1 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:11,160 Daniel 428 through 32 says all this happened to King 2 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:15,240 Nebuchadnezzar 12 months later, as the king was walking on the 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,400 roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 4 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,640 He said, Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the 5 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:26,200 royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my 6 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,200 majesty? Even as the words were on his 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:34,320 lips, a voice came from heaven. This is what is decreed for you, 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,520 King Nebuchadnezzar. Your royal authority has been 9 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,560 taken from you. You will be driven away from 10 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,080 people and will live with the wild animals. 11 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:48,280 You will eat grass like the ox. 7 times will pass by for you 12 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,160 until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all 13 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:56,600 kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 14 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:04,040 This is the word of the Lord. I want to begin by sharing a 15 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,720 story from my time as a child. I was in elementary school, 16 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,760 maybe third grade or so, and I was invited to be a part of what 17 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:16,920 was called the Ankeny Gifted and Talented. 18 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,720 Wow, right. And it was for kids, I think, 19 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,360 who maybe showed promise or intellect or whatever it was. 20 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,320 But I was invited to come and participate in this. 21 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:29,080 And we got to do fun projects and learn during school. 22 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,840 And I remember that my research project, for instance, was done 23 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,920 on the Titanic, which was a very big deal in the 90s because the 24 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:38,400 movie came out, if you remember, right. 25 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,480 And so as a part of this Ankeny Gifted and Talented, and if I'm 26 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,200 honest with you, it kind of went to my head a little bit, OK? 27 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,360 I was a popular kid in elementary school, right? 28 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,840 I had lots of girlfriends, OK? I'm not bragging. 29 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:58,160 I find that strange now, OK. But this, this idea like this, 30 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,320 this program, the idea that I was a part of the gifted and 31 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:06,160 talented, if I'm honest, it shaped my view of myself. 32 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:12,600 I'm gifted and talented, right? And I think they probably since 33 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,240 changed the name of the program to prevent kids like me from, 34 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,680 you know, not being able to fit their head through the classroom 35 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,680 doors. And on the one hand, it was 36 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:26,280 great for self esteem, but on the other hand, not so great for 37 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,240 the ego, if you know what I mean, myself. 38 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:36,440 Evaluation was very high during this time until it was time to 39 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,640 apply to participate for the following year. 40 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,600 I remember replying and not really taking it seriously 41 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,280 because I wanted to go to a baseball game. 42 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,960 So I hurried through the application and then the 43 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,320 decision came. I was no longer invited to 44 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,080 participate in the Ankeny Gifted and Talented. 45 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,640 And everyone said, oh, I know, I know, I know. 46 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,960 I didn't get in. It was like the first time in 47 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:02,640 this moment where I realized I wasn't going to be able to to 48 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:04,600 join, where I realized something. 49 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,720 Maybe I wasn't as gifted and talented as I thought, right? 50 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,760 Have you ever had that humbling moment where you realized you 51 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,200 weren't as awesome as you'd like to believe? 52 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,200 Maybe it was that time you bombed the exam or when you 53 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,920 didn't make the team. Maybe it was someone like when 54 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:28,480 someone was chosen for the promotion over you. 55 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,120 Or maybe you experience heartbreak where your partner 56 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,800 didn't seem to want to be with you anymore. 57 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:36,200 Or whatever it was right and for. 58 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,120 The prideful person, the act of being. 59 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:44,800 Humbled is never pleasant, we. Squirm and we try to avoid it 60 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,920 and we don't like it. And often times, like for honest 61 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,000 in our culture today, we are we are so tempted to think too 62 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,200 highly of ourselves or or maybe if we've accomplished something, 63 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,160 we think that we deserve it and that we've done it all on our 64 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:03,720 own wisdom. But when we're humbled, we feel 65 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,440 exposed. Do we not like like the nerve of 66 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,520 a tooth? That can be painful when it's 67 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,800 exposed, but it's in these. Moments where we're actually 68 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,320 afforded an honest glimpse into ourselves. 69 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,800 In other words, these moments of humbling can act like a mirror, 70 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:21,440 right? Mirrors do not hide the 71 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,600 blemishes you'd rather choose to ignore. 72 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,320 They simply reflect an accurate picture of who you are. 73 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,880 Those who are proud and confident and bold and even 74 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,000 brash, right? Those people are celebrated. 75 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,560 Often times in our culture today. 76 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:38,680 Those are the people we. Elect into positions of power, 77 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:40,160 right? Not the not the people who are 78 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,080 meek and mild and soft spoken, right? 79 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:46,360 We want the powerful, the. Confident humility is not 80 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,880 something we honour much in our society here today. 81 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,920 And so the question for us that I'd like to explore as we dive 82 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,800 into Scripture is this. How can we? 83 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:02,440 Avoid an unhealthy, prideful self evaluation and instead 84 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,960 adopt A godly perspective for our lives. 85 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,360 So I encourage you now to turn to Daniel chapter 4, if you 86 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,680 could in your Bibles. We always encourage physical 87 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,080 Bibles to get away from our get away from our screens. 88 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,200 Daniel is in the Old Testament. If you'd like to turn there, 89 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,560 it's right after the the large book of Ezekiel. 90 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,720 If you're new to the word, we're just so glad you're here and 91 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:27,520 we'll put it up on the screen as well. 92 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,400 Daniel chapter 4, this chapter is sort of like a Part 1 of a 93 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,280 Part 2. Daniel Part 1, we're calling the 94 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:37,160 beast. Next week we'll start in chapter 95 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,280 5, which we're calling the feast. 96 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:40,720 You'll understand that next week. 97 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:48,600 But Daniel chapter 4, verse one says this King Nebuchadnezzar to 98 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,760 the nations and people of every language who live in all the 99 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,520 earth. May you prosper greatly. 