Nebuchadnezzar

IN the seventh century, B.C., the sovereignty of western Asia was a matter of the fiercest contention between the monarchies of Egypt and Babylon, and Palestine, being between the two antagonists, did not occupy either an enviable position or one of comfort. On the contrary, the position held by the children of Israel was one of peculiar difficulty; for either the monarch to the north of them, or the one on the south, had to pass through their territory or meet in combat upon it. When, at last, Pharaoh-nechoh moved northward, the Jewish king tried to prevent his passing; but his forces were routed and he himself was slain. The descendants of Abraham thus became the vassals of the Egyptians. About three years later, the Assyrian emperor, Nabopolassar, gave a portion of his great army to his son Nebuchadnezzar, who marched against the Egyptians, defeated them, and drove Pharaoh-nechoh out of Asia. This victory on the part of Nebuchadnezzar was followed by a siege against Jerusalem, which was soon taken. Jehoiakim, who was king at that time, was fettered and carried away to Babylon, together with a few captives and most of the costly vessels that were in the temple. But the young conqueror soon restored the crown to Jehoiakim, retaining him as a vassal to his empire.

Not many years thereafter, the Jewish king rebelled, as did his successor a little later, thus necessitating two expeditions on the part of Nebuchadnezzar, that he might retain the Jews as his subjects. After this, something like quiet reigned for nearly ten years, when the Jewish ruler of that time, Zedekiah, rebelled, bringing upon himself and his subjects a most severe punishment, the victor destroying the holy city and otherwise venting his wrath upon the rebellious Jews. The destruction at this time is summed up by the writer of the Chronicles as follows: “They burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia.” It was at this time that Daniel was removed to Babylon, — Daniel, a man “greatly beloved,” and who was to become so conspicuous in the history of the wonderful city to which He was carried.

Nebuchadnezzar, who had brought about the destruction of “the pride and glory of the Jews,” was an active, vigorous, scheming, unscrupulous man. He rose to his proud preeminence through the crushing force of physical power which he brought to bear upon his rivals; but notwithstanding his success in overcoming his enemies, it may truthfully be said of him that he was a greater builder of cities than general of armies. He built or rebuilt at least a hundred different cities, erected and repaired numerous temples, constructed miles of quays, huge reservoirs, canals, and aqueducts on a scale of grandeur and magnificence surpassing everything of its kind in any other nation, with the possible exception of Egypt. Babylon’s hanging gardens were the marvel of the ancients, and comprise one of the seven wonders of the world. But the growth of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride kept pace with the greatness and extensiveness of his accomplishments. Added to this, was the worship of colossal graven images, and feats of brutality which in some instances might have been done by the Roman emperor, Nero. Nevertheless, as subsequent history proves, his pride, idolatrous practices, and evil deeds did not sum up the man; for, when the wickedness of his ways was pointed out to him, he seems to have turned readily from evil to good.

Nebuchadnezzar reigned forty-three years, and during that time made more vanity-colored history than perhaps any other monarch in a like period of time; but the pathway he was treading was a dangerous one, for the milestones marking its progress were lettered in golden inscriptions of self-gratification and self-aggrandizement. His pride and egotism may be seen in the words which fell from his own lips: “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” But the proud eagle had soared as high as was possible. There was to be a change. Franklin says, “Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt.” The gilded table once covered with an abundance of vanity-made viands fades at length to a trough of obnoxious husks. That which God has not created may seem to proclaim itself great and satisfying for a time, but it cannot forever hold the semblance of reality. The day at last dawns when it must be weighed in the balances, and is found wanting. The mighty potentate of Babylon was soon to learn the meaning of Solomon’s words: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, a vivid, strange dream. This meant much to the Babylonian monarch, for the heathen laid great stress on dreams. Homer, in a well-known passage in his “Iliad,” says that a dream is from Jupiter, and tells us that the mind of Jove was communicated to Agamemnon in a vision. Little wonder, then, that Babylon’s mighty potentate gathered unto him the wise men of his kingdom, that he might learn the meaning of his dream. But “flesh and blood” wisdom was insufficient: therefore, as on a former occasion, the prophet Daniel was called, and made known to the king the interpretation of his strange dream. The prophet, now somewhat advanced in years, does not have an altogether pleasant task. To tell a great monarch his sins and their consequences requires more bravery than to confront a hostile army, but the true prophets of God have not been found to lack when this necessity has been laid upon them. Nathan, for instance, did not manifest any fear when he stood before King David and gave to him the touching story of the rich man who took the poor man’s one ewe lamb. His voice may have wavered a little as be at last cried. “Thou art the man.” but the startling words, so full of meaning, were bravely uttered, thus uncovering the great sin in the king’s heart. Likewise, the good prophet Elijah was fearless in the wicked Ahab’s presence: for when the king accused the prophet of troubling Israel, Elijah replied, “I have not troubled Israel: but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.”

