Daniel 4 - Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[READING - DANIEL 4]
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound! 2 “It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. 3 “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. 4 “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5 “I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 6 “So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 “Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. 8 “But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, 9 ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a 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. 10 ‘Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great. 11 ‘The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to the sky, And it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 ‘Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, And all living creatures fed themselves from it. 13 ‘I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. 14 ‘He shouted out and spoke as follows: “Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; Let the beasts flee from under it And the birds from its branches. 15 “Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, But with a band of iron and bronze around it In the new grass of the field; And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, And let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 “Let his mind be changed from that of a man And let a beast’s mind be given to him, And let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men.” 18 ‘This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
19 “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar replied, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! 20 ‘The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth 21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged— 22 it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23 ‘In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,” 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 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. 26 ‘And in 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. 27 ‘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.’
28 “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. 29 “Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 “The king reflected and said, ‘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?’ 31 “While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 32 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.’ 33 “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 “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 have You done?’ 36 “At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. 37 “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.”
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT]
[CIT] In Daniel 4 God brought King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to understand that the God of Israel is ruler over all.
[PROP] From this chapter, we learn that God is able to humble the mightiest of us so that we acknowledge Him as God Most High.
And if He does humble us so we recognize Him as supreme, we ought to praise Him as Nebuchadnezzar does.
[TS] Let’s notice four TRUTHS from this passage of Scripture…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
Truth #1: The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind (vv. 24-25a).
Truth #1: The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind (vv. 24-25a).
24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 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.
[EXP] The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, but Nebuchadnezzar thought he was. He was convinced of it as he walked along the roof of his palace praising himself, relishing in the might of his power and the glory of his majesty (v. 30).
The ESV Study Bible tells us what Nebuchadnezzar would have seen from the roof of his palace…
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 4
The view from the roof of the royal palace of Babylon (v. 29) included numerous ornate temples, the hanging gardens (one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world), which he had built for his wife, and the outer wall of the city, wide enough for chariots driven by four horses to pass each other on the top.
From a human perspective, Nebuchadnezzar was on top of the world, but he would soon hit rock bottom. He was king of the world, but he would soon be a beast in the field all so that he learned that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind.
[APP] What a comfort for us to know that God Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind.
We hear of wars and rumors of wars, but God Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind.
We hear of wicked national leaders waging war on defenseless people, but God Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind.
How comforting to know that it is not the Nebuchadnezzar’s of the world that ultimately rule.
How comforting to know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind.
[TS] That would have been a great comfort to God’s people in Daniel’s day, and it should be a great comfort to us today.
Truth #2: The Most High bestows rule over the realm of mankind on whomever He wishes (vv. 24-25).
Truth #2: The Most High bestows rule over the realm of mankind on whomever He wishes (vv. 24-25).
24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 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.
[EXP] Recall what Nebuchadnezzar said as he surveyed his kingdom from the roof of his palace: “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?” (Dan. 4:30).
Nebuchadnezzar said that his rule as king was thanks to him. As he saw it, it was his building and his power that brought him to the heights of power, and it was all to exalt his majesty.
As he stood on the roof that night taking stock of his greatness, his pride blinded him to the truth: Nebuchadnezzar was king because God wanted Nebuchadnezzar to be king.
“The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes,” (v. 25).
Daniel not only tried to get Nebuchadnezzar to recognize that it is God in Heaven that rules (v. 26), but God in Heaven was giving Nebuchadnezzar the opportunity to humble himself before God humbled him. Daniel said…
27 ‘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.’
It was God who had made Nebuchadnezzar king, and God expected King Nebuchadnezzar to do righteousness as king.
Nebuchadnezzar had built his kingdom on the backs of the poor and powerless, but God was calling him to repent by showing mercy to the poor and powerless.
Nebuchadnezzar needed to understand that he was king not because he was such a great man but because he was the lowest of men (NKJV). The end of v. 17 says…
17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’
Some translations have “lowliest” or “humblest of men” at the end of v. 17, but I think the KJV and NKJV get the sense right with the words “basest” and “lowest.”
