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Daniel
4:1-27 God’s Eternal Kingdom:
Renunciation in the Face of Sovereignty
We
are continuing in our study on the book of Daniel, entitled “When Times
Get Tough, Keep Trusting In Your God.
This morning’s and this evening’s sermons, the 5th
and 6th sermons in the series, both come from Daniel chapter 4,
in which we find the final discussion concerning the events relating to
King Nebuchadezzar. The
events in this chapter take place toward the end of King Nebuchadezzar’s
reign and toward the end of his life.
These events take place at a time when as Matthew Henry says “He
had conquered Egypt, completed his victories, ended his wars, and made
himself monarch of all those parts of the world.”
Baker Commentary says “Nebuchadezzar had reasons to be proud.
In a short time he had consolidated the power of Babylon from the
Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, and from the Amnanus Mountains to the
Sinai.” So, now we find him
comfortably basking in the security and satisfaction of his
accomplishments (those things he prided himself in accomplishing by the
might of his own wisdom and hand. 1King
Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who
live in all the world: May
you prosper greatly! 2It
is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the
Most High God has performed for me. 3How
great are his signs,
how
mighty his wonders!
His
kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his
dominion endures from generation to generation. 17“‘The
decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so
that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms
of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest
of men.’ Here
ends the reading of God’s Word, would you bow with me in prayer.
SermonThere
is an old proverb that says “FULLNESS is the parent of ferocity”.
Those words may not mean much to you and me today, for most of us
don’t use the word “ferocity” on a regular basis; but John Calvin
helps us understand the meaning. He
says: “Horses when fed too much, prance about and throw their
riders.” The
truth is that when man begins to have his needs met, especially in
abundance, he not only is apt to forget and fail to appreciate his Maker
but he is apt to deny his need for, and even turn against and deny his
Maker. You’ve heard this
proverb illustrated other ways: “Slaves,
when treated like masters often forget they are slaves.”
“Children, when given too much liberty and freedom will sometimes
begin to think or act like they are in charge.”
Perhaps, you’ve heard a person described like that of “a dog
who bites the hands of the master that feeds him.” The
question we want to look at today is this:
Is it necessary, and right, and beneficial for a country and a
king, for a church and its communicants (you & me) to acknowledge and
submit to the supremacy and SOVEREIGNTY of God?
If so, what does that look like? My
mother recently gave me a book called “The Rebirth of America”,
published by The Authur S. DeMoss Foundation, a book I would love to
see every member of this congregation read.
In the opening article entitled “Men
Who Paid Freedom’s Price” we read:
“We often forget that, in declaring independence from an
earthly power, our forefathers made a forthright declaration of
dependence upon Almighty God. The
closing words of [the Declaration of Independence, one of America’s most
historic documents] solemnly declare[s] “With a firm reliance on the
protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our
lives, our fortunes, and our
sacred honor.” YET
today, just over 225 years later, there are those who openly and
unashamedly intend to pursue the highest courts of our land to have our
nation’s motto “In God We Trust” removed! Today
as we look at this passage, consider not just our nation’s obligations
and responsibilities but your own. Some
of you may be thinking to yourselves, I already know that God is
sovereign, but don’t be too quick to turn off your listening parts.
Remember it was revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar earlier, through a
previous vision and interpretation back in chapter 2 that God’s rule and
dominion is both complete and impenetrable, and that his kingdom is
eternal, so much so that in Dan 2:47 we read “The
king said to Daniel, ‘Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord
of kings and a revealer of mysteries.
Again in Dan 3 he says
“Praise be to the
God of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued
his servants … for no other god can save this way.” But
here, in ch. 4, he has to be taught this lesson again, only this time,
it’s not the welfare of his servants (Daniel, his friends) that are put
at risk, but his own well being and wealth, his own future and fortunes.