100 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,960 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and 101 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,160 wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. 102 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,040 How great are His signs? How mighty His wonders. 103 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,320 His Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom. 104 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:12,040 His dominion endures from generation to generation. 105 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,720 So Daniel chapter 4 launches out of the gate with King 106 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,480 Nebuchadnezzar proclaiming a sort of royal edict. 107 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,720 What's interesting here is that he's not actually enacting any 108 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,800 sort of law like a normal edict. But theologians believe that 109 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,320 Nebuchadnezzar here is sort of giving a confession in the form 110 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,120 of an open letter to all the nations. 111 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:37,800 Nebuchadnezzar is one of the most powerful rulers of the 112 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:39,560 superpower of Babylon at this time. 113 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,040 We encourage you to go back the next. 114 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:42,240 To our. To our. 115 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,400 Sermons from the last couple weeks to kind of get more 116 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:49,080 context, but what's fascinating here is that he is addressing 117 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,600 all the nations from the first person. 118 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,160 It says King Nebuchadnezzar saying I am now worshipping the 119 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,840 most holy God. The edicts made in the first 120 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:01,720 person because he's in recounting an experience that he 121 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,400 had with God. And unlike other chapters, 122 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,520 praise of Daniel's God is at the beginning of the chapter as he 123 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:15,480 tells his story verse 4. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home 124 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,280 in my palace, contented and prosperous. 125 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,520 And I had a dream that made me afraid as I was lying in bed. 126 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,920 The images and visions that pass through my mind terrified me. 127 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,360 So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before 128 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,960 me to interpret the dream for me when the magicians. 129 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,080 Enchanters, astrologers, and diviners came. 130 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,720 I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 131 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,240 Finally Daniel came into my presence and I told him the 132 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,600 dream. He is called Belted Gazar after 133 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,760 the name of my God and the spirit of the holy gods is in 134 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,440 him. Verse 9 I said Beltejazzar, 135 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:56,040 chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods 136 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,840 is in you and no. Mystery is too difficult for 137 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:01,240 you. Here is my dream. 138 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,640 Interpret it for me. So in this passage, 139 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,680 Nebuchadnezzar finds himself as being contented and prosperous. 140 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,840 He's doing just fine, right? He had it all. 141 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,480 He had the power, he had the wealth, he had the entourage, he 142 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,840 had the influence, he had the achievement, he had it all. 143 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:24,360 But this dream of his one night disrupts all of that, and it 144 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,920 makes him afraid. So once again, Nebuchadnezzar is 145 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,000 given a dream of divine revelation. 146 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:34,840 And so he turns to the Judean exile Daniel, very similar to 147 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:36,919 chapter 2. And notice what he says. 148 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:41,400 About Daniel, he says, I know that the spirit of the holy Gods 149 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,520 is in you. Now Nebuchadnezzar is not 150 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,680 necessarily saying I know that the Holy Spirit is in you. 151 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:51,600 This is basically Nebuchadnezzar's way of saying 152 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:56,600 Daniel is very spiritual. Clearly he listens to God. 153 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,800 Verse 10 These are the visions I saw while laying in bed. 154 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,360 I looked in there before me stood a tree in the middle of 155 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,240 the land. It's height was enormous, the 156 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:14,280 tree grew large and strong and top it's top to touch the sky, 157 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,520 it was visible. To the ends of the earth, it's 158 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,960 leaves were beautiful and it's fruit abundant, and on it was 159 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,160 food. For all under it the wild 160 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,800 animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches. 161 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:32,200 From it, every creature was. Fed 13 In the visions I saw 162 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:37,200 while laying in bed, I looked. And there before me was a holy 163 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:41,200 1A messenger coming down from heaven. 164 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:46,200 OK, Nebuchadnezzar is sleeping. He's having a good time, he's 165 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,120 prosperous. And all of a sudden he has this 166 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,800 scary dream. And it's a dream about a tree. 167 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,640 Now trees during the ancient Near Eastern Time were often 168 00:09:53,640 --> 00:10:00,000 symbolic for life and vitality. So Nebuchadnezzar in this dream 169 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,920 is the tree. His position as ruler of one of 170 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:08,480 the superpowers of Babylon gave him great responsibility to 171 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,840 steward his power well for the well-being of everyone under his 172 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:15,520 care. It reminds me of that famous 173 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,200 line from Spider Man. Any Marvel nerds out there? 174 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,040 Right, You guys know it. With great power there must also 175 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:28,040 come what great responsibility. And so Nebuchadnezzar has so 176 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,440 much influence, so much power. He's achieved so much. 177 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,800 But with that, this dream is showing him, comes great 178 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,520 responsibility. People are relying on him for 179 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,440 abundance and. For their food, just like the 180 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,200 tree and the animals and the fruit under it. 181 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:46,480 And notice in 13 it says that who visited visited him, A holy 182 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,600 one visited him. This is a messenger. 183 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,280 It's what we call the one of the phrase is called the watcher. 184 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,800 So this is the idea that there's these watchers in heaven who are 185 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,480 sort of observing all of creation. 186 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,200 And the watchers in scripture were members of what's called 187 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,760 the Divine Council and participated in delivering and 188 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:09,760 announcing the decision of the Most high. 189 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,960 Now, the ultimate Authority still still remains with the 190 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,520 Most High but. God also had a divine council 191 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,120 around him. So like when we think about 192 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,400 heaven, we think of like the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy 193 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,080 Spirit. Maybe we picture angels like we 194 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,480 just sang about. But also there's what's called a 195 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,440 divine council, meaning they have some level of autonomy and 196 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,520 authority. To be able to observe the 197 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,440 affairs of humans and to be able to make decisions, isn't that 198 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,440 interesting? We'll maybe talk more about that 199 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:42,200 in a bit. But again, it reminds me of like 200 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:44,800 Marvel, if you're familiar, there's these like alien 201 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,480 sentient ancient creatures called the Watchers and their, 202 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,120 their whole point is to like observe human beings. 