And now we are in Daniel, chapter four. This is a unique portion of scripture, because it's the only portion of scripture that I can recall that is written by an ancient near eastern dictator. It is. We're used to hearing the apostle Paul writing things, or maybe Moses writing things, or David writing things, but this section of scripture is actually written by Nebuchadnezzar. We believe that the Lord inspired it, and we believe that actually it's in the Bible for our edification, for the edification and help of God's people. This section also gives us the heart of the entire book of Daniel, summarized in two words. So the entire. I really believe that I read a scholar say, I think the entire book is summarized in these two words, and I think he is right. It is chapter four, verse 26. Just two words. Heaven rules. The Lord rules. Right. This is the theme of the book of Daniel, and it's something that Nebuchadnezzar is finally going to see fully, but it's going to take a long and winding road to get him there.
So let's read, to begin with the sort of the banner that Nebuchadnezzar hangs over this section of scripture before he launches into his story. Daniel, chapter four, verse one. This is God's word, King Nebuchadnezzar. To all peoples and nations and languages that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied. To you. It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
This is God's word. And, Lord, we pray that you'd bless the hearing of it and the teaching of it. Lord, may you speak to us. I pray that this divine interruption to Nebuchadnezzar's life would function as a divine interruption to our lives in the best of ways today. Amen.
Well, a few years ago, I read a novel that had a. Has a striking scene in it that I've never forgotten. I read a lot of novels. I love reading novels. But it's rare that a scene will sort of capture my attention and stick with me over the long haul. And this particular scene managed to do that mostly because it was terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. It is, although not perhaps in the way that you'd think. It's from a novel by chinese writer Liu Shijin. And the villains in this story are these otherworldly monster kind of things that have amazing, powerful abilities. And at one point, they've been trying to manipulate humanity into doing what they want, and they see that they can't do that, and so they just decide to freak everyone out. They decide to intimidate humanity. And so they use their ability to project a message into the eyesight of most of the world. So all of a sudden, just imagine you're going around your day, you're picking up mail from the mailbox, or you're getting your kid ready for school, and all of a sudden, this thing, this phrase pushes itself into your vision. And it wasn't just the idea of suddenly something appearing in your vision. It was the phrase that they chose to use to freak everyone out. And so I actually have it here. This is the message. You are bugs.
Now, that's. I remember just going, whoa, that's. Man, you know, turn some lights on. That's freaky because, and here's what I want you to see. It's not chilling because it's untrue. It's chilling because it is true. It's a truth about ourselves that we often push to the side and want to ignore. Right? The reality is, if you go up on scenic drive or you're in an airplane or something, you look down, look, everybody looks like ants, right? We are. We think of ourselves as powerful and in control of our lives, and yet the reality is we are small, finite beings on a tiny speck of landmass. On a relatively small planet in the middle of a vast galaxy, we are much smaller than we think I.
And so these creatures aren't freaking us out with knowledge. That's crazy. They're freaking us out with knowledge that we know deep down but don't want to think about. And that is exactly what happens to Nebuchadnezzar in this story. Nebuchadnezzar is going to receive. He's going to have impressed into his vision a message that he does not want to receive. He's going to see a truth that he does not want to see, and it is going to, well, one, it's going to humble him. But two, in the end, he actually is going to embrace it and rejoice in it.
6 · The pastor transitions to the sermon structure, stating that the congregation will journey with Nebuchadnezzar to see an uncomfortable truth about themselves, and previews the three-part structure
And in a similar way, we're going to go on this journey with him. We are going to see a truth about ourselves that we do not often want to see. But in the end, I think we will be glad for having seen it. And the big idea, simple. Chapter four, verse 26, is just two words. Heaven rules, and you can put in parentheses and not you. Right? That's the subtext to chapter four, verse 26. That's the subtext to us. Heaven rules, not you. But it's good news. Three sections today.
7 · The pastor reads Daniel 4:4-12, recounting Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great tree visible to the whole earth, which provides food and shade for all creatures
The first one is what he doesn't want to see, what the king doesn't want to see. Let's pick up this story in verse four. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I mean, he is living the lifestyles of the rich and famous, right? He is sitting I, the most powerful man in the world, sitting up high until verse five, I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed, the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 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. 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. 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, 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, 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, and the tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, that it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful, 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.
8 · The pastor explains the ancient Near Eastern context of tree symbolism, interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's immediate identification with the tree as himself—the great king whose kingdom everyone enjoys
And I pause there. This is Nebuchadnezzar's vision, and we may not immediately get why this is a why he immediately seems to understand at least the first part of this vision. In the ancient near eastern literature, there's a number of examples of trees being used as symbols of either of gods or of kings, of people who are exalted above the rest of humanity. And so it's very likely that as Nebuchadnezzar is seeing this vision, he is thinking, oh, great. Yep, that's me. There I am, right there. I'm a huge tree. I'm reaching to heaven. Everybody on the earth can see me. That's right, I'm fruitful, and everybody is enjoying my kingdom, and it's my kingdom. And did I mention that I am the king of it? And he's thinking, this is great, except verse 13 interrupts it.