Sometimes, it’s not enough for God to show us and convince us
that he is in control and that it is to our advantage to honor him and
acknowledge his rule in our lives, for we get slothful in our spirit, and
forget, and begin to drift, and question, and rationalize, and accept
those things that are not true as though they were, we become indifferent,
treat God’s word as being true but having very little weight and
importance in our lives, etc. … so that God sometimes has to repeat and
even intensify his lessons in our lives to shake us up and bring us to our
senses. As one author put it
God has to “redouble his blows” to get our attention. For
example, there are three responsibilities and two results that will be
apparent in our lives when we truly respond to God’s sovereignty.
Three of those we find in v. 27 1.
Acceptance
– we are called to “accept” or believe and hold foundationally this
truth. v. 27
Therefore, O king, be pleased
to accept
my advice…” It’s
not just a matter of cognitive thinking for a time, but of faith.
Do you believe that God is Sovereign over not just nations and
kings, and all of the affairs of man, but over your own heart and life as
well? Is this just lip
service, or is there fruit in your life associated with this.
Let’s look again at v. 27.
2.
Renouncing
Sin by doing what is right – King Nebuchadnezzar was rich and
prosperous, but he had stepped on the backs of others to obtain this
wealth.
3.
Renouncing
your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. – How do you respond to
those under your authority, to those less fortunate than yourselves, to
those oppressed in this land? What
can you point to in the last week, month or six months to show that you
are taking God’s sovereignty seriously by renouncing sin and doing
right, and by being kind to the oppressed?
If there’s no fruit, there’s a good possibility you and I are
not taking his sovereignty as serious as we should.
It’s not just that we need to renounce our sin, but we must do
that which is right. Likewise,
it’s not enough just to not oppress, but we must display acts of
kindness.
4.
Worship
– In v. 3 we read that King Nebuchadezzar was moved to worship by
God’s sovereignty. We see
that as well in v. 34 “Then I praised the Most High; I honored and
glorified him who lives forever.” In
v. 3, we read “How great are his signs, how might his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from
generation to generation.” Note - It wasn’t just the good times he acknowledge
his Sovereignty in, but even when his life was “the pits” In your prayer life, are you acknowledging the hand of God in
all things? In your public
life, are you acknowledging God’s sovereignty in all things?
When it comes to our corporate worship, are we acknowledging the
hand of God,… or we timidly thinking chance plays a part?
5.
Missions
– In vv. 1-2 the king tells the world about God’s Sovereignty!
He even discloses his own shortcomings and sins, in order to make
known the glories of God! Are you and ready to do this and are we participating in it?
If not, we have not been moved by the truth of God’s sovereignty
the way King Nebuchadezzar was. In vv. 1-2 we read “To the peoples,
nations and men of every language, who live in all the world:
May you prosper greatly! It
is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the
Most High God has performed for me. How
great are his signs, how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, his dominion endures from
generation to generation.”
The
message of Daniel 4 is clear, it’s spelled out for us in the text.
The question is: Will you and I accept it, and act on it?
OR, Will we acknowledge it with our lips today, but show through
our lives in the future that we never accepted it in our hearts! Let’s
look at this outline – Who’s the message for?
What’s the Message About? WHO’S
THE MESSAGE FOR The
short answer is: ALL of us! v. 1
“King
Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every
language, who live in all
the world: …” I would not
argue with those who would say that historically, this edict or letter was
written by King Nebuchadezzaar and was intended for the people of his day,
and especially those within the realm of his kingdom, and though that
kingdom was vast, it did not even include the entire world of his day.
However, in the usage of Daniel, and particularly as it’s been
applied by the Holy Spirit in the Holy Scripture for ALL ages, I’d
submit to you these words and this message are for ALL who will listen and
learn and be changed by it! You
may still argue and say that the king’s message was for his kingdom
only, but isn’t that the way it is anytime we come to a conviction
concerning the truth of God? We
don’t want to hold it and keep it to ourselves, or limit those who might
benefit from it, but we believe just as it is some important and valuable
for us it will be valuable for everyone else as well.
