Oh, Nebuchadnezzar. Really think you could have done without those 7 spans of time acting like a cow in the field, you know?
He recognized God’s power when Daniel interpreted the first dream. He outlawed speaking against God after the incident with the furnace. The man had no problems acknowledging God’s superiority. He was just still full of himself.
Yeah, sure, God is great, and obviously he’s done a lot for you guys, but this, this kingdom? Yeah, I built it all on my own!
But consider this: Even if God had not directly granted Babylon victory, even if you it could be argued that Israel was the only nation handed to them by God’s will, God permitted them to come to power. At his absolute most independent, the king still owed God for the opportunity.
It’s possible. God allows many things to happen according to our choices and actions, to play out as we arrange them. Very bad people come to power because no one steps up to stop them on big and small stages every day. It’s also possible, on the other hand, that God paved the way for Babylon because he knew, not ordain but knew that Israel would break the covenant.
The point is that Nebuchadnezzar hardly deserved the place on a pedestal that he was claiming for himself.
Recognizing God’s power isn’t enough. We must also recognize his authority. Submission to his will isn’t just something the weak do for protection. Everything that exists does so at his will. Everything that breathes does so as he permits. All that we are and all that we accomplish we have from his grace and mercy.