203 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:54,800 It's interesting. Verse 14, he called in a loud 204 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:56,440 voice. This is what the the, the 205 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,040 watcher, this part of the divine council. 206 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:00,720 This is what he declared in verse 14. 207 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,840 He called in a loud voice. Cut down the tree and trim off 208 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:09,160 its branches. Strip off its leaves and scatter 209 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,920 its fruit. Let the animals flee from under 210 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,480 it and the birds from its branches, but let the. 211 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:20,040 Stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the 212 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,280 ground in the. Grass of the field let him so 213 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,000 it's now the tree is now a hymn OK again this is referring to 214 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,800 Nebuchadnezzar. It says let him be drenched with 215 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:32,800 the dew of. Heaven, and let him live with 216 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,440 the animals among the plants of the earth, Let his mind be 217 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:40,880 changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of an 218 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,320 animal till 7 times past for him, 17. 219 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,920 The decision is announced by the messengers or the watchers. 220 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:52,480 The holy ones declare the verdict so that the living may. 221 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:57,240 Know, don't miss this, that the Most High God is sovereign over 222 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:02,160 all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and 223 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,680 sets over them the lowliest of people. 224 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,720 So here we sort of see the the theme verse of this entire 225 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,880 chapter, which actually serves as the theme of the entire book 226 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,200 of Daniel. So what is the book of Daniel 227 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,760 about? Take a look at this last line 228 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:22,640 here that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on 229 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,120 earth. God. 230 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,120 Gives the kingdoms to whoever he wants, even the lowliest people. 231 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,120 In other words, God gets to do what he wants. 232 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,880 God chooses who gets to rule. And what this means is that even 233 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,440 if it means that some of those who are in power, like the tree 234 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:42,560 like Nebuchadnezzar, need to be. Cut down From time to time, God 235 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:44,560 instills kings. He raises them up, but he also 236 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:46,800 deposes them, as we'll see in the next chapter. 237 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,280 But notice how how Daniel responds here to Nebuchadnezzar. 238 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,800 This is crazy. Notice, notice his response. 239 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,560 Like if I was Daniel, I'd be like told you so, right? 240 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,360 You'd get what you deserve. But that's not Daniel's 241 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,160 response. Verse 19 Then Daniel, also 242 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,080 called Beltichazzar was greatly perplexed for a time, and his 243 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,160 thoughts terrified him. So the king, said Beltichazzar, 244 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,000 do not let the dream or it's meaning alarm you. 245 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,560 But Daniel answered Beltichazzar answered. 246 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:20,120 My Lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and it's 247 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:25,240 meaning to your adversaries. You see, Daniel knew what this 248 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,440 dream meant. Nebuchadnezzar was the tree that 249 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:35,080 was going to be chopped down. And notice here Daniel is 250 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:39,960 showing genuine compassion and concern for King Nebuchadnezzar, 251 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,520 even though up into this point he is a he's an evil king and an 252 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,680 evil ruler. He is showing what theologians 253 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,360 they say, say he's showing genuine warmth here to this 254 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:49,920 king. There's there's a relationship 255 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,120 that had been built here, which is absolutely remarkable 256 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,120 considering all that Nebuchadnezzar had done up into 257 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,520 this point. And so Daniel, in his concern, 258 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,200 he says, oh, if only this applied to someone else, not 259 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,840 you, Nebuchadnezzar, not you. And he goes. 260 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,240 On to interpret the dream for Nebuchadnezzar, he says. 261 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,960 I'm so sorry, Nebuchadnezzar, but you are the tree. 262 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,320 It's because of yourself proclaimed greatness that God 263 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,720 is. Going to chop you down and 264 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:18,880 you're going to become like a wild beast. 265 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,680 You're going to roam the earth, your hair is going to grow long, 266 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,160 you're going to eat grass. You're going to become as low as 267 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,480 it gets, Daniel. It's almost as if Daniel's 268 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,880 heart's broken for the king in this news, in this 269 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:38,400 announcements. And it says here in Daniel 425 270 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,720 that the Nebuchadnezzar is going to be as low as it possibly gets 271 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,880 until verse 25. It says until you acknowledge 272 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:50,440 that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on 273 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:54,080 earth, Nebuchadnezzar, you're going to stay in this low 274 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:58,680 position until you acknowledge that the Most High God reigned 275 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,320 supreme. What I appreciate here is that 276 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,840 Daniel tells it like it is, right? 277 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,760 He delivers the difficult news real quick. 278 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,120 Let me ask you, do you guys have truth tellers in your lives? 279 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,840 Do you have people who will tell you like it is, even when it 280 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,040 hurts? I would say this, Every one of 281 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,280 us needs people in our lives. I can just tell the truth, 282 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,480 right? I've got people in my life like 283 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,520 my my buddy Jared, for instance. Last week we were setting up. 284 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,400 I'm flustered about something and he finally just like sat me 285 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,280 down and he's just like, dude, it doesn't matter. 286 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:32,360 Relax. You know, he's like telling me 287 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,600 the truth and telling me what I, what I needed to hear. 288 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,680 And I so appreciated that. Well, I didn't appreciate it in 289 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:39,120 the moment. I actually was kind of annoyed 290 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,080 at him. But you know if you know. 291 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:42,880 Jared, like he's a truth teller and I appreciate. 292 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,720 That, but then he also took the time to pray for me. 293 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,040 It wasn't just correction, it was actually concern. 294 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:50,240 It was love. That makes sense. 295 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,000 We all need truth tellers like Daniel in our lives. 