True Greatness
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In a moment the reason that God had given him was taken away;
the judgment that the king thought perfect, the wisdom on which he
prided himself, was removed, and the once mighty ruler was a maniac.
His hand could no longer sway the scepter. The messages of warning
had been unheeded; now, stripped of the power his Creator had given
him, and driven from men, Nebuchadnezzar “did eat grass as oxen,
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown
like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.”
For seven years Nebuchadnezzar was an astonishment to all his
subjects; for seven years he was humbled before all the world. Then
his reason was restored and, looking up in humility to the God of
heaven, he recognized the divine hand in his chastisement. In a public
proclamation he acknowledged his guilt and the great mercy of God in
his restoration. “At the end of the days,” he said, “I Nebuchadnezzar
lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto
me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that
liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His
kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of
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the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in
the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none
can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?
“At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory
of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto me; and my
counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my
kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.”
The once proud monarch had become a humble child of God; the
tyrannical, overbearing ruler, a wise and compassionate king. He who
had defied and blasphemed the God of heaven, now acknowledged the
power of the Most High and earnestly sought to promote the fear of
Jehovah and the happiness of his subjects. Under the rebuke of Him
who is King of kings and Lord of lords, Nebuchadnezzar had learned
at last the lesson which all rulers need to learn—that true greatness
consists in true goodness. He acknowledged Jehovah as the living
God, saying, “I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King
of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and
those that walk in pride He is able to abase.”
God’s purpose that the greatest kingdom in the world should show
forth His praise was now fulfilled. This public proclamation, in which