Kingdom Builder
Daniel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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When you hear the name of Daniel from the Old Testament, you may think of many things, especially those stories that we read. Like Daniel in the Lions Den. Or his three friends Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace that we talked about last week. But I don’t want you to overlook Daniel, the prophet.
What is a prophet?
In the William Smith Bible Commentary, Smith writes that the Hebrew word is “na-bi” and means to bubble forth like a fountain. So a prophet is one who who announces or pours forth the declarations of God.
William Smith, Smith’s Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1986).
Daniel was one of the prophets from the Old Testament. He along with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial and others spoke the words of God. They were not speaking on their own. What they were saying came from God. It was for a purpose. For his glory. Not theirs. These Old Testament prophets and the words they spoke from God were pointing his chosen people to repentance. Warning them not to follow other gods, but staying focused only on Him. These prophets also prophesied the coming of a future Messiah and King.
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In the Book of Daniel, Daniel does what real prophets do: he reveals the words and purpose of God. And, today, as we look into Daniel 4, in the earthly kingdom of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar has another dream. One that can only be interpreted by a prophet of God. Once again, God speaks through Daniel. ANd what we will see today is that King Nebuchadnezzar has built a great kingdom, but who gets the credit? We are going to see that when the King looks to himself as the author and creator of his kingdom, he will soon realize that the glory is not do to his name.
But what I want all of us to consider today is this… The kingdom that will be your own life…your work, your friends, your family…any successes that you will have…who will get the credit. Is it you that set it up? Is it you that made your life great. Who is the true Kingdom Builder? And if you can answer that question, you will see the difference between PRIDE and HUMILITY.
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Open your Bibles to Daniel 4.
Daniel 4:1-18: Nebuchadnezzar tells the story
Daniel 4:19-33: Daniel tells the story
Daniel 4:34-37: Nebuchadnezzar concludes the story
Now before we read, and look into Chapter 4, I want you to see something. This is a very unique, different chapter of the Bible. Something happens in this chapter that happens no where else. This is the only chapter in the Bible that the person who is writing or explaining what happens is a Gentile king. The only time. King Nebuchadnezzar begins Daniel 4, then Daniel, or another narrator speaks for 15 verses, then King Nebuchadnezzar comes back and tells the rest of the chapter and the events that happened.
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So let’s start with King Nebuchadnezzar telling the story.
Read Daniel 4:1-3
As Chapter four begins, its look much different from the beginning of Chapter 3. In Chapter 3 the King was saying bow down, worship me, and now he is saying, “not me, worship the one true God.” In verse 3, King Nebuchadnezzar is repeating the words of Daniel from Chapter 2:44…he is referring to God and the stone that will crush all the other kingdoms and a kingdom that will last forever.
Now the King has a second dream…
Read Daniel 4:4-18
So now, the King has another dream. He sees a tree. It was BIG! It stretched up to heaven and could be seen throughout the entire earth. And there was lots of fruit and every living thing came and lived under it and was fed by this big tree.
The King Nebuchadnezzar saw a watcher (ESV). Other translations use the word of messenger, but this watcher or messenger in the original language points to an angel. So in his dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw an angel come down and proclaim, CHOP DOWN THIS TREE.
Every bit of it was taken down. The fruits, the branches, the tall part of the tree…everything, except the stump and the roots, and they were bound with a band, a circle of iron and bronze.
Then the angel declares something else about this tree Daniel 4:15-16
Daniel 4:15–16 (ESV)
15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him.
Now I want you to see something. Words matter. They way words are spoken and written matter. As the dream is revealed we are told about a tree, right? But then as the punishment is given the watcher uses the word HIS. The watcher/angel is talking about a person not a tree.
Remember, Daniel is a prophet. And a prophet “bubbles forth like a fountain the words of God. What God wants his people to know he speaks through a prophet. So, no, the tree is not a physical tree, it is a symbol of something to come. But what does it all mean?
READ Daniel 4:19-28
This great tree, that reaches to the heavens and can be seen over the whole earth, and gives food and comfort to everyone…Daniel says in verse 22: Nebuchadnezzar…IT IS YOU! You are great, you are powerful, you are recognized as the greatest power on earth…but only for a time.
Now, in Nebuchadnezzars first dream, the great image with the golden head, he was told that there would be a Kingdom that came after him. His Kingdom, one day would fall, but its not time yet. When this watcher comes down and chops the tree down to a stump of its roots, and he puts a band around it so it cant grow back, its not the end of the Babylonian empire just yet. But it is coming. God has shown that.
But for now, King Nebuchadnezzar is still in power, Babylon is the biggest empire, but something is about to happen to their king, and we find out as Daniel begins to interpret the dream.
READ Daniel 4:25-26
This great King, the greatest ruler on the entire earth at the time, would be brought low. He will be turned to a mad man. Moving around like an animal, eating grass like an ox, living out in the bush and wet with the morning dew.
This week Kumfa, Amechi, and JULTY and I were in Nsukka. Were driving in the truck and we were talking about those mad men or women that you see on the street. People that have some sort of mental disorder where their mind does not think clearly or they can’t reason clearly. And this is what I noticed, you don’t have to talk to them to see they are mad or mentally disturbed, you don’t even have to see their face. From behind you can see them walking or sitting on the road and you know, they are mad.
