Nebuchadnezzar and a rude awakening.
All these things happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months after the dream, King Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon. While on the roof, the king said, “Look at Babylon! I built this great city. It is my palace! I built this place to show how great I am!”
The words were still in his mouth when a voice came from heaven. The voice said, “King these things will happen to you. Your power as king has been taken away from you. You will be forced to live with wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow. Seven seasons (years) will pass before you learn your lesson. Then you will learns that God Most High rules over the kingdoms of men. And that God Most High gives kingdoms to anyone he wants.”
Those things happened immediately. Nebuchadnezzar was forced to go away from people. He began eating grass like a cow. He became wet from dew. His hair grew long like the feathers of an eagle. And his nails grew long like the claws of a bird.
“God rules forever! His kingdom continues for all generations. People on earth are not truly important. God does what he wants with the powers of heaven and the people on earth. No one can stop his powerful hand! No one can questions the things he does!”
Then at the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven. And I was in my right mind again. Then I gave praise to God Most High. I gave honor and glory to him who lives forever.
So, at that time, God gave me my right mind again. And he gave back my great honor and power as king. My advisers and the royal people began to ask my advice again. And I became the king again. And I became even greater and powerful than before. He is always fair. And he is able to make proud people humble!
(Excerpted from Daniel 24:28-37, Easy-To-Read Version.)
