======================================================================== KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S CONVERSION! by Keith Malcomson ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon delves into the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's conversion in Daniel chapter 4, highlighting the importance of acknowledging God's rule in the affairs of men. It emphasizes the dangers of pride and the need for genuine conversion, showcasing how God's mercy follows judgment and leads to a transformed heart that praises and honors the Most High. Topics: "Pride and Humility", "God's Mercy and Transformation" Scripture References: Daniel 4:26, Proverbs 16:18, Daniel 4:34, Daniel 4:37, Psalm 145:13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon delves into the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's conversion in Daniel chapter 4, highlighting the importance of acknowledging God's rule in the affairs of men. It emphasizes the dangers of pride and the need for genuine conversion, showcasing how God's mercy follows judgment and leads to a transformed heart that praises and honors the Most High. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Praise God, I want you to turn with me to Daniel chapter 4. We're continuing our series on expounding the book of Daniel. We're not covering every single verse, but we are giving you the main thrust in the heart of every single chapter, and I hope and pray the entire book of Daniel. I really want you to grasp it in this hour. We are in a crisis hour. I don't believe the Church realizes the hour that we are literally entering into. I've been speaking to leaders, pastors, ministers of ministries this week, as well as Christians, and they've told me, all of them have told me, men scattered across Britain, and they've all said our pastors, our churches, our leaders will not teach openly and publicly about end days are what is happening at this time. I told them all, we in our church are preaching very clearly, and I'm so thankful that I'm not restricted or limited or hindered in preaching on last days. This is the hour we need to teach and preach these things. The book of Daniel is for this hour. There isn't going to be another generation, I believe. It's got to be for this last hour. So here tonight, we are in this series, The Heavens Rule, from the book of Daniel. It says in Daniel 4 26, the heavens do rule, and my message here tonight is our fourth message in this series, and listen to what the title is, King Nebuchadnezzar's Conversion. Reading from Daniel chapter 4 and verse 1. Nebuchadnezzar the King unto all the people, nations, languages that dwell in all of the earth, peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God has wrought toward me. How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion from generation to generation. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers, and I told the dream before them, but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belshazzar, according to the name of my God, and whom is the spirit of the holy gods. And before him I told the dream, saying, O Belshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. Thus were the visions of my head in my bed. I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great, and the tree grew and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof through the end of all the earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all. The beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He cried aloud and said thus, Shew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit. Let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches. Nevertheless, leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from a man's heart, and let a beast's heart be given unto him, and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the Holy Ones, to the intent that the living may know, and listen this carefully, that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basis of men. Let's pray here tonight as we come to the Word of God. Father, we do thank you, Lord God, that the heavens do rule. God from heaven does rule in the affairs of men. It's him that sets up kings. It's him that removes men from power and from positions. It's him that changes the times and the seasons. The times and the seasons of our world, of every empire, every kingdom, of every generation, is in the hands of the Lord, and we know that salvation is of the Lord. Here in this message tonight, show us these two great truths together, that of conversion, and that of you changing the times and the seasons. We love you tonight. We bow before you as the God of heaven, and we say, let your kingdom come upon the earth, even as it is in heaven. We love you tonight. Thank you for salvation in Christ Jesus. Amen. Amen. My message here tonight from Daniel 4, and I believe it's the theme of it, the heart of it, the central message of it, is King Nebuchadnezzar's conversion. I actually believe this great king gets born again, regenerate, converted, in Daniel chapter 4. Let me take you to this message and explain and expound it. First of all, my first point, a personal testimony. That's what you have in Daniel 4, is a personal testimony. Look at verse 1. Nebuchadnezzar the king. This is Nebuchadnezzar writing in this chapter. It is him speaking. It is him remembering. It