296 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:53,760 Who is? It for you. 297 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,680 Daniel delivered the harsh words of judgement, but they weren't 298 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,120 his own words of condemnation. They were gods. 299 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,280 Look, I'm sure Daniel had plenty of his own words of condemnation 300 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,839 for Nebuchadnezzar. I'm sure Daniel could have come 301 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:10,400 up with his own condemnation after what Nebuchadnezzar did to 302 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:15,240 his three friends the chapter earlier, but instead he he. 303 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,480 He's restrained enough to just share what God is sharing with 304 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,400 him. So don't take this story as an 305 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,720 excuse to run up to your boss and be like, hey, God wanted me 306 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,160 to let you know that you're kind of a jerk. 307 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:25,800 OK, that will not go well for you. 308 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,640 Probably. The point is, there is a time 309 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:33,240 and there's a place to rebuke and correct and to edify those 310 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,360 who are oppressive. But it's also critical to listen 311 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:41,000 to the Holy Spirit's timing and not just act out of our own 312 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,200 emotional volatility, right? We got to listen for the 313 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,920 Spirit's timing. On that, and it doesn't matter 314 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:50,440 if it's your coach or your teacher or your boss or your 315 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,880 pastor or your mentor or your governor or your manager, 316 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:57,960 whatever it is we need. To, like Daniel, refuse to 317 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:04,120 respond from our own pride when we're confronting, because how 318 00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:07,400 many of you know that when. Pride confronts pride. 319 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,160 Everybody loses. People fall. 320 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,400 So next, Daniel? Doesn't just issue the issue, 321 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,480 the harsh judgement, but he also shows Nebuchadnezzar a way 322 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,800 forward. Here is what it says in verse 323 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,800 26. Verse 26. 324 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,080 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its ruse means 325 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:31,280 that your Kingdom will be restored to you when you, what's 326 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,280 the word, acknowledge that heaven rules. 327 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,560 Verse 27. Therefore, Your Majesty. 328 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:41,520 Be pleased to accept my advice. He listened to Daniel pleading, 329 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,440 saying, please accept my advice. Here it is. 330 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:50,000 Renounce your sins by doing what is right and your wickedness by 331 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,880 being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your 332 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:58,840 prosperity will continue. So what's Daniel's loving advice 333 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,000 here? He's saying, Nebuchadnezzar, you 334 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,160 got to renounce your sins. You got to start doing what is 335 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,160 right. You got to start being kind to 336 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,640 the oppressed, to use your power and influence to actually be a 337 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,080 blessing and take care of people rather than using them for your 338 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:17,400 own means. He's saying you need to 339 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,000 acknowledge God and change your bad habits. 340 00:19:21,360 --> 00:19:24,520 Look. True church, true repentance is 341 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,240 not just something that happens in our mind or in our heart. 342 00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:30,800 It starts there. Repentance starts with a change 343 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,080 of mind, but then it. Must lead to a change of. 344 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,560 Direction and a change of action. 345 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,200 True repentance is changing ungodly things that are within 346 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,360 your control. All of us have things in our 347 00:19:44,360 --> 00:19:47,600 life that are ungodly, that are within our control. 348 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,200 Repentance means living that out. 349 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,040 This is Daniel's encouragement to Nebuchadnezzar. 350 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,240 But notice this. Rather than chastising the king, 351 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:57,240 Daniel is pleading with him to repent. 352 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:00,160 He's pleading with him to repent. 353 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,200 He wants the king to be saved here. 354 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,400 Do you notice that? And he's encouraging repentance. 355 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,080 He's encouraging a change of direction. 356 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,960 Have you ever had a friend that. Pushes you, you ever had a 357 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,600 friend that challenges you and encourages you into a life of 358 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:18,440 godliness, right. This is our whole vision behind 359 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,480 our discipleship bands, our our groups of two to four people 360 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,080 that meet and actually have transparent conversation where 361 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,600 we're actually able to encourage one another in the Gospel and, 362 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,960 and move closer and closer so we can become like Jesus together. 363 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:34,600 Do you have someone like that in your life? 364 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,040 And here's what happens to Nebuchadnezzar. 365 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:43,120 It's sad, but in verse 28 it says all of this happened to 366 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:47,160 King Nebuchadnezzar, meaning all of this punishment becoming like 367 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,480 an animal happens to Nebuchadnezzar 2912 months later 368 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,280 as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of 369 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,720 Babylon, he said. Is this is this? 370 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:01,440 Not the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence by 371 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:06,360 my mighty power and for the glory of My majesty. 372 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,480 Notice here in this passage that it shifts back to the to the. 373 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,160 Third person. So now this is like a narrator. 374 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,360 Talking about Nebuchadnezzar as Nebuchadnezzar is losing his 375 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:19,000 mind. So Nebuchadnezzar is no longer 376 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,480 like a reliable narrative in this picture, rather Daniel or 377 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,120 someone else's recounting the stories. 378 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:27,200 Picking it up from here. And then what we see happening 379 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,880 here is that 12 months go by, and so we don't know if 380 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,640 Nebuchadnezzar repented at first, but then sort of backslid 381 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,160 or if God was just. Patient with him for 12 months, 382 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,120 giving him opportunity. Either way, what we see is that 383 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:42,480 Nebuchadnezzar refused to take Daniel's advice to repent. 384 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:49,520 Notice the language here for Nebuchadnezzar I have built. 385 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,760 By my mighty power for the glory. 386 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:58,240 Of my majesty, do you hear the pride in all of this? 387 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:00,560 Do you hear Nebuchadnezzar's heart? 388 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,360 Now you may be thinking like this is just a story. 389 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:07,120 Like, would anyone actually talk like this in real life? 390 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:12,080 And the answer is yes. The historical Nebuchadnezzar 391 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,800 definitely did talk like this. In fact, we have archaeological 392 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:20,480 evidence of of Nebuchadnezzar's words that sound extremely 393 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,800 similar to what we find here in Daniel Daniel. 