Daniel 4

Good morning – Let’s pray

On Tuesday, I had a conversation with someone I worked with (I would categized them as a non-believer) who asked me if I was going to watch the election returns today? I told him “No.” He asked why? And responded, “My bride and I normally go to bed early, and I trust in God, and I know that He rules in the kingdom of men.” I then briefly told the story of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in Daniel 4, and quoted to him, “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men”

In Daniel chapter 4 this declaration (this statement) was recorded three (3) times in this chapter and brings me a lot of comfort.

Daniel 4:17b

“the Most High rules (having authority – exercising mastery, sovereign) in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’”

Daniel 4:25b “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

Daniel 4:32b

the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”

The Bible, its words, its truth is a great source of comfort to me, and many believers.

Many true believers have risked their lives on what the Bible says; even though many opponents of the Bible have tried to prove it false and to destroy it.

Have you ever heard of the Gideons International? Have you ever read the inspiring introduction?

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgram's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Here’s the problem, the importance of the Word of God in our county, our world has deteriorated (has weakened) over the years.  So, we as a people, church, nation has lost our way, we have lost our traveler's map, misplaced our pilgram's staff, we are disoriented with our pilot's compass, our soldier's sword is dull, and the Christian's charter has faded from being important.

A Re-source is a supply of stuff.

God’s WORD is the source of all direction, and comfort.

We expect the words of the media, or some news cycle to provide me comfort to what is happens?

It doesn’t work like that! This sounds like a prayer, but a prayer to who?

What happens? We get scared, we get stressed, we get anxiety!

I want us today to take courage, not in our bank accounts, our education, our skills and abilities but in the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God.

The Most High Rules (Humbled) – Daniel 4

Who was Nebuchadnezzar?

Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylonia for a little over 40 years and is considered their greatest king.  Nebuchadnezzar is credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.  He was a brutal, powerful, and ambitious king.  In the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar is most famous for the conquering and destroying Judah and Jerusalem.  But we see that Nebuchadnezzar served as God’s instrument of judgment on the nation of Israel for its idolatry, unfaithfulness, and disobedience.

Revealer of secrets (Impressed) – Daniel 2:46-48

Daniel 2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

Fire had no power (Astonished) – Daniel 3:27-29

Daniel 3:27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

Daniel 4

New King James Version

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you.

2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.

3 How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. (everything was going well) 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream (they could not help earlier when asked).

Note: Mistakenly, too often we return to resources that have not worked in the past. To hear some comforting words of men. We focus on what they are saying; we listen intently for some comforting words from men, from some worldly resource.

We listen to the media, we read Facebook, Twitter, snapchat, or some other re-source to hear what they are saying, so we can hear what’s going on? What does the future hold?

7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation (did they really not know or were they afraid to tell the king his predicted demise).

Daniel 2:31

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and [k]thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of [l]clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation. (Daniel – a person of integrity told the truth in love).

10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:

I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth, And its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong; Its height reached to the heavens, And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. 12 Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He (the watcher, the holy one) cried aloud and said thus:

‘Chop down the tree and cut off itsbranches, Strip off itsleaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from itsbranches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. (promise of restoration) Let it be wet with the dew of heaven (naked), And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth. 16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times (duration – year) pass over him.

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.’

18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”

Daniel Explains the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.”

Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!

20 “The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

23 “And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times 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 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

26 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”

31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”

33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding 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 is from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

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The Bible was given to us

2 Timothy 3:15-17

15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, (teaching) for reproof (a thing is proved, or tested; evidence), for correction (restoration to a right state), for instruction (training, chastisement) in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete (perfect), thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2 Chronicles 15:1-9

The Reforms of Asa

1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 And he (a prophet) went out to meet Asa (King of Judah), and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; 4 but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands.

6 So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity.

7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”

Proverbs 12:25

25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

Psalm 12:6

6 The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.

Psalm 18:30

30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is [a]proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

Psalm 33:4

4 For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth.

Psalm 33:6

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

Psalm 119:105

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

John 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.