Nebuchadnezzar's Conversion

Title: “Nebuchadnezzar’s Conversion” Script: Daniel 4

Type: Expos. Series Where: GNBC 11-2-25

Intro: J.V. McGee once told a humorous story about a lonely old rancher who was being troubled because he thought a man was hiding under his bed at night. This paranoia began to disrupt his life because every few minutes he would get up in the night and look under his bed…no one there! Nerves began to fray, tired from sleeplessness. Began to be depressed. Every night the same thing. Finally, another rancher said: “Ed, you need to go see “the shrink” in town. So, Ed made his way to town and talked to the psychiatrist about what it would take to heal him of his paranoia. The doctor said it take about 10 sessions at $300 an hour to be fully cured. Ed, walked out of the office, never going to a single session. 3 months later Ed and the doctor bumped into each other at a diner. Ed was happy and refreshed, smiling. Doc asked how had been. “Great doc, thanks!” Curious psychiatrist asked, “Ed, excuse my asking, but who helped you to get over your problem?” (Wondered if he went to another counselor, pastor, etc.) Big smile Ed replied: “The carpenter did!” “The carpenter?!” “How in the world did the carpenter heal you of your paranoia?” “Well, he came over to my house, cut off the legs of the bed and nailed it to the floor and now that man who was troubling me can’t get under my bed! And the best thing, he only charged me $50 to do it!” Now, that’s a bit of a light story about a very serious matter that plagues millions of people both great and small. Many a world leader has struggled with mental health issues of one form or another. Winston Churchill suffered from severe depression, calling it his “black dog”. Abrham Lincoln suffered from severe depression, calling it “the hypo”. Historians say Woodrow Wilson suffered from a form of anxiety disordered that negatively influenced his presidency. The civil rights leader, MLK Jr. struggled with severe depression, attempting suicide 2 times before was 13 yrs. Nebuchadnezzar, was no different, and today in Daniel 4 we’ll see how God’s humbling of this world tyrant ultimately led to his conversion.

Prop: In Daniel 4 we’ll see 4 Important Elements in Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion.

BG: 1. Once again we will see Neb has a dream that only Daniel can interpret.

2. 25-30 yrs since Daniel came into exile.

Prop: Let’s Examine 4 Important Elements of Nebuchadnezzar’s Conversion in Dan. 4.

I. The Tyrant’s Troubled Sleep. Vv.1-18

A. Nebuchadnezzar’s Sleep is Troubled By Another Perplexing Dream.

1. God Disturbs the King Again in an Attempt to Get his Attention.

a. As we begin in this chapter I think it’s important to point out something that most people miss when reading this chapter. Many scholars believe that vv. 1-3 here is not connected to the events of chap 3 & fiery furnace, but rather, this and vv.33-37 are to be seen more like “bookends” of this chapter outlining the king’s conversion. We can think of it as the king’s testimony and then the intervening section is the reason for his testimony, and then the chapter closes once again with his testimony. Let me say this, it is a marvelous testimony. It’s very different from the pompous and passionate decree of 3:29. Conviction is different from conversion.

b. Chapter 4 is the culmination of God’s dealings with King Nebuchadnezzar. Like chap 2 a dream is the centerpiece of the chapter. The chapter begins/ ends with a declaration of God’s sovereignty, a humbling profession for a man who was undisputed leader of the largest empire of the world. Chapter 1 stressed this sovereignty in God’s faithful dealings with His 4 faithful servants. Again, chap. 2 shows this sovereignty in the faithful interpretation of the dream of the statue. Chap. 3 demonstrates Divine sovereignty in His preservation of and presence with the 3 thrown in the fiery furnace. At its most basic element conversion requires a basic understanding of sovereignty: “I am not God of my life. God is! I am not the sovereign of my destiny. God is!”

2. What was the Cause of Neb’s Troubled Sleep?

a. Notice Nebuchadnezzars’ condition when he was confronted by the 2nd dream. No longer the young paranoid prince but now he is older and has secured power and dominion over his empire. V. 4 “Was at rest and flourishing”. Life was good! No oppressive problems. No struggles for power. But once again he is troubled by God with a dream that “made me afraid”.

b. Illust: One old preacher said the malady Neb was suffering from was “Perdendicular I-atus”! Two geometric objects are “perpendicular” if they meet at right angles. Next few verses “I, me, or my” used on the average of 3x per verse. Well, for all of Neb’s emotional responses to God’s power demonstrated in previous chapters, he is still living both the vertical as well as the horizontal planes of his life focused solely on himself. (Not just leaders but all outside of Christ.) You see, our consciences can be awakened and our hearts stirred toward spiritual realities w/o being truly converted.