9 · The pastor reads Daniel 4:13-18, in which a watcher commands the tree to be chopped down, the man's mind to be changed to a beast's, and declares the purpose: 'that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men
And I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed. And behold, a watcher, a holy one, likely an angelic figure, came down from heaven. 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, 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. 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. 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 Mendez, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men. This dream I, Nebuchadnezzar, saw.
10 · The pastor reads Daniel 4:24-27, Daniel's interpretation: Nebuchadnezzar will be driven from men to eat grass like an ox until he knows that the Most High rules, and Daniel counsels him to repent by practicing righteousness and showing mercy
Now, obviously, this is a concern to Nebuchadnezzar. He's identifying with it. He doesn't understand what's happening, but he knows it's not great, not great doesn't love this. I need an interpretation. And so he calls Daniel. And what occurs is Daniel comes, and Daniel immediately knows the interpretation, but he does not want to tell the king because it's not good news. But eventually he's prevailed upon. And in verse 24, we find the interpretation. This is the interpretation, o king. It is a decree of the most high which has come upon my lord the king. 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, notice. Until you know what? That the most high rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he wills. 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 what that heaven rules. 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.
11 · The pastor asserts that God is pressing into Nebuchadnezzar's vision a truth he has pushed to the periphery: heaven rules, not Nebuchadnezzar
Now, this is alarming for a good reason. God is pressing a truth into Nebuchadnezzar's field of vision, a clear truth that Nebuchadnezzar perhaps knows deep down, but has pushed to the periphery. But God is bringing back up right into the front of his vision, and he wants him to see it. And the truth is this, that heaven rules, not Nebuchadnezzar. That heaven rules, and not even the great king of Babylon.
12 · The pastor diagnoses Nebuchadnezzar's problem as pride, and identifies Daniel 4 as primarily about the perils of pride, calling the congregation to heed the warning
And we find at the very end, Nebuchadnezzar himself diagnoses what his problem is here. Why would he not want to see this truth? Why wouldn't he want to acknowledge it? Why does it take so much effort for him to see it? Because of pride. Daniel four is mainly about the perils of pride. And we would do well, brothers and sisters, to heed this warning.
13 · The pastor defines biblical pride, distinguishing it from the positive cultural usage (which he suggests is closer to honor), and asserts that in the Bible, pride is always negative—it is placing ourselves in the place of God
Now, I want to say at the outset, we often think of pride positively in american culture. We talk about taking pride in our work, of being proud of yourself, being proud of your family. And what we often mean, I think, is something closer to actually honor than pride, meaning we want to work honorably. We want to preserve the honor of our family. We want to do our jobs well and honorably. We want to show honor to those who have done good things. Because biblically, in terms of biblical language, okay, pride is never positive. Okay? The reality is, in the Bible's language, something like Pride month. A phrase like pride month would never be seen positively in the Bible. Pride is insidious, it is dangerous, it is evil, it is madness. And biblically, pride is what occurs anytime we seek to place ourselves in the place of God. It could be something big, it could be something small. But that is what pride is, and that's what pride does. Seeks to place ourselves in the place of God.
14 · The pastor cites John Stott's claim that pride is the essence of all sin, and supports it by tracing pride back to the fall in Genesis—Adam and Eve's desire to be like God
John Stott remarks helpfully that pride is more than the first of the traditional seven deadly sins. It is itself the essence of all sin. And you might be going, whoa, I don't know about that. No, it's true. Think about the first sin in the garden. Pride was behind the first sin in the garden. It was Adam and Eve listening to the serpent. Why did they listen to the serpent? Because they wanted to. To be like God. That's what the servant used to hook them. Doesn't he know that if you have this fruit, if you reject his authority, if you set your own rules, if you decide what right and wrong is, then you will be like him? What was behind there reaching for the fruit and the disobedience of God was pride, thinking, nope, I'm gonna put myself in the place of God. I'll decide right and wrong for my self. Thank you very much.
15 · The pastor cites Richard Baxter's definition of pride as dethroning God by enthroning the self, and uses a vivid image of trying to take God's throne
Richard Baxter says, pride is a vice that seeks to dethrone God by enthroning the self. So imagine the throne. There's only one meant to sit on the throne. And pride is when we say, ah, if you could just scooch a little bit that way, that's my chair, right? That is what pride truly is.
