There is no change with the king of Babylon during the year-long period of grace, even though he knows from experience that the things Daniel says come from the Lord. The more time passes and nothing happens, the more openly Nebuchadnezzar boasts about himself. He feels so big and great. There is no room in his life to be a humble servant of the Lord and give all the glory to God. That is often difficult for us as well. We want so much to be important ourselves. Nebuchadnezzar did not want to be a servant of God who seeks the wellbeing of the weak in society—someone who actually helps the weak in society. He does not want to be the king who, in God’s power, fights the law of the strongest. He only seeks to be the strongest and most powerful person who can do whatever pleases him.
After twelve months, a new pinnacle is reached in his self-exaltation. Nebuchadnezzar is walking on the roof of his magnificent palace. He can overlook the entire city of Babylon with all the magnificent structures he had ordered to be built. Babylon with all its hustle and bustle seems so wonderful, so amazing. It really has turned into an impressive metropolis—the centre and pinnacle of human civilization. Nebuchadnezzar is so proud of himself that he even had his name inscribed on the streets of Babylon. Excavations confirm this. When Nebuchadnezzar stands there observing everything, when he reflects about how it used to be when he came to power, his pride and self-exaltation come to expression. We hear him boast, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”
With Nebuchadnezzar all things revolve around him himself. The dream and the interpretation of it brought no true change to him. You see here what happens when a person allows his sinful heart to exalt himself. Then things go from bad to worse. Ultimately, God’s judgment always follows such an attitude. The Lord Jesus says about this, For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted
(Luke 14:11; see also Luke 18:14).
30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”