Daniel 4: Nebuchadnezzar
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon at the peak of its power, from 605 to 562 B.C.E. and he took pride in the building of temples and city fortifications. He is mentioned more than any other monarch in the Old Testament. He led several campaigns against Israel (in 604, in 597 and in 586) and succeeded in capturing Judah, ransacking the temple, and deporting thousands of the Jewish people. Nebuchadnezzar fought and won battles against the Middle Eastern powers in Egypt, Israel and Judah, and he consolidated this power to form a formidable empire; yet this powerful man bowed to the power of the God esteemed by Daniel, the bright young Jewish man whose God was stronger than any other power on earth. (http://www.biblehistory.net/Nebuchadnezzar.pdf)
For an amazing digital reconstruction of Babylon go to http://formerthings.com/nebuchadnezzar.htm
Look for the video link labeled Babylon 612 B.C. The virtual tours are fantastic and the music inspiring. You will first have to play the “Processional Tour” and then fifteen other video clips will be available to you. I found myself watching for nearly an hour as I imagined the young Jewish men who had been taken captive and carried away to this foreign, exotic and beautiful court. How difficult it must have been to remain loyal to Yahweh and to not be drawn in by this grandeur and glory . . . and how difficult it must have been for the “madman” Nebuchadnezzar to bow to this unseen God when he controlled all he could see. This is truly a powerful God.
Written on April 12, 2009 and posted today as a Favorite.
For more on Daniel and his prophecy, go to the Daniel – God Calls the Faithful and Faithless page on this blog at: https://thenoontimes.com/the-book-of-our-life/the-old-testament/the-prophets/
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