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Daniel 4:1-37 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to Daniel chapter 4.
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!
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The second theme is the immovable sovereignty of God.
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And this is often seen in juxtaposition to the rise and the fall of man, and it is seen by God's hand.
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We will see today that it is God who does the raising up and the bringing low.
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And thirdly, we'll see time and time again the resilient faith of Daniel and his friends in a hostile culture.
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Now, I'll say this theme is not well developed in this chapter of the book.
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It's a lesser theme, but we will see that Daniel is still serving in the court, and he is still willing to speak on behalf of God.
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So Daniel chapter 4, beginning at verse 1, before I read, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's Word to us.
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It's inspired, it's authoritative, it's sufficient.
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And it was written for his glory and our good.
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And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Daniel chapter 4, beginning in verse 1.
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King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied to you.
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It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
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How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders.
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His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
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I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace.
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I saw a dream that made me afraid.
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As I lay in bed, the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me.
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So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me,
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and that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
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Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in.
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And I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation.
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At last Daniel came in before me.
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He who was named Beltegazar after the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.
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And I told him the dream, saying,
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O Beltegazar, chief of the magicians,
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because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and that no mystery is too difficult for you.
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Tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.
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The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these.
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I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.
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The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven,
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and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.
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Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all.
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The beasts of the field found shade under it,
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and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was spread from it.
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I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.
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He proclaimed aloud and said thus,
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Chop down the tree and top off its branches.
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Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
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Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
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But leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
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bound with a band of iron and bronze amid the tender grass of the field.
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Let him be wet with the dew of heaven.
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Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
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Let his mind be changed from man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him,
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and let seven periods of time pass over him.
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The sentence is by the decree of the watchers,
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the decision by the word of the holy ones,
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to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men,
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and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men.
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This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw.
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And you, O Beltegazar, tell me the interpretation,
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because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation.
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But you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
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Then Daniel, whose name was Beltegazar, was dismayed for a while,
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and his thoughts alarmed him.
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The king answered and said,
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Beltegazar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.
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Beltegazar answered and said,
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My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you,
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and its interpretation for your enemies.
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The tree you saw, which grew and became strong,
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so that its top reached to heaven,
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and it was visible to the end of the whole earth,
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whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit abundant,
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and which was food for all,
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under which beasts of the field found shade,
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and whose branches the birds of the heavens lived.
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It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong.
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Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven,
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and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
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And because the king saw a watcher,
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a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
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Chop down the tree and destroy it,
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but leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
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bound with a band of iron and bronze,
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in the tender grass of the field,
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and let him be wet with the dew of heaven,
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and let his portion be with the beasts of the field,
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till seven periods of time pass over him.
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This is the interpretation, O king.
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It is a decree of the Most High,
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which has come upon my lord, the king,
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that you shall be driven from among men,
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and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field.
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You shall be made to eat grass like an ox,
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and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven,
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and seven periods of time shall pass over you,
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till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men,
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and gives it to whom he will.
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And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree,
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your kingdom shall be confirmed for you
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from the time that you know that heaven rules.
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Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you.
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Break off your sins by practicing righteousness,
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and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed,
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that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.
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All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
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At the end of twelve months,
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he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
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and the king answered and said,
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Is not this great Babylon which I have built by my mighty power
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as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?
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While the words were still in the king's mouth,
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there fell a voice from heaven,
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O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken.
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The kingdom has departed from you,
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and you shall be driven from among men,
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and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field.
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You shall be made to eat grass like an ox,
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and seven periods of time shall pass over you,
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until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men,
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and gives it to whom he will.
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Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar.
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He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox,
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and his body was wet with the dew of heaven,
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till his hair grew as long as an eagle's feathers,
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and his nails were like bird's claws.
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At the end of the days,
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I, Nebuchadnezzar,
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lifted my eyes to heaven,
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and my reason returned to me.
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And I blessed the Most High
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and praised and honored him who lives forever,
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for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
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and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
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All the inhabitants of the earth
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are accounted as nothing,
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and he does according to his will
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among the host of heaven
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and among the inhabitants of the earth.
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And none can stay his hand
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or say to him,
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What have you done?
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At the same time,
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my reason returned to me,
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and for the glory of my kingdom,
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my majesty and splendor returned to me.
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My counselors and my lords sought me,
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and I was established in my kingdom,
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and still more greatness was added to me.
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Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
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praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,
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for all his works are right
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and his ways are just,
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and those who walk in pride
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he is able to humble.
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All right.
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We have about 30 minutes to cover the content.
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Of this text.
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Before we do,
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before we get into the meat of it
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and the driving point of it,
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I want to deal with the first three verses
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and consider how they relate to the last 34.
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Now there's two explanations of this.
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I'm going to give you the first one,
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which I think is a probable explanation of it,
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and that is that it's a precursor,
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it's an introduction to the rest of the story
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that he's in advance saying,
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here's the thing I intend to tell you,
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and then he launches into this story.