394 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,280 So for instance, we have these these cylinders were often times 395 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,720 used and they were scribed for the dedication of temples and 396 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:31,360 structures in ancient Mesopotamia. 397 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:33,400 They contained cuneiform writings. 398 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:37,960 In fact, one of these cylinders, these sort of clay, it was 399 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,160 almost act like paper. One of these clay cylinders 400 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:45,040 recently sold for over $600,000. Isn't that amazing? 401 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,520 I mean, I don't know about you, but like, forget Tesla. 402 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:50,920 I'm putting my retirement into clay cylinders from 403 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,720 Nebuchadnezzar. OK, got to diversify that 404 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,400 portfolio, right? But I went ahead and read one of 405 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,120 these cylinders this last week and boy, was it a hard read. 406 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:02,960 It was hard to get through to be honest with you, because 407 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,440 Nebuchadnezzar is just bragging. About himself the whole time. 408 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:07,040 So these are Nebuchadnezzar's word. 409 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:08,760 I'm, I'm pulling some quotes not from Daniel. 410 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,080 These are from the clay cylinders, for instance. 411 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:15,360 Nebuchadnezzar says things like a thing which no king before had 412 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:18,200 ever done. I constructed an enclosing wall, 413 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,520 4000 cubits in length, Mountain High, right? 414 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:24,240 Just exaggerating. I love this one from a from a 415 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,040 little bit earlier. He says, I am Nebuchadnezzar, 416 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,080 king of Babylon the great, the mighty, the favorite of Marduk, 417 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:34,160 the powerful Prince, the beloved of Naboo, the ruler who knows 418 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:38,160 not weariness, the wise Lord. And then he says, the darling 419 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,200 and the joy of the heart of the great gods, right? 420 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,960 Do you hear the language here? He's bragging about himself so 421 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:46,760 much. It's like a Kanye West song. 422 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,760 OK, But it's like, dude, Nebuchadnezzar, if you're going 423 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:54,120 to, like, brag about how hard you are, don't call yourself the 424 00:23:54,120 --> 00:23:57,560 darling joy of the gods, right? Like, you just lost some 425 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,240 credibility with me. But anyway, what we see here is 426 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,280 Nebuchadnezzar. Is full of himself. 427 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,160 Now here's the thing. History shows us that 428 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,200 Nebuchadnezzar's deeds were indeed great. 429 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,640 He accomplished a lot throughout history, right? 430 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:15,320 Here's another archaeological find. 431 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:19,680 It's called the Tower of Babel Steel or Steely, and it shows a 432 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,560 great image here. So on the left is what the 433 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,720 actual image looks like. On the right, they've 434 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,840 highlighted what's actually on the on the inscription there. 435 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,120 What we see is that King Nebuchadnezzar is standing next 436 00:24:30,120 --> 00:24:32,680 to one of his great ziggurats. It's sort of like the 437 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:37,040 skyscrapers of the age. And what we see here is, for 438 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,960 instance, Michael Row off. He writes it this way. 439 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:42,800 When it talks about Babylon's great and mighty. 440 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,480 Feats. It says Babylon contained 2 of 441 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,480 the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the hanging gardens and 442 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,040 the city walls. The outer wall stretched more 443 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:55,440 than 8 kilometers and according to Herodotus, had enough space 444 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,080 at the top to enable A4 horse chariot to turn around. 445 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:03,160 So Nebuchadnezzar had built some some pretty impressive stuff. 446 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,400 He actually. History shows us he had some 447 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,720 clout. But notice his language and 448 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,480 Daniel, he says I have built by my mighty power. 449 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,360 For who? For the glory. 450 00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:22,640 Of my majesty. And God wasn't OK with that. 451 00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:26,160 Whose glory is Nebuchadnezzar concerned about? 452 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,040 His own. He's oozing with pride here. 453 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:29,920 Self accomplishment, self importance. 454 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:36,600 His self evaluation is high and he's speaking this out loud. 455 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:39,760 What happens next? Verse 31. 456 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:41,240 Verse 31. Take a look. 457 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:47,800 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven. 458 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,920 This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar. 459 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:54,600 Your royal authority has been taken from you. 460 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:56,760 You will be driven away from people. 461 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,200 And you will live with wild animals, you will eat grass like 462 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:06,120 the ox. 7 times will pass by for you until you what acknowledge 463 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,320 that the most highest sovereign over all the kingdoms on earth 464 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,760 and gives them to anyone he wishes. 465 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:17,640 Verse 33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar 466 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:19,960 was fulfilled. He was driven away from people 467 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,440 and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the 468 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,400 dew of heaven until his hair grew like feathers of an eagle 469 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,360 and his nails like the claws of a bird. 470 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,000 We see the descent of Nebuchadnezzar as he loses his 471 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:36,000 sanity and it becomes, it says, like an animal, like a beast. 472 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,280 We may hear a story like this and be like, did this? 473 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:42,560 Could this even really happen? Like is this real? 474 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:44,840 Did he actually become like an animal? 475 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,760 Well, history shows us that there's actually this 476 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:50,840 psychological phenomenon that can take place. 477 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,800 It was originally called lycanthropy, whereas it's the 478 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:56,880 idea that a person actually believes. 479 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,600 That they're an animal. And so more specifically, 480 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,400 there's a psychological term which is called Bo anthropy, 481 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,720 which is where a person believes that they are actually an ox or 482 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,400 a cow. So this is documented in mental 483 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,320 health catalogs. It's a known phenomenon. 484 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:15,240 There's less documented cases now than there were passed 485 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,680 because we're now able to recognize it as mental health, 486 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:19,560 provide medication, etc. Right. 487 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,320 What's interesting, though, is that now we're also seeing a 488 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,800 rise on the Internet, for instance, in this phenomenon 489 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,200 where people are identifying as what's called other kin or 490 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,000 therians. OK, this is the. 491 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,200 Idea where people identify as not being humans, but rather 492 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,080 they believe that they're actually an animal. 