THE KING MAGNIFIES THE MOST HIGH

Shortly after his recovery from that complete mental collapse, Nebuchadnezzar sent throughout his realm a remarkable report of what had occurred.  Jehovah inspired the prophet Daniel to preserve an accurate record of these events.  It begins with these words: "Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, national groups and languages that are dwelling  in all the earth:  May your peace grow great.  The signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed with me, it has seemed good to me to declare.  How grand his signs are, and how mighty his wonders are! His kingdom is a kingdom to time indefinite, and his rulership is for generation after generation." -Daniel 4:1-3.

Nebuchadnezzar's subjects were "dwelling in all the earth"-his empire embracing most of the world of Bible record.  Regarding Daniel's God, the king said: "His kingdom is a kingdom to time indefinite."  How those words magnified Jehovah throughout the Babylonian Empire!   Moreover, this was the second time that Nebuchadnezzar had been shown that the Kingdom of God alone is eternal, standing "to times indefinite." -Daniel 2:44. 

What "signs and wonders" did "the Most High God" perform?  These began with the king's personal experience related in these words:  "I, Nebuchadnezzar, happened to be at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.  There was a dream that I beheld, and it began to make me afraid.  And there were mental images upon my bed and visions of my head that began to frighten me." (Daniel 4:4, 5)  What did the Babylonian king do about this disturbing dream? 

Nebuchadnezzar summoned Babylon's wise men and told them the dream.  But how they failed!  They were totally unable to provide interpretation.  The record added: "At last there came in before me Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god and in whom there the spirit of the holy gods; and before him I said what the dream was." (Daniel 4:6-8)  Daniels' court name was Belteshazzar , and the false deity that the king  called "my god" may have been  either Bel or Nebo or Marduk.  Being polytheistic, Nebuchadnezzar viewed Daniel as one in whom there was "the spirit of the holy gods." And because of Daniel's position as prefect over all of Babylon's wise men, the king referred to him as "the chief of the magic-practicing priests." (Daniel 2:48; 4:9; compare Daniel 1:20.) Of course, faithful Daniel never abandoned the worship of Jehovah to practice magic. -Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10-12. 

Next time: AN IMMENSE TREE

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999