The King’s Humiliation | Sunday, July 2, 2023

Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How great are His signs, and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:1–3)

When the proudest king on earth becomes the unlikely author of a testimony to God's grace, no one is beyond the reach of repentance.

Humility in a World That Exalts Pride

About 130 years before Daniel, the prophet Micah wrote: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Centuries later James wrote, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Humility isn't highly valued in the 21st-century Western world. A number of years ago during the 2015 NBA finals, LeBron James's team was down three to two, and a journalist asked if he was concerned. He responded, "I am confident because I am the greatest player in the world. It is as simple as that." A picture of humility indeed.

We have come out of a period in our nation where, for an entire month, the opposite of humility — pride — is exalted as one of the chief virtues. Ironically, the Scriptures identify pride as one of the chief vices. Solomon recorded in Proverbs 6: "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him." What is first on the list? A proud look. What was once the chief vice has become one of America's chief virtues.

Outcomes Matter

I have long been interested in outcomes — if you do A, B, C, what is the X, Y, Z that results? Jesus said something easily overlooked: "Wisdom is justified by her children." Outcomes are important. So it is worth asking: what is the outcome of a life lived in pride?

Just before listing the things He hates, Solomon described a worthless, wicked man with a perverse mouth, who winks his eyes and points his fingers, who devises evil and sows discord. The outcome? "His calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy." Paul says these Old Testament things were written for our instruction: "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." "Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall."

The Most Unlikely Author in Scripture

Over the last four weeks — coincidentally through what our nation calls pride month — we have been introduced to King Nebuchadnezzar and his great pride. He came to power in Babylon in 605 BC and led the empire on a rampage, humbling kings and nations, taking captives, and bringing the best of those peoples to be trained in Babylonian wisdom. Among those captives from Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. We have seen this haughty, high-minded, often hysterical king who would fly off the handle and threaten to cut people in pieces and destroy their households.

Today we see the king's humiliation in one of the most fascinating and unique passages of Scripture — fascinating because of who wrote it. The traditional view is that Daniel wrote the book of Daniel, except chapter 4. Look at verse 1: "Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples and nations and languages that dwell on the earth." The author is none other than the proud king himself. He opens much like the New Testament letters — "Peace be multiplied to you" — and says, "I thought it good to declare to you the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me."

This is striking from the man who, just a few weeks ago in our studies, made a 90-foot golden image of himself and commanded all peoples to bow. Turn one page over to the very last verse: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down." How did we get from a golden statue to that?

God Honors the Humble and Detests the Proud

Keep Micah's words in mind: do justly, love mercy, walk humbly. That is point one — God honors the humble and detests the proud.

A contemporary of Micah, the prophet Isaiah, received a vision of the rise and fall of Babylon more than 150 years before they rose to power. Isaiah 14 is typically associated with the spiritual entity we call Lucifer, and there is a supernatural focus there. But in context, Isaiah is also predicting the fall of Babylon and its proud king. Many commentators see a dual fulfillment.

O shining Morning Star, how have you fallen from the heavens, you destroyer of the nations! You have been cut down to the ground... For you said in your heart, "I will ascend to the heavens, I will set up my throne above the stars of God... I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:12–14)

Five times: "I will." But God's word was, "You will be brought down low, to the grave, into the deepest regions of the pit." Jesus said, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled." Solomon said, "A man's pride will bring him low." Oh the irony that America in 2023 values as a chief virtue what the Scriptures call a major vice that leads to destruction.

When the Proud Seem to Prosper

Point two: the ultimate portion of the proud is humiliation. The hard part is that it doesn't always look that way. Often the arrogant seem to have nothing but a paved road before them, and it can be discouraging.

A psalmist three thousand years ago felt the same. In Psalm 73 he wrote, "I almost lost my footing... for I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness." They seem to live painless lives, free from the troubles of others; they wear pride like a necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. "Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?"

But then comes the turn: "Thinking about this, I was really not doing well, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end." This life is not the only life. There is a humiliation of the proud that will one day come. The prosperity of the proud is not the end of the story; there is a judgment. People love to tell us, "God is love; my God would never hate anything." But that god is a false god, not the God of Scripture, who says there are some things He hates — and a proud look is one of them.

The Dream and the Difference in Daniel

Nebuchadnezzar says, "I was at rest in my house and flourishing in my palace" — and then he saw a dream that made him afraid. Déjà vu. He summoned the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. This time he was kinder; he told them the dream. But they "did not" — notice, not "could not" — make known its interpretation. I think it is informed speculation that they would not, because the meaning was obvious and they knew the king would not like it.

At last Daniel came in. Note Nebuchadnezzar's own words: "in him is the Spirit of the Holy God... no secret troubles you." Daniel was distinctly different, and that difference was identifiable even to the proud king.

There was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great... A watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven and cried aloud, "Chop down the tree... nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth... Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the heart of a beast, and let seven times pass over him... that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men." (Daniel 4:10–17)

The best estimate is that this took place around the 570s BC, when Daniel had been in the court for about three decades. During that decade Nebuchadnezzar renovated Babylon into one of the wonders of the world — the Hanging Gardens, the Ishtar Gate. At the height of all that glory, he had this dream.