The duty which confronted Daniel was perhaps more hazardous than that of Nathan or Elijah: hence we do not wonder that, when Nebuchadnezzar called him to interpret the dream, he “was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him.” It was not a lack of courage that troubled Daniel, for “he held no parley with unmanly fears.” Rather was it on account of his love for the king, who had exalted him and in numerous ways had been kind to him. There is little doubt, however, that the sins of the king had caused the good prophet hours of grief. He may many times have united with the recluse of Olney in his lament:—

My soul is sick with every day’s report
Of wrong and outrage with which earth is fill’d.

Not with a desire to condemn, but with an earnest desire to help the king did Daniel go into the royal presence, that he might give to him the interpretation of his dream. Daniel’s courage, and his faithfulness to Truth, may be seen more clearly and lie more fully appreciated if viewed in the light of our Leader’s words. In speaking of the unwillingness of many to uncover the evil in human thought, she says, “Why this backwardness, since exposure is necessary to insure the avoidance of the evil? Because people like you better when you tell them their virtues than when you tell them their vices. It requires the spirit of our blessed Master to tell a man his faults, and so risk human displeasure for the sake of doing right and benefiting our race” ( Science and Health, p. 571).

Behold the God-inspired prophet as he stands before the mighty Nebuchadnezzar! The Babylonian monarch has at this time reigned several decades, being the dread of nations and the admiration of his courtiers and friends. He has forgotten all save the vision of the night, which the venerable prophet is now to interpret. This having been given, the noble, fearless Daniel concludes with these words: “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” What effect the prophet’s words had on the monarch we do not know, for his prediction was not fulfilled until the end of twelve months.

At that time Nebuchadnezzar “walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.” Perhaps he had forgotten the words of Daniel, or had grown careless, thinking the dream and its interpretation of no significance. He was viewing the vastness and splendor of his earthly accomplishments, doubtless thinking with supreme satisfaction of himself as the architect of his own fortunes. But his pride was to be abased, for suddenly the sentence which Daniel had passed upon him entered his consciousness: “The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall he with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” Poor Nebuchadnezzar! Poor deluded mortal! Earthly power shown to be nothing! Pride of leadership changed to bestial habitude! Vanity and its correlations made to bite the dust! Mortal mind shown to be a snare and an illusion! “Behold, how are the mighty fallen”!

But when sin had punished itself sufficiently, another and better condition came to Nebuchadnezzar. Before the king became demented, Daniel had said to him, “Seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.” As “seven,” in Scripture, usually denotes completeness, it would seem that a perfect demonstration was to be made for the now unfortunate Babylonian monarch — a monarch no more! Who was to make that demonstration? Who was to be instrumental in renewing his seemingly shattered mind? May it not have been the godly prophet, who above all others was deeply interested in the king’s welfare? Nebuchadnezzar was in no condition to make the demonstration for himself, hence Daniel must have been the one who realized for the demented man the truth which makes free. How long the prophet continued his good work for the deposed, humiliated monarch is not definitely known, unless certain words of the king, quoted from the great standard inscription, found among the cuneiform memorials by Rawlinson, be accepted: “For four years the seat of my kingdom did not rejoice my heart.” That the demonstration was fully made is evidenced later by the happy monarch’s own words, his testimony to the healing, saving power of Truth: “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me.”

What a change the realization of truth had wrought in Nebuchadnezzar may be seen by the further testimony on his part: “And I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.” These and other words that follow prove conclusively that not only the king’s reason returned unto him, as he himself tells us, but his understanding, by means of which he was able to discern the actuality and enduring greatness of a kingdom made without hands, and the inability of mortal mind to question or fathom the divine Mind. The “still small voice” had spoken to him. He had listened, and the once proud monarch became the humble child of God. — a good man, a wiser and better ruler.

