Waiting for a “Nebuchadnezzar Moment”.

I’m waiting for a “Nebuchadnezzar moment”. Since the evening of July 13, 2024 at around 6:11pm I have been waiting for it. I haven’t seen it yet. Still waiting.

Obviously, I need to explain myself.

     Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon from 606 BC to 562 BC.  He was the one primarily responsible for the deportation to Babylon of the people of the Southern Kingdom of Israel known as Judah in 606, 596 and 586 B.C. He figures prominently in the book of Daniel. It is in Daniel where we find the “Nebuchadnezzar moment”.

     In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a giant image of a head of gold, a breastplate of silver, torso and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron mixed with clay.  Daniel alone is able to reveal and  interpret this dream to Nebuchadnezzar. When God shows Daniel what the dream and interpretation are Daniel blesses God and tells us that the Most High God selects and raise up leaders as He wills (Daniel 2:20-22).  The head of gold, Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar, is the kings himself.  In the end Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed   “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery” ( Daniel 2:47). This a powerful proclamation by Nebuchadnezzar about God’s existence but it is not the “Nebuchadnezzar moment”  I am speaking of.

     Regretfully, the interpretation of the dream goes to Nebuchadnezzar ’s head. He creates a great image based on the dream and requires everyone to bow to it or be thrown into a fiery furnace. Shadrach,  Meschach and Abenego, three Jewish men and colleagues of Daniel, refuse and are thrown into the fiery furnace. God delivers them causing Nebuchadnezzar to say “Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way” (Daniel 3:29). Amazing words but not quite the “Nebuchadnezzar moment”  I’m thinking of.

     When we get to chapter four of Daniel we have some high hopes for Nebuchadnezzar. Regretfully he gives an account of yet another dream whose interpretation he appears to ignore. In interpreting the dream Daniel admonished him saying  “Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity” (Daniel 4:27).

Sadly, Nebuchadnezzar’s two encounters with the Most High God don’t seem to have impacted him much for he says just 12 months after the dream:

 “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” ( Daniel 4:30)

     Though he knows that the Most High God is indeed the Most High and there is no God like this God, he has not humbled himself before this God. Nebuchadnezzar is still full of himself. He is self-reliant. He is arrogant. But God is still working on him.

     Daniel 4 goes on to record God’s extraordinary humbling of Nebuchadnezzar in accordance with the dream he had.  The king loses his sanity, loses his dignity and loses his position as the king. This occurs overnight and lasts for seven years. The text reads:

“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” (Daniel 4:33).

     At the end of this incredible season and lesson in humility when Nebuchadnezzar came face to face with his mortality and God’s sovereignty, he expresses genuine, life changing humility. He gives testimony to this saying: “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that lives for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:34).  He goes on to say, “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Daniel 4:37). 

     Wow. This is the “Nebuchadnezzar moment” I have been talking about. It is more than an affirmation of who God is. It is more than a recognition of what God can do. It is a personal public confession of what God is doing in the private life of one man, king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

     I don’t know Former President  Donald Trump, now presidential candidate Trump personally. I’ve never even met him casually. I don’t claim to know his heart. More than any other politician in my lifetime though, he reminds me of Nebuchadnezzar. He, like Nebuchadnezzar, created an empire which he boasts about. He, like Nebuchadnezzar, has held the highest office in the world. He like Nebuchadnezzar seems to be incredibly proud, self-sufficient, and arrogant. A victim in some ways of his own successes. He and Nebuchadnezzar have also both been formers.  Trump as president, Nebuchadnezzar, as king. And one more thing, they both have had an incredible moment of clarity regarding their own mortality and God’s sovereignty and mercy.  

     I have watched and listened closely over the last few weeks since July 13, 2024. In a field in Pennsylvania the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump should have had his brains blown out not just his ear grazed.  God spared him. Mr. Trump came face to face with his own mortality and God’s sovereignty and grace. I have watched and listened for humility, for a personal public confession of a private change, for a “Nebuchadnezzar moment”. I’m still watching, I’m still waiting.

        On March 30, 1980, a would-be assassin’s bullet just missed the heart of President Ronald Reagan. It broke a rib and caused massive bleeding. Thankfully Reagan survived but just barely. He had come face to face with his own mortality and God’s sovereignty and mercy. In one of his first speeches after the attempt Reagan spoke about this saying “I have decided that whatever time I may have left is left for Him.” Those close to Reagan say he was a different man after that faithful day. He didn’t take his life for granted or his life’s mission casually. He experienced a” Nebuchadnezzar moment”, and he was never the same.

     I pray daily for former President now candidate Trump. I pray for his safety and the safety of his family. I pray for his personal salvation. I pray for him to have a “Nebuchadnezzar moment”, a personal public confession of a private change. Please watch and pray with me. God is still working on him.

Blessings,

Pastor Dave Watson

Calvary Chapel

NYCShepherd.com

The Chameleons

      Some of nature’s most unique creatures are the Chameleons. Native to the continent of Africa and found abundantly on the Island of  Madagascar, Chameleons are lizards. They have long sticky tongues and big eyes that move independent of each other. They are ugly creatures who reside on trees in rain forests. But above and beyond these qualities, some Chameleons have the unique ability to change their color.