This type truth is worthy of the world’s attention!
So, again, I point out, this message is written and recorded under
the inspiration of God for your and my benefit! You
might object and say “I don’t feel I need God! “
Perhaps, life is going okay for you with God. You seem to “flourishing” and “prospering” without
giving due attention to him. Remember
the example of King Nebuchadezzar. He
had conquered the world. He
had no concerns. The British
Museum of History records many of his great accomplishments, including his
hanging gardens. He was
sitting successful and secure on his throne, etc.
But as Sinclair Ferguson puts it “God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar
when he least expected it.” He
was “at rest and flourishing” The
NIV describes his condition this way “I was at home in my palace,
contented and prosperous.” Yet God spoke to him in the comfort of his very own bedroom!
And all it took was one thing… a dream.
The truth is that it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old,
your net worth is zero or in the negative or if you are the most powerful
and prosperous person on the planet, God can get your attention any time
he wants to, even if you content and lying on your own comfortable bed. All
it takes is one thing! For
Nebuchadezzar it was a dream. In
v. 5, it left him “afraid” and when he couldn’t get it out of his
mind it “troubled” him. For you it may be the thought of what the future holds; a
crisis of sudden tragedy; a discovery of a loved one with cancer; a sudden
turn of events that you now cannot control or that will not yield the
results you thought you by your power had ensured, etc.
It may be simply a word from a person God uses in your life, or a
word from his Scripture; but all it takes is one thing! Never doubt it, God can get your attention, and he often does
in our lives. Consider
the United States and those things we have in common with King
Nebuchadezzar. In v. 4 he is
“contented and prosperous.” In
v. 22 Daniel says “You, O king, have become great and strong; your
greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to
distant parts of the earth.” For
the U.S., how much is our greatness known?
How far does our dominion and influence of power reach?
Illegals are risking their lives to come live here.
Immigrants are pouring in from all over the world.
A missionary this week told us that in the Ukraine everyone wants
to come here and those who can’t dream of it.
(The sad part is that they desire the false Gods of the USA,
materialism, wealth, etc.) All
this greatness and power, YET on September 11, a few planes fly into the
world trade center (& not to make light of the tragedies associated
that day) and what happened to worship attendance in America?
It doubled, at least for a time, until people began to fell content
and callous once again. This week a tape of Osoma Bin Laden’s voice was tested and
thought to be real, and the stock market which was doing good began to
reflect this one event. The
truth is … all it takes is one thing!
And that’s true in your and my life as well!
You’ve seen the Budweiser commercial that says “This bud’s
for you”… well, borrowing from the secular and using it for the
sacred, we can say “This message is FOR YOU!”
It doesn’t matter you are, or what your circumstances in life are
like right now, this message is for you. WHAT
IS THE MESSAGE? WHAT’S THE
MESSAGE ABOUT? We
find the message illustrated for us through the revelation and
interpretation of the King’s Dream in vv. 9-27.
Unlike some of the other visions found in the book of Daniel, there
is NO DEBATE about what is represented in this dream and the message both
the dream and the chapter was intended to convey.
Let me show you just a few verses:
In vv. 2-3 the king explains the purpose of his letter saying:
It
is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the
Most High God has
performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal
kingdom; his dominion
endures from generation to generation.”
In
v. 17, we read “The
decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so
that the living may know that the Most
High is sovereign over
the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets
over them the lowliest of men.” Again,
in v. 25 we read “…
Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men
and gives them to anyone he wishes.
The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means
that your kingdom will be restored to you
when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.”
God
is sovereign over the affairs of men.
