The God who Humbles (Daniel 4)

Introduction

Please take out your Bibles and turn with me to Daniel 4 as we continue our summer series through the book of Daniel this morning. Daniel 4. If you do not have a Bible, please grab one of the Bibles there in your seats and you can find our passage of Daniel 4 on page #879. 

As you are turning there, let me ask you a question. Whose glory are you living for? That is an important question. So again, whose glory are you living for? 

Are you living for your own glory? Or are you living for the glory of the only one deserving of such glory? The glory of the only God, the very one who created us in his own image! 

This is an important question, because from the beginning of time, following the fall of man in Genesis 3, man has fallen into one of these two categories. 

In Genesis 4, we have the account of Abel and his brother Cain. Abel offers a sacrifice of the flock to God and the Lord accepts it. Cain on the other hand had his offering rejected, causing him to be angry and murder his brother Able. Part of Cain’s rejection is a deep rooted pride of self glory. A self glory that we see unfold at the end of Genesis 4 when Cain marries, has a son, and builds a city and names it after his son, establishing his legacy and glory. 

We see this continue to play out in part in Genesis 6 with those who are renown and Noah. But fast forward to Genesis 11, and we see this clearly with the Tower of Babel. The people are gathered with one language and instead of being fruitful, multiplying and filling the earth, they stay in one place. And they seek to make a great name for themselves by building this tower into the heavens. Yet, despite their efforts, God must ultimately come down to see it, cast judgment, confuse their tongues, and then scatter them throughout the earth because of their self-glory desire. 

And time would fail us to consider then the self-glory nations that would arise from Ham, one of the sons of Noah. For from Ham come such peoples as those of Babel where Babylon would come from. Which is where we find ourselves in the book of Daniel. 

So again, we must ask ourselves, whose glory are we living for? Our own self-glory or the glory of the only God? And if for our own self-glory, do we understand that those who live pridefully for self-glory, that God will sooner or later humble them? That is what I want to talk to us about this morning from Daniel 4. 

So far in the book of Daniel, God has been put on display above the gods of Babylon, but more importantly as the only true sovereign over all of creation.

In Daniel 1, we learned that Judah was taken captive by Babylon because God gave Judah into the hands of Babylon as part of his discipline against Judah. Judah being the southern part of Israel.  

Then in Daniel 2, God showed that he was the sovereign one who established kings and removed kings through Nebuchadnezzar’s, the King of Babylon, first dream. A dream of a statue with various parts made of various materials. A dream that was then made known to Daniel to tell and interpret to Nebuchadnezzar about what was to come. That other kingdoms would arise after his. 

And last week, in Daniel 3, we saw that God is sovereign in that he is able to deliver his people. He did this in delivering Daniel’s 3 contemporaries from the fiery furnace. 

Each time, Nebuchadnezzar has seen God’s handiwork and been in awe. However, Nebuchadnezzar has continued to resist this God and live for his own glory. A glory that will now be taken away. Let’s now turn to the word of the LORD in Daniel 4. Read Daniel 4:1-37…

Main Idea: God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. 

A Warning (4:1-27)

A Humbling (4:28-33)

A Restoration (4:34-37)

Point #1: A Warning

Daniel 4 opens making known what the melodic line of the entire book of Daniel is. To borrow from David Helm,

In music, a melodic line is a short sequence of notes that form the distinctive essence of a song. [1]

In Daniel, the distinctive essence of the book is that which is found here in the opening verses of Daniel 4. Look again with me at these verses. Dan. 4:1-3…

The Kingdom of the Most High God is an everlasting kingdom whose dominion endures forever. That is the melodic line of the entire book of Daniel. And it has major implications for those faithful to the LORD and to those who resist him.

For here in Daniel 4:1-3, King Nebuchadnezzar is making this pronouncement not just to Daniel, but to all peoples, nations, and languages in his court after God has humbled and restored him. And this theme of God’s kingdom will be on repeat throughout. For it is mentioned in Dan. 4:17, 25, 26, 32, 34-35, 37.

A kingdom that is ultimately fulfilled in God’s beloved son and chosen servant, King Jesus. For it is Jesus who ushers in this forever kingdom. A kingdom that he proclaims from the very beginning of his ministry.

Matthew 4:17 ESV

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

A kingdom that will never fade away, but will be ushered in with all its glory in the King’s Return.

But again, this has implications on us in the here and now. Particularly a call to humility as we recognize that God alone is God and we are not. That he is the forever ruler, and we are not. We see this play out in the rest of Daniel 4, starting with a warning that was given to Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon through yet another dream. Dan. 4:4-5…

All seemed well for Nebuchadnezzar. There was ease and peace, both at home and in his role as king. And yet, this second dream comes and causes him to fear and be alarmed by what he saw.

It is worth mentioning again, as I did back in Daniel 2, dreams mean very little as far as significance to us. Yet, dreams in parts of the Middle Eastern world, especially the ancient Middle Eastern world, had significance. Bad dreams were meant to be explored to see what they symbolized and foretold was to come. And so, Nebuchadnezzar does just that.

