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Nebuchadnezzar

Pastor Bill Farrow

Daniel 1:1

[1] In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

(Verse 1) - We've thought about both Jehoiakim and his father, Josiah as we've thought about the historical context of the book of Daniel, now we move on to a consideration of one of the main characters in the book, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar (Nabu-kudur-uzur in Hebrew and also called Nebuchadrezzar), which means “Nebo, protect the crown!” or the “frontiers.” In an ancient Babylonian inscription he styles himself “Nebo's favourite.” (Nebo was the chief god of the Babylonian pantheon of gods). He was the son and successor of Nabopolassar, who delivered Babylon from its dependence on Assyria and laid Nineveh in ruins. He was the greatest and most powerful of all the Babylonian kings. He married the daughter of Cyaxares (a Mede), and thus the Median and Babylonian dynasties were united.

Pharoah Necho II., the king of Egypt, had gained a victory over the Assyrians at Carchemish. This secured to Egypt the possession of the Syrian provinces of Assyria, including Palestine. The remaining provinces of the Assyrian empire were divided between Babylonia and Media. But Nabopolassar was ambitious of reconquering from Necho the western provinces of Syria, and for this purpose he sent his son with a powerful army westward (Dan. 1:1). The Egyptians met him at Carchemish, where a furious battle was fought, resulting in the complete rout of the Egyptians, who were driven back (Jer. 46:2-12), and Syria and Phoenicia brought under the sway of Babylon (606 B.C.). From that time “the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land” (2 Kings 24:7). Nebuchadnezzar also subdued the whole of Palestine, and took Jerusalem, carrying away captive a great multitude of the Jews, among whom were Daniel and his companions (Dan. 1:1, 2; Jer. 27:19; 40:1).

Three years after this, Jehoiakim, who had reigned in Jerusalem as a Babylonian vassal, rebelled against the oppressor, trusting to help from Egypt (2 Kings 24:1). This led Nebuchadnezzar to march an army again to the conquest of Jerusalem, which at once yielded to him (597 B.C.). A third time he came against it, and deposed Jehoiachin, whom he carried into Babylon, with a large portion of the population of the city, and the sacred vessels of the temple, placing Zedekiah on the throne of Judah in his stead. He also, heedless of the warnings of the prophet, entered into an alliance with Egypt, and rebelled against Babylon. This brought about the final siege of the city, which was at length taken and utterly destroyed (586 B.C.). Zedekiah was taken captive, and had his eyes put out by order of the king of Babylon, who made him a prisoner for the remainder of his life.

“Modern research has shown that Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest monarch that Babylon, or perhaps the East generally, ever produced. He must have possessed an enormous command of human labor, nine-tenths of Babylon itself, and nineteen-twentieths of all the other ruins that in almost countless profusion cover the land, are composed of bricks stamped with his name. He appears to have built or restored almost every city and temple in the whole country. His inscriptions give an elaborate account of the immense works which he constructed in and about Babylon itself, abundantly illustrating the boast, 'Is not this great Babylon which I have built?'”

After the incident of the “burning fiery furnace” (Dan. 3) into which the three Hebrew confessors were cast, Nebuchadnezzar was afflicted with some peculiar mental aberration as a punishment for his pride and vanity, probably the form of madness known as boanthropy (also called, in the old days, lycanthropy (i.e., “the change of a man into a wolf”)). A remarkable confirmation of the Scripture narrative is afforded by the recent discovery of a bronze door-step, which bears an inscription to the effect that it was presented by Nebuchadnezzar to the great temple at Borsippa as a votive offering on account of his recovery from a terrible illness.

He survived his recovery for some years, and died abut 562 B.C., in the eighty-third or eighty-fourth year of his age, after a reign of forty-three years, and was succeeded by his son Evil-merodach, who, after a reign of two years, was succeeded by Neriglissar (559-555), who was succeeded by Nabonidius (555-538), at the close of whose reign (less than a quarter of a century after the death of Nebuchadnezzar) Babylon fell under Cyrus at the head of the combined armies of Media and Persia.

Nebuchadnezzar is a powerful example to us of what prayer and consistent and accurate witness can do in the life of even the most powerful of men (This is not to say that the place of God is not primary in any conversion). The ministry of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar in the Name of God over the years of his captivity is a powerful example of the truth that we, as average and ordinary believers can, indeed have a wonderful and powerful effect on our leaders.  We are not without hope that God can and does work even in the hearts of the most powerful of men.  As we study through this great book we will see God work, progressively in the life of Nebuchadnezzar and slow, but surely, bring him to redemption!

Our country is badly in need of true, biblical revival and redemption on the part of our leaders.  Yet, for the average believer, ministry to them is perceived as being out of reach. We have the attitude that we can't really do anything to have an effect on those "higher up." Daniel speaks to this issue. An unimportant and insignificant teen when first taken to Babylon he simply went about being godly and serving and obeying God and God did amazing things through him.

We have to get into our heads that God can and does use ordinary people. When and where to send revival is certainly up to God. However, who is to say that, should we be willing to submit to God and give ourselves over His service completely that we won't be the means God uses to bring revival should He desire so to do? If we want to see change come in our country ought we not be willing to do what is needful to play what part God wants us to play? This is not a matter of putting conditions on God's Sovereignty, but rather of recognizing our obligation to obey and serve His purpose and plan!

I need to take responsibility for seeing to it that I am serving God by being and doing what He wants me to do.