Amen, and please do have a seat and grab your Bibles to Daniel chapter 4, and let's finish
this reading together from verse 34, reading to the end of chapter 4.
From verse 34 of chapter 4.
At the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity
was restored.
Then I praised the Most High, I honored and glorified Him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion.
His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back His hand or say to Him,
What have you done?
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for
the glory of my kingdom.
My advisors and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and became even
greater than before.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything
He does is right, and all His ways are just.
And those who walk in pride, He is able to humble.
What an incredible chapter.
Just before we dive in, let's pray together.
Our loving and gracious Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning, and we still ourselves
in the wonderful truth that you hold our lives and you hold this world in the palm of your
hands.
And Lord, as we come to your word now, would you remind us what we hold in our hands?
This is no ordinary book.
This is your word, and it is life-giving.
Oh, may it come with power to our eyes and ears this morning to change us, to convict us,
to inspire us, to inform us, and to mold us.
And so, Lord, we declare in the words of Samuel,
Speak, O Lord, for your servants are listening.
Amen.
So, put your hand up this morning, if you are a regular reader of a magazine.
Right in the air, okay, right in the air, so I can see them.
Excellent.
Give me some magazines, I'll take two.
Alistair, you've got my eye there.
Time.
Good answers, we'll see you in a second.
Okay, anyone else?
Ruth.
Women's Weekly.
It's good.
Excellent.
Another, Ruth.
Practice nursing.
One more.
Derek.
Top Gear.
Excellent.
Brilliant.
Well, I'm not so confident in this one, but keep your hands up if the magazine that you
read is this one.
O, starring Oprah Winfrey.
Anybody?
No?
Who can tell me who is on the front cover?
This is May's edition of this magazine.
Who's on the front cover?
Come on, somebody.
Oprah.
Good.
Here is April's edition.
Who is on the front cover?
Oprah.
In fact, have a guess this morning at who has been on every single front cover of O magazine
since its launch in 2009.
Oprah.
So just in case we the public were in any doubt as to who the star of the O magazine
is, her face splashed across every single front cover.
Now, we've been working our way through this book of Daniel over the past few weeks.
And we've been introduced to this monster of a city that is Babylon.
And as we've got to know Babylon as a city, we've got to know the king of Babylon, King
Nebuchadnezzar.
Well, let me introduce you to the best-selling magazine in Babylon this morning.
We're just going to call it the Babylonian Time magazine.
The magazine that celebrates everything that is great and is wonderful about this city of
Babylon.
And here's the thing about the Babylonian Time magazine.
The man in the world, the man in the world, the man in the world, the man in the world,
the man in the world, the man in the world, the man in the world, the man in the world,
and this king, Nebuchadnezzar.
And why?
Because he is a man who loves his own glory.
You'll see in verses 29 and 30 of chapter 4, the words that form the subtitle to every single
edition of this magazine.
Hear Nebuchadnezzar proclaim, is this not the great Babylon that I have built as the
royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?
Do you see the heart of this guy, this king, Nebuchadnezzar?
What is he all about?
He's all about his own glory and he's all about his own fame.
He loves himself big time.
Here's what we're going to hear this morning and it is absolutely stunning.
This is the testimony about how this man came to be a worshipper of the living God.
I think we've got good grounds to understand from this chapter that King Nebuchadnezzar,
one of the most powerful men the world has ever known, in actual fact becomes a Christian.
And because of that, well, the Babylonian Time magazine is going to have to go through a massive
rebranding exercise.
Whereas before there was a big picture of Nebuchadnezzar on the front cover,
now there's a picture of the King of Heaven.
And whereas before it mentioned Nebuchadnezzar's fame and his greatness,
we'll now see what it reads at verse 37.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of Heaven,
because everything he does is right and all his ways are just,
and those who walk in pride, he's able to humble.
This chapter, bookended with praise, is the testimony of how the most powerful human being on the planet
has an encounter with the living God,
which totally transforms the ways, the way that he understands life.
And what has he learned?
Well, he's learned this about God.
That God is in the business of making low the high,
and making high the low.
This is our God this morning.
Well, King Nebuchadnezzar, he starts this chapter with his conclusion,
verses 1 to 3.
We see him make a quite astonishing admission.
This is the hear ye, hear ye of this chapter.
If you've got it there, notice who Nebuchadnezzar in these verses is writing to.
All nations of all languages.