is him giving you a first-hand account. He is the greatest king of any generation that went before him. He is the most powerful king. He is the one with the greatest power of any man on the entire planet, and he is a secular king over a secular kingdom. When we come to the book of Daniel at the beginning, he most certainly is not a godly man. In fact, for decades he is a tyrant. But it says in Daniel 4 and 1, Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the people, nations, languages that dwell upon the earth, peace be multiplied unto you. Whoever heard of a tyrant writing a letter to all languages and all nations and all people saying, peace be multiplied unto you. It sounds more like Paul the Apostle in the New Testament, than the king of Babylon in the Old Testament. He is writing saying, all you that read it, peace be unto you, shalom be upon you. What a remarkable thing that the king of Babylon is writing his personal testimony to every person on the face of the earth. In verse 2 he says, I thought it good to show. What a wonderful thing. Here he is saying, I thought it good to show the signs and the wonders that the high God had wrought towards me. Notice how personal this is. Towards me. He's not talking about someone else or some theology. He says, I want to write to you. I want to show you everybody in this letter that I am writing to the nations. I want to show you the signs and the wonders of the most high God that were worked towards me. How great are his signs. How mighty are his wonders. What a wonderful thing here. He is writing a personal testimony and before he gives you the testimony, he is writing it to all men everywhere. He's going to talk about the signs that God worked towards them and the wonders. Signs and wonders are two different things. They're not the same. Signs are actually markers that point you in the direction of God. What are signs? They are warnings. They are indicators. They give you direction. They point you in a certain direction. They want to turn your attention towards a certain direction, even towards heaven. That's what signs are. Nebuchadnezzar said, I want to tell you about the signs that God revealed to me and that these signs were great. They were enormous. They were remarkable. They were unparalleled. Indicators of what God was trying to do in his life. Also wonders. There's actually wonders here. What are wonders? Wonders are miracles. They are supernatural actions from God. So there's two things here. He is going to begin speaking about signs that God worked towards them and wonders are supernatural miracles and bringing them to a place of conversion. Even before he gives you his personal testimony and his experience of God. You see, you don't get this in chapter 1 or chapter 2 or chapter 3. You don't get his personal testimony until chapter 4. And he goes on in verse 2 to say, concerning this God who showed personal signs and wonders, his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. This is the greatest king of that generation. A king of kings. And this king of kings is actually looking heavenward and he is saying that God has a kingdom that is an everlasting kingdom. There are earthly kingdoms but there is a kingdom of God. Earthly kingdoms come to an end. God's kingdom is everlasting. It has no beginning. It is no end. It is here before there are kings and kingdoms and it will be here long afterwards. He also says and his dominion is from generation to generation. Notice that word dominion. It means the area of his manifest power and rule. So here's Nebuchadnezzar, even before he tells you his testimony, he's saying, I want you to know that this God, his kingdom rules for everlasting and he has dominion from generation to every generation. In every generation, even when it seems God isn't working, he has dominion. He has power. Really it's him that rules in the affairs of men. Even when they do not acknowledge him. Now notice here something. Let me just refresh you about previous weeks. In Daniel chapter 2 and verse 9, you remember when Nebuchadnezzar was talking to his wise men, the astrologers, and saying, I want you to tell me the dream. And they said, no king, you tell us the dream and we'll give you the interpretation. Then they said, give us some time. And do you know what he said? You're playing games with me. You have wicked motives. And he says, you want to delay this. Listen to what he says in verse 9. Chapter 2 verse 9. Till the time be changed. Now underline that word time. What does he mean till the time be changed? He means until kings are changed. When the Bible talks about the times and the seasons and especially that word time, it's talking about the lifespan of a king or the change of a ruler. When times are changed, God changes the ruler. He removes a king and he puts in a new king. Listen again in chapter 2 verse 20. And this is Daniel speaking. Blessed be the name of God forever and ever. For wisdom and might are his. Wisdom and might are his. And listen to this. He changes the times and the seasons. What does it mean that he changes, that God changes the times and the seasons? He goes on to explain in Daniel chapter 2 and 21. He removeth kings and setteth up kings. He giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. So we see very clearly here that it is actually God who does have the dominion. He does have the power. He does