Daniel: Week 4

Daniel: Week 4

In Daniel chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar is warned by God in a dream that his pride will lead to his destruction. Like a majestic tree that is cut down, God will bring judgment on Nebuchadnezzar, which will leave him like an animal for seven years before restoring him to his right mind. The structure of Daniel’s early chapters reminds us that before we consider the state of our nation, we must consider the pride in our own hearts.

v.1-3 - This is the testimony of Nebuchadnezzar, and we see that God has opened his eyes to see His power.

v.4-18 - There is ease in Nebuchadnezzar's palace, but that doesn't mean "all is well". He has a prosperity without perspective. We all have a nature to build ourselves up, but this passage shows us how the grace of God intervenes in our pride.

• Prosperity without perspective led Nebuchadnezzar to forget God’s warnings
• Our pride can often lead us to ask for help from other sources before turning to God. We tend to problem-solve on our own and then, when all else has failed, we ask God.

v. 19-33 - Daniel didn't fear the power of the king. He was coming in humility and not celebrating the poor fortune of another person. Of course he remembered that his people had been exiled to Babylon. This section shows us the path of pride in king Nebuchadnezzar as well as our own.

• The humility of Daniel was contrasted with the pride of the king.
• Do we long to see the mercy of God in the lives of those we disagree with?
• In verse 28 we see that the king has forgotten the warning of God and forgotten his place under God. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to make a name for himself rather than submit to the name of the Most High God.

v. 34-37 - This passage shows us the goodness of our God who restores.

• Humility begins with our perspective. We must see God in his glory and our lives in need of redemption.
• God redeems us through another king, Jesus Christ, who in humility went to the cross to save us. He is now exalted as King of Kings. (Phil 2:5-11)
• We must humble ourselves before God and he will exalt us one day with Christ (James 4:10)

Pride is often dismissed as a character flaw, or even celebrated in our culture. Pride is satanic because it drives us to make more of ourselves.

Judgement came to Nebuchadnezzar "while the words were still in the king's mouth" because they were already rooted in his heart.

We often forget to recognize that every good thing in our lives comes from God. (I Cor 4:7)

In Chapter 3, the king asks," Who is the God who can deliver you from my hand." In Chapter 4, the kings asks, "Who is the God who can deliver me from me." He recognizes his pride and after being humbled, recognizes who God is.

Three areas that help us grow in humility from this passage:

Be thankful (v1-3) - everything is from God

Be teachable (v19-27) - followers of Jesus have His Spirit in them. Listen.

Be faithful (v19-34) - know what is in your control and what is not

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