Do you see that?
This is a universal declaration that all human beings the world over need to hear
and understand for themselves.
And remember this is written in Aramaic, the most common tongue of the day.
Now why does that matter?
Well, that matters because this word is going to get out in Aramaic to as many people as possible,
so that as many people as possible can understand who the true king of the world is,
and they too can turn to this God for themselves and have life.
What does he say?
He says, praise God.
Praise God that he is mighty.
Praise God that he is great.
And praise God that his kingdom, unlike mine, is a kingdom that lasts forever.
That is the song of Nebuchadnezzar's heart.
And really the rest of the chapter in between the sandwich is the story of how he got there.
So verses 4 to 18, not for the first time in this book,
Nebuchadnezzar has a distressing dream.
And what's it a dream about?
It's a dream about a tree.
Has anyone ever had a dream about a tree?
Nope, me neither.
But it's a tree.
It's a beautiful tree.
It's a big tree.
It's a fruitful tree.
It's a lively tree.
But this tree that has everything going for it
is a tree that is ordered to be cut down
and someone is going to be humbled in quite a unique and quite a powerful way.
And why?
We'll see verse 17.
So that whoever this is will come to understand that God is king and he is not.
So you can understand that Nebuchadnezzar, he's terrified about this dream.
And what does he do?
He summons his dream interpretation squad to give that interpretation a shot.
And verse 7, they don't seem to know what it means.
Which I find really interesting.
I find that really interesting.
Remember in Nebuchadnezzar he has a dream at chapter 2.
And when he calls his dream interpretation squad together,
they can't tell him what the dream means.
Why can't they tell him what the dream means?
Because he wouldn't tell them what the dream was.
But here do you notice Nebuchadnezzar tells them exactly what the dream is.
And let's be honest, it's not that difficult to work out, is it?
Really?
I mean, picture the conversation between Nebuchadnezzar and his wise men.
Dear wise men, I've had a dream about a tree.
It's a big tree.
It's a beautiful tree.
It's a lively tree.
It's a tree that's got an awful lot going for it.
And it's about to be cut down.
Any ideas, anyone?
Any ideas what this dream might mean?
I mean, if that came up in your higher English, you'd be delighted, would you not?
Giving that a shot, interpreting that?
You're not honestly telling me.
You're not honestly telling me that all the wise men in this city of Babylon
could not at least have a goal in trying to interpret what that dream means.
Could it be that these men claim to be in the dark because they can't face telling Nebuchadnezzar
the truth of the dream because of what it might mean for them?
Could it be that these wise men are prioritizing saving their own skin ahead of saving their kings?
Now, why do I think that?
Well, look who the king goes to next.
He goes to Daniel.
Cue stage right, verse 8.
Nebuchadnezzar says, Daniel, in you come.
Tell me what it means.
Verses 19 to 27.
We see Daniel offering this king a passionate plea.
Now, how does Daniel feel about this dream?
We'll see what we're told at verse 19.
He is greatly perplexed.
If you've got an ESV translation there, Daniel is said to be alarmed.
He's alarmed.
Is that not interesting?
I mean, picture Daniel in your head.
Here is one of God's own people who is living in exile away from his homeland
in this pagan city of Babylon.
That's bad enough.
But Jerusalem, the capital city, Daniel's home in Judah,
and most importantly for him, the place where his God is honored and worshipped
has been destroyed.
And by whom?
This man and these people.
As the readers here, are we not just a tad surprised
that Daniel isn't dancing with joy?
At the news of Nebuchadnezzar's upcoming destruction.
I mean, might we not be expecting Daniel to be rubbing it in the face of Nebuchadnezzar?
I told you so.
This is my God.
You thought you were bigger than him?
Would we not expect him to be tweeting to all his fellow Israelites?
Team, the moment we've been waiting for is here.
Hashtag Neb for Fel.
Right?
Do we not expect him to be dancing with joy?
He is not delighted with this dream.
He is devastated for the king and this news.
Isn't it just a little bit surprising in this chapter?
Now, why does Daniel feel like that?
Well, could it be that Daniel's heart for God
is expressing itself in love for this outsider who doesn't know God?
Could it be that Daniel wants this man, this king,
to come and to know and to love the God that he knows and loves?
Could it be that Daniel's heart is simply reflecting God's heart for this man?
Do you see how Daniel is deeply concerned
and how he deeply cares for this man, Nebuchadnezzar?
