The Expositors Bible Study

“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1–2) Amazing view this morning.

Just a reminder that Father's Day is coming up later this month. On that Sunday, we'll set aside our study of Daniel and turn our attention to one of the most overlooked heroes and fathers in all of Scripture: Benaiah.

David is known for killing a giant. Samson killed a lion. Gideon defeated an overwhelming enemy force while vastly outnumbered. Because of these exploits, we rightly call these men great.

Yet Benaiah did all of these things himself. He defeated mighty warriors, killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day, slew a giant with a staff, and remained faithful when the kingdom of Israel faced one of its greatest internal crises and divisions.

But beyond these remarkable accomplishments, what was it that cemented his place as one of the greatest heroes and warriors in the Bible? Join us this Father's Day as we meet, for many perhaps for the very first time,

Benaiah: The Faithful Father Nobody Talks About

Need some encouragement for today?

Christ is Sufficient for All Your Crises (Selected Scriptures) For details about this sermon and for related resources, click here...

A much needed amendment and affirmation.

Protestia (@Protestia) on X

Was Nebuchadnezzar genuinely converted, or was he simply humbled by God's judgment?

While good Christians may disagree, I believe the evidence points to genuine salvation. The strongest argument is not found in a particular verb tense or grammatical construction. Rather, it is found in the overall testimony of Daniel 4 and the remarkable transformation of the king himself even though, as Pentecost notes, strong textual evidence implies a salvation experience. He writes, “These verbs indicate continued action, suggesting that Nebuchadnezzar did these things habitually. These verbs embody the ideas of reverence, respect, honor, admiration, and worship. Since Nebuchadnezzar said that these attitudes characterized his life, many have concluded that he experienced regeneration, becoming a child of God. Nebuchadnezzar did confess that what God had done in dealing with him was right and just. This is certainly not acknowledged by one who continues in rebellion against God.”1

Moreover, in the earlier chapters of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar repeatedly acknowledges God's power. In Daniel 2, he recognizes that Daniel's God reveals mysteries. In Daniel 3, he praises God for delivering Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace. Yet in both cases, God's work is something he observes from a distance. Daniel 4 is different. This time God deals directly with Nebuchadnezzar.

The king is humbled, stripped of his kingdom, driven from society, and made to live like a beast for seven years. When his understanding returns, his first recorded response is not self-congratulation over regaining his throne but praise to the Most High God. Nebuchadnezzar declares: “I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored Him that liveth for ever..." (Dan. 4:34) He then acknowledges God's everlasting kingdom, His absolute sovereignty over heaven and earth, and mankind's complete inability to resist His will. He openly confesses that God is righteous in all His works and just in all His ways.

The chapter begins with Nebuchadnezzar proclaiming God's greatness to all peoples, nations, and languages (Dan. 4:1–3), and it ends with him praising the King of heaven (Dan. 4:37). The entire chapter reads like a personal testimony of God's saving work in his life. Nebuchadnezzar admits God is powerful but many unbelievers have done that. However, he humbly submits himself beneath God's rule, praises God's character, confesses God's righteousness, and publicly testifies to God's dealings with him. The proud king who once gloried in Babylon now glorifies the God of heaven. That appears to be an act of a regenerated heart.

For these reasons, I believe Daniel 4 records more than Nebuchadnezzar's restoration to a throne. It records the transformation of a heart, as he himself says, “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase." (Daniel 4:37)

Blessings

1. J. Dwight Pentecost, “Daniel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1343–1344.

https://youtu.be/g_mnswk6IZc?si=U5xFUpQWVDcejj2I

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We can never help but to feel we have really big shoes to fill and footsteps to follow (Luke 6:40).