When Beauty Became a Beast
Remaining Holy in a Hostile World • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
In 1991, Disney released their version of a 18th century French Fairy Tale, Beauty and the Beast. The tale tells the story of a young prince changed into a Beast. Part of the reason was to teach him a lesson. As the narrator says, “If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?” King Nebuchadnezzar was about to get a similar lesson. He had been warned through a dream. The meaning of the dream as revealed by God to Daniel had been proclaimed. Daniel had made a warning known to the King. The ball was in the King’s court. Would he heed the words of Daniel which told him Daniel 4:27 “Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”” Would this warning be heeded or the consequences laid forth? We pick back up in verse 28 of chapter 4.
Pride Before the Fall (Daniel 4:28-30)
Pride Before the Fall (Daniel 4:28-30)
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
It appears that the dream and warning stayed with the King, yet it says that it wasn’t a long extension. A year. It came to pass everything that had been prophesied against him came to pass. It took a year, but it came to pass.
As I mentioned last week. Prophecy is all about affecting real time change in the reader/hearer at that moment. Yes, there is something that will happen in the future (or the Out of Time), but it is to affect real time change with the hearer right then and there. The warning seemed to have worked at least for the short term with the King. It didn’t happen that day, that week, that month, or after several months. Maybe he thought he was off the hook. He was coasting through life. A year passes. Then it happened.
The scene is painted with the words. He was walking about the royal palace of Babylon.
Is not this great Babylon? Is this the place the royal dwelling that I have built with my power and might for my honor of my majesty!
Amplified Bible Chapter 4
The king said, Is not this the great Babylon that I have built as the royal residence and seat of government by the might of my power and for the honor and glory of my majesty?
New Living Translation Chapter 4
Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’
There is a pride and arrogance BEFORE. As Solomon would write:
Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
This pride and arrogance was going to be his undoing.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.
A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
The Voice From Heaven (Daniel 4:31-32)
The Voice From Heaven (Daniel 4:31-32)
While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
New Living Translation Chapter 4
While these words were still in his mouth
The words / thoughts barely had left his mouth and/or mind when judgment was pronounced. The decree of the Watchers, the sentinels of Almighty God spoke from Heaven.
Have you ever made a statement or asked a question in an “empty” room and you got an answer that you were not expecting, by someone you had no idea was listening. I am sure Nebuchadnezzar’s mind flashed to the dream, the meaning, and the warning from Daniel in a second of time as his core was shaken.
To you it is spoken (this message is for you!) This is not just a dream. This dream is coming to reality.
The Kingdom has Departed from you
His power is gone.
He is no longer the ruler of Babylon
In a heart beat he is not king.
In an intense he doesn’t rule Babylon.
Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
God gives power and God can take it away like that!
2. They (the watchers)shall drive from men / dwelling shall be with the beast of the field
Your clothes
Your palace that you are bragging out
Your riches
All mean nothing.
He won’t be with people, but with the animals.
3. They (the watchers) will make him eat grass like cows!
4. 7 times (most likely months, but once again we are unsure).
5. until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses
No matter how powerful a human power seems, God is more powerful and in the blink of an eye everything can change. That is what happened to Nebuchadnezzar.
The Beast (Daniel 4:33)
The Beast (Daniel 4:33)
That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
The prophesy was made a reality just as Daniel 4:25 “They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
At that same hour the word was accomplished upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was banished from humanity and he began eating fodder like a bull. His body was washed by the dew of heaven until his hair was lengthened like that of lions and his nails like those of birds.
He was driven from people. Contrast with the fact that he ruled over people was served by people.
His grand palace of dwelling was changed to the fields where animals graze.
Whereas he could have anything he wanted to eat in the palace and wine to drink now he was reduced to eating grass.
Whereas he had been arraigned in fine clothing, jewels, and all the comforts that Babylon could over he was now clothed in the dew of Heaven.
His appearance that he had people groom him and pamper him was covered with hair that looked like feathers on an eagle and his nailed grew out to look like talons.
Everything that he had now was taken away for this season! The most powerful person in the world brought so low that he was below the servants and slaves. To be on the same level as the animals.
Daniel 4:16 “Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him.”
Yet, God keeps His promises. This was not the end of the story! This was not a forever curse. Let’s see what happens next.