493 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:40,600 So they believe, for instance, that on all. 494 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,120 Levels, except physical, they are a wolf or whatever. 495 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:47,600 OK, kind of interesting. And So what we see here with 496 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,560 Nebuchadnezzar is that it's not demeaning his condition, but 497 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,840 what we see is he's having a break from reality. 498 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:59,640 But notice something. His first break from reality. 499 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,440 Was believing that he was like a God. 500 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,960 His first break from reality was his pride. 501 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,520 Nebuchadnezzar forgot, as we see in chapter one, that it had been 502 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:18,720 God who delivered Judah and Daniel and Shadrach Meshach, and 503 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,200 it had been God who delivered them into his hands. 504 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:25,080 Nebuchadnezzar forgot in chapter 2 that it was God who had 505 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,160 actually interpreted his dream for him. 506 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,360 Nebuchadnezzar forgot in chapter 3 that he didn't. 507 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:33,680 Even have the power to harm God's children, Shadrach, 508 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:38,400 Meshach, and Abednego. And yes, well, yes, it was his 509 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:40,720 orders that the great Babylon had been built. 510 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,560 He had forgotten. It was because of those he'd 511 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,680 been oppressing that Babylon was able to be built. 512 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:53,640 You see, it was their sweat. It was their toil, it was their 513 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,880 building who allowed for the greatness of Babylon. 514 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,160 In other words, let me put it this way, Nebuchadnezzar's 515 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:06,240 prideful self evaluation was his first break from reality. 516 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:09,520 Becoming like an animal was just the result. 517 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:13,800 Does that make sense? Pride had already distorted 518 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,840 Nebuchadnezzar's view of reality before his mind unravelled. 519 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:19,880 In other words, the most dangerous break from reality 520 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:21,760 was. When he believed he'd built it 521 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,320 all himself. When he believed he was 522 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,720 something. And it's almost as if the Divine 523 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,800 Council of Heaven looks down on Nebuchadnezzar and says 524 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,680 something like, if you want to act like an animal, you're going 525 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,080 to become like an animal. If you're going to act like a 526 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:38,560 beast and oppress people and use them for your glory, then you're 527 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:42,160 going to become like 1. And here, what do we see next? 528 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,400 Notice. Notice how we're about to switch 529 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,200 back to the first person. Nebuchadnezzar is now going to 530 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,480 recount for himself what happens next. 531 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:54,560 Verse 34. At the end of that time, I, 532 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:59,840 Nebuchadnezzar, I love this, raised my eyes toward heaven, 533 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:06,400 and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High I. 534 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:10,320 Honoured and glorified him who lives forever. 535 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,120 So how was Nebuchadnezzar's sanity restored here? 536 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:17,480 It was by raising his eyes to heaven. 537 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:23,040 By recognising that this was. God's world, and he was just a 538 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,960 small part in it. In other words, Nebuchadnezzar's 539 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:30,360 sanity was restored when he acknowledged God as the ultimate 540 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,000 king. You and I, church, all of us 541 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:38,440 need a reality check like Nebuchadnezzar about the order 542 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:42,000 of kingship in the universe. Which you agree, Dana? 543 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:43,480 No one fellow. She writes it this way. 544 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:48,080 A man who thinks he is like a God must become a beast to learn 545 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:53,840 that he is only a human being. I one time got to be a part and 546 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:57,000 sit into a AN in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. 547 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,200 Even though I'm not an alcoholic I was able to go and support a 548 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:03,640 friend and I love my time there. It was it was great and one of 549 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,000 the Co founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. 550 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,720 His name is Bill W He has this famous quote which eventually 551 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,680 became the 12 steps of A, A and recovery in general. 552 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:17,040 This is what he said. First thing he says. 553 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,680 We. Admitted we were powerless over 554 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,600 alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable. 555 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,480 And I love this next line. Don't miss this. 556 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:31,200 We came to believe. That a power greater than 557 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,120 ourselves would restore us to sanity. 558 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:39,960 You see, when people who are addicted, people who are caught 559 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:43,360 in cycles of shame and defeat and sin and well-being, people 560 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,800 who are caught in doing things that are not good for 561 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,520 themselves, what they admit, what Bill W admitted, what 562 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,080 recovery programs from all across the nation have to 563 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:52,640 finally admit, is that we need a. 564 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:56,080 Power higher than ourselves To restore us out of that sanity 565 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:00,760 insanity, we need a power higher than ourselves to bring us back 566 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:04,240 into sound thinking. And this is true for us today. 567 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:08,360 It's when we place God in His rightful place that our minds 568 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:12,400 and our hearts are made right again to sound thinking and to 569 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,040 God's truth. Look, we need a new way to live 570 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:17,840 when we're not bound to sin and the choices and deception, but 571 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:21,600 that can only come, can only come when we look to God to 572 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:26,720 restore our sanity. Verse 36 Again Nebuchadnezzar 573 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:31,680 says at the right time that my sanity was restored, my honour 574 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:34,160 and splendour were returned to me for the glory of my Kingdom. 575 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,240 My advisors and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my 576 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:42,800 throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I 577 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:47,200 Nebuchadnezzar, this is crazy. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise 578 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:52,480 and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he 579 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,880 does is right and all his ways are just. 580 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,080 The final words of Nebuchadnezzar are right here. 581 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:03,840 Final words we have that that we know of as he says, and those 582 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,320 who walk in pride, he is able to humble. 583 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,880 Those who walk in pride, God is able to humble. 584 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,680 After all that Nebuchadnezzar went through, from from 585 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,400 believing he was the greatest like a God, to being humbled to 586 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,520 be like an animal, to being restored, his final thought, his 587 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,280 final warning, his final plea, his final encouragement is 588 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,280 simply this. Those who walk in pride, God is 589 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:37,240 able to humble walk in humility. All of us have to have to come 590 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:39,200 to terms with this in our lives. In some way or another. 