  For many Chameleons this means becoming brighter or duller to blend into their environment. For others they actually change colors to camouflage themselves from their adversaries. The change occurs in the blink of an eye and is quite remarkable. They do it seemingly with no effort or exertion.

     Interestingly, there is another place on earth where Chameleons can be found in abundance. They are, believe it not, native to Washington DC. They have been found in the chambers of the House and Senate  and just down the street in the big White House on Pennsylvania Avenue . These Chameleons, also known as politicians, are like their counterparts in Madagascar. They change colors (positions on an issue) in an instance to fit in to their environment (The political climate of the day) . It is quite an amazing and handy quality to have. It is an ability that both Republicans, Democrats and Independents have naturally it would seem.

We have seen in recent days how useful it is to be a Chameleon. Vice President Kamala Harris is now running for President. She is changing colors often. In fact she is doing it so quickly it would make even a Chameleon from Madagascar spin their head with envy.

      For instance, Kamala the  Chameleon said in  a previous campaign that if elected she would out law fracking, the process where natural gas and oil are pressed out of rocks. With energy  prices now sky high she has changed colors and no longer advocates the abolition of fracking.  Previously, Kamala the Chameleon had raised funds to bail out the rioters of the summer of love (riots) in 2020. With the environment now changed and the electorate having no tolerance for the destruction of monuments and the burning American flags she changed colors. She condemned the recent protests and rioting against Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

      Speaking of Mr. Netanyahu, Kamala the Chameleon very recently had a private meeting with the Prime Minister where she expressed a view favorable toward Israel to the Prime Minister’ face. However in the bright lights of the public  she changed her colors and chastened Israel. What a gift. She is truly amazing.

Another example with reference to Kamala the Chameleon is her position on defunding the police. She praised that movement in 2020 and supported those in public office who were in fact defunding police departments. Now, guess what? Yep, she’s changed colors once again. Wow, being a Chameleon is sure handy.

    In her failed bid for President four years ago she trumpeted her belief in Medicare for all and the abolishing of private insurance. Now she’s changed her colors once again. She has in the past touted her strong position as the Attorney General of California where she oversaw the prosecution of violators of California’s marijuana laws. Then on a 2020 podcast interview she changed colors.  She advocated for the legalization of weed, saying she had smoked Marijuana in college. Truly Kamala is the Champion of the Chameleons.

     You may ask,  “Is there an issue she doesn’t go full Chameleon on us”. Yes, the murder of the unborn or as she calls it “a woman’s right to chose”. On this issue she shows her true colors. She is a radical advocate for abortion with no restrictions. Her position on this is so ugly she’d be better off hiding her true colors.

      In the jungles of Washington DC there are many Chameleons. Vice President and now Presidential candidate Kamala Harris is DC’s premiere Chameleon. Thankfully, the changing of colors is seasonal. In election years the Chameleons and their changing of colors abound. In fact during election season It’s almost impossible to discern their true colors. Sooner or later though, election season ends and we see them for who they are. And it ain’t pretty.

Blessings,

Pastor Dave Watson

“Y Tu ….Barack & Nancy”

     In March of 44 B.C.E (Think Thornton Wilder’s “The Ides of March” or Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”) Julius Caesar, the Emperor of Rome, was having a difficult month.  He was thought to want to retain too much power by his peers. He was immensely popular with the people but unpopular with the envious Roman Senate. One of his trusted advisors was a man named Marcus Junius Brutus, a leader in the Senate.

    In a meeting with a group of Senators, he found himself suddenly surrounded by people he had to this point felt comfortable with. To his surprise, many of them brandished knives and all of them, including Brutus, stabbed Julius Caesar to death. (FYI, he was replaced by Augustus who “restored faith” in the Roman Republic). Julius Caesar’ last words on March 15, 44 BC some 2068 years ago, were said to be directed at his close friend involved in the stabbing. He is reported to have cried with his last breath “Y Tu Brute”, bemoaning this huge betrayal.

     Fast forward with me to a Beach House in Rehoboth, Delaware. The President of the United States, Joseph Biden is running for re-election. He is quarantined at the beach house with covid. He is having a bad month. He humiliated himself in a debate with his rival. He is behind in most of the polls including those in the essential battle ground states. He is having some trouble with his parties’ Senators and House members. President Biden is being pressured to pull out of the race. It looks like he won’t win. He has sworn he won’t leave unless God Almighty or a doctor tell him he can’t run. Short of these, he’s all in. 

     Understandably, the President feels he should be given a chance to turn this around.  After all he has been through a primary process (Which by the way costs each state a significant amount of money) winning millions of votes and gaining almost all of the delegates. He had raised a boat load of money (In the 100’s of millions). He has the support publicly it seems of most of his party. He’s been down before and come back. He thinks he can do it again.