16 · The pastor warns the congregation not to be arrogant in judging Nebuchadnezzar, reminding them that pride was also Israel's downfall and that this passage is meant to be a mirror for us
Now, we shouldn't be arrogant, though. We shouldn't just be wagging our finger at Nebuchadnezzar going, oh, yep, yep. That old Nebuchadnezzar, he's a proud guy. No, this passage is meant to be a mirror for us, because remember that pride was not just. Well, not just a problem in Babylon. Pride was behind the downfall of Israel as well. So many times, Israel's kings trusted themselves, looked to themselves, put themselves in God's place rather than being under God's rule, and disaster ensued. And look, we have to be honest. We have to look in the mirror.
17 · The pastor applies the passage by naming specific ways pride manifests in the congregation's lives: demanding to be served, jealousy, dominating conversations, comparing ourselves favorably to others, and even self-pity seeking affirmation
It is so often, pride is so often behind each of our own sins. Pride rears its head every time we demand that our spouse or a family member serve us rather than seeking to serve them. Pride rears its head whenever we feel a pang of jealousy, when someone else is praised instead of us. And there's something in our hearts that just goes, right? Just you're in a meeting and the boss singles out Judy for her contribution. We'd like to thank Judy for this month's report. And you, in your head, are going, I did way more than Judy. Judy, you know, that's just. What is that you're thinking? Where did that come from? You know? Pride. It's pride. We think, no, no, no. I should be getting honored instead of Judy. In fact, I should be on the throne instead of Judy. The throne of the office, the throne of the family, the throne of whatever, right? I should be there. That's my place. Pride rears its head when I. We can't see or serve those around us. Cause we are always. Our thoughts and actions are always full of ourselves. We're not thinking, how can I serve? How can I help? How can I bless those around me? We're just thinking of ourselves, right? When you ask us how we're doing, we are more than happy to just. Right? If you think of a conversation you have with somebody, do you dominate the conversation? That's pride, right? Let me tell you about this. Let me tell you about that. I like this. I like it. This is the reality. Pride rears its head when we look at anything in our lives, whether that's a bank account or a house or a degree on the wall or a car in the driveway, and we think how much better we are than people who don't have those things, right? Oh, yeah. You know, my brother in law, my sister, you know, my cousin. Yeah, he wishes he had a car like this. You know, it's just. It's just what's going on there? Pride. Pride can even look deceptive. It can be self pity where we're constantly putting ourselves down in maybe the hope that others will lift us back up, like, oh, I'm just no good at this. I'm just not a good looking person. And we're kind of going, like, waiting, like, oh, no, no, you are. You're beautiful. Oh, I just don't feel it, you know? No, no, you're just. I mean, you're lovely. Look at this. Oh, I just. I'm not sure. Maybe say a little bit more. Right. There's just. There's a little bit of that going on in us, in our hearts more often than we want to admit.
18 · The pastor introduces the first of three perils of pride: pride is cosmic madness
Now, there's three perils of pride from this passage that Nebuchadnezzar helps us see. The first peril is this. Pride is cosmic madness.
19 · The pastor exposes the dark humor and irony of the passage: the most powerful man in the world is hiding under his covers because of a scary dream, revealing his actual powerlessness
And what I mean by that is this narrative is a darkly humorous, very dark humorous passage. You have a king yet again in the book of Daniel, who can control the armies of Babylon, who can control the world's economy, who can control everything in his kingdom. And he is hiding under his covers because he has a scary dream. And it's not the first time, right? I mean, everybody in the palace is thinking, just, can we give this guy some zequil or melatonin or something? Like, if he could just stay asleep, we could all sleep. The irony is this, that he is the most powerful man who ever lived, and yet he's afraid. He's cowering.
20 · The pastor exposes the absurdity of Nebuchadnezzar's pride through the tree image: a tree is just part of creation, not the sun or rain, and for the tree to think it's the most important is ridiculous
In fact, in the image of the vision, it illustrates the absurdity of what Nebuchadnezzar is doing. He sees himself as this great tree, the center of creation. But a tree is just another part of creation. The tree is not the sun. The tree doesn't bring the rain. The tree is not actually the one that's giving life to everything. And yet for the tree to be like, well, yep, I think I'm the most important is ridiculous.
21 · The pastor asserts that pride is cosmic madness because everything we have and are is a gift from God—there is nothing we have that was not given to us first
Pride is always cosmic madness, because everything we have is a gift from God. Everything we are is a gift from God. There is nothing that we have or can do that is not given to us first by God.
22 · The pastor introduces the second peril of pride: pride always hurts others, because internal pride always becomes external and spills out to harm others
Second peril of pride. Pride always hurts others. Often we want to believe the lie that there are some external sins that affect other people and then some internal sins that we can just keep in our hearts because they are not really doing too much damage. Right? You're not murdering people. You're just a little proud. But the reality is this. Pride always internal pride, always becomes external. The pride inside of our hearts always spills out of our hearts.
