June 16: THE PATH TO TRUE GREATNESS

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest at my house, and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Daniel 4:4-5

The narrative portion of Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to all peoples (v.1) begins at a point in his reign when he sees himself as victor over the nations. He had been a warrior from his youth, and had acquired a lengthy list of successes and accomplishments under the heading of military enterprises. Also, during the intervals between King Nebuchadnezzar’s ever-widening conquests, the king had applied his architectural and engineering talents toward the development and beautification of the capital city of Babylon. The grand scale of Babylon’s architectural magnificence was augmented by lush greenery, the maintenance of which was made possible by engineering feats that included extensive terracing and irrigation to sustain a variety of trees, shrubs, lush vines, grasses, and flowering plants. Many classical writers have written of the hanging gardens of Babylon. The Greeks considered them among the seven wonders of the world.

Nebuchadnezzar’s 42-year reign is divided into halves by historians. The first half consisted of various military conquests interspersed with explosive building developments in the capital city of Babylon. Midway into this 42-year period, he describes himself as at rest at my house, and flourishing in my palace. Having often faced the perils of battle and the terrible sights of slaughter and carnage, there were no military threats at this point to darken the clouds on any of his Babylonian horizons. Surrounded by the beauty of the city and the luxury of his palace, what could possibly cause him to be afraid and troubled? God, in his mercy, worked in the heart of the king. His own thoughts and visions were used to teach what nothing else could: a lesson in humility. Giving the king another dream, God was to enable him to comprehend the terrible snare that had been laid for his spiritual ruin.

Though the king had been twice introduced (see chapters 2 & 3) to the true God of Glory and had the advantage of over two decades of loyal service by four faithful witnesses, the old spirit of pride pushed its way back into the thinking of the talented, ambitious, and successful monarch. The enemy of souls had continually presented the temptation to turn away from the path of humility—the only path that leads to true greatness.

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 14:11

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3