He at first once more turns to those wise men from Babylon to himself. Unlike the first dream, this second dream he is willing to even tell them what the dream was, and simply desires for them to interpret it. But they can’t (Dan. 4:6-7).

Next, Nebuchadnezzar turns to Daniel. Dan. 4:8-9…

Nebuchadnezzar here is still resistant to God as he who is Most High who alone can reveal these things. For though he calls Daniel the chief of the magicians, he fails to recognize Daniel’s God as the God who reveals these things. Yet, this is not surprising by one who is filled with pride. They are resistant to the LORD and his word.

As to the dream itself, it is finally given in Dan 4:10-17. Dan 4:10-12 being the dream description, then Dan 4:13-17 being the words from the holy one coming down.

It is easy to see from these verses why Nebuchadnezzar was so frightened even if he didn’t understand the significance of the dream itself. Having then told Daniel the dream, Nebuchadnezzar asks for the interpretation. Dan 4:18…

Nebuchadnezzar is certain that Daniel is able to give him the interpretation of this dream.

And of course Daniel understands the dream, thanks be to God. Yet, though he understands the dream perfectly well, he is hesitant to give the interpretation to King Nebuchadnezzar at first. It says there in Dan 4:19 that “his thoughts alarmed him.”

Why this alarm for Daniel? For Daniel knew that the vision was against the king. And though Daniel was an exile in captivity under this king, he was not one who rejoiced in the downfall of his enemies as he feared God (Prov 24:17-18).

In his commentary, Daniel For You, David Helm draws this out by writing [2]:

Daniel for You A Tender Heart

Daniel wasn’t one of those followers of God who seem to delight in the idea of the ungodly finally getting what they have coming to them from the hand of God—his heart was soft toward the king.

Daniel here foreshadowing one greater to come who would weep over his enemies and the judgment that would come upon them. We read of this about Jesus in:

Luke 19:41–42 ESV

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

Jesus weeps for his enemies, those who were responsible for his coming death. And he has called us as his disciples to follow him in even loving our enemies and having compassion upon them. 

Christian, even as we are right to long for God’s righteousness to come and avail over every unrighteousness in this present world, our hearts are not to rejoice over the downfall of the wicked. 

And so, along the lines here from Daniel 4, then we should seek to speak truth, but with gentleness and compassion, even for those who have wronged us and stood against us. For this is part of the very heart of Christ our King!

But Daniel speaks. He speaks as Nebuchadnezzar urges him to not let this dream or its interpretation alarm him. Daniel continuing to show compassion towards the king. For he Daniel 4:19 “answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!”

Daniel shows that the dream is against Nebuchadnezzar, but makes clear he wishes it were not with this play on words. And then he begins to interpret the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Making clear that the dream was about him. That the tree that had grown strong and reached to heven, that was beautiful and abundant was Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom. But that is not all. Dan 4:23-25…

Nebuchadnezzar was to be brought down from on high and made to become like the beasts of the field, eating grass like an ox and the wet of the dew upon him.

This great humiliation was to fall upon him and to last. It says there in both Dan 4:25, 26 that this shall last seven periods of time. There is much debate about to the length of these seven periods of time. Some have suggested that these seven periods are seven years.

However, I, along with others, are not convinced of this. The reason for this we briefly discussion back in Daniel 1-2 with those measurements of time not being precisely a year, but various periods of measurement. Whether seasons or new moons or some other measurement. Therefore while it is possible to be seven literal years, we know not for sure of this. And therefore, would be better to take this as simply a particular measure of time will pass for Nebuchadnezzar to be cast out among the beasts of the field.

The purpose for all of this though is made plain. The reason Nebuchadnezzar is going to be chopped down is because of his pride. Dan 4:26…

Nebuchadnezzar must learn that he does not rule, but heaven rules. That God alone has established him and it is this very God who is going to cut him down to size to bring him to the place of humility.

Christian, friends with us, do you know this truth? Do you know that Heaven rules? That God is the only Sovereign, that he is God, and we are not? That it is his plans and purposes that prevail, not ours? That life is to be lived according to God’s commands and not our own? If we deny any of these, we have not yet grasped that Heaven rules. And therefore, we need to most certainly hear this warning that Daniel gives to Nebuchadnezzar. Dan 4:27…

If we hear and understand that heaven rules, then the only right response is for us to repent from our sins, to break off from them. To turn from practicing unrighteousness and turn to practicing righteousness. To begin showing mercy to others instead of harshness and cruelty, particularly to the oppressed.

Nebuchadnezzar was told if he could do this, there might be a lengthening to his prosperity. However, the judgment was set to bring him low.

Hear this warning from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Heaven rules, and this should humble us. It should cause us to halt in our tracks from pursuing our own glory. Exchanging that wrong pursuit for a pursuing after God’s glory alone.

To hear this warning before we taste of God’s discipline of being humbled from our pride.

Point #2: A Humbling

Dan 4:10-17 tells us Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream. Dan 4:20-26 gives us the interpretation of the dream. Dan 4:27 is Daniel’s warning to the king to break from his sins so that perhaps a lenghtening of his prosperity may last.