He is sovereign over the kingdoms of men, and not just eternally,
but from one generation to another, including our own! We
live in a day when people say: Girls
rule”; “Kids Rule”; “Ole Miss Rules”
In
Dan 4, it’s clear and plain that “HEAVEN
RULES!” Note
– this is not just some pre/post millenialist view of life that someday
Christ will come back to earth and set up his throne in Jerusalem to
demonstrate his full rule. Nor
is this some Dispensationalist view of life that states that God dispenses
and “administers his rule in different ways at different periods of
history.” In v. 17, we read
“…
so that the living may know that the Most His is sovereign over
the kingdoms of men & gives them to anyone he wishes &
sets over them the lowliest of men.” The
point is that God is not “shut up” in the heavens but he is actively
ruling in the affairs of men and nations today!
Just because we don’t see everything perfect, or as it one day
will be, does NOT mean that God is not perfectly in control and ruling
today! He was ruling and in
control when the Israelites were made slaves in Egypt.
He was ruling and in control when the Israelites were given over to
the Babylonians. God is
ruling and in control whether the Democrats or Republican are in control
of congress and whether our economy grows are whether Al Quada pulls off
some “spectacular” terrorist plot.
God is sovereign over ALL HISTORY, not just “eternally”, but
“from one generation to another”, whether men in America want to
acknowledge it or not! We are
not in control of our own destinies!
We cannot live forever without acknowledging the Sovereignty of
God. How
does the Text explain this? What
is the method of showing this truth?
The answer is through the Revelation and Interpretation of the
Dream. (Note – as we deal
with sections of Scripture, we can’t take time to deal with ALL the
details, but commentaries will help you with these.) There
are two parts to look at: The
Drama and the Decision of the Dream The
Drama (vv. 10-16) -In vv. 10-12 we read ““These
are the visions I saw while lying in my bed:
I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the
land. It’s height was
enormous. The tree grew large
and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the
earth. Its leaves were
beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all.
Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of
the air lived in its
branches; from it every creature was fed.”
In vv. 13-16 we find discussion of the angel (watcher/holy one) who
calls for tree to be cut down, branches cut, leaves stripped off &
fruit scattered. Then mercy
is announced amidst the judgment in that the stump are roots are to be
left but bound with iron & bronze and remain in grass of field.
This tree is then personified as we read “Let
HIM be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let HIM live with the animals
among the plants of the earth Let
HIS mind be changed from that of a MAN and let HIM be give the mind of an
animal, till seven times pass by for him.”
The identification of what this tree represents is clear. We’re told in v.
22 “you, O king, are that
tree!”
Here there is a play on words. Daniel
was first “flourishing” like a tree, now he is going to be “cut
down” like a tree. The
Decision of the dream is referred to in v. 17
“The decision is announced by messengers….”
(cut down the tree, give heart of animal, eat grass like ox, etc.)
For
the sake of time, in explaining this, I would like to focus on the
interpretation of the dream as we find it in vv. 24-26.
In vv. 24-25 we read “This
is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has
issued against my lord the king: You
will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you
will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven.
Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the
Most His is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he
wishes.” What
Do We Learn from this?
1.
Though some would object to the reality of the historical
fulfillment of this dream, the preponderance of the evidence points to the
historical reality. Because
the Babylonian Chronicles do not include the later part of
Nubuchadezzar’s reign, some would say this never took place, or that we
cannot prove it. While it is
true that extra-biblical proof of this taking place is non-available at
present, there are several related historical evidences that speak of
something related to this taking place. It is my opinion that the Scriptural Text is sufficient, and
that the absence of these years from the Babylonian Chronicles supports
rather than detracts from its authenticity since it was not common in
those day for kingdoms to record times of weakness, failure, etc. 2.
More importantly, what’s this got to do with you and me? To answer that, we must look at the things God uses to get
people to acknowledge his rule. Often
God uses things in the physical realm to get people to address not only
spiritual truth concerning his sovereignty, but the spiritual condition of
their own heart. King
Nebuchadezzar was full of pride and was participating in his
self-exaltation. God used a period of insanity to “break him” and help him
see he wasn’t almighty and the one ultimately in control of his life.