Now, here's the challenge this poses for us this morning.
Do we share Daniel's concern for a lost world?
Do we share Daniel's heart for people in our lives
that do not know this God for themselves?
Do we pray for our lost friends and family
that they too would come to know this God?
Are we fully convinced in our minds
that God wants to reach every human heart
with the good news of Jesus Christ?
Do we make every effort to walk alongside people
and take every opportunity to speak of Jesus Christ to them?
For how does Daniel's loving concern for Nebuchadnezzar,
how does it manifest itself in this chapter?
By telling him the truth.
What does Daniel say at verse 22?
Well, Daniel says what the wise men of Babylon wouldn't say,
you are that tree.
Do you see what he says?
You are that tree.
Dear King, I wish this didn't apply to you.
I really wish this didn't apply to you.
But that axe, it's got your name on it.
This one's for you, King Nebuchadnezzar.
The question is, how are you going to respond?
Is there any hope for this king?
Well, what does Daniel say, verse 27?
Therefore, your majesty,
be pleased to accept my advice.
Renounce your sins by doing what is right
and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.
It may be then,
your prosperity will continue.
And I think so succinctly summed up by Daniel
in that phrase that he uses at verse 26,
will you acknowledge that heaven rules?
Will you acknowledge that heaven rules
and you don't?
Let me ask you this morning,
where are you at in that question?
Who is it that is king of your life?
You see, that's the question that Daniel places
before Nebuchadnezzar
because Daniel understands,
Daniel understands that the loving thing to do here
is to tell Nebuchadnezzar the truth.
Because it's only by understanding the truth
that Nebuchadnezzar can grasp the truth
and act upon the truth
and turn to this God
and be spared and receive grace and mercy.
Do we understand that connection this morning?
That warning people is loving people?
That the good news of the gospel
is only good news
when we get our heads around the bad news?
That people are heading for the eternal acts
if they continue in their pride
and their rebellion against this God?
Like Daniel, friends,
that should break our hearts.
And we should be so insistent
on telling people
the good news of the gospel
that God sent his son
to take the acts for us
so that we no longer need to face
the acts ourselves.
Are we communicating the truth of the gospel,
the good news and the bad news
to our friends and family
who do not know him?
Nebuchadnezzar, would you see
that you need to turn from your folly and pride?
And you need to see that God warning you
is his grace towards you.
Turn to him and be spared the humiliation
which is coming your way.
Or will you acknowledge that heaven rules?
So Daniel says,
so the question is,
what is Nebuchadnezzar going to do with it?
Well, 12 months later,
verses 28 to 33,
we see a humbled heart.
Why is Nebuchadnezzar humbled?
Well, see verse 30.
Because of his pride.
Why?
Because our God is in the business
of making low the high
and making high the low.
And here's the thing for us
to see this morning.
And I'll be honest with you,
here's probably where this chapter
hit me the hardest this week
in my preparation.
The truth of it is,
you don't have to dress like Nebuchadnezzar
to have a heart like Nebuchadnezzar.
Do we see that pride in our lives
this morning?
As we think about and look at the things
that we have done.
As we think about our achievements.
As we think about our salaries.
As we think about our jobs.
As we think about our abilities.
As we look at the stuff that we have.
It's not just a tiny bit inside of us
that kind of goes with Nebuchadnezzar's heart here.
It's a constant message, isn't it,
that the world is telling us.
What is it that we're always,
the phrase that we're always using
in our culture
to describe people who've made it.
People like Alan Sugar.
People like Deborah Meaden.
Lovely folks.
But what do our media say?
They are self-made men
and self-made women.
Now I must admit,
I don't know about you,
I laugh when I hear that phrase
every time.
Exactly what part of themselves
did they make?
Do you know?
Was it the intricacies
of the human heart?
Was it the sophistication
of the human eyes
that what they made?
Was it the complexities
of the human brain?
Tell me exactly
what part of themselves
did they make?
Now what do we mean
by that phrase?
We just mean that they've got
a lot of stuff.
That's what we mean, isn't it?
But is that your heart
this morning, friends?
Do we not all love our faces
to be splashed across
the front page of a magazine?
Do you have a heart
like Nebuchadnezzar this morning?
Are you really him
to your own glory?
For what happens
to Nebuchadnezzar
as a result of his pride?
Well, as the proverb goes,
a fall.
