Was King Nebuchadnezzar Demon Possessed?

Last updated on: March 3, 2020 at 5:00 am by Mark Driscoll

Was King Nebuchadnezzar Demon Possessed? 2020-02-06T18:52:57-05:00 Mark Driscoll

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Daniel 4:28-33 – All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 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?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

When the Babylonian army marched into Israel, conquered the nation, enslaved the people of God, and stole the possessions of God from the temple, the latest bumper stickers on the back of Babylonian camels would have read “Our God Beat Up Your God!”

By all accounts, this is how things appeared. But, Daniel 1:2 tells us the truth, “the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God.” God was not defeated in battle. God permitted His people to be defeated in battle.

Why?

For 490 years, God’s people were proud and defied Him. Finally, the wick of God’s patience had burned to its end.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, however, also had a serious pride problem. He failed to have any regard for God actually providing all that he accomplished and enjoyed. Like the Pharaoh in Exodus, he hardened his heart against the graciousness of God that gave him a year to repent of sin and receive a new heart.

God gives two options to the king and to the rest of us. Plan A is humility. Plan B is humiliation. Circumstances can humiliate you, but they cannot humble you. Only you can humble you. This explains why the Bible repeatedly tells us to “humble yourself”.

The tragic tale of King Nebuchadnezzar is that, when we fail to repent of our sin, admit our error, and turn to God, we start to lose our mind. Some mental illness is physically caused and requires a medical procedure or medication. Some mental illness is mentally caused and requires a counselor or therapist. But some mental illness is also spiritual in that, as Romans 1 says, God hands someone over to live as God never intended because of their hardness of heart. This is the case with the king in Daniel, and also a man called the demoniac, among others, in the ministry of Jesus. Apart from deliverance, they are doomed.

This might even include demonic possession whereby someone is entirely controlled by an unholy spirit. This is what happened to king Nebuchadnezzar. Throughout the Bible, God uses the language of physical beasts to teach us about beastly spiritual demons. In our book Win Your War, my wife Grace and I explain how Lillith is also called the night creature or screech owl. The Bible also speaks of Satan and demons as dangerous beasts, Satan as a serpent, dragon, and lion. Other demons are referred to as python spirits, goat demons, and wild animals including ostriches, bulls, hyenas, birds, and scorpions. The Bible also refers to evil people as vipers, serpents, goats, cows, dogs, wolves, leeches, donkeys, and evil beasts.

The reason King Nebuchadnezzar lived like a beast for seven years outwardly was because, inwardly, there lived in him a demonic beast.

Looking back honestly at your life, as you clung to sin how did you start to lose your grip on reality and sanity?

In addition to this introduction to and overview of Daniel, you can find the corresponding sermons, daily devotions, men’s ministry resources, and hundreds of additional sermons and Bible teaching resources for free at markdriscoll.org or on the Mark Driscoll Ministries app.

To visit the Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, you can plan your visit at thetrinitychurch.com.

Daily Devotions

Previous Post

March 2, 2020

4 Things We Learn from Daniel Loving His Enemy

Next Post

March 4, 2020 Did God Save the Hitler of the Old Testament?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ask Pastor Mark Blog Daily Devotions Sermons Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 December 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Aaron make for the people while Moses was on the mountain?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A wooden idol An altar A golden calf A silver snake