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It's very possible that this is the meaning of it.
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However, I'd like to suggest to you
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the more unpopular opinion,
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which I always hate when I hold the more unpopular opinion,
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and that is that the first three verses of chapter four
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actually belong with the end of chapter three,
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which is the story that we studied last week there,
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and I'm going to do that for a couple of reasons.
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Number one, the medieval translation places these verses,
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verses one through three, at the end of chapter three.
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So once upon a time, this was the case.
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They were chapter three, verse 31 through 34,
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and it was Martin Luther who changed the chapter
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and verse break to have chapter three end with verse 30.
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Now we know that chapter and verse breaks are not inspired.
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There's a good example of that.
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It was changed, so we're left with the task
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of figuring out how these stories carry along together.
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But I think it belongs with the story
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at the end of chapter three,
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the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
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the great idol in the plain that they were asked to worship
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and thrown into the fiery furnace as a result,
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because it contains in it a familiar phrase
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found in the beginning of chapter three.
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You see this in chapter three, verse four,
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people's nations and languages.
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So part of the command to bow down to this idol
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was that the people's nations and languages would do so.
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And then this to me seems to kind of cap off
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what happens there.
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First, he gives a decree, verse 29 of chapter three,
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that no one would speak against the God of Shadrach,
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Meshach, and Abednego.
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And then I suggest to you that he speaks
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in favor of that God.
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He says to all peoples, nations, and languages
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that dwell in all the earth,
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peace be multiplied to you.
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It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders
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the most high God has done for me.
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How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders.
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His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
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and his dominion endures from generation
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to generation, right?
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So placing these three verses
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at the beginning of chapter four
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connects it to the rest of chapter four,
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and I think it makes Nebuchadnezzar
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seem a bit like a crazy person.
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You may have experienced this
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in your reading of the book of Daniel,
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that he just seems so back and forth.
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But I think what we see
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at the very beginning of chapter four,
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and I'm arguing should be the end of chapter three,
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I think we're actually witnessing
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Nebuchadnezzar's conversion.
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Notice the progression of things
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that he has said about Yahweh,
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about our God, the God of Daniel
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and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
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In chapter two and verse 47,
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he says to Daniel,
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truly your God is God of gods
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and Lord of kings
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and a revealer of mysteries,
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for you have been able to reveal
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this mystery he's talking about
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the interpretation of his dream.
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So your God is God of gods
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and Lord of kings.
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Chapter three, verse 29,
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I mentioned,
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therefore I make a decree,
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any people, nation, or language
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that speaks anything against
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the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
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shall be torn limb from limb
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and their houses laid in ruins.
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For there is no other God
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who is able to rescue in this way.
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So again, the God of Shadrach, Meshach,
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and Abednego.
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But then in chapter four, verse two,
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he says,
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it has seemed good to me
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to show the signs and wonders
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that the most high God
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has done for me.
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It seems that he has come to know
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this God.
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And I'm suggesting to you
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that it's because of the occasion
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that happened on the plain of Dura
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with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
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Again, that we are observing
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the conversion of Nebuchadnezzar II.
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Now, quite frankly,
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either way you argue it,
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it's okay with me.
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But let me go a little further.
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Note that I referred to him
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as Nebuchadnezzar II.
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This is the Nebuchadnezzar the Great,
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who is the prominent historical Nebuchadnezzar.
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He was named after his grandfather
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and was the ruler under which Babylon
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became a great empire.
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Typically, when you hear
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Nebuchadnezzar reference,
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this is the Nebuchadnezzar
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that's being referred to.
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Upon his death,
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he was succeeded by his son,
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Amel Marduk,
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who was such a terrible ruler
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that he was murdered
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by his brother-in-law,
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Negal Sherazer,
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who ruled four years
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before his death.
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He was succeeded by his son,
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Labashi Marduk,
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who was another inept ruler.
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So he was assassinated
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after a nine-month rule
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and replaced with a man named Nabonidus.
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Now, this is extra-biblical
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but historical fact
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as far as history can be understood
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as factual.
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The Babylonians kept
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great historical records
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and this is the record
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that we're shown.
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Now, Nabonidus,
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in order to establish
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some sense of legitimacy,
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renamed himself
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Nebuchadnezzar III.
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He took on that name.
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Of interesting historical note,
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this is an aside,
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but when Saddam Hussein
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invaded Kuwait,
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he referred to himself
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as Nebuchadnezzar II
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simply because he didn't know
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his history well enough
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to know that Nebuchadnezzar II
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was not Nebuchadnezzar I.
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He was actually Nebuchadnezzar IV
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in that case.
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But in order to establish legitimacy,
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he was hearkening back
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to that Babylonian king
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the same way
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that Nabonidus was doing.
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Now, Nabonidus was succeeded
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by his son
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whose name was
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Balthazar.
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Nope.
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His name was Balthazar
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of chapter 5.