He's humbled.
Now just reading on it
this week,
the medical term
for this behavior,
boanthropy,
eating dirt,
behaving like an animal,
it's strange reading to us.
But the point,
surely for us to understand,
is that God has deeply
and uniquely
humbled this man,
Nebuchadnezzar.
So what next
for Nebuchadnezzar?
Well, hear him tell us
what he did
at verse 34.
What does he do?
He raises his eyes
to heaven
and he submits
and he finally acknowledged
that heaven rules
and he doesn't.
And what happens?
Well, God restores him
to the glory of his kingdom.
And in fact,
at verse 36,
do you hear him tell us
that it was even better
than it was before?
Now this isn't a prosperity
gospel application.
This isn't turn to God
and he'll make you rich
and make things go well for you.
What I think we're meant
to understand here
is that Nebuchadnezzar,
this man who was so against God,
is now at peace with God.
Whereas before,
his pride had put him
at odds with God.
His repentance
and his surrender,
his white flag to God,
his admission that God is king
and he is not,
has put him at one
with God.
So who is king
in Nebuchadnezzar's life now?
Well, see him re-exclaim
his astonishing admission
in verses 34 to 37.
Look at it with me
if you've got it there.
Verse 37.
What does he exclaim?
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
praise and exalt
and glorify the king of heaven
because everything he does
is right
and all his ways are just
and those who walk in pride
he is able to humble.
And this declaration is going
to every human being possible
so that they would understand
that the allegiances
of the most powerful man
on earth now lie.
It really is the stunning
of the most unlikely
of converts.
But as we move towards
a finish this morning
let me just try and pull
a few of those threads together.
And with me
would you imagine
that you are one of
Daniel's original readers?
You get your hands
on this book of Daniel,
you get to chapter 4
and you're reading it through.
The question is
probably is one
of God's people in exile.
How are you encouraged
or what are you thinking
as you're reading
Daniel chapter 4?
Well here's three things
I would be thinking
and I think three big lessons
for God's people
and for everyone
in general.
Here are the three lessons.
Firstly,
how awesome is our God
that there is no human heart
on this planet
that he cannot change.
Isn't that an amazing truth?
In this chapter
do you see how the worshipped
becomes a worshipper?
Do you see how the persecutor
becomes a professor?
There is no human heart
that this God cannot change
and there is no human heart
that this God
does not desire to change.
This is our God.
And as his people
the question for us
is do we reflect
the heart of God
that we see here?
Now just think about it
in your own life
practically
just for a few minutes here.
Think about that friend
who you've been witnessing to
in the office
for years
and years
and nothing.
Think about that girl
in your class
who is the life
and the soul
of every single party.
Think of that boy
in your football team
who womanizes
like there's no tomorrow.
Think of that family member
who will just not budge
from their viewpoint
no matter how graciously
you try
and persuade them
and reason with them
otherwise.
Does this chapter
friends
not give us
incredible confidence
in the power
of our God
to save
and transform
any life?
does this chapter
not give us
incredible confidence
and does it not give us
a real beck and call
to seek our God
in prayer
and ask that
by his grace
he would transform
the lives
of the people
in our lives
who we have deemed
the most unlikely?
Daniel 4 tells us
that there is no human heart
that this God
cannot change.
Praise him.
Second thing
I would be thinking
is that pride
is a serious thing.
Pride is a serious thing
and I need to take
repentance
very seriously.
For what is God
through the prophets
told this generation
in exile?
Is the reason
that they are in exile
in the first place
well it's their pride.
Because they worshipped
other things
apart from God
because they tried
to be just like
all the nations
round about him
them
and because they
did not listen
to this God
when he warned them
and told them
what was going to happen
if they did not
follow and obey him.
Do you see
it's not just
Nebuchadnezzar
who's been humbled
in this chapter.
See in the background
here God's people
have been massively
humbled.
So they need to do
what Nebuchadnezzar did.
They need to turn
back to God.
Now let me ask you
is that some of us
this morning?
Maybe you're here
this morning
and you're not
a believer
in this God
that we're looking at.
What can I just say
we love that you're here.
But you need to understand
from this chapter
that your pride
the fact that
you want to be king
and not God
puts you at massive
odds with him.
And you need to stop
and you need to think
seriously
about what that means
for your life.
But maybe you are
here this morning
and you are a Christian
but you find yourself
drifting into the pride slide.
