Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king during the early years of Israel's captivity in Babylon. The early chapters of Daniel record several of Nebuchadnezzar's interactions with the exiled Israelites, but his full-blown conversion comes in Daniel 4.
Ignoring a warning to stop sinning, Nebuchadnezzar walks on the roof of his palace, gazing out across his kingdom. He says (verse 30, NLT),
Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.How many times have we been guilty of this exact same sin! We attribute our successes to our own cleverness, while forgetting about God. As punishment, Nebuchadnezzar is afflicted with some kind of mental illness.
But to his enduring credit, he recognizes that punishment for what it is, and he reforms his ways. Verses 34 and 35 (NLT) record his conversion,
After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.
And just like that, a person who seemed like an instrument of evil becomes a believer! Let us learn from Nebuchadnezzar's example.His rule is everlasting,
and his kingdom is eternal.All the people of the earth
are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
among the angels of heaven
and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
‘What do you mean by doing these things?’
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