“All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” Daniel 4:28
Daniel delivers God’s message. We are not told the king’s reaction. Nothing more is recorded for a year. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar is angry and banishes Daniel to a lower position or ostracizes him from his court. Perhaps he does not speak to him for a long time. Speaking the truth of God often comes with a cost. Yet God used Daniel’s words to work in the king’s heart. His dream would
come to mind and he would meditate on how terrifying it was, but
nothing changed. What God threatened did not happen. Nebuchadnezzar likely felt he had seen this before with the other
Chaldeans – they warned him of things that never happened. Besides, the interpretation of the dream Daniel gave was so outlandish that it was almost unbelievable. Over time the dream faded into the background. The normal business of the kingdom continued and God’s words were forgotten. That’s a big mistake!
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar God’s word never fails.
Man thinks if God does not act in his timing then God’s word are not real But God does not operate according to our schedule.
At the end of twelve months One year passed since the dream. Things are going well and God’s words are forgotten by all but God. God granted the king a grace period of one year to repent but it did not happen.
He was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon The king walks on the palace (the word can also be temple) roof where he gazes on the grandeur of the Babylon that he built. The king sees the hanging gardens of Babylon, the great temples, the Ishtar Gate, the towering ziggurats, the mighty walls, the brilliant art work and his heart fills with pride.
The king answered and said The king may be walking with others on the roof although he might also be speaking to himself in his heart – words unknown to anyone but him and God. Who he is speaking to does not matter – what he is thinking – the pride and haughtiness in his heart, does.
Is not this great Babylon The king boasts of what he has accomplished. He truly is a great king! The dream and Daniel’s interpretation have fallen by the wayside and are forgotten. The king focuses on his greatness but forgets his very first dream when the stone cut without hands destroys all the kingdoms of the world. Is it any wonder God warns us to remember His words and not forget?
Which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence He brags how he constructed all the magnificent buildings in his own
might (strength). There is no praise or acknowledgement of God who gave him both his position and power.
And for the glory of my majesty The king takes all the glory for these accomplishments. We likely are seeing Satan’s heart of pride
(“I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”) as he walked in heaven. Compare this to Nebuchadnezzar’s
statement. “Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows
how glorious my majesty is.” God hates pride (the worship of self) whether it is in Satan or in you and me.
What can we learn? In this passage we see God’s truth (“Be sure your sin will find you out”) coupled with His grace (“He gave time to repent“) coupled with His mercy (“God is not willing that any should perish”). God calls the King to repent and turn to Him. He did not heed the warning. Now God’s judgment falls. It is terrifying but God knows eternity in hell is far worse. Read Jude 23.