199; Trust: Holiness and Humility; Daniel 4

King Nebuchadnezzar, To those of every people, nation, and language, who live on the whole earth: May your prosperity increase. I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the Most High God has done for me. How great are his miracles, and how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

The people have been in Babylon for years now. They cried out and God said, “You better get a job.”

Daniel 4:34–35 CSB

But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified him who lives forever: For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and he does what he wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can block his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Text

Daniel 4:1–3 NIV

King Nebuchadnezzar, To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Easy to praise when things are right! He has seen the way YHWH has saved through the fire.

You and I do the same thing. When we see the awesome things God does, we praise.

But as we look at Nebuchadnezzar, the question must be asked; does he really believe it? Does his life match his song?

Will he continue to sing the same song when things get rough?

Do we? Do we praise even when things don’t go our way.

Daniel 4:4–8 NIV

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

In was at home, in my palace, contented and prosperous. He was living large and in charge. Everything was going right then...

Then his world is rocked by a weird dream. We’ll see this isn’t a random dream. God is the one at work.

At the end of the day, God is willing to send some struggle your way if it means making you see him and yourself with a bit more clarity.

Every discussion of the Father starts with love.

Nebuchadnezzar brings all the wise men together to try to figure this weird dream out.

Finally, he brings Daniel in. But notice a slight slip of the tongue. Neb says, Daniel is really called Belshazzar (named after my god, Bel).

All the talk about YHWH is just lip-service. When you squeeze someone, what’s on the inside always comes out. Neb’s allegiance is to Bel.

Neb has a strange dream

In the dream there was this huge tree that went up to the sky. You could see it from anywhere. It was beautiful. It had a bunch of fruit and animals found shelter under it.

Then an angel shows up and says - cut the tree down but bind up the stump.

Then the angel starts talking like the tree is a person. Let HIM live with the animals and let his mind be like an animal for seven periods of time.

Then the angel even says why - the Most High is sovereign over everyone, everywhere.

Daniel 4:24–27 NIV

“This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

Dan 4:

Daniel says - you’re about to eat a long-term grass salad.

When you read the Bible and you come to these sorts of things do you think it’s just a story for kids?

Woman at University of Chicago IL that ate dirt. It’s called geophagia

Eating grass is a bit different. It’s called boanthropy.

Well maybe its possible but that doesn’t mean it happened.

Prayer of Nabonidus?

God’s Word stands on it’s own. For Neb and for you and me.

God loves even Nebuchadnezzar enough to give him a chance. But Neb will be required to respond to God’s word.

Make no mistake about it, God’s word isn’t something to simply hear or even know. It is something to be obeyed.

when you hear a sermon and...

Daniel 4:28–33 NIV

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

Nebuchadnezzar was given a year! Consider the weight of Neb.’s sin! The Lord is patient.

the further you get away from God’s word...

Look at what I’ve done!

I’ve seen it look something like this.

When we need or want a particular job we pray like - God you are sovereign and awesome. You rule the whole universe. Would you please give me this job.

A month later we say, hey you got this job because I outworked everybody. Nobody helped me, I pulled myself up by my bootstraps.

How is that trusting God? That is belittling God and magnifying me!

It’s easy to give God credit until it gets in the way of my glory. As long as I think that way, I’ll never trust him.

That’s why Scripture says in that we should give God credit in the small things. We say - if the Lord wills, we will...

Paul said, “The Lord opened the door...”

A life of trusting God begins when I see him clearly and I see myself clearly as well. Holiness and humility.

I don’t mean that to belittle us. We see our great value when we see him.

Can you give me an example of someone who did this?

Jesus - Philippians 2

Nebuchadnezzar learned this the hard way.

I don’t mean it

Daniel 4:34–37 NIV

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

What do you do with a text like this?

This was a text that troubled me this week. I kept looking at it and it seemed good but something was off. Do we study it to discuss psychological disorders?

I told Jarod on Thursday morning...

Simple Bible study methods - watch how this text comes together!

Starts and ends with doxology.

Who what? Who is the author? Daniel

How what? What is the genre? historical narrative.

Doxologies.

To what? Who was the original audience. This is written to God’s people living under the tyrannical rule of a murderous megalomaniac!

For what? So they would trust God! They would marvel at his holiness and live in humility even when tyrants seemed to be in control.

So what? Some did, some didn’t. Some responded to God’s word, others didn’t.

Now what? We recognize that God is holy and wonderful and sovereign, even over tyranny. Our task is to humbly trust him and respond to his word.

Now, when I talk about crazy rulers, don’t get ahead of me. This isn’t a political sermon. Tyranny comes in many forms. Half and half...

Doxologies. What’s this all about?

is written to people living under his pathetic rule!

What do you do with this?

Where is it that fear creeps into your life and you might not say it but you really wonder if God will see things through?

You weren’t asked to put yourself in Nebuchadnezzar’s shoes! This is written to people living under his pathetic rule!

God is sovereign when you’re in the waiting room

God is sovereign when you’re not sure about leadership

Next steps: L

Is it with your finances? See him today and trust.

Is it in the waiting room? See him today and trust

Is it in the tyranny of trying to control everything around you? See him today and trust

Is it in the difficulty of your workplace? See him today and trust

God is in charge, we are not. One day every knee will bow..

Will you trust him with the tyranny of fear when you are in the waiting room...

Humility?

Daniel told Neb. response is required. The same is true for you and me.

Application of God’s word to your life?

Trust God above the crazy rulers of the day?

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