And yet, as seen there in Dan 4:28, all that was foretold comes upon King Nebuchadnezzar. It comes upon him a year later. This delay may be to the fact that for a brief stint, Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and did break from his sins, the sin of pride and iniquity in his oppressive rule.

However, what was promised comes. It comes, even if delayed a year. Because the LORD is faithful to fulfill his word.

This is a sobering reminder to all who might be tempted to think that God will not bring his just punishment and wrath against those who continue in their sin. You, like Nebuchadnezzar might find some extended relief. You might for awhile prosper while in your sin. But the day is coming when what God has promised to come against you will indeed come. You will not escape from it if you fail to break from your sins.

A failure that is most clearly seen here in the heart of King Nebuchadnezzar. Dan 4:30…

Nebuchadnezzar found relief for a year, but his pride and self-glory swelled once more within him. Telling all of this was a result of his own hands, his own might. And it all was for his own glory.

Because of this continued pride, God quickly brings about what was promised. Dan 4:31-33…

All of this is to come upon Nebuchadnezzar until he learns what is needed, that it is the Most High who rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.

For this is the entire purpose of God’s coming judgment against Nebuchadnezzar. He needs to be humbled and see who truly rules.

But because Nebuchadnezzar fails to humble himself, he will be brought to shame and humiliation. His good appearance will be taken and he will now have the appearance of one most unsightly with his mangy long hair and his long nails like the claws of the birds of the air. The glory of his house and kingdom will be exchanged for a dwelling place in the grass where the dew falls upon him.

For those who fail to humble themselves can rest assured, that their own fall is coming.

How often does the LORD bring about this humbling by the means of affliction and hardship. That one phone call, one doctor’s visit, that one event where all of life changes.

Life was going well. You think you have life by the horns and are conquering every part of it until you are not. You are brought to the place of distress and helplessness realizing that you are not God, you are not in control.

Friends, this does not mean every tragedy is God’s disciplinary action against our pride. But it is in our response to these situations that we see the truth in our hearts. For if tragedy comes and our response is thinking we had been doing everything right to prosper, we have a pride issue.

And if we continue in our pride, we will face the ultimate humiliation of God’s final judgment where we will be cast into the eternal flames of judgment where we will suffer for all of eternity in the Lake of Fire.

Be humbled now while there is still hope. See that it is the Most High who rules, and not you.

Point #3: A Restoration

When we humble ourselves, realizing indeed it is heaven that rules, there is hope. Dan 4:34-37…

When Nebuchadnezzar’s reason returned to him, he looked upward to He who was higher than him. Nebuchadnezzar looked up to the Most High and turned his self-praise to the praise of this Most High.

Nebuchadnezzar began to praise God for who he was as the only Sovereign. The only Sovereign whose kingdom and dominion endures forever. The only Sovereign who is not under any other. Nebuchadnezzar beheld the glory of God and praised him in light of such.

And because of this humbling, God restored him to his throne. For God’s purposes in Nebuchadnezzar were accomplished, he recognized that God is able to humble those who walk in pride.

This means not if we humble ourselves, then restoration of all things in this life will come about.

In fact, our hope is indeed not in that at all. Our hope in restoration comes in the fact that another came and humbled himself to the point of death, death even on a cross (Phil 2:8).

Jesus set aside his glory as the only Son of God to come, take on our human flesh, to live the life we were supposed to, but then laid down his life to die the death we deserved. He lived the ultimate humble life so that we might have life in him.

A life that comes as we humble ourselves in acknowledging that we are a broken people. A people who are not God nor good. Humbling ourselves in recognizing our guilt that deserves death. But then humbling ourselves by placing our hope for eternal life in another, Jesus himself.

This is the ultimate act of humility. A humility that sees we need God himself to bring about what we can not, our salvation.

You who have yet to come to saving faith in Jesus. Will you not humble yourself in seeing your own guilt and your own need for a Savior this day? Will you not humble yourself and say, I desperately need Jesus if I am to have any hope in life and in death?

Friend, if this is you, I would love to have a conversation with you after the service or feel free to grab someone else near you and ask them more about this humbling of yourself and coming to Jesus.

Then for us who have believed, who have humbled ourselves by acknowledging our desperate need in Jesus. We must see our ongoing need to allow Jesus to increase and our need to continue decreasing. For we are no longer to live for our glory, but the glory of our King who has purchased us from death itself by the shedding of his own blood on the cross.

Conclusion

Just as we started, whose glory are we living for? Are we living for our own glory? Or the glory of the only God who is worthy of such? Pride arises before the fall. But there is a God in heaven who dwells on high in his holy place. And those who dwell with him are those of a contrite and lowly spirit (Isaiah 57:15). Truly blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are meek (Matthew 5:3, 5).

Let’s pray…

Endnotes

[1] David Helm, Daniel for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2015), 59.

[2] David Helm, Daniel for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2015), 75.

Scripture Reading and Prayer

John 3:25–30 ESV

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”