A Strong and Merciful God

Daniel 4:37 “Now, I Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

Our God is a merciful God! Even when we are at our worst He reaches down to bring us to a place of healing. Though many doubt God’s love and care when they experience tragedies and difficulties, you can be sure that God never changes. Even in the trials God’s mercy is present.

I couldn’t help but see this attribute of God as I studied the story of Nebuchadnezzar, the heathen king of Babylon. The great Nebuchadnezzar believed he was the supreme ruler of the known world, and he did have the ability to strike fear in the hearts of all who lived in his country. This man set up a golden image which he expected each of his subjects to worship every time they heard the sound of the national orchestra. Those who did not comply with his request would be thrown into a fiery furnace where they would meet an untimely death.

God gave this powerful king opportunities to repent as he saw three godly men who refused to bow to the image of gold protected from the intense heat of the fiery furnace. Unfortunately, he soon forgot this experience. So God gave him another opportunity to repent.

While resting in his palace he experienced a terrifying dream. None of the wise men of the kingdom could interpret this horrible vision until the prophet Daniel was brought to him. After the king explained the dream to this man of God, Daniel presented the appalling interpretation.

A great strong tree, which dominated the dream was Nebuchadnezzar himself. It represented his power and majesty that had grown and reached to end of the earth. But through the command of an angel who descended from heaven, the tree was cut down and destroyed, leaving only a stump with its roots in the ground.

Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar that if he did not break away from his sins, God was going to drive him away from mankind where he would live in a field like a beast eating grass like cattle and becoming drenched with the dew of heaven. Only when he recognized the God of heaven as the Supreme Ruler of the universe would his kingdom be restored.

Nebuchadnezzar dismissed the dream and twelve months later, while boasting of his personal might and power, the dream came true. God struck him with mental illness and he became like a beast of the field. His hair grew like feathers and his fingernails like claws. He lived with the beasts of the fields in utter humiliation.

Now some reading this story may consider God unloving and vengeful. But as you read the end of the story, you will see the mercy behind this horrible circumstance.

After seven years of living in this disgraceful situation something changed. A prideful, angry, and controlling king had a complete change of heart. As you read Nebuchadnezzar’s own words, you can see the difference this difficult experience made in his heart and life.

He said, “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

After considering all that he had been through, this subdued king was able to proclaim, “. . . all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

Knowing the only way to true fulfillment is recognition of God as the Supreme Ruler, the King of Heaven mercifully allowed Nebuchadnezzar to experience such tragedy. When he came to the end of himself and raised his eyes to heaven, his sanity returned and he gained a whole new perspective – one by which he realized the truth. Our God has everything and everyone under complete control. There is nothing outside His sovereignty. No one can stop His plan or question His motives. He is able to humble ALL those who walk in pride.

Never doubt God’s mercy and kindness when difficulties arise. The same God Who allows them is working a plan too great for our understanding. He will bring you through. At the end of the experience, if you submit yourself to God, you will gain a new perspective and God will get the praise and glory. You will be able to say unequivocally with King Nebuchadnezzar that ALL His works are true and ALL His ways are just.

Love,

Mama