23 · The pastor explains that Daniel calls Nebuchadnezzar to righteousness and mercy because the king is unjust and oppressive, and traces the cause back to pride: because he views himself as the center, he cares nothing for others and treats them as bugs serving his purposes
And notice that Daniel calls the king to repent, to be righteous, to act justly, to show mercy, to care for the oppressed. Why does he call the king to do those things? Because the king is unjust. Because he's not showing mercy. He is oppressing rather than helping the oppressed. Why is he doing that? We're meant to see the connection because he views himself as the center of everything. He cares nothing for others. Right. He, if you could say it this way, he thinks of everybody in his kingdom as mere bugs that serve him and his purposes. They're there to make him look great. Proud people see themselves as the center of the universe, and that always results in hurt to others. They will then, as a result, bend the rules, make their own rules. Proud people ignore the needs of others and see others either as obstacles to their happiness, to be steamrolled or vehicles means of getting what they want.
24 · The pastor introduces the third peril of pride—pride always comes before a fall—and cites Proverbs 16:18 in the King James Version
Second parallel, third peril of pride. Pride always comes before a fall. Proverbs, 1618. Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Read it in the King James, because it seems, you know, it's got more bite to it there. Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.
25 · The pastor illustrates the principle that pride always comes before a fall with biblical examples (Adam and Eve, Babel, Israel's kings) and cultural examples (news stories, biographies, musicals about rise and fall)
This is illustrated again and again and again in scripture and in life. Adam and Eve rise up in pride and fall. The tower of Babel is raised up as humanity wants to get to heaven and falls. Right. The kings of Israel are raised up in pride, and then they fall. The nation of Israel raised up in pride and then falls over and over, even in the natural world around us. Right. Do we not see page after page and news story after news story and biography after biography, musical after musical about a great rise and a great fall. Why? Because pride always comes before a fall.
26 · The pastor asserts that when God humbles the proud in this life, it is a mercy, because otherwise they will be humbled eternally when they stand before God
You don't have pride without the inevitable fall. In fact, when God humbles the proud here and now in this life, it's actually a mercy, because they will one day stand before God himself and be humbled for all eternity. Pride always comes before a fall.
27 · The pastor transitions from the first section (what Nebuchadnezzar doesn't want to see) to the second section (he is made to see these things)
This is what Nebuchadnezzar does not want to see. But section number two, he is made to see these things.
28 · The pastor reads Daniel 4:28-33, recounting Nebuchadnezzar's moment of pride ('Is this not great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power?') and God's immediate judgment, driving him from men to eat grass like an ox
Look at verse 28. All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar at the end of twelve months. He was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, is this not great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence for the glory of my majesty? And this is terrifying. 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, 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. And 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.
29 · The pastor interprets God's action: because Nebuchadnezzar refuses to see he is a creature and not the creator, God turns him into the most creaturely of creatures to emphasize that he is not the creator
Now, this is striking, isn't it? But it's meant to be striking. We're meant to see the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar, clothed in fine things, lifted up high, fancy king, crown or hat or whatever he wore. He goes all the way from there, falls all the way down to the lowliest of beasts. Now, what is God doing here? Well, this is what's occurring. Nebuchadnezzar refuses to see that he is a creature and that the creator is the king. So the creator turns him into the most creaturely of creatures. He wants the throne, and so the Lord gives him over to almost the most creaturely features possible, to emphasize in every possible way that he is not the creator. He is a mere creature.
30 · The pastor asserts that pride makes us monstrous—the attempt to ascend to the creator only makes us more beastly in the end, as seen in dictators who commit genocide
Now, look at the phrasing here. He's made like an ox, like an eagle, like bird claws. His mind is warped, and his reason is taken away. He is put in his place as a creature. Now, this is what always happens in the end with pride. We are meant to see that pride makes us monstrous. Pride is the rage to ascend to the creator. But as we do it, we only make ourselves more monstrous and beastly in the end. I mean, think of every dictator who's taken over a country and in the end ends up committing genocide or torturing people or killing people. And you think, how could they become such a monster? Pride. Pride is what makes us monstrous.
31 · The pastor reminds the congregation that while we are meant to shudder at Nebuchadnezzar's monstrous transformation, we are also meant to see ourselves in the mirror
And we see an illustration in our bibles, and we're meant to kind of shudder and look away, but we're also meant to see ourselves in the the mirror.