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There's no historical record
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that Nebuchadnezzar II
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had a son named Belshazzar.
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But there is a record
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that Nebuchadnezzar III
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had a son named Belshazzar.
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Now, Daniel 5, 2a reads,
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Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine,
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commanded that the vessels of gold
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and of silver
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that Nebuchadnezzar, his father,
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had taken out of the temple
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in Jerusalem be brought.
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And this has confused many people.
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And there's a lot of criticism
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of the book of Daniel
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because it doesn't line up
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with the historical record.
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Critics of the scripture
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used this argument to say
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this is not inspired.
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How could it be?
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It doesn't reconcile
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with the historical record.
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But the word translated
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his father
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in our English translations
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could also be translated
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his predecessor.
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So the Nebuchadnezzar
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that came before him.
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And that's very easily resolved.
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So this brings me
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to my second unpopular opinion.
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I don't know how many of you
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listen to podcasts
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or audio books,
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but do you ever listen to it
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at like one and a half speed?
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I feel like that's what I'm doing
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right now.
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For the sake of time.
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I hope you're hanging with me.
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My second unpopular opinion
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is this.
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That the Nebuchadnezzar
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of chapter 4
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verses 4 through 37
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is Nebuchadnezzar the third,
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not Nebuchadnezzar the second.
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Different Nebuchadnezzars.
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I'm going to give you
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a couple of arguments
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to this end
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and then I'll tell you
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why it matters at all.
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Why it matters a little bit.
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Number one,
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I've been really geeking out
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over the past two weeks
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over this.
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The Nebuchadnezzar
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of 4, 4 through 37
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has a dream, right?
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We see him having a dream.
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We know that Nebuchadnezzar
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has had another dream
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back in chapter 2.
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But this time,
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or this man,
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doesn't call Daniel alone
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to interpret the dream,
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but instead issues a decree.
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This is verse 6 and 7,
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that the wise men of Babylon
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should be brought before me,
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that they would make known
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the interpretation.
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So verse 7 says,
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the magicians,
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the enchanters,
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the Chaldeans,
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the astrologers.
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We've seen this happen
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before in chapter 2.
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Why would the Nebuchadnezzar
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of chapter 2
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call the same people
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who were unable to help him
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with that dream?
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If you recall in chapter 2,
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he wasn't even willing
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to tell them the dream
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because he thought
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they would just trick him.
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They would come up
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with some interpretation
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and it may or may not be.
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He wanted them to tell him
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the dream
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and they couldn't.
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And Daniel comes on the scene
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and is able to do so.
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So why would this Nebuchadnezzar
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do what he did?
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It doesn't make any sense
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that he has forgotten
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everything that happened
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the last time he had a dream
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and doesn't just call Daniel.
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Like, hey, Daniel,
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you're still in my court.
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You're the guy
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that interprets dreams.
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Secondly,
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the Nebuchadnezzar of 4,
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4 through 37
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does not seem to know
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the God of Daniel.
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We've seen in chapter 2
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and in chapter 3,
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I'm arguing the beginning
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of chapter 4,
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some expression that he does know
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this God of Daniel.
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He knows that Daniel
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worships a single God.
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in verses 8 and 9
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of chapter 4,
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this Nebuchadnezzar
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refers to
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the spirit
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of the holy gods
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that he believes
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are in Daniel.
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It's like he's heard
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a rumor
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that Daniel
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has this spirit
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and this ability,
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but he doesn't actually know
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where to locate
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its source.
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It doesn't make
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a lot of sense.
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How do we reconcile
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this with the Nebuchadnezzar
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of chapter 2's statement,
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verse 47?
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Again,
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truly your God
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is God of gods
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and Lord of kings,
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a revealer of mysteries,
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for you have been able
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to reveal this mystery.
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He goes from
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that grand statement
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in chapter 2
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to I've heard
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you have these
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holy gods
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that dwell in you.
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Third,
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in chapter 4
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in verse 30,
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this Nebuchadnezzar says,
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is not this great Babylon
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which I have built
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by my piety power
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as a royal residence
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and for the glory
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of my majesty.
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Right?
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So many argue
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that this must be
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Nebuchadnezzar II,
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but Nebuchadnezzar II
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didn't build Babylon.
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He just built it
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to its prominence.
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He built it up
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so possibly
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this is what he's saying.
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I have made it
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what it now is.
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However,
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when Nebuchadnezzar III
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took the throne,
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he decided to build
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a new palace
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and a new capital city
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in a place called Temmah.
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If my memory is
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serving me right,
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about 60 miles south
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of the prominent
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Nebuchadnezzar II,
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Babylon,
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and it was renamed
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Babylon.
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It became the new Babylon
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there.
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fourth,
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there's no historical record
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of Nebuchadnezzar II
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disappearing for seven years.
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Seven periods,
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the text says.
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In fact,
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there are many records
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indicating that he was
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present and active
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for the entirety
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of his reign.