591 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:42,720 All of us are tempted to elevate ourselves. 592 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,400 There's a psychiatrist. By the name of M Scott Peck, and 593 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:52,280 he once wrote this. He says mental health is a 594 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,440 dedication to reality at all costs. 595 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,760 All of mental health, all of therapy, all of psychiatry. 596 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:04,440 He says it's a it's a dedication to reality, no matter what the 597 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,800 cost. And I love that definition. 598 00:34:08,159 --> 00:34:12,760 Our faith is a faith of reality. Our faith is a faith and a 599 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,360 dedication to truth. At all costs. 600 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:17,600 Even when it, even when it feels like it hurts us. 601 00:34:17,639 --> 00:34:21,000 You know what I mean? And herein lies the danger in 602 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:22,600 the problem of human pride, right? 603 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:26,679 Let me put it this way. Pride distorts our view of 604 00:34:26,679 --> 00:34:30,199 ourselves. It distorts our view of others. 605 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:32,639 It distorts our view of God and it distorts. 606 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:35,040 Our view of our role in the universe. 607 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,840 We all must accept a proper perspective of God in our lives 608 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,280 to be grounded in humble reality at all costs. 609 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:46,199 For Nebuchadnezzar, this meant looking up into heaven. 610 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:48,760 A theologian, Joyce Baldwin. She puts it this way. 611 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:51,639 It is important to note the connection here between the. 612 00:34:51,639 --> 00:34:53,800 Exercise of faith and the return of reason. 613 00:34:54,639 --> 00:34:57,560 While he was full of his own importance, Nebuchadnezzar's 614 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:01,560 world revolved around himself. It did not strike him how 615 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:05,400 unrealistic this was until he was brought low by illness. 616 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:07,520 And I love what she writes here. Don't miss this. 617 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:12,120 I love this. Sanity begins with a realistic 618 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:15,880 self appraisal. Sanity begins when we. 619 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:20,280 Actually have a reality check, a realistic self appraisal. 620 00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:24,160 When Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that he wasn't God, he recovered 621 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:27,320 his capacity to perceive reality correctly and act accordingly. 622 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:32,600 Pride is the sin that spawns so many others in our lives, and 623 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,000 each of us have to battle against it. 624 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:38,120 Because here's the thing. Here's what I've learned about 625 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,640 pride in my own life and the life of others. 626 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:45,840 That pride is sneaky and it takes on different forms for 627 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:47,520 different people. Have you never noticed that? 628 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:49,960 It doesn't doesn't always manifest the right way. 629 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:52,440 It's not always the the boastful, cocky person who's 630 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:54,000 saying I'm the best, aren't I right? 631 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:55,160 Pride is. Sneaky. 632 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,000 It can slip into anyone at any time. 633 00:35:57,840 --> 00:35:59,440 Let me just give you some examples of pride. 634 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:02,360 And as I'm I'm saying this, I encourage you not to think about 635 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,320 others, but maybe to think about yourself. 636 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:09,640 OK, number one example of pride, believing you're above others, 637 00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:13,400 believing you're somehow special or above the rules, right? 638 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,320 Like like everyone else needs to follow the speed limit and use 639 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:18,280 their blinker. But when I don't do that, it's 640 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:19,760 not that big a deal, right? Anybody. 641 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:21,360 OK, I just saw someone raise their hand. 642 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:25,120 I don't think it was for that, but it's believing that you're 643 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:26,800 above others. Maybe that my way is best, 644 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:28,880 right? Another example of pride is is 645 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:31,760 vain glory. In other words, cockiness. 646 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:34,040 Just believing you're you're the best and you're the greatest. 647 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:38,240 How about entitlement or believing you're owed something? 648 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:40,920 How about self absorption or self obsession? 649 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:43,440 Narcissism is kind of a buzzword here today. 650 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,400 Elitism, which is the idea of believing that you're somehow 651 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,720 above others, right? That you're somehow above the 652 00:36:49,720 --> 00:36:53,960 lowly, or maybe at your job you're above the menial task, or 653 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:56,080 at church, you're above setting up and tearing down. 654 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:57,440 OK, no one would ever think that. 655 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:59,880 No one ever say that out loud. I'm sure here, not at presence, 656 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:03,480 but whatever it is, right? It may be elitism in the form of 657 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:07,320 believing you're above certain classes as you're hearing about 658 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:08,600 love. Inc and the, and the people who 659 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:11,040 are down and out and addicted and hurting and painful, right? 660 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,400 Like, if you're honest with yourself, is there any sense of 661 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,560 pride where you believe that you're somehow above those 662 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,560 people? Maybe for the intellect, maybe, 663 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,560 maybe you should. You believe you're above people 664 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:26,320 intellectually, you've got the smarts, you're gifted and 665 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:32,680 talented or whatever, right? Maybe you believe you're above 666 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:36,480 certain people, certain racial. Classes or economic classes or 667 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:38,720 whatever it may be. And so we all have to ask 668 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:43,720 ourselves, in what ways am I tempted to view others as 669 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:49,280 beneath me? In what ways am I tempted to? 670 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:57,000 Elevate myself some symptoms of pride and let's just see if any 671 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:59,160 of these resonate with you as much as they did with me. 672 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:04,200 How about being easily offended having to get the last word in? 673 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:11,120 My wife just said OK. How about an unwillingness to 674 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:12,720 hear opinions? That you don't agree with, 675 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,520 ignoring correction. Dismissing your issues, 676 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:20,240 believing you always deserve better, Thinking you're owed 677 00:38:20,240 --> 00:38:23,520 something, believing you've accomplished something on your 678 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:25,680 own or by your own power. Maybe it's just generally 679 00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:26,600 judging. Others. 680 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,280 And how about this last one? Just rarely acknowledging God. 681 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,120 Just rarely acknowledging where it all comes from. 682 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:35,440 Over and over and over in this chapter. 683 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,840 The encouragement is to acknowledge God and I love that. 684 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:41,440 It's like the theme, just acknowledge God and all of it. 685 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,320 I love the definition of of acknowledge. 686 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,080 This is straight out of Merriam Webster or whatever. 687 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,120 Like here's the definition for acknowledge. 