32 · The pastor contrasts the biblical view of humanity—simultaneously humble (we are creatures) and dignified (we are God's special creation)—with all other worldviews, asserting this tension is unique
Now, this is where the Bible's view of humanity is unique among every other worldview. It is a view of human beings as being simultaneously humble and dignified. Right. We, as human beings, according to the narrative of scripture, we are meant to be humble because we acknowledge we are just creatures. The Bible begins with not us, but with in the beginning, God made right. It's the story of God's dealings with humanity. And we are to be humble as human beings, knowing that we are not the creator. We're the creature. We're not infinite. We are finite. We're not unlimited. We are limited. And yet the Bible also gives us dignity because we are God's special creation. We are formed by the master craftsman. Maybe you've seen some of his other work. Mount Everest, black holes, the Mariana trench. He made you, too. He made all of us, meaning that we have in ourselves value and dignity and work that comes from being made on the table of the master craftsman and that tension of being humbled and dignified. Man, there's nothing else like it in the world.
33 · The pastor contrasts God's view of humanity with Nebuchadnezzar's view, asserting that God sees us as creatures (fallible and finite) but also as created (fearfully and wonderfully made), so we don't have to work to achieve dignity—it is gifted to us
God does not look down on us as Nebuchadnezzar does. God doesn't look down on us and say, you are bugs. Rather, he looks down on us and says, you are creatures and you are created. You are creatures, meaning that we are fallible. We are finite. We are not the rulers of the universe, and we are created. We have dignity and value and worth. We are God's special handiwork. As psalm 139 says, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. And that means that we have this beautiful tension that we joyfully acknowledge we're not the center of the universe and it's not all about us. But we also acknowledge and rejoice that we don't have to work to achieve dignity. We don't have to work to achieve meaning. We are gifted it by the hand of a good and generous God.
34 · The pastor captures the emotional journey of the text: after Nebuchadnezzar becomes the lowest of creatures, returning to being a human being feels glorious—just being human made in God's image is a gift
And so you have this strange juxtaposition where Nebuchadnezzar goes on this journey, he becomes the lowest of creatures. And then when he returns to just being a human being, in just a moment, you're like, ah, being a human is great. Love it. I don't care if I'm a serf. I don't care if I'm a peasant. I can think I'm a human being made in God's image. Yet again, I love it.
35 · The pastor transitions to a personal illustration by framing the purpose of the passage: difficult truths are impressed on our vision for our good
And the reality is this. This passage is in our bibles that we might sometimes see difficult truths impressed on our vision for our good.
36 · The pastor shares a personal story: he went to a preaching workshop hoping to impress people, but God humbled him with a severe sinus infection that kept him in bed for three days, forcing him to see his pride and acknowledge he was just a creature, which led to greater joy and freedom
Let me give you one illustration of this. A number of years ago, it was probably a decade or more ago, I was on my way to a preaching workshop, and I was excited about the preaching workshop. If you had asked me, why are you excited, Ricky? I would have said, man, I just, I'm looking forward to learning. I'm going to be teaching and I'm going to get some feedback. But what was going on inside my real heart was, I think some people are going to be impressed. You know, I think people are going to be going like, hey, listen, man, this third point, what a phrase, what a phrase this third point is, right? That illustration, I mean, where did you even get that? Well, you know, here and there, you know, just, that's what I was imagining for myself. But on the way there, I came down with a horrible virus and sinus infection. Now, I've gotten a lot of sinus infections over the course of my life, and I would say this one was probably the worst sinus infection I've ever had. My entire head hurt all the time. It felt like everything in my face was on fire. I was like that one, that character, ghost writer, that's just a flaming skull. I know how you felt. I mean, it's not great. It's not comfortable. And I tried to go to the workshop, tried to tough it out and preach, and I couldn't even. I couldn't even think. I was just like. And so I went back to where I was staying. Ended up spending, like, three days in bed. Missed the entire workshop, recovered just enough to fly back home. And it was wild. So I remember asking the Lord at one point, very low moment, Lord, what are you doing here? Which is always a good question to ask. Lord, what are you doing here? Do you want me to see something? And it was an uncomfortable truth that the Lord impressed on me. He helped me see that I was. I actually was proud. And the reason I was disappointed wasn't just because I was sick. It's because I wasn't gonna impress anyone. And he helped me see that I was just a creature. I was not the master of ministry, wasn't the master of any other area of my life. Wasn't the master of marriage, wasn't the master of, you know, life. I wasn't even the master of my own sinuses. Right? You just. There's a certain humility that comes from acknowledging that. And yet by the end of the week, I actually was more joyful. I actually. There was a bunch of anxieties I was able to release. There was a bunch of plates. I felt like I was just running from thing to thing, spinning, realizing, man, I'm actually. I'm just a creature. I can't even control my body. I'm just, okay, lord, you're in charge. And when I got there, I actually came home happier, like, in crazy pain, but much happier than when I left. Because when you finally see that you are not the center of the universe, that it's not all about you, it is humbling, but beautifully freeing, because you're like, oh, I actually don't want to be the center of the universe. I actually don't want to revolve everything around me. I actually don't want to rule. I don't know how to rule. I don't even know how to run my life. Right? I can't even get my remote to work half the time. I'm not a great person to run the universe is what Nebuchadnezzar sees.
