Daniel's Story: Standing Tall

9/11

Before we get into the Bible, I’d like to acknowledge that today marks 20 years since the twin towers fell at the hands of terrorists.

I had the privilege of doing Bible work in manhattan for four months in 1999. I had recently turned nineteen when I lay down on the ground between the two massive buildings and took a picture that was something like this one (I’ve lost the original).

Just two years later I stood in the student center at Southern Adventist University and watched as terrorists buried planes into those towers.

I’m reminded of a brief mention of a tower falling in Luke 13:4-5 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you...”

Jesus makes it clear that the tower didn’t fall on those people because they were worse sinners. We are all in this world of sin together. And we all suffer, though some have suffered much more than others.

20 years ago this nation was rocked by terrorists, and the world hasn’t been the same since. May we use this memorial, and all others like it, to be reminded of the courage of ordinary men and women who gave their all to save a few. And may we turn our hearts towards our God who gave his own life to save many.

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Introduction

Sheikh Mohammed has a lot in common with our friend Nebuchadnezzar that we’ve been reading about in the book of Daniel. Though he isn’t a king, he is the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emerates, and the ruler of the Emerate of Dubai. Like Nebuchadnezzar, his leadership has made possible some amazing building projects. As the Emir or Dubai, he envisions a future where they are not reliant on income from oil exports. And so he has been doing a lot of building. He didn’t do the building, just to be clear. He didn’t even create the designs, but he did provide the money, and the vision that made it all possible.

One of the ways he wants to make his nation prosper is to bring in tourism income. The problem is, Dubai and the UAE aren’t really resort locations. They’re hot, and very sandy. But, they are on a peninsula between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. So, why not put all that sand to good use and make some islands to build resorts on?

On this map you can see two palm islands with the not-yet-developed world islands off to the right. In a partnership with private investors and the state government, they are developing hundreds of properties to make Dubai a vacation Mecca for the millionaires and billionaires of the world.

And just for scale, look at the size of one of those palm islands.

You also may be familiar with the Burj Khalifa.

It’s the tallest building in the world at just over 1/2 a mile high—2,716 feet! You could put 3 Eiffel towers on top of each other inside this building.

With an elevator that can travel 10 meters per second, you can jump in at ground level and be at the observation deck 124 floors later in just over a minute.

The building is so tall that you can see the top of it from 60 miles away. And the higher you go up in the air, the more problems you get from the wind.

To overcome the wind, the building rises to the sky in several separate stalks, which top out unevenly around the central spire. This design deflects the wind around the structure and prevents it from forming organized whirlpools of air current, or vortices, that would rock the tower from side to side and could even damage the building. Even with this strategic design, the 206-story Burj Khalifa will still sway slowly back and forth by about 6 feet at the very top.

play video of UEA flight attendant

Which could have been somewhat disconcerting for this flight attendant who agreed to pose for this commercial with Emirates Airlines!

Everything Sheikh Mohammed does is designed to impress you and draw you in to leisure and prosperity.

Which brings us back to our story in Daniel.

The Builder

Nebuchadnezzar took Babylon from a respected nation, to the ruler of the known world. He conquered formidable nations like Assyria, Egypt and Tyre. But unlike the Assyrians who glorified their battles, Nebuchadnezzar didn’t spend much time recording his victories. He spent 13 years besieging a city in Tyre, but no records of the seige have been found in Babylon. We only know about it from other sources.

Instead, Nebuchadnezzar recorded building projects and focused on making a unified empire. He’s the guy who educates elites from conquered nations and integrates them into his government. His government allowed—even encouraged—conquered nations to continue their local government and religious practices. He was a generous emperor, and a fair and just king. ...Mostly.

Early on in his story we hear about a dream he had. Fresh off a winning streak on the battle field, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream from God where he was told he didn’t succeed all by himself. In fact, God had set him on the Babylonian throne to accomplish a heavenly purpose. He may have been a fantastic king, but it was God who made his wisdom and power and wealth possible.

