Nebuchadnezzar’s Epistle
Nebuchadnezzar stands as one of the most famous rulers of antiquity. He comes to the fore in the books of Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and numerous other sources. According to the Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle, after the battle of Carchemish he captured Jerusalem. He prospered as the world ruler and reigned 43 years (605–562 BC).
Later in life, the emperor issued an epistle “to all the peoples, nations, and languages” (Dn 4:1). His purpose for writing emerges in verse 2: “It seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.” By writing an autobiography, the king made known the miracles that God had performed for him.
The theme of Nebuchadnezzar’s epistle surfaces in verse 3: “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion endures from generation to generation.” This excerpt derives most notably from Psalm 145:13. Nebuchadnezzar employs Scripture—a psalm by David. Not only that, but he repeats the excerpt at the end of his epistle. The monarch begins and ends his testimony by appealing to Scripture. The excerpt brackets the letter and therefore reveals the theme: God’s kingdom endures.
Nebuchadnezzar’s own kingdom, by contrast, would not endure. That reality bothered the king earlier in his reign. As a young king, Nebuchadnezzar envisioned a colossus with a head of gold. A stone came hurling out of the sky and pulverized the colossus. The message was clear: mankind’s kingdoms will not endure. Obviously, Nebuchadnezzar rejected the message, because soon thereafter he defied the Most High by erecting a 90 ft (27 m) gold-plated effigy on the plain of Dura (Dn 3:1). Hubris certainly characterized Nebuchadnezzar. Subsequently, however, Nebuchadnezzar used his platform as the world ruler to tell everyone what the King of heaven had done for him. And what had the Most High done? It all began with God giving the emperor a nightmare.
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