37 · The pastor transitions to the third section of the sermon: what Nebuchadnezzar rejoices in seeing
And third section, what he rejoices in seeing.
38 · The pastor reads Daniel 4:34-36, noting the contrast: Nebuchadnezzar started by looking at himself and his kingdom, but when he lifts his eyes to heaven, his reason returns and he blesses the Most High, and his kingdom is restored
Verse 34. At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes where, remember, side note, notice the contrast. He starts out looking where? At himself, at his kingdom. He starts out, look at what I have made. And then here the verse 34 I lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. Now we don't know this, but I tend to speculate. Maybe it took him this long we don't know how long the period of time was, but maybe it took him this long to finally get his eyes off himself and look up at the Lord. And when he does, his reason returns 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, and 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? At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lord sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
39 · The pastor reads Daniel 4:37, Nebuchadnezzar's final declaration: he praises the King of heaven because all his works are right and his ways are just, and those who walk in pride, he is able to humble
Now notice this. Notice how he ends. 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.
40 · The pastor cites Bonhoeffer's claim that pride must die in us or nothing of heaven can live in us, and asserts that when our pride is killed, we come to life in the best of ways
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said famously, pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you. That we fear putting our pride to death, but actually when we kill our pride, or the Lord kills it for us, we actually come to life in the best of ways.
41 · The pastor traces through the truths Nebuchadnezzar now rejoices in: God is the Most High, God's kingdom triumphs, only the Lord lives forever, being small is good, and the Lord is always just
Notice how the truth that Nebuchadnezzar rejected and feared and pushed against for the entire story of Daniel now become things. He rejoices over. He rejoices that God is the most high. Now that means he's not right, but he still rejoices. I'm glad God is the most high man. My reason can leave me for a moment. It's a good thing I'm not the king of the universe. He rejoices that God's kingdom is the one that will triumph in the end. Look, Nebuchadnezzar feels his own mortality, and he acknowledges that only the Lord lives forever. He sees. Have you ever go through a health issue? You realize, Mandy, way more fragile than I expected. That's what's going on. He's going, I'm fragile. The Lord's not. It's a good thing somebody else is running history and not me. He rejoices in the truth of being small. Notice the phrase, where is it? All the inhabitants. Verse 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. Notice the implication he puts himself in that category. Like, viewed from an airplane or from a high mountain, I'm just little old Nebuchadnezzar, same as everyone else. All the other little tiny specks in the distance, all of them are nothing. But the Lord rules. The Lord reigns. And the last truth, the truth of God's justice, the truth that God maybe remember, Nebuchadnezzar wasn't doing what he should have been. He wasn't helping the weak. He wasn't showing mercy. He wasn't executing righteousness. But the Lord is always just. The Lord's judgments and ways and rulings are always just.
42 · The pastor applies the text by pressing a choice on the congregation: if we are committed to being the center of the universe, the news that God rules is hard truth we reject, but if we acknowledge and rejoice that only the Lord rules, it is incredibly freeing and glorious
And this is where I think the text is gonna press on us, guys, today. All of these truths either make us despair and fight or make us rejoice if we are committed to being the center of the universe, of building our own little kingdoms, of deciding what is right and what is wrong. The news that God rules, the news that heaven rules and not us, it is a hard truth. It is a truth we reject, we wanna fight against. We're like, I don't know if I love that. That is, side note why Christianity isn't always the most popular, right? It's why sometimes you're like, hey, don't you want Jesus to save you? Like, oh, sure, that sounds great. He's gonna be your Lord. I'm good, I'm good, I'm fine. I'm gonna run my life on my own. But if you get to the point that you realize and acknowledge only the Lord rules, only heaven rules, only. He is just, only he sits on the throne. And when you see that and rejoice in it, oh, brothers and sisters, it is incredibly freeing and incredibly glorious because the weight of the world finally drops from your shoulders and you trust him and you look to him and you acknowledge him.
43 · The pastor poses a diagnostic question to the congregation: Is the truth that God rules good news to you, or is it tough? Does the Lord have work to do with you?
So is today the truth that God rules a good glorious thing to you, or is it tough? Does the Lord have work to do with you?
