The King of Heaven. . .All His Acts are Just and True

Dan. 4:1-37 excerpted NLT

  1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: . . .2   “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. 

   3   How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations. . . . .

   29 Twelve months later. . .. 30 As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’ 

   31 While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32 You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’ 33 That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society.. . .
   34 "After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. 35 All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’ 

   36 When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

King Nebuchadnezzar was a hard learner. He got the message the first time with the golden statue image but only partially. He got it the second time with the three Hebrews in the furnace, but still with limitations. He got it a little more again when he threw his friend and advisor Daniel to the Lions but yet with memory lapses. Even after his grand pronunciation to the people of Babylon three times about how Great God was, he would yet slip into his pride in just a year, even though God warned him in a dream that Daniel explained. The vision of living like a wild beast in the fields came upon him for seven years. Then he was restored to sanity and seemed to have finally learned the full scope of truth that he testified to beginning with his own words in verses 34 and following. Finally he fully understood the absolute supremacy of God and the absolute fallibility and unworthiness of humanity, even the best and most privileged of them.

We risk this same consequence. We walk in the riches of God's grace yet we dabble with our pride and self-will from time to time. We know we have been forgiven yet we place ourselves where we know we can be enticed back into what we know is sin. Will it take Nebuchadnezzar's consequence. Will we have to fall into insanity and darkness for another period of time before we realize that we must make Christ Lord over every aspect, King over our every purpose, Master over our entire life? Nebuchadnezzar had a chance to avoid catastrophe. So do we. Let's walk in complete surrender and live for Christ alone.
Your servant,

Dan

drdanelliott@gmail.com