Wednesday: Conversion of the Gentiles
Daniel 3 ended with Nebuchadnezzar’s acknowledging the existence and power of the true God. But knowledge of God and of His power isn’t the same as having the born-again experience that Jesus said was crucial for salvation (see John 3:7). Indeed, the man depicted in Daniel 4:30 was anything but a converted soul.
Read Daniel 4:30. What was this man’s problem? See also John 15:5, Acts 17:28, Dan. 5:23.
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By the time, though, that the chapter was done, Nebuchadnezzar learned, even if it was the hard way, that all true power exists in God, and without God, he is nothing at all.
“The once proud monarch had become a humble child of God; the tyrannical, overbearing ruler, a wise and compassionate king. He who had defied and blasphemed the God of heaven, now acknowledged the power of the Most High and earnestly sought to promote the fear of Jehovah and the happiness of his subjects. Under the rebuke of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, Nebuchadnezzar had learned at last the lesson which all rulers need to learn — that true greatness consists in true goodness. He acknowledged Jehovah as the living God, saying, ‘I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.” — Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings , p. 521.
Read Daniel 4:35. What truths about God did Nebuchadnezzar express here, as well?
Daniel 4 ends with a Gentile acknowledging the authority, dominion, and power of the “Hebrew” God. In a sense, this scene is a precursor to what happened in the early church, when, through the witness of Jews and through the power of God, Gentiles learned the truth about the Lord and began to proclaim that truth to the world.
Read John 3:7. Though we think of last-day events in terms of the death decree, worship, and persecution, what does Jesus say here that, above and beyond everything else, prepares people for the end of time?
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In regard to the last question posed in today's lesson, is there a difference between (a) what will prepare people for the end of time and (b) what will prepare people for each 'today' that they experience between now and the end of time?
No difference! Salvation is for today, not for yesterday or for tomorrow but for today - the end times.
We need to be determined to change! But only by Jesus' power we can be victorious! Thank God for His Son! We may face distress but Jesus overcame the whole world! To Him all glory and might and power!
God should always be first in our hearts . Today could be our last day alive .
And if it not our last day alive, should it make any difference?
The book of Daniel is fascinating at many levels but it's quite interesting that the lesson chose to point to the conversion of the Gentiles with Mr N as the model boy. There is an acknowledgment on Mr N's part (most probably out of terror to see those men walking in the fire) but later on we see that his heart was far from converted.
My favorite lesson from the book of Daniel, is the role that believers have to witness (not by preaching) but by living upstanding and whole-hearted lives. Walk the talk first and then preach if necessary. I've not enjoyed the approach the lesson has given to the last day events: "Though we think of last-day events in terms of the death decree, worship, and persecution,..." scare practices are always short-lived - I, for one, when I think of the last day events I lift my eyes to the hills and ask How long Lord until we see you face to face.
What does born again really means? What does true worship really means? Why is it so hard to leave false dogma? And why is it so important that people live in the past?
God still says in Exodus 20: .4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
.5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
I believe, from the evidence in the first 3 chapters of Daniel, that the king was still reluctant to give up his supposedly superior position as the great king of Babylon, perhaps not realizing the true character of this "highest god", perhaps thinking Him no different or any less fickle as all other gods. Something in this experience during the "seven times" gave him a proper view so that the very opening words of his account is spoken in the language of heaven as he demonstrates high praise and gratitude for being saved from his foolish pride.
This is conversion as it is rarely seen among professed believers. While churches are filled with half-converted (meaning unconverted) souls, this heathen king responded at last with his whole heart to the evidences God had given him. Notice the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh, whom God had also shown mighty things. Each of us will become like one or the other of these two men based on our acceptance or rejection of God's grace demonstrated to us, since there is not one that God does not wish to save from sin(see Titus 2:11-14).
It is truly a "new song"(Ps 40:3) that God had put in this heathen king's mouth, which comes from a "clean heart and right spirit". We need to understand his last comment in Dan 4:37, stating that "those that walk in pride he is able to abase." is not about God being bigger/stronger, but that "His grace is sufficient" for healing the sin-sick, prideful soul. Or "He CAN cure that!" Perhaps more of a miracle than cleansing a leper. Isn't it?
These first 4 chapters in Daniel are a wonderful textbook for those wanting to be equipped for seeking the lost among us.
I see God interested to save the Gentiles also who are ready to give up their bad habits and develop new good habits approved by God. Such are the one needed to be called his loyal priests and holy one to represent him on Earth like Daniel and his colleagues. Many are the times that we behaves like king Nebu who was convicted but denied the power of God to take root ,able to speak good things concerning God but our heart far away from him.
It seems that in direct proportion to the strength of our pride, so must be the depth of humility we need to experience to be healed from it. It was n't that God was all out judging Pharoah, His grace was sufficient even for that king, but he hardened his heart and resisted. Nebuchadnezzar did not harden his heart but accepted the lessons learned.
A timely reminder that God today has people in Babylon and is calling them out...some will come, while some will resist...but let us judge none before the time. I would imagine that even Daniel may have been surprised that one such as Nebuchadnezzar could have been converted, just as Peter was with Cornelius. Let us never presume that anyone is too rich, too poor, too uneducated, too qualified, too secular, too worldly, too religious, not religious enough, too hot or too cold to hear and receive the gospel.