When we read this description of what will happen to King Nebuchadnezzar, we know he will lose his mind. He will not be in his right mind. But why is this going to happen? Look at verse 26
Daniel 4:26 (ESV)
26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.
That’s what this is all about. That’s what the Old Testament is all about. That’s what the prophets, including Daniel are proclaiming… there is only one eternal ruler and he is Jehovah God.
But don’t miss verse 27, it’s important to see. Read Daniel 4:27
27 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.”
He gave me a chance to change his ways. It was a direct message from God to the King. Turn away from your pride, turn to humility, and your time as a ruler will be extended. Did he listen? The first 6 words of verse 28 tell us.
READ Daniel 4:28-33
God gave him a chance to put away his pride and look to the ruler of heaven and earth. But he didn’t. Seven years he would be like an mad animal. He was not the Big King with royalty, he was a wild, ugly, mad man living in the bush.
But God had a plan and purpose, and this was not his end.
READ Daniel 4:34-37
Do you see the difference between the King Nebuchadnezzar of 7 years before and the King Nebuchadnezzar after he was restored? I, I, My, My kingdom and glory turns to Yours, His glory. The pride of Nebuchadnezzar is now replaced with humility.
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As you live in this world and you are going to face the first sin that was ever committed. The same sin that was commited that brought sin into the world for everyone. The sin of pride.
The devil told Eve in the garden don’t worry about what God said. He wants to keep you down. He doesn’t want you to be like him. So the devil said, eat, and see, you can be full of knowledge like him. PRIDE. I want this. I want to be great and full of the knowledge like God. Pride.
And the devil knows something about pride. He is the author of pride. Once he was a top angel in heaven. He was one of God’s most trusted angels. But pride entered his mind. He wanted to be as great as God. Isaiah symbolically wrote about this:
Isaiah 14:12–14 (ESV)
12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
I, I, I, I, MY My My = PRIDE.
What about you? Are you only thinking about your own kingdom? Are you trying to build your life with your own strength?
Are you saying “I want to do this, I want achieve this success, I want my life be this, I want my life to be that.” Or are you trusting that God has a plan for your life. Because he does, and if we will set our minds and hearts towards him, and let him control the outcome, your life will far exceed what your own plans will be.
Three things from this dream that will help us take our eyes off of us (which is pride) and put our trust in Him (which is humility).
A kingdom that is built with pride will not stand.
King Nebuchadnezzar was a great King. He knew how to build the greatest kingdom and empire of that time. You may be able to do great things. You may be able to build a great business. You may be the next Dangote. I don’t know Dangote, I don’t know if he is a Christian, I don’t know if he gives credit for his success to God. I don’t know. But this is what I do know, the only reason he has a big business and all of that money is because God allowed that to happen. Look at verse 17
Daniel 4:17 (ESV)
17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’
I hope Dangote is humble in his greatness. I hope he realizes that any success he has is because of God. Because if he doesn’t, as great as his wealth is…it will fall. And it will be the same for you. The kingdom you build, your own life, now, and when you grow up, give God the glory for everything, even the small things. Depend on him and look to him.
2. A kingdom built with pride will fall into destruction.
King Nebuchadnezzar was prideful. He attributed his greatness to himself…his power…for his glory…that is dangerous.
The Book of Proverbs is full of warning about being prideful:
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
God hates pride! But he loves humility.
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
After all that King Nebuchadnezzar went through, he realized that he was not the maker of his own destiny.
Read Daniel 4:37 The moment that you think that your success is because of you, is the moment that pride will take over your life.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Pride is dangerous, don’t give into the sin of thinking you are in control.
I think its important for us to understand that while God is patient and loving and gives grace, he is also just. For the unbeliever who does not respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit to come to Jesus, there will be an end to God’s patience. Just like in the days of Noah, God said enough. If you don’t believe in the one true God and turn away from your sin, then your end is now. And for the believer, when we don’t respond in repentance from the sin that we continue to commit, over and over, he may choose to punish us in very tough ways.
3. A kingdom built with pride is temporary, but there is an everlasting Kingdom.
Look at the words of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:34-35
Daniel 4:34–35 (ESV)
34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to 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, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
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All the kingdoms, the businesses, the labor of this world are all temporary. As we are reading the Book of Daniel, we can see, as great as Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar was, he would still fall to a destruction and another would replace him. All kingdoms will fall, they will all end, and when they do, they won’t matter. No one will care. No one will remember. After my days are done on this earth, and anyone who knows me are dead and gone. Pastor Walter will be a name that is not remembered. The same is true for you. If this world continues another 4 or 500 years, within 100 or 200 years, no one will remember you.
But that’s ok. That doesn’t concern me. What concerns me is, “what if I was not part of the eternal kingdom, the everlasting kingdom?” That is what really matters in your life. The everlasting kingdom that King Nebuchadnezzar was talking about, was a kingdom that was brought to this earth through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Eternal life…not a temporary kingdom. He wants a relationship with you, one that will last for eternity. Will you be prideful and turn to your own way, or in humility will you recognize that there is only one way. One kingdom. And it is through Jesus Christ.