Pride of the Potentate
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This morning we are going to learn about the dangerous and destructive effects of the sin of pride. We are going to read of a ruler named Nebuchadnezzar who had come to a place of great power, great wealth and great authority, however he also had a deep seated sin issue that was about to bring about great judgement on his life.
Scene 1: In the king’s palace 4:4–27
4:4–27
A. The king’s dream (first person) 4:4–18
4:4–18
B. Daniel’s interpretation and advice (third person) 4:19–27
4:19–27
Characters: King Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel
Scene 2: Twelve months later, on the roof of the palace 4:28–33
4:28–33
A. The king’s pride (third person)
4:29–30
B. God’s punishment (third person) 4:31–33
4:31–33
Scene 3: Seven times later, in the field 4:34–37
4:34–37
A. The king acknowledges the Most High (first person)4:34–35
4:34–35
B. The king is restored to his kingdom (first person) 4:36–37
4:36–37
Characters: King Nebuchadnezzar and God (“the King of heaven”)
Greidanus, S. (2012). Preaching Christ from Daniel: Foundations for Expository Sermons (pp. 118–119). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Look with me at Daniel chapter 4 and we will see the result of the sin in the life of this pagan king.
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace.
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
Daniel chapter 4 actually starts at the end of the story we are about to read. In verses 1-3 king Nebuchadnezzar calls all the people, nations, and languages, that dwell in the earth to come and listen to him. He wants to tell them something very important, he wants them to know about something that happened in his life, that caused him to repent of his sin of pride and worship the One True God who truly has dominion over all the earth!
Here is something else we can’t miss. In chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar has called all the people of the earth to worship and bow to him! Now he is calling the same people together to worship the MOST High God and what he has done for him.
What is it that caused this king to erupt in praise of the Most High God? Why would a king who desired worship for himself just a short time before now, desire to see the same people worship God?
Daniel is about to tell us. Listen to what Daniel records of the king.
Daniel 4:4-
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
Do you see what is going on? Old Neb was taking it easy at home, living it up, enjoying all of the blessings God had giving him. However, as he laid down and begin to rest, he saw a dream that scared him to death! He said these visions and images I saw in my head alarmed me. They unsettled him and made him afraid. Now for the most powerful man on the earth to get that scared these had to be some powerful dream some vivid visions.
These dreams shook Neb us so bad that he reached out to all of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeons, and astrologers to get somebody to help him understand what these dreams meant! But you know what? Not one of them could help, they were all useless. None of them could interpret the dreams of the king.
Finally though he found somebody that could help him.
At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.
There was a young man of God name Belteshazzar, aka Daniel…He was the only one that could help, because the Spirit of God was upon him. Daniel had God given wisdom, from the Spirit of God that none of these other pretenders had.
Next King Neb, lays out the dream.
The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were 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 heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
Daniel 4:
The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were 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 heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 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. 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.
Daniel 4:10
Neb dreamed of this great big tree that had grown to be massive and strong, it was seen by everyone. It was beautiful and had fruit just falling off of it. Everyone was enjoying the food produced by this tree. It provided shade for the animals and homes for the birds.
That doesn’t sound to bad does it. As a matter of fact it sounds like a pretty sweet dream. But more was to come. In verse 13 Neb says a watcher came down from heaven, he called out cut it down! Lop off its branches, strip its leaves and scatter it fruit. Let the beast run adn the birds fly off. Leave the stump and bind it up!
Then he says,
Daniel
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. 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.
What in the world does that mean? That might freak me out a little bit too. So here is where Daniel comes in, listen to how he interprets the dream.
The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 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.
Daniel 4:20-
Daniel says, king the tree is you....
Daniel says, the Most High decrees that you will be chopped down, you will be brought down from your high and exalted position and you will be made to eat like an ox, or as we know it a cow....
After Daniel gives this interpretation he pleads with the king,
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.”
So what happened? After a year had passed, the king was walking around on his roof and listen to what he said,
In .... “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?
Guess what happened next....
While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”
Daniel 4:31-
The dream came to pass, Daniel’s interpretation was accurate and the king was basically turned into a cow! The proud king who thought “I am all that and a bag of chip” had been brought low and brought to a place of humility. Instead of strolling on his roof, he was now grazing in the pasture with the beasts. The king who thought he was majestic was not made to be a four legged mammal.
His pride had led him to destruction. His sin had caused him to come to judgment. This would be pretty sad if this was the end of the story, but praise God it doesn’t end there.
Listen to,
Daniel 4:34-36
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; 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?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 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.
God showed the prideful king grace and mercy. Neb, looked to the LORD and his reason was restored. He realized where this restoration came from and he Praised and honored Him who lives forever! Here is the question what has this story got to do with me and you, we aren’t a king or a cow are we?
You are right we are not, but we are all sinners, we are all full of pride and selfishness. Our hearts are little idol factories John Calvin says, the seek to feel our own desires.
However the true theme of this narrative is not pride and humility, but the Most High God and his sovereignty over all kingdoms of the earth. We know God gives kingdoms to whomever he wills.
Listen to,
And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Ultimately God’s kingdom was handed over to His Son Jesus Christ. In the NT we learn that all authority has been given unto him. And all who repent and believe in Him will be accepted into his kingdom and saved from the kingdom of darkness.
Like Daniel, I am going to plead with you all,
Let my counsel be acceptable to you,
Break off, repent, or turn from your sin,
Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God, who lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death in place of all who will believe in him, and three days after he was dead and buried He rose from the grave so that all who would trust him might also be raised. If you have believe in this good news, in this gospel call out on God to save you, plead for his mercy and he will grant it. The bible says,
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Will you call out on him today?
