Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar ended what we know as Daniel 3 saying "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego" and a change is obvious as he stated at the beginning of Daniel 4, "It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.  How great are His signs, and how mighty are His wonders!  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion from generation to generation."  Then Nebuchadnezzar launches into a wonderful testimony to God's grace to a pagen, gentile ruler.
What had taken place to change Nebuchadnezzar?  Again he had had a dream which frightened him.  Again the king called on Daniel only after all the magicians, the conjurors, the Chaldeans, and the diviners failed to interpret his dream/vision.
However, this time the king clearly recalled and clearly told his dream/vision--after sort of buttering Daniel up by saying to him, "O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation." (Note: if he really believed that, why didn't he go to Daniel first?)
In what we know as verses 10-18, Nebuchadnezzar tells Daniel what he has seen and his conclusion that Daniel would be able to interpret this as a spirit of the holy gods is in him. 
This time Daniel was so grieved in his understanding of the king's dream that Nebuchadnezzar had to order him to reveal it.  I can imagine Daniel took a long breath before speaking:  "My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries."
Daniel retells the king's dream concisely, then provides the interpretation, followed by a request/warning:  "This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: that you be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven, 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.  And that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.  Therefore, o king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity."
Was the king shaken enough by the interpretation and the warning.  No.  Maybe he expected this to take place immediately and when it didn't, he disregarded it or forgot it.
In any case, a year later, he was walking on the roof of his palace and thinking out loud:  "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?"  And he hadn't finished this statement when "a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 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.'"  This is followed by that chilling word:  immediately.
"Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled," verse 33 states.
Verses 34-37 are Nebuchadnezzar's concluding statement.  The seven periods of time having passed, Nebuchadnezzar (who no longer refers to himself as king) raised his eyes to heaven, had his reason restored to him (humiliation first, restoration second), and blessed the Most High andpraised and honored Him who lives forever.
Stop and picture this man:  soaked from seven years of being drenched with the dew of heaven, hair grown like eagle feathers, and nails like bird's claws, stating, "For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.  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?'"
Why do I picture him like that?  In verse 36 he goes on to tell us that his reason having returned to him, his majesty and splendor were subsequently restored to him for the glory of his kingdom, and his nobles and counselors sought him out.  So he was reestablished in his sovereignty and supassing greatness was added to him.  But this was not the end of Nebuchadnezzar's story.  Once he took pride and presumption in his position.  Now he is not the same man.  Instead, in verse 37 he states:  "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."
(See also Psalm 147:5-6)

Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 1-3
At the end of Daniel 1, Nebuchadnezzar is impressed:  "At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.  The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service.  In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom."
At the end of Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar honors Daniel and his God--in that order--and places Daniel in a high position.  "The king said to Daniel, 'Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery."
At the end of Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar says to Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach,Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!  They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.  Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
God was more merciful to Nebuchadnezzar than Nebuchadnezzar would have been as we learn in Daniel 4.

Detour, or Not What I Planned to Write About
Well, some days ago I was writing this entry for my blog about King Nebuchanezzar.  The draft seemed to be going well.  Then I was nailed.  Reminded of memories I'd rather forget.  Doesn't everyone have those?
What did I remember?
When I went to college, I was pretty sure of myself, at least where academics were concerned.  I'd never felt confident in any athletic endeavor or anything physical for that matter.  I focused on the academic and activities related to that.
My initial foray into college proved less than successful.  I took on too much in every respect.  Then my Dad made a decision which, in retrospect, was the last straw.
After less than two years, I was presented with two alleged options:  finish that term and not have the possibility of ever being readmitted or leave then with the possibility of having another chance some day.
Which option would you have taken?
I took option two, and after something more than a year, was readmitted on probation.  By the grace of God, I did complete college.
What particular Scriptures would come to mean a lot to me as a consequence of all this and bring King Nebuchadnezzar to mind?
1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 30-31:  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."  Where is the one who is wise?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chriust the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
Jeremiah 9:23-24 puts it this way:  Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

Daniel and his three friends
We met not only Daniel but also his three friends in chapter 1, verses 6-7:  "Now among the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego."  These three also joined Daniel in the test proposed to the overseer of the commander of the officials (1:11) and with him entered the king's personal service as we read in chapter 1, verse 19:  "And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's personal service."
In chapter 2, these men prayed with Daniel for God to grant him knowledge of the king's dream and the interpretation of it (2:17-18).  At the end of that chapter, we read:  "Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.  And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king's court" (v.v. 48-49).
But in chapter 3, Daniel's three friends found themselves in trouble for disobeying the king's edict regarding his golden image.  Their trouble lead to their being threatened with death by fire.  Their response in 3:16-18:  "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us our of your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'"
The king's fury was understandable.  These three young men owed their positions to his kindness toward their friend Daniel.  Who were they to challenge him?  So into the furnace they went.  And Nebuchadnezzar had a position from which to watch their sufferings and deaths.  But they neither suffered nor died, nor were the three of them alone in the furnace.  The king was appropriately amazed.  It seems that he has used this furnace before but never with this outcome.
How did Nebuchadnezzar respond?  3:28-30 tells us:  "Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielding up their bodies so as to not serve or worship any god except their own God.  Therefore, I make a decree that any people, nation, or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.'  Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon."
At the end of chapter 2, the men were honored with their positions because Daniel requested this of the king.  At the end of chapter 3, it seems they were honored because the king saw that Daniel's God was theirs also.  The first time they were given significant positions  because of their relationship to Daniel, the second because of their relationship to God.

Delights from DANIEL
2:20-23 Daniel's response to God's revelation:
Daniel answered and said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.  And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, and knowledge to men of understanding.  It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.  To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for Thou hast given me wisdom and power; even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee, for Thou hast made known to us the king's matter.
4:1-3 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth:  "May your peace abound!  It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.  How great are His signs, and how mighty are His wonders!  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation."