HUMBLE PIE

Introduction

-Years ago the job website Monster did a survey in the UK asking workers if they took credit for other people’s work at their job site. 7% of respondents said that they frequently took credit for other people’s work and 3% said that they did it at least once.

-I don’t know if that has ever happened to you in the workplace. I know, lately, due to some shenanigans by some pastors, plagiarism of sermons has become a hot topic. Really, what that is, is taking credit for a sermon when somebody else did the work. I don’t plagiarize sermons, but the past few years I have created my sermon notes in Logos Bible software and they are uploaded onto the web for other pastors to see. So, who knows, there might be people preaching my sermons saying that they were their own.

-We all know that taking credit for someone else’s work is wrong unless given permission to do so (and, even in some of those cases it’s wrong). But the workplace is not the only area where that might happen. People have a tendency to toot their own horn about their accomplishments in life without giving the credit to where the credit is really due—and that’s with God.

-People have a tendency to boast about things that they ought not boast about. We know that the Bible has a lot to say about pride and bragging being sin and the root of sin and how humility is to be the mark of a believer in God. But this boasting is not merely a wrong thing to do, it is actually highly inaccurate because we know that every good and perfect gift comes from God above.

-If God does the giving and the working, He ought to get the credit for it too. As God says

Isaiah 42:8 ESV

8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

-God alone is sovereign, He alone has the power and ability, so nobody else ought to be taking credit for what He does. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. And if someone doesn’t seem to let that register in their life, God might serve them a slice of humble pie.

-King Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful monarch, but that power did not come from himself, although he thought that it did. Because of these false beliefs, Nebuchadnezzar needed to learn a lesson, and like most people, he had to learn it the hard way. There is a lot of Scripture reading to do today, but hopefully we learn that any boasting we might do, let our boast be in the Lord and what He has accomplished for us through Jesus Christ.

1) The King’s Vanity

Daniel 4:1–30 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.” 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?”

-The chapter is really written from Nebuchadnezzar’s point of view, and the first three verses are a reflection by the king after the events of this chapter.

-Nebuchadnezzar had seen what Israel’s God can do—he has seen God’s power and sovereignty at work. He knows it was God who interpreted his first dream and saved the three Hebrews from the fiery furnace. And still, after all that, he will not give God the glory that is due Him.

-Sure, Nebuchadnezzar recognized Yahweh’s existence, but merely added Him to his pantheon of gods. But even with all of these gods to choose from, Nebuchadnezzar gave credit for his greatness to only one person—Nebuchadnezzar himself. That’s what he does in v. 30—look at the city I built, and all that’s in it that I made, etc. He seemed to deny any heavenly authority working on his behalf. Rather, it was all about how great Nebuchadnezzar was. I’m surprised he didn’t pull his shoulder out of joint patting himself on the back like that so much.

-God obviously did not like Nebuchadnezzar taking the credit for what God alone had done, so He gave the king another dream. In this dream there was tree, which culturally was a symbol of the power and regal authority of a monarch. This tree reached all the way up to heaven and was strong and it provided food and shade for all the animals. But the tree would be cut down and stripped of everything. Yet the stump would remain and would have a protection put around it.

-Again, Nebuchadnezzar was freaked out about the dream and he tried to have all his magicians and sorcerers to tell him the meaning of the dream, but just like last time they aren’t able to do it. So the king calls for Daniel and after Daniel hear’s the dream, and knowing the meaning of the dream, fears for the king. The tree represents Nebuchadnezzar who would be judged by God. He would literally go insane and have the mind of a beast and be out in the field and eat grass, all because of his pride.

-God was teaching him a lesson that God alone truly rules and reigns, not Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar is not as great as he thinks he is. God gives and God takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

-But there does seem to be a chance that the king can prevent this from happening if he would only heed Daniel’s advice:

Daniel 4:27 ESV

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.”

-Just be humble and show mercy and practice righteousness. That’s all he had to do. But according to v. 29 the king had a year to ponder on this and make a change—give glory to God, not oneself. But instead, he brags on himself, and so the judgment is brought to bear. So, next we see:

2) The King’s Insanity

Daniel 4:31–33 ESV

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.

-Nebuchadnezzar’s mind was taken from him. He acted like an animal because he had the mind of an animal. He was grazing grass, his hair grew and was matted, his nails grew to become like claws. Nebuchadnezzar was no longer human, he was beast, and it was God who brought that judgment on him.

-There actually is a psychological diagnosis for this kind of problem called zoanthropy, which is the condition of insanity in which people think of themselves as an animal, particularly an ox. But it was God that brought this down on him to humble him.

-It says that the king was in this condition for 7 periods of time. The problem is that it doesn’t specify what those periods of time are. They could be months or years. The Bible also doesn’t specify where they kept Nebuchadnezzar during this period of time (in a special garden in the palace or out in the wild?

-My biggest question is if it was 7 years, how could he have kept his throne without someone making a power play for it, and how was the country run while he was in that shape. On author speculates that Daniel’s love and care for his monarch led to some carefully constructed and restricted area inside palace grounds where the demented king could roam out of the sight of his subjects. And the author speculated that Daniel ruled in his place.

-That is all speculation. We do know that due to his pride God humbled the king. The king thought he was even greater than God, and then he was made lower than a beast to teach him that THE MOST HIGH RULES THE KINGDOM OF MEN AND GIVES IT TO WHOM HE WILL.

-But God did not keep him that way...

3) The King’s Return to Humanity

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.

-Even to a prideful, pagan king God shows mercy and grace. After the 7 periods of time God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to have a moment of sanity where he could look to heaven, ask God for forgiveness, and admit that Yahweh God is the Most High God above all others.

-After Nebuchadnezzar came to that realization God restored to the king the kingdom and everything that was taken from him. And just like the beginning of the chapter, Nebuchadnezzar gives praise and glory because of His power and might.

-There is an interesting debate among scholars about whether or not Nebuchadnezzar really came to a saving faith. He may have merely recognized Yahweh as being more powerful than his other gods, so Yahweh was at the top of the list and made him chief. But either way, we now have a pagan king recognizing that pride is wrong and God is great. Something that all of us need to recognize.

Conclusion

-Some lessons we can take from this chapter is to give God credit where credit is due. Do not steal His glory. Do not take credit for yourself. You may have talent in certain areas, but who gave you that talent? You say that you have the resources to do this or that, but who gave you those resources. Every single thing you have is based on the sovereignty and will of God. You and I have nothing to boast about. We join Paul in saying:

Galatians 6:14 ESV

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

-And we most definitely cannot boast in having a part in our own salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

-So, let us pray that we and all the world would humble themselves before God and give Him the credit and praise He is due....