44 · The pastor asserts that God is not vindictive toward Nebuchadnezzar but kind and merciful, doing all of this for Nebuchadnezzar's good, which gives hope that the Lord can be kind and merciful to us, the proud kings of our own little kingdoms
Now, one last thing I want you to notice in this text is this, that one of the things that's clear about this text is that God is not vindictive or vengeful toward Nebuchadnezzar. Despite his injustice and evil and pride and arrogance, God actually does all of this for Nebuchadnezzar's good. Verse two. He says, I want to tell you what the Lord has done for me, helping me see these things right. The Lord, this is what's extraordinary. The Lord actually is kind and merciful to this proud and arrogant king. And that gives all of us who are proud and arrogant kings of our own little kingdoms a ton of hope and joy that the Lord can be kind and merciful to us.
45 · The pastor contrasts Nebuchadnezzar with Jesus: Nebuchadnezzar is proud and arrogant, but Jesus, according to Philippians 2, starts as the most exalted king and yet humbles himself for the good of his people, dying in the place of common criminals
Now, sometimes in the Old Testament, we get examples of good kings and good leaders that help us see, oh, the Lord is like that. And then sometimes in the Old Testament, I would say usually, almost always in the Old Testament, you get negative examples. You get, for example, kings acting poorly, that leave you longing for a better king. And in contrast, we see something glorious. Nebuchadnezzar might be a king that is proud and arrogant, but another king comes that is the opposite of proud and arrogant. Another king comes, according to Philippians two, that starts out as the most exalted king who ever lived and yet humbles himself gladly and willingly for the good of his people. In fact, this good king sinks lower and lower. He dies even in the place of common criminals and pagans. And I proud people. This king, by contrast, is what we long for. When we look at Nebuchadnezzar, this is King Jesus.
46 · The pastor asserts that when we see Jesus as he is—the one who died for sinners like us and Nebuchadnezzar—we rejoice that he is the center of the universe, in control, and on the throne, because he should rule and reign
This is the most high, the personification of justice and mercy. And when we see him as he is, when we see that Jesus himself comes to die for sinners like you and me and Nebuchadnezzar, maybe because we don't know where he is at the end of his life. When we see that, we rejoice that he is the center of the universe. We rejoice that he's in control. We rejoice that he's the one on the throne and not ourselves. Because when we see Jesus as he is, we should be going, yep, yep. He should rule. He should reign. Let him reign.
47 · The pastor transitions to self-examination, calling the congregation to look at the picture of pride in Daniel 4 and ask the Lord if any of it is present in their hearts
Now, this is where the passage calls us to examine ourselves very briefly as we turn toward application here. I do think that this is, in our bibles for a couple of reasons, but one of which is that it's meant to be a mirror and an example for all of us today to look at Nebuchadnezzar and go, is there maybe a little bit more of Nebuchadnezzar in my own heart than I really want to acknowledge? You know, we start out going, this guy's a loser. And we, at the end, we kind of go, it looks a little bit like me sometimes. So let's look at the picture of pride that we see in Daniel one four. And see, let's just be honest, go before the Lord and say, lord, is there any of this in me?
48 · The pastor lists six signs of pride in Nebuchadnezzar that may be present in the congregation: anxieties centered on self, success leading to pride and boasting, caring about one's image, treating others as nuisances or bugs, mood swings when defied or blocked, and only temporary repentance
Here's a few signs of pride in Nebuchadnezzar. That may be present in ourselves. The first is your anxieties and worries always center around yourself. You might be anxious, you might be freaked out, but you are given to introspection, mostly about yourself. Nebuchadnezzar is given introspection about what he'll lose, how he'll be made to look silly. He'll be exposed. If not, everybody bows down, right? Worriers can be just as proud as everyone else in their heads. Their world revolves around losing their reputation, losing their comfort, losing their control. Second sign your success leads to pride and boasting. Nebuchadnezzar was happy to look over all he had made and boast in it and take all the credit and compare himself favorably to everyone else in the kingdom and all the other leaders of the world. He's probably walking around thinking, yeah, well, Pharaoh wishes he had one of these, right? You know, the king of Mesopotamia, he wishes he had this thing. Look at this thing, huh? Look at that, right? That's what's going on. But listen, it doesn't take the hanging gardens of Babylon to cause us to boast. We can go, hey, wait till they see this picture I'm going to post, right? Look at this vacation. Look at this outfit. Look at this pr. Look at this deadlift. Sorry, I didn't mean to just get too specific there. But you can post your deadlift. That's fine. We're rejoicing with you. But it's what's going on in your heart as you're about to post it that I think this passage is concerned about. Are you going? Yep, I'll be. Amazing, isn't it? You wish you could be this guy, right? This is what Nebuchadnezzar does. 3rd 3rd sign. You care a lot about your image, right? You care what people think about you. You're thinking about it all the time. You want to be feared or respected or loved. You worry what others are saying about you all the time. And you may not build a giant image to yourself like Nebuchadnezzar did, but you just as surely are concerned about your image in front of other people. Fourth, you treat