Have you ever had a truly humbling experience? One of mine was 8th grade Algebra. Other academic subjects had always come easily to me, but not that one. For the first time, I seemed to be the dumbest kid in the class, missing a lot more of the homework problems than anyone else. To make matters worse, my seat was in the back of the room, under the coatrack. I felt like a total failure, and that helped me a lot in my subsequent career as a teacher. It taught me that everyone doesn’t always get things on the first try, and that even the best of students need help sometimes.

That’s the sort of thing that happened to Nebuchadnezzar, but on a much larger scale. After all, he had a lot to be proud of. He had conquered all of the known world, and had built himself an impressive royal city. But he forgot Who was really in charge. He forgot that the “Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes” (4:32).

And so, in order to remind him of that, God took his sanity away from him. Oh, Nebuchadnezzar was still the King of Babylon, but he was unable to control his kingdom – in fact, he couldn’t even control himself. Neglecting even basic hygiene, he lived out in the pastures with the cattle. No, it wasn’t until he was completely humbled, it wasn’t until he raised his eyes to heaven that his reason returned to him, and his kingdom was restored to him.

But instead of returning to his formerly arrogant ways, Nebuchadnezzar’s terrible experience taught him the lesson that he needed to learn. For instead of continuing to glory in his own might and majesty (4:30), he gave all the glory to the King of Heaven (4:37). He confessed that the Most High is the One Who “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth” (4:35).

Yes, Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way that the Lord “is able to humble those who walk in pride” (4:37). Do we need to learn that lesson? If so, what will God have to do to convince us of His sovereign power?

Daniel 4:28-37 (NASB)

28 “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.
29 “Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.
30 “The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’
31 “While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you,
32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’
33 “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 “But at the end of that period I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason 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 endures from generation to generation.
35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What hast Thou done?’
36 “At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37 “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”