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Nebuchadnezzar is a prime example of an oppressive personality. An oppressor makes an idol of the fulfillment of their wishes.
And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. (Daniel 1:3-5)
An oppressor demands others be the way he wants them to be and do what he wants them to do. In order to make sure his will gets done he uses violence or the threat of violence.
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. (Daniel 2:27)
The oppressor does not care about the oppressed. He is calloused to their tears. He disregards their cries. He dismisses their wishes. He has a single minded focus and that is to fulfill his desire. The only person that matters to him is him. Others are only vehicles and instruments for him to get what he wants. They can cooperate or they can be forced; but one way or another they will do what he wants them to do.
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. (Ecclesiastes 4:1)
By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. (Job 35:9)
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. (Exodus 5:14-17)
Satan stirs up the world to accuse God of being the greatest oppressor of mankind.
Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name… Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually. (Psalm 74:18,20-23)
We don’t like having pressure put upon us to change and be conformed to the way someone else is and wants us to be. We don’t like being told we’re not “good enough” in the eyes of another (i.e., that we don’t “measure up” to their standard.)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
God would change us into His glory. There’s none He can’t change, except those who refuse His means to change.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:11,12)
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:30,31)
Salvation and change into the person God wants us to be be is available to “every creature” through faith in Christ. God has chosen the means for us to become partakers of His glory and holiness.We choose whether we will come the way of His choosing, and be changed; or not come, and stay the way we are.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:15,16)
If we are to enter the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is to enter us, we must be born again.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:5-7)
What is God’s ultimate aim in saving us? To create a holy people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
There is only one worship which is acceptable to God: the worship He Himself has made possible in Christ.