You're rushing around
your eyes are off of God
and they're very much
on yourself.
You're rushing around
from one thing
to the next.
You're doing life
in your own strength.
You very much rate
your own ability
to navigate your way
through life
and I'll fit God in
if I can spare a few
five minutes this week
but no promises.
Is God
by his spirit
maybe
convicting
some of us
this morning
that we need
to slow
down
and we need
to actively
and purposefully
take our eyes
off ourselves
and fix them
back on him?
Pride is a serious
thing
and I need
to take repentance
seriously.
Well thirdly
and finally
from chapter 4
God's kingdom
and God's king
when he comes
will not be like
Nebuchadnezzar
in Babylon
and this is a
thrilling truth.
Unlike Nebuchadnezzar
what do we learn
in this chapter?
Unlike Nebuchadnezzar
heaven's king
he's going to be
marked by humility
not by pride.
Heaven's king
unlike Nebuchadnezzar
is going to be
marked by compassion
not by indifference
and oppression.
And to
heaven's king's
lordship
every knee
in heaven
and on earth
will bow
and that lordship
will last
forever.
This is
heaven's king.
Isn't it
incredible
that that generation
of God's people
in exile
they didn't know
the face
of heaven's king
but what a joy
and what an honor
it is that we
are a generation
that does.
Jesus Christ
I mean if ever
there was a king
who could look out
and survey
everything
all creation
and exclaim
I made that
that exists
for my glory
surely it was
Jesus.
If ever there was
a king who could
quite justifiably
revel in his own
achievements
his miracles
his teaching
his obedience
to God
surely it was
Jesus.
If ever there was
an individual
who deserved
to have his face
splashed across
the front cover
of a magazine
surely it was
this king
King Jesus
yet
what do we find
as we read about him
in the gospels
instead of
exalting himself
he humbled himself
he left
his heavenly throne
and he took on
our flesh
and he lived
a life
not of
lording it
over people
but by
living a life
to serve
and to save
his people
and instead
of being lifted
up on an
earthly throne
he was lifted
up on a
wooden cross.
Friends
what more
humbling thing
can be fathomed
than for the
creature
to crucify
the creator
this is our
king
John Wesley
famously wrote
and can it
be
that great
hymn
that we
love to
sing
what does
he write
his mystery
all
the immortal
dies
but the grave
could not hold
heaven's king
his humiliation
is now over
and his victory
and his exaltation
is on display
for the world
to see
for our God
is in the business
of making
low the high
and making
high the low
this is heaven's
king this
morning
you know let
me close just
by reading the
words of Paul
who would write
about this
king of heaven
Jesus Christ
he would write
to this church
in Philippi
whose eyes
were on
themselves
and whose
eyes he wanted
to be on
this king
and this is
what Paul
writes
about Jesus
he writes
this
who being in
the very nature
God
did not consider
equality with
God something
to be used
to his own
advantage
rather
he made
himself
nothing
by taking
the very nature
of a servant
being made
in human likeness
and being found
in appearance
as a man
he humbled
himself
by becoming
obedient to
death
even death
on a cross
therefore
God exalted
him
to the highest
place
and gave
him the name
that is above
every name
that at the
name of Jesus
every knee
should bow
in heaven
and on earth
and under
the earth
and every tongue
acknowledge
that Jesus
Christ is Lord
to the glory
of God
the Father
could there
be a king
who is any
different
from the king
that we read
about in this
chapter
this is heaven's
king
Jesus Christ
the question
this morning
and I leave you
with this
is he your
king
will you
acknowledge
that heaven
rules
so I'm going to
close in prayer
in just a few
moments time
but
just as we
leave this
chapter this
morning
why don't we
just still
ourselves
and let me
invite you
to use this
time to
come before
this king
in prayer
and as we
stop and as
we think
about and
contemplate
God's words
this morning
and maybe
even for the
first time
this morning
you would
bow the knee
like Nebuchadnezzar
and acknowledge
that heaven's
king rules
why don't we
do that now
our father
we thank you
for your word
to us this
morning
and we thank
you that we
see in this
chapter that
you're in the
business of
making low
the high
and high
the low
and we thank
you that you're
in the business
of transforming
lives even
today
and our
prayer is that
you would
continue to
transform our
lives and
our hearts
so that they
would beat for
the glory of
heaven's king
Jesus Christ
in whose name
we pray
Amen