Nebuchadnezzar proclaims his conversion to the world.

Daniel 4

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

• Daniel’s words before interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion dream.
• When a major politician within the government of the beast lifts up God in the name of Jesus Christ.
• Worldly prosperity and empowerment are not able to bring peace and rest to the spirit and soul.
• The wise and educated of this world are not able to bring comfort, rest, and peace to the soul.
• Holy Spirit shining within us distinguishes us from the worldly wisdom of this world.
• Nebuchadnezzar tells of his worldly and far-reaching political power through the Babylonian Empire.
• Nebuchadnezzar testifies of his fall to the very bottom of the pit of life.
• Nebuchadnezzar testifies that his fall was to bring him to the Most High who rules from Heaven.
• Nebuchadnezzar verifies his conversion dream with a real time conversion testimony.

Daniel’s words before interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion dream.

“Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you. “Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!” Daniel 4:19

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I know the impact that my born-again experience might have had on my enemies and those who hated me before I began walking with Jesus. They would have been glad for the change in my life, but probably a little skeptical. In that light, I can see how the prayers within my spirit would have been for my conversion testimony to be directed towards those who hated me and towards my enemies. The hope would have been for a reconciliation with them through an understanding of peace and goodwill

Who were the enemies of Nebuchadnezzar who would have been most affected by his conversion to the Most High God? Foremost, those who hated him would have been the Israelites, whom Nebuchadnezzar took as captives, destroyed the temple of God in Jerusalem, and took the gold and silver that was in the temple. Nebuchadnezzar’s enemies would have included the captives of all the countries he plundered, and every nation that feared they would be next. Daniel, in the wisdom of God, said to Nebuchadnezzar, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!“

Even Daniel was astonished about Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of conversion to the Most High God. Daniel was also troubled, probably realizing what that would mean for Nebuchadnezzar within the government of the Babylonian Empire. After Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion, nothing was ever heard from him again…he never had the opportunity to free the Israelites, nor to help them rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, nor to return the gold and silver vessels to the Israelites. That is explained in the latter parts of this post.

When a major politician within the government of the beast lifts up God in the name of Jesus Christ.

“Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:1-3

The verse, “Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:” reveals to us that this is a proclamation written on something and made available for everyone to read. Or rather, made available for someone to read aloud to people in all sectors of the Babylonian Empire.

Nebuchadnezzar was definitely appealing to the Israelite population by quoting from the Psalms, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” Psalms 145:13 Also, just talking about the mighty wonders of God and His great signs would immediately grab the attention of the of the Israelites. The Israelites would have received those words and marveled. Would Nebuchadnezzar order their release from captivity? Would they finally be free after years living as captives within the Babylonian Empire? Their expectations were high as Nebuchadnezzar put forth smooth words and flatteries in uplifting the God that they served.

Nebuchadnezzars statement would raise a lot of red flags and questions within the leadership and general culture of the Babylonians. Plots against him would have begun to circulate. The same as what would happen if a global leader began to praise God the Creator and Christ Jesus in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Envision how we followers of Jesus Christ would feel if a global leader issued a proclamation beginning with praise to Jesus Christ and lifting up God as the Creator. And then knowing that the proclamation would be made public in every city around the world, for all of the culture of the beast to hear. Even so, we know that the global government does not surrender to God through Jesus Christ. The end of the reign of the government of the beast comes with great tribulation, destruction, lawlessness, and violence.

Was Nebuchadnezzar saying good-bye to everyone, knowing that living for the God of the Israelites, and no longer representing the Babylonian Empire would be his demise? After all, after the proclamation of his conversion to the Living God, nothing more is heard from him, and his spiritually corrupt son Belteshazzar rules in his place. That is seen by reading the verses of Daniel 4:34 through 5:4 Nebuchadnezzar was restored to his throne after his conversion, just a very short time before his son sat on the throne, but then…the end…The proclamation Nebuchadnezzar made was probably about the last thing he did while still holding power. The Israelites were never released from their captivity until Cyrus conquered Babylon, which was about 23 years after Nebuchadnezzar passed.

Along with the Israelites never being released under Nebuchadnezzar, neither were the gold and silver vessels that were taken from the temple of God by him, as quoted, “While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.” Daniel 5:2-4

Also, Nebuchadnezzar was responsible for the destruction of the temple of God in Jerusalem but was not able to allow the Israelites to build a new one. The new temple was built under Cyrus.

