Daniel: Pride Comes Before a Fall

Intro

Can you see the stars?

If you look out the window can you see the stars?

What if I told you there was a way that you could, right now, in the middle of the day, see the stars?

You might think that you would need to climb up really high and stick your head out of the atmosphere so you could see.... but no.

You need to do something counter-intuitive - you need to go down.

Down down down.

You need to dig a really deep hole - like a well or something.

And if you go all the way down to the bottom of the well, then you can look up. Without the glare of the sun blinding you, you can see the stars, even in the day time.

When the other things are stripped away, we can behold the beauty.

Today’s passage tell us about the counter-intuitive way of our faith that we need to go down, so that we can see God’s glory shine.

Neb. is an object lesson in humility being the road to God.

God brings people down so that God’s Glory can shine.

Recap:

God’s Faithfulness in Exile - To a people in Exile, the message of Daniel is a comforting one.

Most of the story so far has been around Neb. but we’re coming to the end.

If this was a TV show we would talk about his “character story arc”.

God gave Neb. everything he had, but he was letting it go to his head.

Warning in the dream of the Statue - that he wouldn’t last, and that God was the one who appointed and deposed powers. Neb “heard” but didn’t heed.

The blasphemous image & furnace, arrogant presumption. But God showed him up, and he realized that the God of the Jews was powerful, over the king. But once again Neb “heard” but didn’t heed.

It is coming to a resolution, one more time Neb. will “hear” but not heed.

Form of the Chapter = ABBA

Intro v1-3

The Setup - Vision & interpretation v4-27

The Climax - Vision come true v28-36

Conclusion v37

Because the chapter is structured that way, we will follow that form in this sermon. 4 Parts.

We will see that God brings people down so that God’s Glory can shine.

1. Intro v1-3

From the outset things are looking up. This part of Daniel is presented as a letter/record from Neb. himself of what God had done in his life!

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.

Great start! Unlike the intervening perion between Ch 2 & 3, Neb. seems to have remembered the Most High God. But as we will see - this was not without a hard road.

Neb. is pointing to God! It is “his pleasure” to praise the most High God!

God’s kingdom, not Neb. will endure.

He is “undoing” the blasphemy of Ch3 where he tried to dominate over all peoples and nations and rulers, as a kind of reverse Babel, but now he speaks to all the peoples to show them the power of the Most High God!

But! God will need to bring Neb. down so that God’s Glory can shine.

2. The Setup - Vision & interpretation v4-27

Neb. living the good life - good long reign. Lots of kingdom building activity.

Familiar story - king has a dream he can’t understand, but Daniel’s God has the answer.:

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.)

Daniel is the one who can help because of His God - Holy Gods Spirit in him.

What is the vision?

Daniel 4:10–17 NIV

These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed. “In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. “ ‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. “ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’

Watchers? Spiritual beings - go before God. They have agency - they are given missions. And this one was carrying out his mission

Switch of 1st person to Third - letter was likely dictated, but even so, it is almost as though Neb. is not this person anymore. He is describing a story that happened to someone else!

What is the meaning of the dream? Tree (symbol of life and power) is Neb. It is a benefit to many, but it will be cut down.

All for what - so Neb. acknowledges the Most High God rules - not him.

Neb. called to repent!

Daniel 4:27 NIV

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.”

Opportunity given, also like Nineveh.

God brings people down so that God’s Glory can shine.

3. The Climax - Vision come true v28-36

In that pattern, Neb. had heard the interpretation of the vision, but he didn’t heed it. Life goes on and he forgets about it. A year latter the vision is fulfilled:

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.

Self importance - never mind the builder who actually did the work, or soldiers who won the wars, Neb. failed to honor the Most High God!

God brings the vision to pass!

He form his lofty heights becomes less than a man. He looses his faculties. “like an ox”

God uses a mental illness to humble Neb.

How long is 7 times? Could have been 7 months. Dunno, but it was a perfect amount. A complete amount.

Daniel 4:34–36 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.

Switch back to 1st person at 34 - a new man.

What was the catalyst for his return? Looking to God. Honoring God.

God is the truly free agent. God is the true power, and establisher of Neb. power, prestige and wealth.

God is beyond reproach!

God gives back what he had taken away.

God doesn’t always solve all your problems when you look to him and praise Him, but it is worth considering in the midst of your circumstances - is God leading you through a deep trial to purge you of your pride?

Judgement can be disciplinary - God hands us over to sin (or out of the Church) to bring us to our senses.

God brings people down so that God’s Glory can shine.

4. Conclusion v37

Neb. ties off the letter with a repeat of his opening.

Daniel 4:37 NIV

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 a change from the Neb. of earlier chapters!

Through Humiliation he was lifted up to glorify God (and there is not greater honor than that!)

Through madness he was able to come to his senses.

It was like a figurative death - less than a man, restored - even greater than before!! Like Job before him.

The Humiliation of Christ

Left his lofty abode

Took on human flesh

Took on our Sin -

Entered into death

Rose from death - to bring Glory to God! Not humiliated to get proper perspective, but because he was making a new humanity.

A tree that never falls - everlasting kingdom.

Putting God in his proper place of honor.

Learning the scriptures - they testify to who God is and his might acts of power.

Worshiping him - worship doesn’t add anything to God, he deserves it, but worship shapes us to inculcate in us God’s worth.

Prayer - Recognizing our limitations and that we need his power.

Humble ourselves before him - Confess Sin.

Our humiliation is for God’s Glory - when we get out of the way, God shines through! He can work in us!

God will have his way - either by your voluntary repentance - or by his judgment.

In this case Neb. got off “lightly” because God had purposed to win him over and shine through him.

God will make us new people - resurrecting us spiritually by HS through new birth - born again. But Also physically - he will perfect us an make us greater than we were before.

God brings people down so that God’s Glory can shine!

Let’s make ourselves low with this famous

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold

Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter

Thy stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty

Thy glory in my valley.