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There's documentation
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that is still
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in the account.
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Now,
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it's possible
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that that was
20:52
fabricated,
20:54
that it's kind of
20:54
a cover-up.
20:55
We don't want anybody
20:55
to think that our king
20:56
was insane for seven years.
20:58
Very possible
20:59
explanation to that.
21:03
But,
21:03
this doesn't reconcile
21:05
with the attitude
21:06
of the Nebuchadnezzar
21:07
of chapter 4.
21:08
The very last verse,
21:09
he says,
21:10
Now I,
21:10
Nebuchadnezzar,
21:11
praise and extol
21:12
and honor the king
21:13
of heaven,
21:14
for all his works
21:15
are right
21:16
and his ways
21:16
are just,
21:18
and those who walk
21:18
in pride
21:19
he is able
21:19
to humble.
21:21
It would seem
21:22
that he would want
21:23
it to be known
21:24
of this God.
21:25
This God
21:26
had humbled him
21:27
and in this way.
21:31
When Nebuchadnezzar III
21:32
moved the capital
21:33
to Timah
21:34
and called it Babylon,
21:36
he left
21:37
at the old capital
21:38
his son,
21:40
Belshazzar.
21:41
He was left behind
21:42
in Belshazzar
21:43
to kind of co-rule
21:45
with him.
21:47
And we have records
21:48
of communication
21:48
between him
21:49
and his son,
21:51
except for a gap
21:53
in time.
21:54
Guess how long
21:55
the gap in time is?
21:57
Seven years.
21:58
There's a silence.
21:59
And it could be
22:00
for any other reason.
22:01
Maybe it was lost,
22:01
burned up,
22:02
dropped on a river.
22:03
I mean,
22:03
there could be
22:03
some other reason,
22:05
but it's so interesting
22:06
that for seven years
22:07
there appears
22:08
to be a silence
22:10
between Nebuchadnezzar III,
22:13
Nabodidus,
22:14
and his son,
22:16
Belshazzar.
22:17
So I think
22:18
that this Nebuchadnezzar
22:19
is different
22:20
from that Nebuchadnezzar
22:21
of chapters 1
22:23
through chapter 4
22:25
and verse 3.
22:26
And so I'm going
22:26
to call him
22:27
Nabodidus
22:28
from now on.
22:31
But why does this matter?
22:32
Okay, so why?
22:32
Why did I just spend
22:33
the first 15 minutes
22:34
of this
22:34
in one and a half speed
22:36
telling you this?
22:38
I don't think
22:39
it matters ultimately,
22:41
right?
22:41
So you could just
22:41
flatly disagree with me
22:42
and go,
22:43
not a chance.
22:44
As I stated,
22:45
it's the more
22:45
unpopular opinion
22:46
of the text.
22:47
You can still learn
22:48
the prominent point
22:50
of chapter 4
22:51
and disagree with me
22:52
on this matter.
22:53
But two possible reasons
22:55
I think it does matter.
22:56
I mentioned to you already
22:57
the scholarly argument
22:59
against the veracity
23:00
of the Old Testament.
23:01
This is one of those.
23:03
Daniel is historically
23:04
inaccurate.
23:06
It's very confusing
23:07
as you try to parse
23:09
through all of that.
23:10
How is it that
23:10
there's a Belshazzar?
23:12
We have no record
23:13
of a son named Belshazzar,
23:15
etc.
23:15
Those things become
23:16
problematic in believing
23:17
that this is in fact
23:18
the Word of God.
23:19
And the Word of God
23:20
is both inspired
23:22
and it's an accurate history.
23:24
So I think it's helpful
23:24
for us to reconcile
23:26
these types of things.
23:29
The other,
23:30
and I think more important
23:31
reason that I'm making
23:32
this case,
23:34
is that I think
23:35
it displays for us
23:36
kind of the manifold
23:37
mercy of God.
23:39
It seems to me,
23:41
in my estimation,
23:42
that it's not just
23:43
one proud king,
23:46
one idolatrous king,
23:48
one oppressive king
23:50
that God is merciful to,
23:52
brings to humility,
23:54
I think brings to salvation,
23:56
but it's actually two.
23:59
That God uses Daniel
24:00
and his friends
24:01
and their perseverance,
24:02
or faithful perseverance,
24:04
in a hostile culture,
24:06
to display his grace
24:09
and mercy.
24:12
I think that it's
24:14
a reverberation
24:14
of the promise
24:15
made to Abraham
24:17
in Genesis chapter 22
24:18
and verse 18,
24:19
in your offspring
24:20
shall all the nations
24:22
of the earth
24:23
be blessed.
24:25
So that's how
24:26
it warms my heart
24:27
to think,
24:27
I think this is
24:28
a different guy,
24:29
another guy
24:30
that God
24:31
is merciful to,
24:33
another proud man
24:35
that deserves
24:35
the condemnation
24:37
of God
24:37
and yet is shown
24:39
his mercy.