Today, if a global leader shared a testimony of coming to his senses to live for God, through Jesus Christ, in the presence of the Holy Spirit, their life would be over as a leader within the government of the beast. Their life would be over…period. They would be seen as committing treason, sabotaging the government, and inciting a rebellion.

Worldly prosperity and empowerment are not able to bring peace and rest to the spirit and soul.

“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in 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

Nebuchadnezzar begins his testimony. like how we would begin our born-again testimony in Jesus Christ. He states how he had a restful home and was flourishing in worldly ways within his palace. Nebuchadnezzar had everything that this world could offer, and there was nothing on this earth that he couldn’t have. Even so, there was something within his spirit and soul that was not at rest, was not flourishing, and felt far from being palatial. In all the comforts and prosperity of this world he felt afraid and troubled within himself.

The things of this of this world will never be able to satisfy the needs of the spirit and soul, only our Lord Jesus can do that, who fills us with the Holy Spirit. He brings us comfort, peace, and rest, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

The first time Nebuchadnezzar felt troubled and was unable to rest is when the Lord laid on his heart that his Empire, the Babylonian Empire, would be conquered [Daniel 2:1]. This time, as we see in the coming verses of this post, he would be dethroned before Babylon would fall. Nebucahdnezzar had power and all the kingdoms were his, but he lived with fear, was troubled, and was unable to sleep. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
  In the light of His glory and grace.
[Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus]

The wise and educated of this world are not able to bring comfort, rest, and peace to the soul.

“Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.” Daniel 4:6-7

Nebuchadnezzar was trying to find peace and comfort for his troubled mind and spirit. He brought in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers hoping that they would have the answer to restore peace and rest to his soul. Nebuchadnezzar told them his dream, but their worldly intellect had no solution for the spiritual trouble that was within him.

The solution to a spiritually troubled soul is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not advisers, not counselors, not psychologists, not any sort of educated nor wise person of this world. To the wise of this world, the Gospel is foolishness, but to us who are saved it is power of God, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthains 1:18.

Holy Spirit shining within us distinguishes us from the worldly wisdom of this world.

“But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.” Daniel 4:8-9

In Daniel chapter one, Daniel was given a Babylonian/Chaldean name, which was Belteshazzar. “Bel” refers to a Babylonian god, and the whole name means “Bel’s prince” or “Bel protects the king”. That is what Nebuchadnezzar is referring to when saying Daniel was named according to his god. At the same time, he recognized that Daniel had something within his spirit and soul, something he acknowledged as being the Spirit of the Holy God. Nebuchadnezzar knew that the wisdom and understanding of Daniel was more enlightening than all of his worldly intellectuals, advisers, counselors, and wisemen. Daniel was able to understand the things of the Spirit which the carnal natural person can not.

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

As followers of Jesus Christ, people are watching us within this atheistic culture where love has gone cold. People are verbally hostile and physically aggressive and make sit feel like walking through thorns and briers whenever we go somewhere. Sometimes, just letting the light shine of a meek and gentle spirit of peace speaks volumes to someone who may be watching. Our Lord Jesus says to us, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Nebuchadnezzar tells of his worldly and far-reaching political power through the Babylonian Empire.

“These were the visions of my head while on my bed: I was looking, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong; Its height reached to the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. Its leaves were lovely, its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.” Daniel 4:10-12

Daniel’s Interpretation: “The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.” Daniel 4:20-22

Part of Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion testimony is that he was a very powerful man on a global scale, with his power branching through the global reaching tree.

The tree is to describe how king Nebuchadnezzar grew powerful and became strong, whose greatness had reached the heavens and his reach was to the ends of the earth. Today, that would be describing someone having great global authority within the government of the beast. Someone whose authority was rooted in the beast that has power over physiology to give people what to say, do, think, and feel.

The lovely leaves and abundant fruit would be equivalent to the lovely and abundant fruit that Adam and Eve ate in disobedience to the Lord while in the Garden of Eden, as described in Genesis 3. Today, the global population is eating from that forbidden fruit as they feed from the beast that gives them what to say, do, think, and feel. The fruit blossoming from the global tree is not the fruit of the Holy Spirit but is like the tree that Jesus cursed because it had no fruit, no fruit of the Spirit, as described in the post from Mark 11:12-14.