It’s not unusual for God to pour out his blessings, or remove
them, and give man the heart of an animal to teach him this truth.
For example, think about when men fight over trivial matters, when
men lust over things that are impure, when men out of greed harm their
neighbors in order to build their own empires, when men violate their own
conscience in order to obtain the pleasure of the moment.
In
v. 25, we read “You will be driven away from people”
God sometimes does this through times of solitary conditions;
through broken relationships; through lack of true communion and
fellowship. We read “you
will live with the wild animals”. Certainly,
King Nebuchadzzar in his insanity lived out among the animals, but God
sometimes accomplishes the same in our lives through destining us to live
among those who steal from us, those who attack us, those who steal from
us, as well as when we hang out with those who are wild and unruly, those
who act no different that wild beasts.
We also read “You will eat grass like cattle” .
Sometimes, God will take
away your luxurious living & lower your esteem when things don’t
work out the way you would like. We
read
“and be drenched with the dew of heaven.” Sometimes, men are
left alone to be weathered through hardship; they are given the blessings
of heaven but not allowed to enjoy them, etc.
These are just some of the examples of how God accomplishes the
same work in our lives without having to cause us to literally live like
animals of the field, though we must admit that some do.
Finally, we read “Seven
times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is
sovereign over the kingdoms of men & gives them to anyone he
wishes.” The point is
that God will use whatever it takes and you will not get out from under
his judgment until he is through.
You and I have all been there!
If not, you will be if it is God’s will to humble you.
Think about the times when we try to work harder to move us or pay
the bills but no matter how hard we try it seems to not work out;
times when we just about have our neck out of the water and
something plunges us in deeper; when we leave college thinking “I’m
going to take the world by the tail… but before long it has U by the
tail”; or for older adults, perhaps you’ve lived well, planned well,
made good decisions, to where you can sit back now and enjoy your
retirement, then boom, the joy or resources you planned for are no more,
for whatever reason. Could it
be that God is trying to show you that he’s in control?
Have you ever thought to yourself “I keep facing one trial after
another but not wiped out? It
could be v. 26 “The command to
leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be
restored to you when you acknowledge
that Heaven rules.” The
point is this: God IS
sovereign. He has innumerable ways to shake us up and bring us to our
senses concerning his sovereignty in our lives, and he wants you and me to
know that he is sovereign. That’s
what we read about in v. 17 “The
decision is announced by messengers… so that the living may know
that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men…”
Not just the
physically living, but those who are of the Elect… those who live
spiritually. (As one commentator put it, the dead already know that God is
sovereign!) In
concluding, I return to the book I began this sermon with, The Rebirth of America. Another
article leaves us with this: “One
nation…under God!” What
does this mean? It means that
we have this land, this flag, this government as a gift from the Great God
Almighty. It means that this
did not become the land of the free and the home of the brave by blind
fate or a happy set of coincidences, but that a wise and benevolent God
was hovering over us from the very hour of conception… and long before.
When Columbus discovered this Land, he took a cross in his own
hands, and planted it upon the new soil, fell upon his knees, and kissing
the earth, took possession of this continent for God.
…
But today America faces a danger point.
We must confess with troubled heart that America has forgotten God.
She is rolling in luxuries, reveling in excesses, rollicking in
pleasure, revolting in morals, and rotting in sin.
What can we expect of a society in which passions are riderless
horses; in which there is a desolation of decency; in which love has
become a jungle emotion, lust is exalted to lordship, sin elevated to
sovereignty, Satan worshipped as a saint, and man magnified above his
Maker? Today the bleak winds
of destiny are howling in protest to the way we are living.
It is sheer folly to suppose that the strength and security of
America lies in its vast economic resources, industrial prowess,
scientific ingenuity, diplomatic skill or military might.
Or real defense as a nation rests in the spiritual convictions,
character and commitment of our citizenry.
Our
forefathers founded this nation upon the Christian faith and it will live
so long as the Lord is our God.
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