Nebuchadnezzar had reached the point where he was enabled to realize that only as mortals learn the nothingness of human wisdom and greatness can they know the wisdom and power of the infinite. He had learned that “those that walk in pride he [God] is able to abase.” More than forty years he had struggled up the staircase of vanity, only to fall headlong from its top! There are heights to reach, but only through goodness and understanding can they be attained. Human pride is a yoke so broad that its wearer cannot enter the “straight and narrow way” which leads to the “secret place of the most High.” Humility ever guards the gateway, and will allow none to enter who wear the garments of vanity and insolent self-exaltation. Pride makes a god of one’s own personality, thus preventing the view of the infinite which countless thousands crave. This unfortunate element in mortals has blocked the wheels of spiritual progress, making the crucifixion a necessity, the dark ages inevitable, and the present-day evils a barrier to abiding peace, continuous prosperity, and heaven-born happiness.

In that most beautiful treatise on love, the apostle Paul says (Rev. Ver.): “Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” In all this, love is the opposite of pride. Pride is not patient: it is most envious, boastful, and full of self-exaltation; and where these have a place, love is a stranger. They creep into the individual, and through him, into the various departments and activities of life. The world would be far in advance of its present position, religiously, were it not that the pride of power and possession binds mortals as hopelessly as Prometheus was bound to his rock. It even sought to tempt Jesus, offering to him “all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;” but the good and wise Nazarene saw the frailty of earthly things, the tottering condition of the greatest of the world’s kingdoms and the pitiable weakness of their rulers. His thoughts were centered on a kingdom fashioned by divine hands and forever governed and upheld by Life, Truth, Love. It was a great temptation which came to Jesus on the mount, but he was able to withstand it, realizing as he did the eternal nature of the unseen; its majesty, its power, its inviting atmosphere, its love.

Are Christian Scientists thus able to withstand the temptations of pride? It may be said, in love and truthfully, that no person, however devout, is above the temptation which leads to the human heights of self-esteem and desire for power. To be made much of is a pleasant part of human experience, but it is conducive to unsafe conditions and dizzy altitudes. It is liable to produce a state of self-hypnotism from which the unfortunate one may not soon awaken. If one practitioner has more success than his fellows, he need be careful to “watch,” lest he be taken unawares and find himself unable to realize the truth as was once his privilege.

“Our church is doing more and better healing work than any other;” “Our service is much more impressive;” “The elite attend our church!” If these and kindred thoughts are the daily food of some, then it must be said that the hands of pride are supplying the larder! It is possible that a beautiful church edifice may become the means of some one’s downfall, — a thing to worship, instead of a temple in which to worship. If our motive be to build a church which will surpass any other church, we may well remember the words of Jesus: “There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

We may remember, too, the proud height from which Nebuchadnezzar fell, and speak sharply to error: Get thee behind me, false pride! Through travail of soul the author of Science and Health, the Leader of the great Christian Science movement, has brought forth the precious truth which is today blessing countless thousands. Divine Love can alone care for the seed which has been and is being planted. With every Christian Scientist living close to God, and daily realizing for weary and sin-sick humanity the truth as revealed in the Bible and Science and Health, none need lie concerned about the future strength and growth of the Cause so dear to our Leader’s heart. It is enough to know that

God stands within the shadow.
Keeping watch above His own.

So far as earthly power is concerned, it betrays its weakness by the very methods it employs. It tries to dethrone the eternal by means of the flimsy things of time: endeavors to slay the invisible with instruments held in hands of flesh: striving to counterfeit the divine, it gives out only disease, sorrow, and death. Jesus said, “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it.” He that would make the mortal his goal must necessarily meet with disappointment. — be lost in his own futile efforts. Neither mortal ways nor means can usurp the prerogative of Him who “made all that was made.” Earthly power has always refused to believe itself weak until, to its utter astonishment and chagrin, its weakness has been demonstrated. It has all too often seemed more powerful than good, but now and then, through the realization of truth, good has vindicated itself. When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace, and saw in the seven times hot flames the unharmed Hebrew lads, he was at least partially convinced that there was but one power, and that good. When Darius at a later date stooped down one memorable morning, and heard a calm voice from the lion’s den saying, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions mouths, that they have not hurt me,” he was convinced that the venerable prophet’s God, though unseen, was greater than a king’s power, together with that of his entire kingdom!

The lessons which the life of Nebuchadnezzar teaches, have come to us through twenty-five hundred years, but they are none the less valuable. As we think of his kingdom, so long ago crumbled to decay; of his earthly power, a mere speck on the face of history, we are inclined to turn our eyes from the weak, perishable things of earth, and in reverent tones chant with those who sing, “Holy, holy, holy,” the simple, soulful words which Jesus taught us: “Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.”