Faithful Humility

What was a humbling experience you have had in your life, whether profound and impacting or just funny?

How did this experience shape you for the future?

Tonight, we are going to be looking at how God humbled N to the point he recognized Him as the one true God.

Let’s dig into the scripture.

Daniel 4:1–27 ESV

1 King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. 4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 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. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 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, 9 “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. 10 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. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 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. 13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 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. 15 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. 16 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. 17 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.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because 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 gods is in you.” 19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “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! 20 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, 21 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— 22 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. 23 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,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 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. 26 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. 27 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.”

How do you see the king’s pride at work even before the dream is described?

What did Nebuchadnezzar see?

He saw a tree which had reached the heavens or to the sky. The tree provided for all living creatures around it. He saw an agent from heaven command the tree to be cut down and all of its foliage stripped. The roots and the trunk were to be bound in iron. The tree would have its mind turned into that of an animal and it would sweat greatly. It would get its nourishment like the beast of the field.

Why was he so afraid of the vision he saw?

I think N knew the main subject of this dream was about him. I think the images were disturbing enough to him he realized something awful was on its way.

Why might Daniel have been worried about interpreting the dream?

The meaning of this dream was going to be hard for anyone to endure, much less a king who was used to having everything at his beck and call. He was used to the finest things in life. To understand that this was going to come to an end for seven years and he would live among the animals and eat like they did would have to be horrible to hear.

What would the dream mean for Nebuchadnezzar?

Utter humiliation in front of the whole world.

Daniel 4:28–33 ESV

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and 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?” 31 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, 32 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.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

If you notice, a year has passed when N walked out in the palace and was amazed at what all he had amassed. This is when the Lord allowed the dream to come true.

How was Nebuchadnezzar’s pride confirmed in this passage?

By the way he was reacting to his kingdom and taking credit for what all he had accomplished and not recognizing God as to having any part of it. Especially after he had been warned of what was going to happen.

What can we learn from the events in this passage? What should we take away about heeding God’s instruction and warning?

I think we need to realize if God said He is going to do something, it is going to happen. I think we need to take God at His word and put our total trust and faith in Him.

Daniel 4:34–37 ESV

34 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; 35 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?” 36 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. 37 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.

Did this mean Nebuchadnezzar was truly changed, that he had truly surrendered to Israel’s God?

Some say yes, some say no. We don’t read anymore about N in Daniel. In the next chapter, we see his son, Belshazzar take over after the death of his father. You would like to think with the last verse of the chapter, that N had come to his senses and recognized who God was.

Why is it important that we seek lasting change through repentance and not only momentary change?

When dealing with kids at school, a lot of the times when kids say they are sorry, they aren’t sorry of the actions they have done, they are sorry they got caught. There is a distinct difference.

If you are sorry you got caught for doing something, you really are confessing you weren’t smart enough to pull it off, and you’ll learn from your mistakes and be smarter the next time. The change is only going to be temporary at best.

When we truly regret something we have done, there is a true repentance. We are going to try and turn from what we have done and not go back to it. We are going to try and be better than what we were before. Many times this can only be done through a true conversion of the Holy Spirit in our lives and allowing Him to work to help us become more of what God wants us and needs us to be.

Questions to think about:

Where does pride creep into your life and heart the most? What are the unsuspecting ways the pride comes to the surface?

How has the Lord humbled you in these areas? How have those experiences deepened your faith and fueled your worship?

Where are you currently taking pride in your own kingdom? Your work? Your family? Your social standing? What needs to change?