At the end of that heavenly encounter, Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and praised God:

Daniel 2:47 ESV

The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”

A little more nation building, a few more battles won, a few more buildings erected, and Nebuchadnezzar forgot about the God of gods who made him king.

At the beginning of an edict he wrote:

“Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the exalted prince, the favorite of Marduk, the lofty patesi (a priest king of Sumeria), the beloved of Nabu, the judge, the possessor of wisdom…the wise, the pious…the first-born son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, am I.” (Harper, Robert Francis. “Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (604-561 B.C.).” The Biblical World 14.1 (1899): 3-12. Web.)

In his pride he set up an image for all the leaders of his empire to bow and worship him. But when three young men refused, and he had them thrown into the furnace for their disobedience, he saw the Son of God walking in the fire with those unharmed, faithful men. He was again reminded that he sat on his throne at the pleasure of the God of heaven, and he humbled himself and praised God.

Daniel 3:28-29 (ESV)

“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. ...for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.

You would think that this king would learn a lesson, but it would take much more than that to cut the selfish pride out of his heart.

Standing Tall

Daniel 4 records the account in the kings own words. This chapter, according to the text, is written by Nebuchadnezzar himself. He says, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid.” (Daniel 4:4-5)

At ease and prospering. There is nothing more desirable than to be at ease and prospering. When we work 12 hour days, we want ease. When we’re hunting through our budget to figure out how to pay our bills, we want prosperity. When we see others lounging and spending, we yearn for a break from the tsunami of tasks and chores and responsibilities of our week.

Of course, we enjoy work, and being useful, and so did Nebuchadnezzar. His queen was longing for her home back in Persia where there were snow covered mountains and green valley oasis and delightful royal gardens. So, Nebuchadnezzar built her a man-made mountain with greenery flowing over the sides right there in the city of Babylon. To this day his “hanging gardens” are known as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

But his successes, and his leisure, and his prosperity were eating away at his humility. In God’s wisdom and grace he gave the king another dream, and it alarmed Nebuchadnezzar.

So he called in the wise men and astrologer and magicians, but they couldn’t decipher the dream to his satisfaction. No one could explain mysteries like Daniel, so he called for Daniel and told him the dream:

Daniel 4:13–17 (ESV)

“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. 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.’

Daniel took a moment. He knew the meaning immediately, but it troubled him, and he turned away from the king to hide his emotion.

The king respected Daniel enough to wait, but he wanted to assure him that it was OK to say whatever it was that the dream meant. He called him by his Babylonian name:

Daniel 4:19 (ESV)

“Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!”

And then he explained the terrible meaning of the dream.

Daniel 4:22–25 NLT

That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth. “ ‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.” “ ‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.

It was a sobering meaning, and the heart of the king responded with a smidge of humility, for a short time. But as we all experience, a word from the Lord is quickly forgotten unless it is kept in front of our minds. Nebuchadnezzar let the business of ruling and building get in the way, and before long his pride had welled up in him again.

Standing on the veranda of his palace, gazing out over the beautiful city he said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30) As the question trailed off, a voice came from heaven saying,

Daniel 4:31–32 (ESV)

“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.”

At that very moment Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity left him. He was no longer wise—he wasn’t even coherent. He was no longer a mighty conquerer—he was fearful and nervous. He no longer lived in luxury and prosperity—he slept under the stars and ate grass and dirt like an animal.

Some people would suggest that outside the Bible there is no evidence that Nebuchadnezzar had any lapse in his reign. And why would there be? A nation embarrassed by their king would not readily share that with the world. They would shelter him and hide him away. If another king had killed him and taken his place there would have been a record, but what we have instead is silence.

In fact, that’s one of the best evidences for the truth of Daniel’s account. From 582 to 575 B.C., we have no records of acts or royal decrees made by Nebuchadnezzar. This is unusual in a time when decrees and royal acts were carefully recorded and cataloged. (https://www.againstdoubt.com/seven-years-a-madman/)

It is highly plausible that Daniel, the regent under the king, ran the country and preserved the throne for Nebuchadnezzar until the 7-year period passed. And when it was all over, Nebuchadnezzar had some amazing things to say about God.