have the authority. Don't think because he raises up a tyrant like Nebuchadnezzar that God is not ruling and the heavens are not ruling. Don't think that. Just because Nebuchadnezzar throws Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, don't think the heavens are not ruling. Don't think that. When we see everything go around us in the world and it seems that kings are in ultimate control, please be mindful that our God has dominion in this generation. He changes the times. He changes the season. He removes kings. He sets up kings. No one else. And yet listen a little bit later and we'll come to this in the weeks ahead. In chapter 7 verse 25 when we get to the little horn or the Antichrist, listen to what the little horn tries to do. He thinks to change times. That doesn't mean he wants to change the clock or the calendar system or anything like that and I've heard Bible teachers say that. It's got nothing to do with that. What does it mean that the little horn seeks to change times? He wants to raise up kings and remove kings right across the world. That's what the Antichrist is going to try and do. He is going to try to intervene in our entire world and he's going to try to act as God, having sovereign power over kings and leaders. Now God says only I have power. Do you realize in this first point here we have in Daniel chapter 4 the personal testimony of the greatest king and world leader of that generation and do you know what he says? The God of heaven has dominion. He has power. He does wonders. He does signs. It is so real and that's why this chapter in Daniel 4 26 we have this statement the heavens do rule. I want you to be gripped by this tonight. The heavens do rule. I don't care who sits on the throne. The heavens do rule and you know what? God was able to convert Nebuchadnezzar. It's a personal testimony. He's giving it himself about what the God of heaven, that the heavens rule. You know what? That means God can save anybody, the most unlikely of men in power and authority but also it means that he raises up and removes kings at his own will. Never forget that. You've got to have this settled in your heart. You've got to know this before we enter a new year and see everything that we're going to see in the year ahead. My second point here, my second point, missed opportunities. As Nebuchadnezzar begins to go into his testimony, his personal testimony, I want you to see there were many missed opportunities. You have them in Daniel chapter 1, Daniel chapter 2, Daniel chapter 3. You see God sent a young prophet to Nebuchadnezzar. His name was Daniel. He was aged about 16 years old. God sent Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to work in his palace and to work in his kingdom. Uncompromising men. God sent messengers who knew God and who knew his message. Do you realize in chapter 1, Daniel is about 16. When we get to Daniel chapter 4, Daniel is in around 60 years old. That's how long this king reigned. That's how far this kingdom has gone. You have Daniel grew from being 16 to almost 60 years old and do you know what? He was a witness. He was a man of God. He was a prophet. He was a man that spoke the truth. He lived right and he had compassion for Nebuchadnezzar. You see I believe he had a great respect for Nebuchadnezzar. A great love for Nebuchadnezzar and he honoured Nebuchadnezzar. We see it all through these chapters. Look at Nebuchadnezzar. His missed opportunities all these years with Daniel in your palace and you're still not converted. This is a prophet. One of the greatest prophets. This is a man of prayer. One of the greatest men of prayer in the entire Old Testament and you're still not converted. This is a man who talks incessantly about God and you're still not converted. Look at these missed opportunities that Nebuchadnezzar had. He's got men of God in his palace and he missed the opportunity but also look at the wisdom of God and the knowledge of God and the revelation of God. In Daniel chapter 2, God reveals this dream of kings and kingdoms. He says Nebuchadnezzar you are the head of gold. That's who you are. God reveals world history to this king called Nebuchadnezzar. Do you know you can have revelation from God. You can have dreams from God and you're on your way to hell. Do you realize God could speak to you in your dreams and show you the future and you're still on your way to hell. Do you realize God could use you and raise you up to position and you could still be on your way to hell. That's how real this is. Look at decades passing and Nebuchadnezzar still doesn't know this God. Do you know what he done? He was a follower of Daniel sometimes. He would go to Daniel's church sometimes. He loved Daniel sometimes but there were always those times he fell out of love. But we also have the miracles in Daniel chapter 3. In Daniel chapter 3 we have the miracle of the fiery furnace. Extraordinary. The fourth man walks in the fire. Nebuchadnezzar sees the fourth man walking in the fire. One like the Son of God. One like unto an angel and yet they only put three men and he calls these servants out and they walk out of the fire. Wouldn't you get saved at that point? Wouldn't you believe if you'd seen the fourth man? If you'd seen miracles like this? If you'd seen as it'd been one the appearance of an angel? Wouldn't you believe? You see up until this point Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4 had ruled for 43 years or sorry let me just say that again. He ruled for 43 years and this is several years before the end of his reign. He has ruled over 35 years already in Daniel chapter 4. Just prior to this dream God is actually working in his life and yet after all of these years all of these missed opportunities you know what he's doing? He goes down and besieges the city of Tyre. One of the greatest cities and he besieges it month after month going into a long besiegement. Then he goes down to conquer Egypt as well and he triumphs over Egypt. Look at this man with all of these opportunities and yet he's so busy in military warfare and reigning and ruling. Oh yes God put him in the position. Yes he is doing what God has called him to do and yet he's not a converted man. How many missed opportunities? Maybe you're saved tonight. How many times have you missed opportunities where God is working? He's done something in your life and you've missed those opportunities. Oh I pray that God moves in your life even tonight because this great King had many missed opportunities. Third of all a last warning. A last warning. He'd had miracles, revelation. He had godly people around him and yet decades and he wasn't converted. He had signs from heaven and he so easily forgot it. He fell down. You know when God moved he fell down on his face and worshipped Daniel. Then 15 or 20 years later he is throwing Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire. That's what man is like. But you know what? A time comes where God gives a last warning. It's going to be God's last warning and when he gives the last warning he's going to then act. This is point three a last warning. It says in chapter 4 in verse 4. I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and I was flourishing in my palace. Listen carefully. The word flourishing is a term used for a great tree. It is flourishing spreading out. It is bearing fruit. That's the word that Nebuchadnezzar uses here and he said I was at rest in my house. I come back for more. I am in my house. I am flourishing in my palace. Everything is going great. Nobody has power like me and I saw a dream which made me afraid and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head, they troubled me. Look at God giving this man a dream. He's going to give him one last warning before he judges him. One last warning and he uses a dream. Not a man, not a preacher. He uses a dream and he actually speaks to that man about his future and about what God is going to do. He gives him a dream and this dream made Nebuchadnezzar afraid. It means he was literally terrified and the thoughts of his mind and the visions of his head deeply troubled him. He knew this dream was from God again. After all these years he knew this was from God and there was a warning. It so scared him. Do you know what it actually says what happened in this dream? Listen to what he says. He says that there were those or a certain person who's called a watcher in verse 13 and verse 17. A watcher came down from heaven. This was an angel and that was the Babylonian term for an angel and in this dream he has this angel comes down from heaven and begins to warn him. Listen to what it says here in Daniel chapter 4 and verse 9. Oh Belshazzar. Sorry. Sorry. Verse 10. Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth and the height thereof was great and the tree grew and was strong and he goes on to explain the greatness of this tree and yet in this dream this angel of the Lord comes down and it says in verse 14 he cried aloud and said thus hew down the tree. Wouldn't that dream terrify you and disturb you? This angel of the Lord comes down and this great tree that had filled the entire earth the angel says cut it down. Actually cut down the tree. Bring it down. Destroy it. But notice here something that he actually says here further. It says nevertheless in verse 15 leave the stump of his roots in the earth even with a bran. What's the purpose of God showing this dream to him? It says in verse 17 to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will. He setteth up over it the basest of men. Please notice with me this dream was given to Nebuchadnezzar to show something, to reveal something. God is saying I'm gonna bring judgment to you. I am gonna cut you down and you know the reason Nebuchadnezzar I'm gonna cut you down is to show to all men everywhere that I rule, the Most High God, I rule in the kingdoms of men. It's not Nebuchadnezzar. It's not Cyrus. It's not Alexander the Great. I am the one that ruleth in the nations of men and this is why I am going to do this. Now Nebuchadnezzar at first doesn't understand it. He gets this dream and he is terrified and he calls for all his wise men and he says I want the interpretation. I wonder why he didn't call for Daniel. Maybe he knew Daniel would give him the correct interpretation. Daniel was a man of truth. Maybe at this stage, at the height of his power and the height of his pride, maybe he didn't want the truth. Maybe he didn't want his pride exposed. Maybe this was the time he didn't want to know what God was saying. So he calls all his wise men in and none of them can give the interpretation of the dream. Finally it says that Daniel comes into the room and Nebuchadnezzar calls on him and says Daniel show me the interpretation of this