God Verses Pride

TEXT: Daniel 4

TOPIC: God Verses Pride

Wednesday night 6/19/96

Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church, Icard, NC

Sermon gleaned from Joel Gregory’s Sermon Synopses

It is a basic, biblical truth that God sets His face against pride. Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (KJV)

Pride is a deadly sin. Again, Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (KJV)

The Word of God reveals a dramatic confrontation between God and the pride of Nebuchadnezzar, the arrogant king of Babylon. The King gave his own testimony concerning the power of God to confront and humble the proud. What you see on a grand scale with Nebuchadnezzar may happen on a small scale with anyone.

God always confronts the proud and ultimately brings them to the place of humility.

I. THE WORD OF GOD REVEALS THE ROOTS OF HUMAN PRIDE

A. THE PRIDE OF ENGROSSMENT, VV 4, 29-30

B. THE PRIDE OF ESTABLISHMENT, VV. 10, 22

C. THE PRIDE OF ENLARGEMENT, VV 11,22

D. THE PRIDE OF ENHANCEMENT, V 12

E. THE PRIDE OF ENDOWMENT, V 12

Those qualities which provoked Nebuchadnezzar’s pride abide in every generation as temptations to hurtful and obnoxious pride before God.

II. THE WORD OF GOD REVEALS DIVINE JUDGEMENT ON HUMAN PRIDE

A. GOD’S JUDGEMENT IS APPROPRIATE IN ITS ANNOUNCEMENT

(vv. 14, 31)

B. GOD’S JUDGEMENT I\MAY BE TOTAL IN ITS ABASEMENT v 14

1. When God deals with the man of pride that man is first

Diminished, 14 One word from God can cut a man down to human size.

2. Such a one when judged may also be Deserted. 14

3. He may also become Deranged, 15

4. The greatest judgment on the great king may be the fact that he was Dehumanized, 16, 25, 33

2, God Verses Pride

Nebuchadnezzar not only lived where the animals lived, he lived as an animal. He went from the palace to the pasture.

5. But thank God for His mercy, for His judgment is often Delineated. 16

C. GOD’S JUDGMENT IS PURPOSEFUL IN ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT

(vv. 17, 25, 32)

The purpose of Almighty God is to teach men His absolute sovereignty and His divine mercy.

Therefore,

D. GOD’S JUDGMENT IS PURPOSEFUL IN ITS ACCOMPANIMENT

(vv. 26-27) also verse 17

If Nebuchadnezzar will repent, God will temper His judgment.

III. GOD’S WORD REVEALS GOD’S MERCY TOWARD THOSE WHO REPENT

A. THE PATHWAY TO WHOLENESS BEGINS WITH A RESIGNATION TO DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY v. 34

B. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT THERE IS A RESTORATION OF HUMAN RATIONALITY, v. 34

“The insanity of that characterizes today’s leaders will be healed only when they too look up!”

C. THIS LED TO A RECOGNITION OF DIVINE ETERNITY, v. 34

D. IN IT ALL THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL REALIZATION OF DIVINE EQI\UITY, v. 36

In His great mercy God does not want to crush the proud man but to redeem him!