Redemption (Daniel 4:34-37)
Redemption (Daniel 4:34-37)
And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding 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 is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain 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 honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
Going back to his letter and audience in his kingdom as he tells of this testimony.
At the end of those periods of time (months / years) this beast lifts his eyes to Heaven and his mind is made well. The insanity was over. His mind made whole.
As at the beginning of the chapter at the beginning of his letter, he praises and blesses the Most High God!
Blessed the Most High God
Praises and Honor Him
God Lives forever
God’s Dominion (Kingdom) is everlasting! Longer than King Nebuchadnezzar
Kingdom lasts from generation to generation
People have no power (remember Psalm 2)
Cannot say what have you done?
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Not only did his reason and mind return, but the kingdom of Babylon and the glory with it was also restored to him.
Restoration happened.
It was even better than before.
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
There was a change!
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
The redemption and salvation of Nebuchadnezzar. I truly believe we will see King Nebuchadnezzar in Heaven.
The Church in Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness 9. Taking the Cross into the World: Shamelessly Sharing the One Message That Can Save Us
grace is so contrary to the way we think because it is bestowed without any reference to merit. In fact, grace is most clearly seen when there is absolutely no merit at all. Grace is unlimited to those who receive it.
Erwin Lutzer
No One is Beyond Hope / Conclusion
No One is Beyond Hope / Conclusion
This account of King Nebuchadnezzar should remind us that no one is beyond hope.
The Church in Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness 9. Taking the Cross into the World: Shamelessly Sharing the One Message That Can Save Us
I read a fascinating book titled Mission at Nuremberg, the story of a Lutheran pastor who was the chaplain to the twenty-one Nazis who were hanged in Nuremburg. (Hermann Goring cheated the executioners by swallowing a cyanide capsule the night before his scheduled execution.) The American government decided that there should be a chaplain for these criminals. Some people disagreed, but nonetheless, Henry Gerecke was chosen. He was from St. Louis but spoke German fluently, and so was asked to be the chaplain to these criminals.
People admonished him. “You should not shake hands with these men!” He replied, “If they are to believe my message, I have to be friendly to them,” so he shook hands and interacted with them. Among the twenty-one prisoners were six Catholics and fifteen Protestants. In the chapel services, some of these Nazis participated in reciting the Lord’s Prayer and knew the creed. According to Gerecke, five of these criminals, and possibly seven, came to saving faith in Jesus Christ before they died.
Ribbentrop, who was Hitler’s foreign minister, before he was executed, said that “he put his trust in the blood of the Lamb that takes the away the sin of the world.”19
The fact that some of Hitler’s evil henchmen will be in heaven is offensive to us, especially when we realize that some of those whom they tormented might not join them in the heavenly city. But that is exactly a part of the scandal of the cross: grace pays no attention to the depths of our sin, it only asks that we believe the gospel.
In the introduction I brought up Disney’s animated film, Beauty and the Beast. Animator Glen Keane (son of the late cartoonist Bil Keane the creator of Family Circle) was the supervising animator for the character of the Beast. In one of the special features on the DVD of Beauty and the Beast Glen Keane talked about the transformation scene toward the end of the movie when the Beast turns back into Prince Adam. He begins by telling how he had waited for such a long time to do this scene. That it was like dessert. He looked at the schedule and was only going to have a week to do that. After going to the directors they told him to take his time. He went to some art museums for inspiration for this powerful scene. He then goes onto say and this a direct quote, “As I started to animating it I realized it, for me, it is really an expression of my spiritual life. There is a verse in the Bible that says that ‘if any man is in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, and all things have become new.’ I wrote that on my exposure sheet there as I was drawing this, because it really is about an inner. a spiritual transformation that is taking place with the Beast. I saw it as a parallel with my own life that I got to express that. It was sincere it was real for me. It was very real for the Prince. I don’t know if there every is an illustration more clear to what can take place in a person’s life spiritually than this animated character transforming from an animal to the Prince.”
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Has your heart of a beast been transformed by the power of Jesus Christ? Are you a new creation in Christ? Have you been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ? You are not beyond hope. No matter what you have done in your past, no matter what you might be doing now, you can repent and turn to Jesus Christ to change your life. He wants to change you!
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
You must be born again! Born from above!