New Perspective on a Familiar Story
Musings from the Garden
By Peggy Wyar
In the book of Daniel we are introduced to the conquering King Nebuchadnezzar who besieged Jerusalem and took some of its citizens captive and back to the land of Shinar. Among the captives were Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah all of the tribe of Judah.
The three were given new names to signify their assimilation into their new home, but they did not turn away from honoring God. God gave them favor. King Nebuchadnezzar, in testing them, noticed that their wisdom and understanding in every matter were ten times better than his own magicians and enchanters.
After some time, the king had a disturbing dream that only Daniel was able to interpret. The king’s response in Daniel 2:47 was, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
King Nebuchadnezzar acted in pride and built an image and decreed that everyone must bow to it. Hannah (aka Shadrach), Mishael (aka Meshach) and Azariah (aka Abednego) refused and were put in a furnace of fire for their punishment. Once they were thrown into the fiery pit the king saw a fourth man there with them. He called them out of the furnace and was amazed that they were not scorched and did not even smell smoky.
The king declared in Daniel 3:29 ESV, “Any people, nation or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”
In Daniel chapter four, Daniel again interprets a new dream of the king’s, and this one came true in a very unique way. King Nebuchadnezzar did not repent, as Daniel had counseled him to do, so he ended up living like an animal in the wilderness for seven years.
Daniel 4:34-37 NIV says,
“At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified Him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as He pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back His hand
or say to Him: “What have you done?”
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 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.”
Up until the time in the wilderness, King Nebuchadnezzar only saw God as someone else’s god. He gave Him praise, but as the God of another person. Each miracle he witnessed was softening his heart to finally “have his sanity restored”. The lies and deception that kept him blind and separated from God were removed, and he could see God as He truly was.
Job experienced something similar. He suffered at the hand of Satan, questioned God and agonized over his pain, but in the end he came to this conclusion in
Job 42:5 NIV, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
We can know about God and believe all the right things, but an encounter with God in the midst of suffering changes us. We think and respond differently after the trial. We see God more intimately, more with us, and we are restored to greater sanity (soundness or health of mind).
How merciful God was to King Nebuchadnezzar to orchestrate the circumstances that would reveal Himself to him. Praise God He is still as merciful today. He wants us to see Him and to know Him for ourselves, not based on what He did for someone else. It’s what changes us from the inside out.