The Meek Are Known by God's Greatness Within Them

Point three: the meek are known by God's greatness within them, and not their own. May it be with you and me that people see in us the evidence that the Spirit of the one true holy God resides within. What is the evidence? Galatians 5 — the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Notice pride is not mentioned.

May people in our neighborhoods, on our campuses, in our offices and families, see in us increasing peace in a world of anxiety, and self-control when the boss or customer rants and everyone else freaks out — not control of ourselves, but of the Spirit of God who resides in us. Daniel was distinctly different, and Nebuchadnezzar could see it.

Daniel's Compassion for His Enemy

Daniel was astonished and troubled. Even Nebuchadnezzar said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you" — the king saw Daniel's face change. Daniel answered, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies."

This is striking. Daniel is standing before the man responsible for the destruction of his homeland, probably the death of family members, the destruction of the temple, his being uprooted and replanted in Babylon, his name being changed to a Babylonian god's name, his culture and language and clothing taken from him, and his own castration. Yet his first instinct is compassion. The language reveals genuine affection and care for Nebuchadnezzar.

Why? Because within Daniel resided the Spirit of the holy God, and God's heart is for the lost. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). "God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2).

God's Desire Is for the Proud to Repent

Point four: God's desire is for the proud to humble themselves in repentance and faith. Seeing that, I must ask whether it is also my desire. Ezekiel, who lived at the same time and place, was inspired to write: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die?"

Church, be careful when your desire is more for vengeance and destruction upon the world than for its salvation and repentance. That desire for vengeance, though understandable in our flesh, is more in line with the spirit identified as the father of lies and murder than with the heart of God. I have to check myself when I find the thought, "they need to be destroyed." That is my flesh; it is far from the heart of God who desires all to come to repentance.

Daniel gave the interpretation: "It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong." Then the decree — driven from men, dwelling with beasts, eating grass like oxen, until "you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men." But the stump and roots would remain, so the kingdom would be restored "after you come to know that Heaven rules." Then Daniel added counsel: "Break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

The First Word of the Gospel: Repent

Point five: God's call to the proud in every place, at every time, is the same — repent. It has been said that repent is the first word of the gospel. J. Edwin Orr, a great 20th-century scholar of revival, gave a message titled "The First Word of the Gospel," showing that throughout the New Testament the first word is repent — the word of John the Baptist, of Jesus, of the disciples He sent, of Acts 2, of Paul. It is a change of mind that brings a change of heart and results in a change of life.

So God says repent, and the prophet says to the king, "I have compassion for you; I don't want you to go through this." Wouldn't you imagine Daniel might think, "Finally, this man who destroyed everything"? But that is not there. "Break off your sins... perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

Pride at the Peak, Then Judgment

Did he heed the counsel? Verse 28: all of this came upon him — but notice, "at the end of twelve months." The Lord is slow to anger, long-suffering, not willing that any should perish. Some of us know that patience well; I am very thankful for it. If I had the smite button, they would be fixing more than potholes on the 15. We are too much like James and John, the sons of thunder, ready to call fire down from heaven.

"Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). God waits to be gracious. A full year later, Nebuchadnezzar walked about his palace and said, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" While the word was still in his mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "The kingdom has departed from you... they shall make you eat grass like oxen... until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men."

That very hour it was fulfilled. He was driven from men, ate grass like an oxen, his body wet with dew, his hair grown like eagle's feathers, his nails like a bird's claws. He did not repent, did not do justly or love mercy or walk in humility — therefore judgment came. In his insanity he lost his identity entirely and thought he was a beast. There is even a recognized condition called lycanthropy. Interesting that we are not seeing anything like confusion over identity at scale in our culture today, are we? It took nearly two millennia to build a culture informed by the Scriptures; it will take a fraction of that time to undo it. Would to God we would come to our senses.

Restored, and Praising the King of Heaven

I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever... All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing... Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. (Daniel 4:34–37)

Many Bible teachers believe that when you get to heaven, you will meet Nebuchadnezzar. That is fascinating — and there may be many in heaven you thought would not be there, including you and me, because God is gracious. There is discussion about what "seven times" means — seven years, or simply the completion of God's timing, since seven is the number of completion. The timing matters less than the purpose: God was working through this judgment from the beginning to bring Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge Him.

Humble Yourself, or Be Humbled

The practical point is clear: humble yourself, or be humbled. "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:10). "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6).

I cannot help but contrast the proud king of Babylon with the King of kings who made Himself of no reputation. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God... made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant... He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2).

That day will come, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess before the throne of Christ. But we are given a message to share with the proud world: turn to Him now in repentance and faith, and bow now — because He will not be so gracious at that throne in the future, the white throne of judgment in Revelation. Today He occupies a throne of mercy and grace. "Come boldly to the throne of grace... to find mercy and grace" (Hebrews). Oh that we would come humbly.

Closing Prayer

He has shown you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Father God, I pray that You would help us to do that, and Lord, that You would work in us by Your Spirit and by Your power, by Your grace, to produce in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. God, work these things in us, that it would be evident to all those we come in contact with this week. And Lord, give us the boldness like You gave to Daniel, to speak to those who in their pride stand with their fist raised to You and say, "Please repent, please turn — for why will you die?" God, do it, work, we pray. Lord, we live in a nation that boasts itself against You and loves the things that You hate, and we pray, God, that You would move with compassion and grace through Your church and call people through us to repentance. For we ask this today in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, Amen.