24:41
So,
24:42
here's the outline
24:43
for our study
24:44
this morning.
24:45
Three points
24:46
to develop
24:47
the last one
24:48
very brief.
24:49
First,
24:49
the prideful rise
24:51
of Nabonidus.
24:55
You'll have to guess
24:56
on the spelling.
24:56
Second,
24:58
the humbling fall
24:59
of Nabonidus.
25:04
And third,
25:05
the humbling rise.
25:07
of Nabonidus.
25:09
First,
25:10
the prideful rise.
25:12
This whole episode
25:13
in the book of Daniel,
25:14
all of that language,
25:16
the repetition
25:16
is meant to make
25:18
the point
25:19
that Nabonidus
25:20
is told in this dream,
25:22
this is the point,
25:24
to the end,
25:25
this is the last part
25:25
of verse 17,
25:26
to the end
25:27
that the living
25:29
may know
25:30
that the Most High
25:31
rules the kingdom
25:33
of men
25:33
and gives it
25:34
to whom he will
25:35
and sets over it
25:37
the lowliest
25:38
of men.
25:39
This is the point
25:40
of all
25:41
of chapter
25:42
four,
25:43
right?
25:44
Nabonidus
25:45
is going to be
25:46
humbled
25:47
because
25:48
God
25:49
is to be known.
25:51
Nabonidus
25:51
had yet
25:52
to understand
25:53
that while
25:53
he was a ruler,
25:55
his rule
25:55
was subject
25:56
to the King
25:57
of Kings
25:57
and the Lord
25:59
of Lords.
25:59
he did not
26:00
know
26:01
the Most High
26:02
God
26:03
and he did not
26:04
know
26:04
of his
26:05
absolute
26:06
reign.
26:07
He was
26:08
very
26:09
proud.
26:11
Recall
26:11
verses 29
26:12
and 30.
26:14
At the end
26:15
of 12 months
26:16
he was walking
26:17
on the roof
26:18
of the royal palace
26:19
of Babylon
26:19
and the king
26:21
answered and said,
26:22
is not this
26:22
great Babylon
26:23
which I have built
26:24
by my mighty power
26:26
and as a royal residence
26:27
and for the glory
26:28
of my majesty.
26:31
So a full
26:32
year later,
26:34
maybe he even
26:35
tried to keep
26:36
the pride in check
26:36
for a little while
26:37
after Daniel's
26:39
interpretation,
26:39
but a full year later
26:40
he has this moment
26:42
of great pride.
26:43
Look at what
26:44
I have done.
26:46
Look at my
26:47
power.
26:48
Look at my
26:49
majesty.
26:52
We can't be sure
26:53
if anyone was with him
26:55
on the roof.
26:56
Perhaps
26:57
somebody was.
26:58
Whether he actually
26:59
said this out loud
27:01
or not,
27:02
but it makes
27:03
no difference
27:04
because this
27:05
was the posture
27:06
of his
27:07
heart.
27:09
He thought
27:10
that it was
27:10
by his might,
27:11
by his power,
27:12
by his majesty
27:13
that he had
27:14
accomplished
27:14
these
27:15
things.
27:17
You wouldn't
27:18
say or think
27:19
such a thing
27:19
if you did not
27:20
believe it
27:21
to be true.
27:23
Now it may be
27:24
easy for us
27:25
to not find
27:25
ourselves in the text
27:26
at this point.
27:28
None of us
27:29
are kings.
27:30
I'm quite sure
27:31
of that.
27:32
None of us
27:32
have built
27:33
a city.
27:34
I'm quite sure
27:35
a palace.
27:35
I'm quite sure
27:36
of that.
27:37
Some of our homes
27:38
are bigger than
27:38
others,
27:38
but no palaces.
27:39
I'm fairly
27:40
confident.
27:41
But we should be
27:42
so careful
27:44
at this point
27:45
because we
27:46
have all
27:47
been proud
27:48
like Nabonidus.
27:50
Every one
27:51
of us.
27:52
We have all
27:52
given ourselves
27:53
credit for
27:54
things that
27:55
the Lord
27:56
accomplished.
27:57
We have said
27:58
in our hearts,
28:00
many of us
28:01
have said
28:01
out loud,
28:02
look at my
28:03
accomplishments.
28:05
Look at the
28:06
game I won.
28:07
Look at the
28:08
grades I
28:08
achieved.
28:09
Look at the
28:10
house that I
28:10
built.
28:11
Look at the
28:12
promotion that I
28:13
earned.
28:13
Look at the
28:14
way I
28:15
look.
28:16
Look at the
28:17
sermon I
28:18
preach.
28:19
Look at my
28:20
power.
28:21
Look at my
28:22
majesty.
28:25
We have all
28:26
done this
28:26
in various
28:27
ways.
28:29
Be very
28:30
careful to
28:30
not be
28:31
dismissive of
28:32
these types
28:33
of attitudes
28:33
in your
28:35
heart.