    Ironically, somehow Sunday, he heard from the almighty (aka former President Barack Obama). He said “no way Jose” to Joe Biden. Coincidentally, the good doctor (aka former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) had a diagnosis for him. She charted him as DNA (Do not resuscitate). Sooner than he’d like he finds himself surrounded in spirit by “his friends”. One by one they thrust their statements into him. “Not cognitively up to the job” they declare. ” For the good of country” they pine. Their words are like daggers. He is humiliated beyond belief. Since he is an octogenarian, someone should have called the Adult Protective Service hotline. It was that bad.

     It was clear to President Biden that his political career was over.  Today (Sunday, July 21, 2024) at 2:13 PM he gave up the ghost. In a simple statement, released on X (formerly Twitter), he announced his withdrawal. He said “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”  It was a death announcement. Obituary to follow. Tonight, if you listen real closely outside that beach house in Rehoboth you can hear a hoarse covid strained voice crying out. That voice is saying with its last political breath ” Y Tu Barak and Nancy, Y Tu.

Pastor Dave Watson

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Saturday night, July 13, 2024 at about 6:15 PM former president and current presidential candidate Donald J. Trump dodged a bullet….and so did we. 

    In a small western Pennsylvania town, Butler by name, Trump’s thump and stump speech was interpreted by multiple rounds from a sniper’s rifle fired only 130 yards away from the former president. Provincially, the sniper’s fire only grazed Trump’s ear drawing blood. Tragically three male attendees were wounded, one fatally, by the gun fire. They were hit while shielding their families (Please remember and pray for the family of Corey Comperatore who passed from his wounds). Coincidently (providentially) Trump had moved his head just slightly. If he hadn’t maneuvered in just the right manner and at just the right time Donald Trump would be dead. Stone cold dead. Truly he dodged a bullet… and so did we.

   It is by God’s intervention alone that the former President is among the living today. It is miracle that he could release a statement saying, “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Truly Mr. Trump dodged a bullet…and so did we.

     There are already accusations and ranker across the great republican and democrat divide. Rightly or wrongly the blame game is in full swing.  Picture the anger, the threats, the actions and reactions if the assassination attempt was successful. Right now the population is suspect of our government. We are just one or two incidents away from a full-blown revolt. The nation is polarized and volatile.  A civil war it seems is more likely than civil discourse. Please remember the words of Jesus “a house divided against itself cannot stand”.

    The events of the last few days affirmed what we all already knew. The state of our republic is not healthy. The rhetoric and ranker is out of hand. The anger and the hatred is palpable. The unimaginable is now thinkable. The unthinkable is now imaginable. The America we love is on the verge of something bad, very bad. Something is very wrong with the soul of our nation.  I’m reminded of the words of Benjamin Franklin in 1787 when our Constitution was first ratified. Franklin famously said “You have a republic, if you can keep it”.  Sadly, for the first time in my lifetime I have my doubts.

    Please understand that what is going on right now is not only in this world that we can see but also in that world that we cannot see. It is a battle between the forces of darkness and the forces of light. It is primarily not between political parties or social ideologies. It is between good and evil, between God and Satan. It is spiritual in nature. It is won or lost not with earthly weapons but spiritual ones, weapons mighty for the tearing down of strongholds. Plainly and simply, it is won on our knees.

     Saturday night, July 13, 2024, Donald J. Trump dodged a bullet…. and so did we. Miraculously and wondrously, Trump escaped the now neutralized (dead) 20 year old assassin. God in His wisdom and mercy gave Mr. Trump a lifeline, an extension of life. He sent his angels to distract the shooter or deflect the bullet or to move the former president’s head. God intervened. Donald Trump, the person, the husband, the father, the grandfather, the entrepreneur, the builder, the reality tv star, the former president and the current candidate once again for president was spared by God. Thank you God!

    Saturday night Donald J. Trump dodged a bullet….and so did we. In my opinion, our God has given our nation a reprieve, a season to seek God’s face in prayer and to seek God’s pleasure through repentance and a change in behavior. A season as well, to seek to heal the political wounds that are getting deeper and deeper as the days go by. Our nations soul needs a spiritual awakening.

     God’s church needs to lead the way. We, God’s people, need to repent of our idolatry. We have made politics and political candidates something they were never intended to be for us. They aren’t our solution, the Lord is. They aren’t the answer, Jesus is. They can’t solve our problems, only Almighty God can. We don’t trust in government; we trust in God. We don’t pray to the government we pray to the LORD. And speaking of prayer, we have been praying sporadically and casually when we should have been praying frequently and intensely. We have taken our responsibilities to be salt and light as Jesus described us way to lightly. We are now seeing the fruit of our lukewarm Christianity.

     Please, I urge you, I plead with you, I beg you, from now through the foreseeable future, pray for our nation, for our political leaders and for God’s church. Pray like the survival of your nation depends on it, because it does.

Saturday night, July 13, 2024 at about 6:15 PM former president and current presidential candidate Donald J. Trump dodged a bullet….and so did we…for now.

In His Service,

Pastor Dave Watson

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