others as nuisances or annoyances or, dare I say, bugs, right? You began to look at the people around you and see them either as obstacles to you getting what you want or as vehicles that they can give you what you want. But either way, your thoughts are pull full of yourself. Nebuchadnezzar mistreats people. Why? Because his thoughts are full of himself. And so if you dare ask those around you. Does it seem like I care about you genuinely, or does it seem like I'm using you? Or I'm just annoyed with you all the time? Next, you are given to swings of moods when you're defied or blocked, right? Nebuchadnezzar, man, this is a volatile, volatile dude. And until you get to chapter four, you don't know exactly what's causing his volatility. But when you get to chapter four, you go, oh, it's cause he's proud. Meaning every time something happens that threatens him or blocks him, he freaks out. And he's like, get everybody in here, like, and interpret the vision. And they're like, we don't know how you're all gonna die. Right? And this is where. That's what it's like being around a proud person. It might be internal, but often it comes external. Are you known for being volatile? And might there be pride at the root of it? And last, this is a warning. Oh, may we take heed here. Your repentance is only ever temporary, right? When the Lord causes you to see something, maybe a pattern in your marriage or a pattern of anger, a pattern in something else in your life, you may repent, but it always ends up being temporary. This is what Nebuchadnezzar does, right? There's multiple times where God shows him something. I mean, look, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that we just covered last week, don't you think that would cause him to repent? No, it didn't. It didn't. You know why? Because he was still proud. He was like, well, that. This is kind of an amazing thing, everybody. Yeah, that's right. Props to Daniel. You know, Shadrach, Meshach in the bed, and he goes, God. Yeah, that was pretty cool. Pretty cool. But in his heart, he's still proud. And so true repentance is only possible with true humility.
49 · The pastor asserts that God's message to proud people is not 'You are bugs; bow down,' but rather God helps proud people with kindness and mercy
Now, if that's you, this passage also holds out good news for all of us, that God helps proud people with kindness and mercy. And God's message to all of us is not the message we started with at the beginning. It's not. You are bugs. Bow down. That's not what the Lord does.
50 · The pastor concludes with three summary truths: (1) You are a creature, so be humble before God
I reworked it. And so this is how I would sum up the. The end of the message here today. Three things. First, you are a creature, so be humble before God. Meaning everybody should read this passage and go, yep, that's just. That's true. That's the reality. I am a creature. I'm not the center of the universe. I'm not the one in control of everything. I shouldn't be on the throne. I'm a creature. He's the creator. Second, truth, though you are a creation, you have dignity and value and worth. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. And so you can stop chasing dignity, value, and worth in other people and in other things and instead find it given to you, Grace, gifted to you by the Lord. And third, you are loved. John 316 reminds us, for God so loved the world that he sent his only son. In that context, the word world isn't like positive at all. It's the bad people. Another way to translate it might be for God so loved sinners like you that he sent his only son. So God sees all that. He sees all your pride. He sent Jesus for you anyway. Isn't that good news? So rest then, in his care. Rest. Look, if the weight of the world feels like it's on your shoulders, it may be because it was a burden you were never meant to bear. So let it drop. Look to the Lord as the king. Remember you're a creation. Remember that you are loved and rejoice.
51 · The pastor transitions to the closing prayer
Would you stand? And let's pray.
52 · The pastor closes with a prayer thanking God for interrupting us with his word, asking that we would receive the truth that we are creatures, that we are God's creation with dignity and worth, and that we would rest in God's mercy and love, and that anyone who has not placed faith in Jesus would turn to him today
Heavenly Father, we thank you for interrupting us today, yet again with your word. Your word. Every week, Lord, is a divine interruption into our lives, and we are grateful. Lord, you interrupted Nebuchadnezzar because you, in your kindness and mercy, knew there was something he needed to see that he was not seeing. And in your kindness, you have interrupted us as well. You've preserved the story in your word that we might be interrupted by it. And so I pray. I pray that we would receive it today. I pray that we would receive the truth that we are creatures, Lord, that we would not be arrogant, we would not be proud, that we would not think of ourselves as the center of all things and the ruler of all, or should be the ruler of all. Lord, help us to see that we are just creatures. But, Lord, also help us to see we are your creation. You made us, fashioned us with dignity, value, meaning, and worth. And everything that the world is chasing around us, we find given to us by you. And that's glorious. And, Lord, I pray that we would also rest at the end here in your mercy and love. Lord, you see us in our pride. You see the parts of ourselves that we try to hide from others. You see it all. And you still show us mercy and kindness. You still sent your son for us. And so, Lord, I pray that as we end, we would rejoice. Rejoice in your mercy. And I pray that if there's anyone that has not yet placed their faith in Jesus, today would be the day that they would see that you make a far better king for their lives than they do. And they would turn to you and rejoice. Amen.