I don't think anybody believes that Nebuchadnezzar was converted when he said that in Daniel 3. We're talking about later, after his humilation and restoration.
Nebuchadnezzar Saved?
- Thread starter staythecourse
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I don't think anybody believes that Nebuchadnezzar was converted when he said that in Daniel 3. We're talking about later, after his humilation and restoration.
caddy
Puritan Board Senior
True, I hear you Vic. Calvin consistently stated the same things later in Chapter 4, but I still have a lot to look at. I want to believe he was truly humbled.
Will continue to dig
Good "pernt"
Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
True, I hear you Vic. Calvin consistently stated the same things later in Chapter 4, but I still have a lot to look at. I want to believe he was truly humbled.
Will continue to dig
Stuart Olyott's commentary Dare to Stand Alone (published by Evangelical Press) has a good defence of the view Nebuchadnezzar was converted in Daniel 4.
staythecourse
Puritan Board Junior
I believe that is safe. We respect both Mr. Henry and John Calvin and these two men came to different conclusions. I believe it may be best to walk in the light we have been given in the matter and honor God.
I can leave it as it is.
Thank you very much gentlemen. You have done me a great favor. I am at peace in the matter.
God bless you all.
A couple more considerations, not yet touched on, and then I'm done.
I am having the privilege of preaching through the book of Daniel right now.
After going through those first four chapters, I came to the conclusion, that although the details of those stories clearly concern Daniel, and his three friends (who have their own, separate incidents in chs 2 & 3), the main character in the larger story is Nebuchadnezzar. Indeed, the 4 chapters are "Nebuchadnezzar's Story". Daniel and his three friends are the "supporting cast."
Nebuchadnezzar takes a trip, from a violent abstraction, to a person. And on the way, I argue, he goes from liver reader (Eze. 21:21) to Jehovah worshiper, step by chronicled step.
I would also draw your attention to Dan 7:4: "The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it." This is divine commentary or elaboration on the First world empire, the same as the "head of gold" in Nebuchadnezzar's own dream, Dan 2:37-38 "You! ... you are the head of gold."
Nebuchadnezzar is the personification of the First empire. That creature which starts off with the heart and constitution of a BEAST, is remade into a Man.
I don't know. All that effort to tell us about a guy who almost came to faith? And as VH wrote, wrote a whole chapter of Scripture (copied by Daniel, of course) that reads like a statement of faith, with copious intertextual links to other OT Scripture?
Seems like he deserves the benefit of the doubt. That's all I'm saying.
I am having the privilege of preaching through the book of Daniel right now.
After going through those first four chapters, I came to the conclusion, that although the details of those stories clearly concern Daniel, and his three friends (who have their own, separate incidents in chs 2 & 3), the main character in the larger story is Nebuchadnezzar. Indeed, the 4 chapters are "Nebuchadnezzar's Story". Daniel and his three friends are the "supporting cast."
Nebuchadnezzar takes a trip, from a violent abstraction, to a person. And on the way, I argue, he goes from liver reader (Eze. 21:21) to Jehovah worshiper, step by chronicled step.
I would also draw your attention to Dan 7:4: "The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it." This is divine commentary or elaboration on the First world empire, the same as the "head of gold" in Nebuchadnezzar's own dream, Dan 2:37-38 "You! ... you are the head of gold."
Nebuchadnezzar is the personification of the First empire. That creature which starts off with the heart and constitution of a BEAST, is remade into a Man.
I don't know. All that effort to tell us about a guy who almost came to faith? And as VH wrote, wrote a whole chapter of Scripture (copied by Daniel, of course) that reads like a statement of faith, with copious intertextual links to other OT Scripture?
Seems like he deserves the benefit of the doubt. That's all I'm saying.
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