Today, the United Nations [operating for the governemnt of the beast] is making themselves to be the global tree with lovely leaves and abundant fruit through the “Sustainable Development Goals”. The Holy Spirit says this about human efforts trying to establish an earthly Garden of Eden, “A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them…A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; Joel 2:2-3

The beasts of the field, the birds, and all flesh are under the dominion of the global tree, meaning they are all under the control of beast that has power over physiology to control what they do, feel, the noises they make, and every impulse from the brain to the feet. During the fall of the global government, which is referred to as “Babylon” in the book of Revelations, turn into something detestable, as quoted, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.” Revelations 18:2

Nebuchadnezzar testifies of his fall to the very bottom of the pit of life.

“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, and the birds from its branches. Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth. “Let his heart be changed from that of a man, let him be given the heart of a beast, and let seven times pass over him.”” Daniel 4:13-16

Daniel’s Interpretation: “And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’; this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: They will drive you from men, your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field, and they will make you eat grass like oxen. They will wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” Daniel 4:23-27

Watcher and a holy one:
When Nebuchadnezzar mentioned a watcher and a holy one, he was referring to an angel of the Lord coming from Heaven.

Duty of the angel of the Lord:
The angel of the Lord came to chop down the tree and cut off its branches. That would be to chop down Nebuchadnezzar’s power and authority, which would be to chop down Nebuchadnezzar’s place within the Babylonian Empire. Babylon didn’t fall until after Nebuchadnezzar’s passing, and after his son Belshazzar became king after his father, Nebuchadnezzar. In that light, we can see that the angel of the Lord had turned the government of Babylon against the king, Nebuchadnezzar.

The branches being cut off would be the governing branches in provinces around the Babylonian Empire being cut off to Nebuchadnezzar. The leaves being stripped off and the fruit being scattered would be the resources and everything that flourished while he was king no longer being available to him. Nebuchadnezzar would no longer have special access to the bounty of the Babylonian Empire and no longer being credited for any achievements related to the prosperity of Babylon.

The angel of the Lord caused the beasts and the birds to get out from under the shade of Nebuchadnezzar and not to take refuge in his branches. In other words, there wasn’t anywhere that he could go where there would be support for him. Governing officials working in provinces around Babylon abandoned him and every person desiring to remain loyal to Babylon abandoned him. The angel had made Nebuchadnezzar an outcast within the government that he once ruled over. All because of his conversion and praising the Most High God.

The stump of Nebuchadnezzar’s power and authority was kept rooted in the earth. While Nebuchadnezzar lost control of the Babylonian Empire, there was a time when he did return, for a very brief time as king of Babylon. That was after his conversion to the Living God. It was so brief that no more is heard from him after that, he had no opportunity to free the Israelites from captivity to Babylon, no opportunity to help the Israelites rebuild the temple in Jerusalem that he destroyed, and no opportunity to return the gold and silver vessels that he had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. The stump of Nebuchadnezzar’s power and authority was bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. It was not gold bands, but the cheapest and lowest grades of metals, and was in the tender grass of the field. That would refer to Nebuchadnezzar’s return to power being a very delicate and fragile one. That explains why nothing more is heard from him when he returned to power, and why his spiritually corrupt son, Belshazzar, who detested the Most High God, assumed control as king of Babylon. That is seen by reading the verses of Daniel 4:34 through 5:4

Now matter how destitute we become in this life, no matter how far we have drifted from God, Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, there will always be a “stump” with our soul that can be revived and born-again in spirit by faith in Jesus Christ. The bands of iron and bronze, of sin and death, are easily broken as we come to the Cross of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of the sin of unbelief and the sins resulting from unbelief. The tender grass of the field of our soul will begin to blossom with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The angel said of Nebuchadnezzar’s stump of power and might, “Let it be wet with the dew of heaven…”. That refers to covering him with the dew of Heaven coming from the Spirit of God, which eventually led to his conversion to the Most High God. I envision that Daniel’s witness to him played a huge role in Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion to the Living God, the God of Daniel, to the God who has a Son named Jesus Christ who is the Savior of the world. During that time of the Spirit of the Lord covering him, Nebuchadnezzar had slipped to the very lowest of human existence. He was living among the beasts of the earth and eating grass. Which is to say that he was no longer among the best looking and brightest of government officials, no longer was he eating the finest delicacies and the best wine, as revealed in the post on Daniel 1.

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
[Showers o f Blessing]

Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me.

