The Proud Government Official Who Denied God

Isaiah 42:8  I am the Lord; that is My name. And My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.

I was in shock over hearing what one government official said recently.  It brought to mind the story of Nebuchanezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar the Conqueror

King Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king who had conquered many nations, including Judah. God had allowed him to conquer and destroy Jerusalem and the surrounding area because the nation had turned to idol worship and was disobeying God’s commandments.  Nebuchadnezzar’s army slaughtered many of the people and took many captive.

The Beginning of Discovering Who God Is

Daniel was one of those captives. You probably know the story, which is found in the book of Daniel, about how Daniel rose to the level of a top “wise man” in the Babylonia. He was a true follower of God who would not compromise his dedication to God, even if it meant that he could lose status and be made a slave.

Nebuchadnezzar began to see the power of God as God revealed to Daniel the exact dream that God had sent to Nebuchadnezzar and its meaning. He also heard Daniel’s faithful witness about the true God. He heard how Daniel always gave glory to God for revelation and wisdom that he received. Daniel never kept the glory for himself.

Nebuchanezzar said these words,
Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. (Daniel 2:47)

That was the beginning of his revelation of who God is.

Another Sign to Nebuchadnezzar

His next revelation of God came when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained alive in the blazing hot furnace.  Nebuchanezzar had made a huge statue of himself and required everyone to bow down and worship it.  They would not. So he had his guards throw them into the furnace.  It was so hot that the guys who threw them in burnt up.  He saw with his own eyes how a man (possibly an angel or Jesus) joined them in the fire.

When they walked out of the fire unharmed, Nebuchadnezzar declared,
Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.  (Daniel 3:28-29)

No doubt about it, Neb was a ruthless guy!

A Refusal to Repent

In spite of these revelations, Nebuchadnezzar did not repent and follow the Lord God.  As time passed, he became proud of his fame, riches, and expansive kingdom.  God warned him in a dream that he would suffer for his pride.  Even though Daniel interpreted that dream, which revealed the consequences that would come to Nebuchanezzar, he still did not repent.

In God’s mercy, he gave him a year to repent.  In Daniel 4 we read that it happened just as Daniel had predicted.

A year later, Nebuchadnezzar expressed his pride as he looked out over the city of Babylon.
Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?   (Daniel 4:30)

Insanity Hits

Immediately Nebuchadnezzar heard God say this,
O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. ³² And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.  (Daniel 4:31-32)

He immediately became insane and was dethroned.  He went out and lived outdoors in the fields, living like an animal.  He ate grass and was covered in dew in the mornings from sleeping out in the open.  His hair grew long and looked like feathers.  His fingernails grew so long that they looked like claws.  This went on for seven years!  No pride was left.

Could God Take Away Insanity?

Now we might think that there was no hope for Nebuchadnezzar.  But God gives all of us grace and mercy when we call on Him for forgiveness and deliverance.

This is how Nebuchadnezzar described his come-back:
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: ³⁵ and all the inhabitants of 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? ³⁶ At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. ³⁷ Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.  (Daniel 4:34-37)

I think it’s amazing that even his kingship over Babylonia was restored once he repented.  God always gives us more than we deserve when we follow Him.

Our Current Government Officials

It really bothers me that many of the leaders in our local, state, and national government seem proud.  Many of them reject those who want to bring Biblical values back in our country.  Some try to remove religious rights and accuse Christians of hate crimes if they refer to Biblical moral standards.

During this time when the COVID-19 virus has been decimating our country’s health and economy, you would think that government leaders and the news media would be calling the nation to prayer, fasting, and repentance.  Very few have done so.

Not only have many not encouraged the country to call on God, some even mock those who do.   I recall blistering comments about both President Trump and Vice President Pence meeting with leaders to pray for a breakthrough in the fight against the Coronavirus.  They were mocked and accused of not using science, just because they had leaders praying for solutions.

Yesterday I saw a news clip of a shocking statement made by a governor of one of the states.

“The number is down because we brought the number down,” he told reporters Monday. “God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that.”    (Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/cuomo-boasts-of-low-covid-infections-god-did-not-do-that)

Sounds like prideful words to me.  No glory was given to God.

God Is Answering the Prayers of Those Interceding for an End to the Coronavirus

Thousands of people have been praying for an end to the plague of COVID-19.  On Easter Sunday, thousands went online for their Easter worship, for they could not gather in churches.  My guess is that in the majority of those church services, people agreed together in prayer for an end to this virus. That day seemed to be a turning point in our nation.  The number of deaths, hospitalizations, and new virus cases started to fall.  The “curve” was flattening.

Yes, science and shut-downs have curbed the virus.  But the wisdom for medications, vaccines, and yes, even quarantines, came from God.  Let’s give Him glory.  

As Isaiah 42:8 reveals, God will not share the glory due to him with anyone.  Let’s praise and glorify Him for the healing that He is sending.  And let’s pray for our government leaders.