Deeper Reflection
When Nebuchadnezzar walked on the roof of his palace, he was awestruck by the sight of the Babylon that he had built: “Is this not Babylon the great?” (v.30). What was the greatness of Babylon like? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. But there were more. Old Testament scholar John Goldingay makes this comment: “The sense of achievement that Nebuchadnezzar here expresses [Dan 4:30] is severely understated compared with that expressed in his successive building inscriptions in Babylon.”⁴⁹ To give perspective to Goldingay’s comment: Nebuchadnezzar’s building inscriptions in Babylon “occupy 126 pages of text and translation” in Professor S. Langdon’s edition of them in his book, Building Inscriptions of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.⁵⁰Perhaps, there is no better statement of pride and egotism in the Bible than that of Nebuchadnezzar: “I myself have built…by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty” (v.30). It is so personal and concrete, that we can use it to check ourselves if that is how we think and feel about our achievements.We must see the pride in us, which is not easy. I am a person with passion for truth. Some years ago, God made me aware of a reality in me: My passion for truth can subtly shift to become pride of heart. I find it impossible to see the line that divides the two. The feelings of both are the same. All that I can do is to bring my heart before God for Him to judge, saying, “Lord, You know my heart.”

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⁴⁹ John E. Goldingay, Daniel, Word Biblical Commentary (Word Books, 1989), 89 ⁵⁰ John E. Goldingay, 89