Daniel 4:34–35 NLT

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

Daniel 4:37 ESV

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.

Conclusion

It may be that as we have reviewed this wild story of Nebuchadnezzar you feel disconnected. Like this couldn’t possibly relate to your experiences in life. After all, no one here is a king, but less the king of an empire like Babylon. You’re not a pagan who worships gods of metal and wood and stone. And God hasn’t given you vivid dreams like he did to Nebuchadnezzar. And besides all that, you don’t have Nebuchadnezzar’s problem with pride.

You may not be a king, but God has given you gifts and opportunities in life. What have you made of your God given gifts? Have you put them to good use, and have they brought you prosperity? Then you are in a similar place as Nebuchadnezzar. It’s not hard to have pride well up in us as we look at something we’ve accomplished.

Do you rule the kingdom of your home? Men, this is our particular challenge, but some women struggle here too. Nebuchadnezzar ruled with a sense of justice and fairness, but it was really with an iron fist—it had to be his way or else something really bad was going to happen. Sometimes we have pride and arrogance in the positions of authority that God has given us in our homes or our workplace.

What about the intellectual and spiritual aspects of our lives? Do we approach learning, and especially religion, with sincere hearts of humility and teachability? Do we have the humility of a person who has been face-to-face with their creator and has realized how truly humbled and helpless they are? Or do we have such a pride of our own opinions that we cannot be taught by anyone?

Pride is the root of self-exaltation, and all of us struggle with it. So, this story is for you. And it’s application is essential for your Christian walk.

Like Nebuchadnezzar, each of us must come to a moment of realization—some of us more than once. The realization comes through a crisis in your life. Maybe its when you’ve gotten everything you ever wanted and it just doesn’t satisfy. If not this, then what else do you think you need? What more can you get that will finally satisfy? It’s not until you’re are at the top of it all that you look up and ask, “is this all there is? Is it possible that there is something / someone beyond me that can satisfy the longing of my heart?”

God tried that with Nebuchadnezzar. He gave him everything he could have ever dreamed of, and then gave him visions on top of that to show him that all this was a gift from God. But Nebuchadnezzar did exactly what Lucifer had done—he took his God-given gifts and used them to glorify himself.

How fitting that Isaiah used the leader of Babylon as a symbol for Lucifer’s rebellion in heaven:

Isaiah 14:13–14 ESV

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; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

Nebuchadnezzar made those same, haughty, prideful statements of superiority—spitting in the face of the Creator and Giver of every good gift.

And so God did what he promised he would do in Luke 14:11

Luke 14:11 ESV

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Nebuchadnezzar lay mostly naked on the bare ground, eating dirt. A humbling experience for the man who literally ran the world. He couldn’t connect his thoughts to his words. Everything was a jumble. He was paranoid of everything, and delusional—thinking he was a cow.

Some of us are like Nebuchadnezzar. We need a crisis of loosing—where we’re flat on our backs and helpless—before we ever look up and say, “I am the lowest of all people. Is there someone who can help me?”

Oh that we would learn the lesson early and keep it close to our hearts for all our lives:

The Most High Rules the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever He wills. We have our positions of authority, our posessions, our talents and capabilities as a gift from the King.

The God of heaven has an everlasting and universal dominion. He endures from one generation to the next—he has existed long before time began, and compared to him, humans are like a puff of smoke or a blade of grass that lasts for a few weeks in the summer. With his awesome power he does good and right and just things. And in his mercy he humbles the proud and saves the humble in their distress.

We are all children. Children of the King of Kings, but still, children. Let us learn to trust and follow our Father, the king, whether he sets us on a throne of responsibility, or gives us a lowly position of service.

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Please stand with me and sing our closing hymn: #468, A Child of the King.