Daniel 4:37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
Observation: This may be the only chapter of the Bible written by a pagan king. Nebuchadnezzar recorded his dream, which according to Daniel’s interpretation, predicted that the king would lose both his mind and his reign, being reduced to eating grass like cattle. After seven periods of time have passed (probably seven years), Nebuchadnezzar wrote that he finally raised his eyes toward heaven and blessed God and honored Him with the sort of lovely, exalted language that could come only from one who has had a personal revelation of the most high God. Listen to this tribute from the king who ate grass for seven years: “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, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” (Dan. 7:34-35). The passage ends with this profound statement of God’s power: “all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (v. 37).
Application: It seems Nebuchadnezzar finally “saw the light” to borrow an old revival phrase. It is remarkable that the Bible contains not just the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s journey into darkness and then his restoration, but even more astonishing that he is able to tell his story in first person. When he writes that God is able to humble those who walk in pride, I must give his words considerable weight as they come from one who was himself consumed with pride and had experienced the humbling of God first-hand.
It is one thing for God to say this sort of thing about Himself; much of Jeremiah and Ezekiel contain warnings of God’s coming discipline. Yet here is the word of a man who was extraordinarily prideful, who can say with unique clarity that God is able to change men’s hearts. He testifies His ways are just. Is there any better news upon the earth than this? Had He not the ability to change my heart, I would remain forever mired in the dark muck of stinking pride. But He is able to make me into a sweet fragrance pleasing to Himself. Praise His name!
Prayer: Father, You who made the heavens and the earth, the seas and the dry land, You are able! Thank You for Your persistence and faithfulness. Thank You for never giving up on me.