dream. Declare it unto me. You see how reluctant he was to go to the man of God who had the ability to hear from from God. Do you know what happens usually when someone comes down to their last warning? They're running from the Word of God and the voice of God and hiding from it. That shows you're in a very dangerous position. Terribly dangerous when you don't want to hear the truth about yourself. It reveals that your heart is proud when you're trying to sidestep the Word of God that could expose your sin. Listen, it says that Daniel went aside when he heard the dream and he was astonished for one hour and his thoughts troubled him. He was deeply disturbed to such a point that Nebuchadnezzar said Daniel don't be worrying about this. Don't let it disturb you. Nebuchadnezzar become disturbed about Daniel because Daniel was terrified. He was literally shocked at this dream and its interpretation. Do you know what he goes on to say? You see if you can speak to a sinner lightly about hell, if you're casual, no tears in your eyes, no brokenness, no grief, no carefulness and you tell men you're going to hell. I've seen people in the church they just say you're going to hell, they're going to hell. They'll stand on the high street. They act like a fool after McDonald's and yet they can stand on the high street and tell men you're going to hell. That isn't Daniel. Daniel loved Nebuchadnezzar and he is in shock. He is in shock at this revelation. He is slow to reveal the answer but when he does, you know what he says in chapter 422. It is thou O King, you are the tree. Remember in chapter 2 he said thou art the golden head. Wouldn't you prefer to deliver that message to Nebuchadnezzar? Oh great King you're the head of gold. God has given you power but do you know what he's saying here? He's saying do you know what Nebuchadnezzar? This dream is for your enemies. They're going to rejoice in this. Thou art the tree that is about to get cut down. You are the tree. This is how he applies the warning of God. Remember this is a last warning. This is a last warning from God to this great King. God is tired of this man thinking that he is a self-made man and that all of this is by his own power. Listen to verse 15, the part of the dream. Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth even with a band of iron and brass in the tender grass. Again in verse 23, shoo down the tree and destroy it but leave the stump of the roots in the earth even with a band of iron and brass. What does that mean? Do you know what God is saying to this man? I am gonna cut you down to the ground. I am gonna cut down everything of your power and your authority. I'm bringing you down Nebuchadnezzar. But do you know what? There is hope in this message. There is actually hope. He says yet nevertheless at the point of the stump there's gonna be a band of iron and brass put around the stump. What does that mean? Do you know what it means? It says in verse 26 concerning leaving the stump, thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee. In other words God is gonna preserve him. God's gonna cut him down. It's gonna be for a period of seven years. That's what the dream was. Seven years it's gonna happen for. You're gonna be cut down like a stump. But you know what? I'm gonna preserve your kingdom. I'm gonna put a band of brass and of iron around the stump of the tree. You know what that means? No one else is gonna take the kingdom from you. The kingdom is going to be preserved for seven years. No one else is gonna be king of Babylon. No one else is gonna take your position. And you know what he goes on to say? You're gonna be given the heart of an animal. You're gonna be cast out from men. You're gonna eat your food like an animal. You're not even gonna be in your right mind. For seven years yet nobody is gonna touch your throne. That's a miraculous thing. And it says at the end of verse 26. After that thou shalt have known the heavens do rule. That's where we get our statement for this entire series on Daniel. The heavens do rule. You know what God is doing? God's given Nebuchadnezzar one last opportunity. He's given him a warning before judgment falls. And he's saying do you know what? I'm gonna prove to you that it's not you that raised yourself up. It's not you that made your kingdom. I'm gonna show you the heavens rule in the midst of a tyrannical, wicked, evil kingdom. God is saying I want you to know Nebuchadnezzar. I'm going to allow you to fall into a condition of insanity where you can't even speak. You can't even stand on your feet. You can't even sit on your throne. And through that I'm gonna show you that the heavens do rule. What do I mean the heavens rule? God rules. When it says the heavens rule, it means God rules. Over in the New Testament and the Gospels, we read the statement the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. Do you know the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God is exactly the same. It's not different. When we read about the kingdom of heaven, we're talking about the kingdom of God. It's exactly the same. And when he says the heavens rule, he's saying God is going to rule. He then speaks to Nebuchadnezzar, calling him to do righteousness, to turn from his sins and to turn unto God. It is a last opportunity. Do you know what Nebuchadnezzar done? Do you think he repented after all he's seen through these