28:36
The Lord
28:37
takes this
28:37
kind of thing
28:38
seriously.
28:40
In Proverbs
28:40
16, 5,
28:42
we read,
28:42
everyone who
28:43
is arrogant
28:43
in heart
28:44
is an
28:45
abomination
28:46
to the
28:46
Lord.
28:47
Be assured
28:48
he will
28:49
not go
28:50
unpunished.
28:53
This
28:53
attitude of
28:54
heart of
28:54
Nabonidus
28:55
was before
28:57
he was
28:58
humbled.
28:59
It was
28:59
before he
29:00
knew the
29:01
Lord.
29:02
In the
29:03
last part of
29:03
verse 32,
29:04
God tells
29:04
Nabonidus
29:05
that he
29:05
will punish
29:06
him until
29:07
you know
29:08
that the
29:08
Most High
29:09
rules the
29:10
kingdom of
29:10
men and
29:11
gives it to
29:12
whom he
29:13
will.
29:14
God in
29:15
his great
29:16
mercy does
29:16
something
29:17
severe to
29:18
Nabonidus so
29:19
that Nabonidus
29:20
will know
29:21
him.
29:22
He makes
29:23
him crazy,
29:24
drives him
29:24
mad for
29:25
seven periods,
29:27
I believe,
29:28
because of the
29:28
historical text,
29:29
seven years.
29:32
If you are
29:32
proud this
29:33
morning,
29:34
know that
29:35
God has the
29:35
power to
29:36
drive you
29:37
mad.
29:38
He could
29:38
turn you
29:38
into a
29:39
cow so
29:41
that you
29:42
might know
29:43
him.
29:44
And it's
29:44
very possible
29:45
that he
29:45
may just
29:46
do so,
29:47
but know
29:47
also that
29:49
he may
29:50
have brought
29:50
you to
29:51
church,
29:52
something much
29:53
more kind,
29:54
at least I
29:54
hope you
29:55
experience it
29:55
that way,
29:57
so that you
29:58
can hear about
29:59
the madness
29:59
of Nabonidus,
30:01
that you will
30:01
see your own
30:02
pride and that
30:03
you will throw
30:04
yourself on the
30:05
mercy of God
30:07
as found in
30:07
the person and
30:08
work of
30:09
Jesus Christ.
30:11
Don't be so
30:12
proud that
30:14
God has to
30:14
drive you mad
30:16
to bring you
30:16
to him.
30:18
Know that he
30:19
may already
30:19
be at work
30:20
in your heart
30:21
even now to
30:22
bring you to
30:23
humility that
30:24
you might know
30:25
him.
30:26
God in his
30:27
great mercy
30:28
did something
30:29
severe to
30:30
Jesus Christ
30:31
by punishing
30:32
him on the
30:33
cross so
30:34
that we can
30:35
know him,
30:36
so that we
30:36
to be brought
30:37
to God
30:37
in Christ.
30:40
And be
30:40
assured,
30:40
if you are
30:41
not humble
30:41
now,
30:42
you will
30:42
one day
30:44
be humbled.
30:47
Jesus,
30:47
in speaking of
30:48
the final
30:48
judgment in
30:49
Matthew chapter
30:49
23,
30:50
says,
30:51
whoever exalts
30:51
himself will
30:53
be humbled,
30:54
and whoever
30:54
humbles himself
30:55
will be
30:56
exalted.
30:58
Beloved,
30:59
those of us
30:59
who know the
31:00
Lord have all
31:01
the more reason
31:01
to not be
31:03
proud.
31:04
All the more.
31:05
we can't
31:06
hardly blame
31:07
Nabonidus for
31:08
being proud.
31:09
He didn't
31:09
know the
31:10
Lord.
31:10
He didn't
31:11
understand God's
31:12
majesty,
31:14
but we do.
31:17
If we are ever
31:17
proud, it is
31:18
because we have
31:19
forgotten who we
31:20
once were and
31:21
what we deserved.
31:23
I ask my boys
31:24
quite often,
31:26
what do you
31:27
deserve?
31:28
And the answer
31:28
is death and
31:30
hell.
31:31
That's the answer.
31:32
We should make
31:32
us so very
31:33
thankful for
31:34
the burned
31:36
grilled cheese.
31:37
Right?
31:37
Praise the
31:38
Lord.
31:38
This is not
31:39
death and
31:39
hell.
31:39
It's just
31:40
slightly burned
31:40
grilled cheese.
31:42
We have to
31:42
have a
31:43
perspective to
31:44
understand.
31:45
When we are
31:46
proud, we
31:46
have forgotten
31:47
who we once
31:48
were and what
31:49
we deserve.
31:51
We have
31:51
forgotten that
31:52
we were wretched
31:52
rebels and that
31:53
it would be
31:53
just, it would
31:55
be right for
31:56
God to punish
31:56
us forever.
