Greek translation of Proverbs 3:34: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Our pride is certainly evidenced each time that we sin, since every act of sin is a declaration that we are wiser than God, that we know better how to satisfy our souls. Yet even apart from blatant sin, pride can particularly be seen in the simple failure to give thanks to the LORD. Indeed, Paul links ingratitude to the coming wrath of God, saying, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him” (Romans 1:21). Pride sees the multitude of blessings that God has provided for us and views them not as showers of grace but as inherent rights. Through our pride, we see ourselves as essentially in the place of God.

Therefore, we are not so far removed from Nebuchadnezzar, and like him, we deserve to be humbled by God. In fact, we deserve far worse than the king received in this account. Although God set us above the animals as bearers of His own image, we desire to be gods instead. For such a transgression against God’s holiness, we ought to be brought far lower than even that of a beast, which is exactly what will happen to all who refuse to repent. Those who reject Christ will forever be cast “into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). They will share the same eternal fate as the demons.

All who call upon Christ’s name for salvation, however, are spared this end, not because they are less damned under the pride of sin but because Jesus has taken their punishment upon Himself. Christ willingly submitted Himself to the greatest act of humiliation ever seen. Although He was very God of very God, He “emptied himself, by taking the form of servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). This act of humiliation was also an act of substitution. He stood in our place, placing Himself under the Father’s just and holy wrath, so that we would be spared in the ark of His blood from such a great flood. The King of heaven was cut down for us that we may now be exalted with Him.

But also, like Nebuchadnezzar, our peace with God comes through repentance. We must turn from our sin and look to Christ alone. Of course, none of us can say whether Nebuchadnezzar was converted through his humiliation or not. Only the LORD knows such things. We can, however, clearly see marks of genuine repentance in Nebuchadnezzar’s writing. The king’s speech has clearly turning away from such prideful statements as, is this not great Babylon, which I have built… (v. 30) and turned toward giving glory to God alone.

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