The angel of the Lord said, “Let his heart be changed from that of a man, let him be given the heart of a beast…” King Nebuchadnezzar went from being a stately and respected person within a “civilized” community within the government of Babylon to living by raw carnal instincts to survive from day to day. Today, the heart of a person is changed to a heart of a beast by the beast that has power over physiology to live sand speaks through them by giving what to feel, say, do, and think. They are those “…who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen…And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind…” Romans 1:25,28. “…and let seven times pass over him.” refers to the Spirit of God working within the heart of Nebuchadnezzar to bring him to realization that the God of Israel is indeed the Most High God.

“Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” Daniel 4:27 Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he needed to break off his sins by being righteous by showing mercy to the poor. Babylon was built by using people to enrich the Babylonian Empire, where there was no mercy for the poor. For Nebuchadnezzar to have mercy on the poor would have stirred up the wrath of the governors of the Babylonian Empire in all provinces but would have made him righteous and merciful in the eyes of God.

As the Holy Spirit says , “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?…You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none.” Micah 6:8Psalms 10:115

Nebuchadnezzar testifies that his fall was to bring him to the Most High who rules from Heaven.

“‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.’ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.” Daniel 4:17-18

Nebuchadnezzar confessed with His mouth that his fall from power was by the word of God coming through His angel from heaven. He believed in His heart that the Most High rules over the kingdom of this world. He confessed that what happened to him was to be a testimony to the living of this world that God is indeed the King of kings. That is exactly what God expects of us through Jesus Christ, “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10

Nebuchadnezzar said that the Lord sets over the kingdom the lowest of men refers to our Lord Jesus Christ setting over His Kingdom the foolish, weak, and base of this world, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Nebuchadnezzar said that God does what He wants with the kingdoms of this world, which the Holy Spirit describes as follows, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ ” Acts 17:26-27

“Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.” “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

Nebuchadnezzar verifies his conversion dream with a real time conversion testimony.

“All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” Daniel 4:28-30

Nebuchadnezzar’s fall from power and the conversion that he dreamt about became a reality. A year after his dream, Nebuchadnezzar boasted about his own greatness and how he built Babylon by his own power and glory. He was exalting himself over God, the Creator of all, the One who does what He wants with the nations of this world. That is exactly why the government of the beast collapses…the beast exalts self above God and sets in the temple of God, our body, as if is God. The beast does that by giving people what to say, do, think, and feel and is the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Click for post on that.

“While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they will drive you from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. They will make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times will pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” Daniel 4:31-32

The voice that fell from Heaven was the angel, or watcher, that Nebuchadnezzar dreamt about from verse 13. He was driven from his dwelling place as the king of Babylon, as dreamt about in verses 14-25. His dwelling place was among the beasts of the field, where he ate grass, and seven times passed over him, until he knew the Most High rules over people and gives the nations to whom He decides, as he dreamt about in verses 15-17

“That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws” Daniel 4:33

The same hour that Nebuchadnezzar heard the voice of the angel, everything he dreamt about began to happen.

Nebuchadnezzar grew hair like eagles’ feathers, but his nails were like birds’ claws. As we know, eagles are made to soar and to be efficient predators, but an eagle needs powerful eagle claws to latch on to the prey they hunt. Envision an eagle with the claws of a sparrow! That would absolutely nullify the powerful wings and ability to latch on to the prey it hunts. That is a fitting description of Nebuchadnezzar’s fall. He was a powerful king, but now he has no way to latch onto to the goals, influence, and fierce notoriety he once had. When he fell from power, people saw him as an eagle with sparrow claws, not feared whatsoever, not intimidated by his presence, and somewhat of a laughingstock because he was trying to mobilizing on sparrow’s feet with the body of a great eagle.

“And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding 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 is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” Daniel 4:34-35

That is Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion testimony.

“At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” Daniel 4:36-37

After his conversion to the Living God, Nebuchadnezzar was returned to his seat of power for a very, very brief time before his spiritually corrupt son, Belshazzar, took over as the king of Babylon, as described in Daniel 5. Nothing more is heard from Nebuchadnezzar from the verses above, 36 and 37 of Daniel 4.

Nebuchadnezzar never had the opportunity to free the Israelites, whom he took captive. Nor to help them rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem, that he destroyed. Nor to return the gold and silver vessels to the Israelites that he took from the temple in Jerusalem. The following describes that Belshazzar took the vessels and reveals what he did with them, “Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.” Daniel 5:1-4

---

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11