31:58
If we are
32:00
ever proud,
32:01
beloved, we
32:02
should only be
32:03
proud in our
32:05
God.
32:06
This is the
32:06
place of
32:07
boasting for
32:08
the Christian.
32:10
Listen to
32:10
Jeremiah chapter
32:11
9 verse 23
32:12
and following.
32:13
Thus says the
32:14
Lord, let not
32:15
the wise man
32:16
boast in his
32:17
wisdom.
32:18
Let not the
32:19
mighty man
32:20
boast in his
32:21
might.
32:22
Let not the
32:22
rich man
32:23
boast in his
32:24
riches.
32:25
But let him
32:26
who boasts
32:27
boast in
32:28
this.
32:29
This is so
32:29
good.
32:30
That he
32:31
understands and
32:33
knows me.
32:34
That I am the
32:35
Lord who
32:35
practices steadfast
32:37
love, justice,
32:38
and righteousness
32:39
in the earth.
32:40
For in these
32:42
things I
32:43
delight, declares
32:44
the Lord.
32:46
And I think you
32:46
could track that
32:47
backwards.
32:47
God delights in
32:49
being steadfast in
32:51
his love, his
32:53
justice, and his
32:55
righteousness.
32:56
Right?
32:56
And it's that that
32:57
we're supposed to
32:57
understand and
32:59
to know.
33:00
This is the
33:01
reason for our
33:02
boasting and
33:03
nothing else.
33:06
So that's the
33:07
prideful rise of
33:09
Nabonidus.
33:10
We also can
33:11
observe the
33:12
humbling fall of
33:13
Nabonidus.
33:15
Nabonidus loses
33:16
his mind.
33:18
Right?
33:19
And note, it's
33:19
important for us to
33:20
see that God is
33:21
sovereign even over
33:23
the mind of man.
33:25
Nabonidus.
33:26
The first part of
33:26
verse 34, at the
33:27
end of the days, I
33:29
Nebuchadnezzar lifted
33:31
my eyes to heaven and
33:34
my reason returned to
33:36
me.
33:37
That is to say, he
33:38
was able to think
33:40
rightly.
33:41
And what is it that
33:42
he thinks?
33:42
What is it that he
33:43
now knows that he's
33:44
able to think rightly?
33:46
He says in the rest of
33:47
verse 34 and
33:49
following, and I
33:51
blessed the Most
33:52
High and praised
33:53
and honored him
33:54
who lives forever.
33:56
For his dominion is
33:57
an everlasting
33:58
dominion and his
33:59
kingdom endures from
34:00
generation to
34:00
generation.
34:02
All the inhabitants
34:03
of the earth are
34:04
accounted as
34:05
nothing.
34:06
And he does
34:06
according to his
34:07
will among the
34:08
hosts of heaven and
34:09
among the inhabitants
34:09
of the earth.
34:10
And none can stay
34:12
his hand or stop
34:13
what he's doing and
34:14
say to him, what
34:15
have you done?
34:17
What does
34:19
Nabonidus now know
34:21
rightly?
34:22
That God is worthy
34:23
of praise and honor
34:25
and not man.
34:27
That God is absolute
34:28
and forever the ruler
34:31
and not man.
34:34
That man is nothing
34:35
in comparison and is
34:37
subject to God's reign.
34:41
That God's sovereignty
34:42
is immovable.
34:45
And that man doesn't
34:46
even have the right
34:47
to question God's
34:48
rule.
34:50
What humility.
34:53
What an expression
34:54
of humility.
34:56
I wonder, are our
34:59
hearts marked with
35:00
this measure of
35:02
humility?
35:04
Nabonidus has been
35:05
driven mad.
35:06
Right?
35:07
He spent seven years.
35:09
He doesn't even seem
35:10
like he's recognizable
35:11
any longer.
35:13
Right?
35:13
He ate grass.
35:14
Just think about it.
35:15
For seven years he
35:16
lived outside and he
35:17
ate grass like an
35:19
ox.
35:21
But he does not
35:22
ask of God.
35:23
He's not concerned
35:24
about the quote
35:26
unquote wasted
35:27
years of his life.
35:30
He does not question
35:31
whether or not this
35:32
lesson could have been
35:33
learned in another
35:34
way.
35:35
He does not question
35:37
God's control or
35:39
God's goodness.
35:41
goodness.
35:42
And I just have to
35:44
confess, I think I
35:45
would have.
35:46
Really, Lord?
35:47
Seven years?
35:48
It took that?
35:49
It took me being
35:50
insane for this long
35:51
for you to teach me
35:52
this lesson?
35:55
Nabonidus accepts it.
35:56
Apparently it does
35:57
take this long to teach
35:58
me this lesson.
36:01
It does not question
36:02
God's control or his
36:05
goodness.
36:05
Listen to the final
36:07
verse of the chapter.
36:09
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
36:11
praise and extol and
36:12
honor the King of
36:14
Heaven.
36:15
For all his works
36:17
are right.
