Carol Swenson
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 Hitting the Wall: Turning a Sinner Into a Saint
Who would you include among the Old Testament ‘Saints’? Who would make your 'A' list? Abraham? Isaac? Jacob? Certainly! What about Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel and Melchizedek? And then, of course, there’s Noah, Daniel, Job (among God’s favorites- Ezekiel 14:14), Nebuchadnezzer, David and who? Nebuchadnezzer???! The king of Babylon--a saint? What’s a foreign pagan king doing among Old Testament people of God? And how could anyone seriously place him among such an exceptional grouping of people?
Perhaps he just doesn’t belong there, but listen to his words at the beginning and closing of Daniel 4: "King Nebuchadnezzar to everyone, everywhere--every race, color, and creed: Peace and prosperity to all! It is my privilege to report to you the gracious miracles that the High God has done for me. His miracles are staggering, his wonders are surprising. His kingdom lasts and lasts, his sovereign rule goes on forever . . . . I was reestablished as king in my kingdom and became greater than ever. And that's why I'm singing --I, Nebuchadnezzar--singing and praising the King of Heaven: Everything he does is right, and he does it the right way." Dan 4:1-3, 37 [MSG]
From my perspective, I just can’t imagine this kind of language coming from the lips of one of the most powerful monarchs of that day. Certainly not the Babylonian king who had sacked Judah’s royal city of Jerusalem along with its holy temple and majestic palaces. He was the leader of what Yahweh called the most brutal army of all the nations (Ezekiel 30:11). And yet these words could have come from the inspired pen of David, the writer of most of the Psalms. It just doesn’t sound like the words of a typical hard-nosed pagan ruler bent upon conquest and domination.
How did Nebuchanezzar get here? Chapter 4 of Daniel details Nebuchanezzar's path to his praising God. Nebuchadnezzar was at the pinnacle of his reign when a profoundly disturbing nightmare came upon him. None of his magicians, enchanters or astrologers could understand it. Daniel, a prophet of God, was the only able wise man of Babylon that was able to interpret Nebuchanezzar's dream. Daniel explained to Nebuchadnezzar that the towering tree he had seen in the midst of the earth in his dream represented Nebuchanezzar himself. Just as the tree had provided shade, food and shelter for a vast assortment of wild animals, birds and every living thing throughout the earth, so the king had "grown great and strong...[with his rule extending]..to the four corners of the world" (4:23) a messenger from heaven proclaimed "chop down the tree..leave the stump...[but] let him be soaked in heaven’s dew [taking] his meals with the animals...for seven seasons" (4:14-16). Daniel revealed God’s decree that King Nebuchanezzar would be driven from his throne. In fact, Nebuchanezzar would be shut off from human contact and would live as an animal for seven years until he learned "that the High God rules over human kingdoms and...arranges all kingdom affairs" (4:25).
For a year, all went well for Nebuchadnezzar and then he hit the wall! He had all but forgotten Daniel’s advisement he abandon his wickedness and arrogance. As he walked along the terrace of his palace in Babylon, viewing all the splendors of his rule, he carelessly remarked; "Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory. The words were no sooner out of his mouth and Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of human company. In the wilderness, he ate grass like an ox and was soaked in heaven’s dew. His hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a hawk" (4:30-33).
"At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. I was given my mind back and I blessed the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives forever. His sovereign rule lasts and lasts, his kingdom never declines and falls. Life on this earth doesn't add up to much, but God's heavenly army keeps everything going. No one can interrupt his work, no one can call his rule into question...He knows how to turn a proud person into a humble man or woman." Daniel 4:34-37 [MSG]
There you have it. God turned the great pagan king of Babylon into a saint! And guess what? He can and does the same with each one of us. It is only when we ‘hit the wall’ and finally recognize with our whole being that ‘God truly is God’ that we can indeed begin to be what God has intended for us all along!
Have you hit any walls in your life lately? Do you think that God is trying to get your attention? Sometimes, we can get caught up in our own success and arrogance and we forget to render unto God the adoration that is due to him. Are you standing in the way of your own ability to become what God has intended you to become?
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