Nebuchadnezzar should not have been prideful. He was king not because he was a great man but because he was a low man, and God’s glory shines brighter through a low man.
[APP] Romans 13:1 tells us and every person in government that all governmental authority is established by God.
Romans 13:4 tells us that all governmental authority is established by God to do good and punish evil as a minister of God.
Romans 13 tells us that all those in governmental authority will ultimately answer to God.
These truths should eliminate all pride in those who sit in seats of power.
They should recognize that they sit where they sit because of God.
They should recognize that they sit where they sit to do good and punish evil as God commands.
They should recognize that one day they will answer to God.
They should recognize that they sit in a seat of power because God’s glory shines brighter through low men.
When our rulers get full of themselves, we should respectfully remind them: “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and set over it the lowest of men,” (v. 17).
[TS]…
Truth #3: The rulers and the ruled should praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven (v. 37a).
Truth #3: The rulers and the ruled should praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven (v. 37a).
37 “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.”
[EXP] Nebuchadnezzar ignored the opportunity to humble himself and was severely humbled by the Lord a year later. He was given the mind and appetite of a beast of the field, living drenched by the dew of heaven for seven years until his hair was like eagle feathers and his nails like the claws of a bird.
But the Lord eventually restored Nebuchadnezzar’s right mind and his kingdom after Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes toward heaven.
After this long humbling, Nebuchadnezzar was able to see that it wasn’t Nebuchadnezzar that should be praised, exalted, and honored; no, it was the Most High God that should be praised, honored, and exalted.
It is the kingdom of the Most High that endures forever.
No one can contend with the Most High—not even a king so great as Nebuchadnezzar.
No one can stop the Most High from doing anything He wants to do.
No one can scold the Most High saying to Him, “What have you done?”
When Nebuchadnezzar finally understood how high the Most High really is, his sanity came back to him.
And then in the total soundness of his right mind, he said, “Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just…” (v. 37).
In Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar built a statue of himself and called all the peoples, nations, and men of every language to bow down to it.
In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar is telling all the peoples, nations, and men of every language why he is bowing down to YHWH, God Most High.
Nebuchadnezzar witnessed the wonder that God did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in delivering from that fiery furnace, but now the wonder had been done for him.
Having been humbled and restored by the King of heaven, Nebuchadnezzar praised, exalted, and honored the King of heaven.
[APP] Every ruler that refuses to praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven is deranged. Therefore, we should pray for our rulers.
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
We should pray that our rulers would willingly repent of wickedness and humble themselves before God.
We should pray that if they refuse to repent when given the opportunity, that God would forcibly humble them so that they praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven with a right mind.
[TS] …
Truth #4: The Most High is able to humble those who walk in pride (v. 37b).
Truth #4: The Most High is able to humble those who walk in pride (v. 37b).
37 “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.”
[EXP] On his root top on the night he was humbled, Nebuchadnezzar thought he was untouchable, but no one is so powerful to be beyond the reach of God.
[APP] No matter who we are, God is able to humble us when we walk in pride.
As God Most High, He is in position to humble us.
As God Most High, He has the power to humble us.
As God Most High, He has the wisdom to humble us.
Notice that after Nebuchadnezzar was humbled, he didn’t get up saying, “But I didn’t need to be humbled!”
No, he knew he had been prideful.
And he knew that this humbling was a grace from God.
If we are Christians, we recognize that we have been graciously humbled in Jesus Christ.
We were prideful in our sin against God, but God humbled us by sending His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our sin on the cross.
Only the dead heart can remain prideful when considering the humility of Jesus on the cross.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The Most High is able to humble those who walk in pride.
We should thank God that He has humbled us in Jesus Christ.
We should pray that He would do that for our rulers.
We should pray that He would do that for all those who still walk in pride.
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]