Throughout the Bible there is a broad cast of characters, but one kind of person I want to highlight in this article is the unlikely person to come to faith in God in a powerful way.
For the purpose of this article, I’m not looking for an Israelite. An Israelite by default is part of the 12 tribes of Israel. Falling into this category would not be considered a likely candidate. In Jesus’ time, even though not all jewish people accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, all Jewish people, because of the prophecies in the Old Testament anticipated the coming Messiah. Jesus, who was “despised and rejected” (Isaiah 53), did not fit the image of the victor who would liberate Israel from Rome that many at the time had expected.
Just a note about the Apostle Paul before we move along from unlikely Jewish believers. Paul is an unique character a trained Pharisee of the highest order. He would be perhaps THE most unlikely person to have bridged the gap between the arch persecutor of Christians that he was to the most humble servant of Christ’s evangelists and defender of the gospel that he became.
Gentile Followers
From the non-Israelites followers, a couple of high ranking soldiers come to mind who become strong believers in either Jesus Christ or the God of Israel.
One such man was named Cornelius and he is described in Acts 10 verse 1 like this, “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
Being a veteran, I resonate with the powerful Roman Centurian for his influence and his belief in God, a man of such moral discipline wouldn’t really fall into the category of a surprise convert. He may have surprised Peter, who at first, like most traditional Jews, thought Gentiles were unclean until Christ helped straighten his idea out of what is was “clean”, breaking the social barriers for the Great Commission to propagate.
It has always God’s intentions that all people, not only the Jewish people, come to faith in Him.
Another great military man is in the Old Testament who is introduced to the reader in 2 Kings 5 like this: “Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.”
So Naaman was the army commander of the enemy of Israel, but he is also a principled man, even blessed by God to have success in battle. If you continue to read in 2 Kings 5 you’ll learn about how Naaman, on receiving a Godly tip from his wife, who learned from an Israelite servant girl, how a holy man of God in Israel, Elisha, could heal Naaman of his leprosy.
Once again, although a gentile and enemy of Israel, Naaman was a principled spiritual man who through his encounter with Elisha becomes a faithful follower of the God of Israel. He exhibited his faithfulness knowing that idolatry and worship of his culture’s pagan god was an offense to God the Almighty; therefore, he begged for forgiveness through Elisha, for when he would have to serve his Syrian masters in the temples of their pagan god. His request was granted, acknowledged by Elisha. God sees the intent and sincerity (and insincerities) of the thoughts of man.
There’s another enemy of Israel who was not considered a very “good” or “righteous” man, at least not in the beginning.
Nebuchadnezzar
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. – Daniel 1:1-2
In the Book of Daniel, we are introduced to the ruler of the conquering kingdom of Babylon. His army besieged Jerusalem and unlike the Assyrians, was able to conquer it, take the people captive and plunder the treasures in the temple.
God’s plan will always be fulfilled, even through the judgment of Israel and the taking of captives back to Babylon. The average person would not easily see God’s blessings in a tragic situation, but as Christians, we strive to see the ultimate good in every circumstance. In this way the Prophet Daniel and his friends, through whom God worked miracles and His plan, were able to sway even the most self-righteous, proud, and even cruel heart.
The Dream
Furthermore, we get a glimpse of the man who rules over his kingdom with singular power in Daniel 2, when Nebuchadnezzar is troubled by a dream. The grave demands he makes of his counselors goes follows:
2 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. – Daniel 2: 1-5
Yet Daniel, through supplication to God, received the secrets to the king’s dream, the results were nothing less than the beginning of a complete transition of Nebuchadnezzar’s pompous view of himself 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.
Wow! Prostrating himself before Daniel! That would have taken the breath away from the whole court all at once. There must have been a palpable out draft at that moment.
This was the beginning of the path to surrender for this character of worldly might.
The Golden Idol
Nebuchadnezzar is the model for an earthly sovereign with absolute power and absolute vanity. Later, he “made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.…” Furthermore, He “commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” – excerpts from Daniel 3.
Nebuchadnezzar ruled with an iron fist and was throughly intoxicated with his successes of his kingdom and control. He deemed himself worthy of diety and commanded his world to worship him, or else!
But God wasn’t done with the king. God in His sovereignty can raise and bring down a world leader, in this case, this ruthless dictator of Babylon. In Daniel Chapter 3, you can read the exciting story how these young men were persecuted and sentenced to death in the fiery furnace yet were saved by an Angel of the Lord. Many interpret the angel being the Son of God, Christ Himself.
God’s empowered Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. These four young men were part of the noble class of Israel and we well trained in the ways Jewish culture of the Mosaic Law. God’s supernatural work through these faithful men would bring Nebuchadnezzar to a point of humble contrition and an essential knowledge of God. Ultimately, their witness and God’s conviction led to the king’s decree “that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” – Daniel 3:29.
The story of King Nebuchadnezzar can be read in the Book of Daniel, it could be considered an irony that the “head of Gold” of the statue in the king’s dream represents the Babylonian kingdom. It may be simply a representation of an absolute power but it could also mean that through one man with dominating control could exercise influence to glorify God rather than man. In a way, this is a precursor to the ultimate rule of the Lord Jesus Christ whose holiness, righteousness, and justice will bring all other worldly kingdoms under His rule.
Near the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s life he declared these things as found in Daniel 4.
34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. – Daniel 4:34-37
This declaration glorifying God ought to have been a solemn reminder to the forthcoming kings of Israel, if not every leader of the world.
Exchange Self-Pride for Faith in God
If God can become a servant to serve sinful man, can man exchange his self-righteousness for faith in God?
Have you come to faith in Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son who died for our sins upon the cross, God’s offers redemption from sin for all of mankind, no matter your upbringing, religion or philosophy. God offers this eternal offer by grace alone, essentially a free gift that no human can earn.
You can receive a restored relationship through Christ who invites all and has paid the price for your place in the heavenly kingdom. Will you accept His invitation and follow Him?
Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
CKY
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