So Nebuchadnezzar was taught that this God of the Jews was the Lord
of men's souls and consciences; that they were to obey God rather
than man. So he was taught that the God of the Jews was no mere star
or heavenly influence who could help men's fortunes, or bestow on
them a certain fixed destiny; but a living person, the Lord and
Master of the fire, and of all the powers of the earth, who could
change and stop those powers at His will, to deliver those who
trusted in Him and obeyed Him.
And this lesson, too, Nebuchadnezzar learned. He confessed his
mistake upon the spot, just in the way in which we should have
expected a great Eastern king to do, though not in the most
enlightened or merciful way. He "blessed the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His
servants who trusted in Him. Therefore I make a decree, that every
people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and
their houses be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that
can deliver after this sort."
But there was still one deep mistake lying in the great king's heart
which required to be rooted out. He had learnt that Jehovah, the God
of the Jews, was a revealer of secrets, a master of the fire, a
deliverer of those who trusted in Him, a living personal Lord, wise,
just, and faithful, very different from any of his star gods or
idols.
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