years, after this dream? Do you know what he done? After this interpretation from Daniel, he raises up a great army and marches to Egypt and he triumphs over Egypt. He heard of a rebellion there and he marches his army and he spends most of the next year defeating the Egyptians, putting down rebellion and securing his position as king. You know what I believe he was doing? He was hiding from the dream. He's running from the Word of God. I'm talking about two truths in this chapter. The conversion of an individual, God's dealings with an individual man. But more than that, it is God showing that the heavens do rule in all of the kingdoms of men. My fourth point, pride goes before a fall. Pride goes before a fall. It says in Proverbs 16 and 18, listen carefully, pride goeth before destructions and a haughty spirit before a fall. We condense down that verse to pride goes before a fall, but it's a condensed verse. Pride, destruction, a fall. Do you realize how dangerous pride is in the heart of a Christian? It was pride. Pride was the sin that had Lucifer cast out of heaven and that dug hell. Pride, the sin of pride. You may think other sins are worse. I know Christians who have pride in their heart and they play with it. I'm not drinking. I'm not going out to the red light district. I don't curse and blaspheme. Pride is a dangerous sin. You know why? You carry on when you know you're on dangerous ground. You ignore the Word of God. When God is warning you, you keep going in the same direction. That is the symptom of pride. After all of these years, we read that in Nebuchadnezzar's 37th year of reigning, that he marched against Egypt and he's involved in all these things and then he returns to his kingdom, to Babylon. Listen to what it says in verse 28, and this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar at the end of 12 months. 12 months after his dream. 12 months after the warning from Daniel. One year. God gave him one year. God gave him space. Maybe Nebuchadnezzar said nothing's going to come of that dream. It's not going to happen. I'm still here. I didn't get cut down to the ground. I didn't become a stump. Actually, I went and conquered Egypt. I'm going up. The dream said I'm going down, but I'm going up. My power is getting greater. After 12 months, he walked in his palace of the kingdom of Babylon. Notice chapter 4. It goes from personal. Him saying, I did this. Now he's talking about Nebuchadnezzar. You know what? When he gets to this point, he can't even say it's me. It's me. It hurts so bad. When he looks at that man, he says, it's like another man. I can't believe how blind I was. I can't believe how hard I was. I can't believe how arrogant I was. It's almost like a different person he is speaking about now. Here he is walking in his Babylonian palace. Verse 30, and the king speak and said, is not this great Babylon that I had built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty? As he walked in his palace, he said, look at this. Do you know he's looking across the city of Babylon from his palace. He looks across the entire city. Do you know an old cuneiform that has been found by archaeologists? They have found tablets written in cuneiform. Listen to what it says. I, Nebuchadnezzar, built Babylon. That's what it says there. It's written just like in our Bible. Do you know what the Babylonian city was like in Nebuchadnezzar's day? It had double walls in around it. Each of those two walls were 25 foot thick, 40 feet between the two walls. The outer wall was 10 miles in around. It had 260 towers. It had a hundred brass gates. It was impregnable. Very few cities in world history have been as mighty or powerful as Babylon was. But that wasn't all. As you entered into the city of Babylon, there was a great procession way or walkway. It was two-thirds of a mile long, 70 feet wide, large high walls either side of you, decorated with enamel bricks. On them 120 lions, 575 dragons, bulls without numbers, were carved to life-scale, to real size. When you entered into the city, you entered into the Ishtar Gate. It was 35 feet high and it had 557 animals on it. And it was made of blue glazed background bricks. It was extraordinary. When you entered this city, your breath was taken away. You're in awe. You know, you can go to the city of Berlin to the museum and you will see the Ishtar Gate, brick for brick, rebuilt there. And the Berlin Museum is massive and yet you can't get the big gate in there, only the small gate. The big gate is far too big to even fit in there. In the center of the city of Babylon was a large cigarette. It was 288 feet high. 60 million bricks were used on it. And again, right there in the center of the temple was a golden statue of their God, Marduk. This is remarkable. This is great Babylon that Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt or restored from the days in Nimrod. His palace had a wall six miles going around it. That's bigger than Buckingham Palace in London. It had the hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. And you know what? Only 11 miles from Babylon to the southwest on the banks of the Euphrates was a tower that still stands there. You can Google it for yourself. It is called the Tower of Bersippa, or as it is also called Bers Nimrod. Do you know what that means? It's called the Tongue Tower. It actually stood in the days of Nebuchadnezzar 70 meters high and had seven terraces. Do you know what this was? The Tower of Babylon. It is still there. You can look it up. You can Google it. You can see it for yourself. 11 miles from Babylon. But you know what? When Nebuchadnezzar was a young man, it hadn't been finished. The top of it wasn't finished and it was literally collapsing. When he became king, do you know what he done? He restored the Tower of Babel. He restored it. He rebuilt it. He fixed it. In fact, they found archaeology cuneiforms where he's explaining how he rebuilt the whole thing. It was unfinished, left unfinished by a previous king. And you and I know why, don't we? God came down and scattered the entire population. Yet here's Nebuchadnezzar rebuilding, restoring the Tower of Babel, rebuilding the city of Babylon. It is extraordinary. Do you know the Tower of Babel or Barsippa today? Today in its ruins stands 52 meters high or 172 feet high. And it's on a flat plain. That is the ancient Tower of Babel. And if you go there, you would find stones with the name Nebuchadnezzar written on it. It was built by Nimrod and still carries the name Burz Nimrod. But Nebuchadnezzar said, I'll be greater than any of them. I'll be greater than any of them. What's my fourth point here? Pride goes before a fall. Nebuchadnezzar is walking in his palace, looking at a city. And listen to what he says again. This great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power, for the honor of my majesty. This is a man who saw miracles. This is a man who God spoke to in dreams. This is a man who stood and listened to Daniel. And oh what pride. Oh what pride. Since I believe the same pride is coming to politics in our generation. I believe it is hitting worldwide. And we are seeing Babylon again preparing to be raised up. And you know what terrible pride is going to mark it. They're going to try and do what Nimrod done and what Nebuchadnezzar done. I want to assure you, we're on the edge of judgment again. God in the days ahead, as they try to rebuild Babylon in our generation. Do you know what God is going to do? God is going to intervene and pour out his wrath. He is going to prove that he is the God of heaven. That it's him, not man, not the Antichrist that raises up kings and removes them. He is the God of heaven. The heavens do rule. You know what? I want you to know, the heavens are in control tonight. Absolute control. My fifth point, judgment before mercy. Judgment before mercy. Do you know what happened? As the words are on his lips, look at verse 31. While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, he heard a voice, an audible voice. What words were on his lips? I've done this. This is for my honor. I built Babylon. After God speaking him so many times, as the words are on his lips, a voice came from heaven saying, Oh Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, the kingdom is departed from you and they shall drive you out from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field and they shall make thee eat grass as oxen. Seven times this shall pass over thee until, listen this carefully, until thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will. That same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. Instantly. In one moment he lost his mind. He lost his mind. You know what? I'd be scared to play games with God. In one moment you could lose your mind. In one moment. Playing games with God, you could go too far. He warns, he seeks after you, he speaks to you, he loves you, he sends people to you. What have you done with it? And in one moment when words of pride are upon your lips, instantly it can happen what God predicted. I warned you one year ago you never listen to me. I said I'd cut you down to show that I'm the God of heaven. You didn't listen to me. For the next seven years he lives like an animal. Do you know an interesting thing? Nobody takes the throne. No other king, no other kingdom. See God had protected it. Nobody's gonna touch it. What happened during those seven years? Do you remember who he had raised up in his kingdom? Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. We don't know. We don't know in the Bible or any history book. But I just wonder what other man would have protected that throne for seven years? What other man would have protected it and yet not claimed it for himself? What other man? I don't know any on the earth apart from Daniel. They could have protected it. They knew it's gonna be seven years and then he's gonna be restored. The kingdom won't go to anyone else. It's going to be restored to Nebuchadnezzar. I really believe that it could have been. None of us can say dogmatically. But I actually believe Daniel was there. A man of God. A man of prayer. Protecting the throne. Saying this man Nebuchadnezzar is gonna learn there's a God in heaven. Sixth and finally genuine conversion. Let me finish here tonight on this point. Genuine conversion. You see I believe there's nothing proves God rules in heaven like genuine conversion. I look at all of your lives. I look at what God has done in you and when I see a real convert I know there's a God in heaven. You don't need to be a Nebuchadnezzar. You could have got saved out of atheism, Catholicism, idolatry, sexual immorality. You may have aborted your baby. You could have done many different things and yet God showed you grace. You