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Follow Up On King Nebuchadnezzar
Is it possible to influence an evil king for the Kingdom of God? This is an important question, and how we answer may influence us in relation to government. We can limit who we believe we can influence in relation to whether we believe someone in authority is good or evil. It also reveals to what degree we believe God is sovereign.
Back to our question: the short answer is absolutely, yes! King Nebuchadnezzar serves as an example. Moreover, it reveals how sovereign God is in relation to those in authority. We’re going to jump into Daniel chapter four for starters. Keep in mind that this chapter was written by Nebuchadnezzar himself, or at least recorded in his words.
In part two, we learned that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which served as warning to him. Basically it said if he did not repent he would be thrust out of his seat of authority, go live with the beasts of the field, and basically lose his mind. Daniel implored the king to repent, so that it would be a lengthening of his tranquility. So, what was the outcome? Did he repent?
Daniel 4:29-33 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spoke and said, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?
While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from Heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you. And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.
The same hour the thing was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Lesson number one: God is sovereign! He can place someone in office, or remove him at will. Lesson number two: His Word is true and absolute. Nebuchadnezzar was basically given a year to repent, but instead of repenting, he became prideful, which was his undoing.
Lesson number three: if one doesn’t humble himself, God will. Understand, there is a timeframe in which He gives people time to repent. We don’t necessarily know the length of it, but we do know a time most assuredly will come. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess He is Lord of all (see Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:11).
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Daniel 4:34 And at the end of days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation (Read verses 34-37).
At the end of the appointed time, the king’s understanding returned to him, and the Lord restored his kingdom to him. At which point Nebuchadnezzar likewise bowed before Him and confessed He is Lord.
Daniel 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and His ways judgment. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.
Lesson number four: we have to trust God, regardless of who is in power. We don’t have to lose our mind if someone with whom we totally disagree winds up in office. God is more than able to move in him or her. As we learned from Daniel chapter three, He is able change policies regardless of who is in authority.
As Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who . . . has changed the king’s words” (Daniel 3:28).
Church Interaction With Government Requires Repentance
This principle cannot be overstated! Like it or not, change has to start with us. We cannot affect change when we are in need of repentance. That is one thing Daniel recognized. He knew the reason why Israel was decimated by Nebuchadnezzar and came under bondage to Babylon and the nations that followed. The fault did not rest on Nebuchadnezzar, he was the instrument God used in judging the nation. The fault fell squarely on the shoulders of Israel.
After the Chaldeans (Babylon) rule, the Medes took their place. So we pick up with Daniel during Darius’s reign.
Daniel 9:3-6 And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
And I prayed to Jehovah my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and mercy to those who love Him, and to those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your commandments and from Your judgments.
Neither have we listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
Can we as the Church honestly say we are in unity with Holy Spirit in the bond of peace, and there is no division, jealously and envy? Do we love one another in the way God intended? Would you say, we need to repent in the area of love? Let’s make it simple: no love, no influence!
Each of us as individuals need to get honest before Him. If there are areas we need to deal with, will we do it?
1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for the judgment to begin from the house of God. And if it first begins from us, what will be the end of those disobeying the gospel of God?
Church Interaction With Government Requires Patience
When we read about historical events, it is easy to think of them as short periods of time. In many cases, it’s quite the opposite. What may seem to have taken days and weeks, actually happened over many years. Such is the case with Daniel.
Daniel 9:2 In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood the number of the years by books, which came of the Word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Daniel served under a number of kings, over a long span of time before we come to this verse, which revealed there would be a 70 year span of time involved. Here’s a simple lesson to extract: influence requires patience. Things take time. That’s not to say everything has to be lengthy, you know, like 70 years. In a sense, we’re in an endurance race.
We need both patience with people and longsuffering in our wait for things to change. If you want long lasting influence, think long-haul! Don’t throw in the towel when things don’t happen quickly or the way you want.
The end analysis is simple: if we as the Church submit to Holy Spirit, we will accomplish great things together. Let love prevail!
Daniel 11:32 . . . But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