36:19
And his ways
36:20
are just.
36:23
And those who walk
36:24
in pride, he is
36:26
able to
36:27
humble.
36:29
He praises him
36:29
because he's good
36:31
and he's just
36:33
and he's in
36:34
control
36:34
and because
36:36
he humbled
36:37
Nabonidus.
36:40
And then we see a
36:41
restoration, thirdly.
36:43
The humbling rise
36:45
of
36:45
Nabonidus.
36:47
So now that he's
36:47
humble, God
36:48
gives back to him
36:50
the kingdom.
36:51
It's a worthy
36:52
note that God
36:53
is good to
36:54
his word.
36:55
It's what he saw
36:56
in the dreams.
36:57
What the Holy
36:57
One told him
36:58
would happen.
36:59
So upon his
37:01
humbling, his
37:02
kingdom is
37:04
restored.
37:04
Verse 36 says,
37:05
at the same time
37:06
my reason returned
37:07
to me and for
37:08
the glory of my
37:08
kingdom, my
37:09
majesty and
37:10
splendor returned
37:12
to me.
37:13
He even says
37:14
that more
37:15
greatness was
37:16
added to
37:18
him.
37:19
Now, we
37:20
live in a
37:20
different economy
37:21
of God's
37:22
grace.
37:24
Largely the
37:24
way that we
37:25
are blessed
37:25
now in Christ
37:26
is through
37:27
spiritual matters.
37:28
We are looking
37:28
to a heavenly
37:29
reward.
37:30
In these days,
37:31
often the way
37:32
God blessed
37:33
his people
37:33
and others
37:34
is that he
37:34
gave them
37:35
dominion.
37:36
He gave
37:36
them possession.
37:37
He showed
37:38
that he was
37:39
for them
37:40
in the things
37:41
that they had
37:42
and we should
37:42
be careful
37:42
that we
37:43
don't learn
37:43
that lesson
37:44
from Nabonidus.
37:46
Remember Jesus
37:47
again, Matthew
37:48
23 and
37:49
verse 12.
37:51
Speaking of
37:51
final judgment,
37:52
he says,
37:53
whoever exalts
37:54
himself will
37:54
be humbled
37:56
and whoever
37:57
humbles himself
37:58
will be
37:59
exalted.
38:00
He's talking
38:01
about future
38:02
glory.
38:03
The last
38:04
will be
38:05
first and
38:06
the first
38:07
will be
38:08
last.
38:09
I hope
38:10
that you'll
38:11
join with
38:11
me in
38:12
desiring to
38:12
be the
38:13
last so
38:14
that someday
38:14
I can be
38:15
the first
38:16
so that I
38:17
will have
38:18
exaltation
38:20
even as I
38:20
have humility
38:22
here.
38:24
And we
38:24
don't really
38:25
need to
38:25
look to
38:26
the life
38:26
of
38:26
Nabonidus
38:27
or
38:27
Nebuchadnezzar
38:28
if you
38:29
prefer.
38:30
We have
38:31
in the
38:31
Lord Jesus
38:32
Christ
38:32
the greatest
38:33
example
38:34
of humility.
38:36
And so
38:36
I'll close
38:37
with a reading
38:37
from Philippians
38:38
chapter 2.
38:40
This is
38:40
verse 3
38:41
and following.
38:42
Do nothing
38:43
from selfish
38:44
ambition
38:45
or conceit
38:46
but in
38:47
humility
38:48
count others
38:49
more significant
38:50
than yourselves.
38:52
Let each
38:52
of you
38:53
look not
38:53
only to
38:54
his own
38:54
interests
38:54
but also
38:55
to the
38:55
interests
38:56
of others.
38:58
Have this
38:58
mind among
38:59
yourself
39:00
which is
39:01
yours
39:01
in Christ
39:02
Jesus
39:03
who
39:04
though he
39:05
was in
39:05
the form
39:06
of God
39:06
did not
39:07
count
39:07
equality
39:07
with God
39:08
a thing
39:08
to be
39:09
grasped
39:10
but emptied
39:11
himself
39:11
by taking
39:12
the form
39:13
of a servant
39:13
being born
39:14
in the likeness
39:15
of men
39:15
and being
39:16
found in
39:17
human form
39:18
he humbled
39:19
himself
39:19
by becoming
39:20
obedient to
39:20
the point
39:21
of death
39:21
even death
39:22
on a cross
39:24
therefore
39:25
God has
39:26
highly exalted
39:26
him and bestowed
39:27
on him the name
39:28
that is above
39:28
every name
39:29
so that the name
39:30
of Jesus
39:31
every knee
39:31
should bow
39:32
in heaven
39:32
on earth
39:33
and under
39:33
the earth
39:34
and every
39:34
tongue
39:35
confess that
39:35
Jesus Christ
39:36
is Lord
39:37
to the glory
39:37
of God
39:39
the Father
39:40
let's pray
39:41
together
39:41
God