know what that shows me? That you're here forgiven in your right mind. Loving God. You know what that tells me? God rules from heaven. He had power to reach down into your life and to get a hold of your heart and to change your mind and to change the direction you're like. There's a God in heaven. My sixth and last point. Genuine conversion. Says in verse 34 and at the end of days I Nebuchadnezzar. Listen I lifted up mine eyes on the heaven. That's where it begins. Genuine conversion begins when after seven years of insanity and you know what? Sin is insanity. Sin is insanity. Sin, pride and arrogance will make you like an animal. It will destroy your life. It will drive you to the dust to the ground. But listen the turning point begins when you lift up your eyes to heaven and he says my understanding returned unto me and I blessed the most high and I praised and honored him that liveth forever. Listen whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation unto generation. Do you know what conversion is? It is personal. It is personal. God deals with a man or a woman in a very personal way. He reaches out to them very personally. He speaks to them. He warns them. He reaches out to them even when he judges them. God still gives them hope. God still gives them hope and he protects them even in that condition. I'm talking about personal conversion where God deals with an individual. It begins when you turn your eyes heavenward. You know what? To get saved you might say nothing can save me in this world. Amen. Amen. This creature cannot save you. This church cannot save you. Great ministries cannot save you. All the Christians in the world cannot save you. But I tell you look to heaven. I know a God in heaven that can save you tonight. He can deliver you tonight. He can conquer you tonight. He can win your heart. I don't care how many failures there are. He can change you radically. If he can take Nebuchadnezzar from eating like an animal in the field. I assure you he can save you. Your understanding comes back in. Your intellect comes back in. You come to your senses. You go what have I done with my life? That is conversion. But it doesn't just stop with that. You get your mind back and your sanity back. You know what he started to do? He began to praise God. I bless the most high God. That's a sign of conversion. You know when people get saved sometimes they cry but they always begin to bless the God of heaven and he said I praise. Oh look we're back to personal pronouns again. I praised. I praised. I honored him that liveth forever. I did it. I give him all the glory and all the praise and all the honor. Here's this great king of kings. One of the great world leaders of history and here he is saying I praise you and I love you and I worship you and I acknowledge you. You God live forever. To you be the dominion. It is an everlasting dominion and God's kingdom is from generation on the generation. God conquered one of the greatest rulers that history ever knew. He was a man that went further than Nimrod. He went further than even what Antichrist will accomplish in our day. But I assure you God conquered him. God converted him. God saved him and made him a man who say I acknowledge God's power. Not only in conversion. Not only in a personal experience of salvation but I acknowledge him as the king of kings on the earth. I take my crown and I throw it at his feet and I acknowledge there's a greater king than I. Since Daniel chapter 4 is here to prove to us that the heavens do rule. God does rule. Kings and kingdoms come and go but our God has everlasting dominion. His power is mighty upon the earth and you know what in this hour as we look at the rise of Babylon and our generation that's going to take place. I promise you we the central thing that God is going to do in this hour is to save the most unlikely men. He is going to move to save men. Maybe some great men. Wouldn't it be remarkable if President Trump got on his knees in this hour of crisis and he got down on his knees and he began to repent and to cry out for salvation. Or what if the some great leader maybe the president of Israel very shortly in the midst of Ezekiel's war. Maybe he'll get off his high throne and kneel down on the floor and begin to repent and say God save me. The God of the Bible let the heavens rule. Let's pray here together. Father I thank you tonight Lord God for your grace and your mercy and your love. One thing we know the heavens rule. That's more than a feeling, more than emotion, more than even an experience. You have ruled in every generation and my God you ruled in Nebuchadnezzar's day, in Cyrus's day, in Alexander's day. Lord God you have ruled all through the history of the Roman Empire and my God I know in this last hour as we begin to see the formation of the ten toes of Daniel chapter 2. As we begin to see a kingdom, the last kingdom, the restoration of the Roman Empire. Lord God I do believe that you're going to reveal that the heavens do rule. Father assure our hearts in this meeting. Save souls and give us faith for our families. In Jesus mighty name. Amen. Amen. God bless you here tonight. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/rBqLaKntfE0.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/keith-malcomson/king-nebuchadnezzars-conversion/ ========================================================================