688 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:54,480 It means to take notice of. It means to recognize the 689 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:59,200 rights, authority and status of, to disclose knowledge of or 690 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:02,880 agreement with, and finally to express gratitude or obligation 691 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:05,760 for. These are the perfect 692 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,560 descriptions. For what we are called to do 693 00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:12,200 with God, right? You and I are called to take 694 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,200 notice of God, all the ways He's blessed us and filled us and 695 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,440 given us good things. You and I are called to 696 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:20,160 recognise the rights and the authority of the status of God. 697 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:24,120 He is God and we are not. All of us are called to disclose 698 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:25,880 the knowledge of agreement with in other words. 699 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:29,200 When we make a mistake, we say God, I acknowledge it was my 700 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:33,240 mistake and finally, we are called to express gratitude and 701 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:36,400 obligation to God. He has bought us with a price. 702 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:39,600 Deuteronomy 817 puts it this way. 703 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:43,760 You may say to yourself. My power and the strength of my 704 00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:45,800 hands have produced this wealth for me. 705 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,240 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the 706 00:39:52,240 --> 00:39:56,720 ability to produce wealth. Look, you may think you're 707 00:39:56,720 --> 00:39:58,920 slaving away at your 9:00 to 5:00 every week, that it's on 708 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,320 your power that you were able to accumulate wealth and buy your 709 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:03,320 things and do that. No, no, no, Scripture reminds us 710 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:06,160 it's God himself who gives us the ability to even produce 711 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:08,480 wealth. None of it belongs to us. 712 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:11,680 That's why as Christians, we freely give back to God. 713 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:16,080 The encouragement of Daniel Forest to acknowledge God for 714 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:18,840 all of it. To acknowledge God when there's 715 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:22,440 food on your plate. When your boss notices your 716 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:25,800 work. To acknowledge God when you you 717 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:28,280 surprised yourself at how well you did on the test. 718 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:30,680 When you're giving influence over others. 719 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:33,280 Acknowledge God when your child randomly comes up to you and 720 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:34,880 gives you a hug and says I love you. 721 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,880 Acknowledge God every single day when you wake up and you have 722 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:43,160 breath in your lungs. We are called to acknowledge Him 723 00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:47,120 in all things. There's a thousand ways to give 724 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,680 him his glory and exalt his name and praise his name. 725 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:52,600 This is how we live a life of worship, and it's a humble 726 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,640 recognition that we know where it all comes from. 727 00:40:55,240 --> 00:40:58,600 It's all from Him. This is the kind of attitude 728 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,600 that fosters humility and it undermines pride. 729 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:06,560 So my encouragement to all of us here today is to look up to 730 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:10,560 heaven like Nebuchadnezzar, to look up to heaven and have our 731 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:14,760 sanity restored. So literally, practically this 732 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:16,880 week. My, my, my encouragement, my. 733 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:19,600 Challenge to you is to. Literally go out and look up at 734 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:22,160 the night sky and look up at the stars. 735 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:24,400 When's the last time you did that, by the way? 736 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,320 When's the last time you just like fathomed the depths and the 737 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:32,280 greatness of of God Almighty, the one who names every star, 738 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:38,400 trillions of them, Go look up to heaven and be returned to your 739 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:40,600 sanity. Look up to heaven, look into 740 00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:43,080 eternity and realize how small you really are. 741 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:48,000 Psalms 90 puts it this way. Teach us to number our days so 742 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:49,440 that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 743 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:53,520 Teach us to number our days. We know it's limited. 744 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:56,240 We know we're not eternal that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 745 00:41:56,560 --> 00:41:59,440 Ask God for a realistic self appraisal. 746 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,400 Killing our pride does not mean that we wallow around like a 747 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:06,800 slug on the ground thinking we're no good, right That's. 748 00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:09,520 That's the opposite. But rather, we're inviting 749 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:14,600 reality in. So as we think about the story 750 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:16,640 of Nebuchadnezzar, one thing I want to ask you is do. 751 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:20,000 You have truth tellers in your life like Daniel. 752 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:24,160 Do you have people who can? Call you out before you fall to 753 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:25,920 pride. And do you listen to them? 754 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:30,280 Do you have people who will meet you with love and concern even 755 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:31,680 when they have to bring difficult news? 756 00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:36,040 The bottom line for us today is this. 757 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:40,880 We are humans in God's world, not God's in a human world. 758 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:46,640 We are just humans living. In God's world, not God's living 759 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:50,240 in a human world. Look, we live in a secular age 760 00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:54,480 church where all we see here today is what we can see and 761 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:56,480 what we can touch and what we can taste, right? 762 00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,520 And so we're deceived. To thinking we are actually 763 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:02,840 God's, that this is all there is, that there's no real meaning 764 00:43:02,840 --> 00:43:05,600 or intention or purpose. That's the message of the world 765 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:07,960 here today. And if we operate from a 766 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:11,440 perspective that this is all there is to life, we will miss 767 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:16,680 out on the humble recognition that God is greater than all of 768 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:22,200 it. So many of us live as if we're. 769 00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:25,040 In a human world and we try to play God. 770 00:43:26,760 --> 00:43:28,840 Look, we have infinite knowledge. 771 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:31,040 It seems through the Internet and through AI we have. 772 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:34,680 Access to the latest and greatest resources for mental 773 00:43:34,680 --> 00:43:37,400 and physical health we live in. One of the richest countries of 774 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,600 the world. Those are all great things, but 775 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:43,960 the danger is that all of these things will allure us into 776 00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:46,960 believing and acting as if we're God's in the human world. 777 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:50,800 And our temptation to preserve beauty and to cheat death, and 778 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:53,520 to indulge in pleasure and to live comfortably and to elevate 779 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:57,240 ourselves has. To be brought back into reality 780 00:43:57,240 --> 00:44:01,760 that God is above it all. We want to live in a Burger King 781 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:06,680 world where we have it our way. But we are not gods in a human 782 00:44:06,680 --> 00:44:07,960 world. We're just humans in God's 783 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:09,880 world. This is the message of Daniel. 784 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:17,440 He is the Sovereign. 1 Daniel had an opportunity to show his 785 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:20,200 own pride here too, right? He could have condemned 786 00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:23,280 Nebuchadnezzar. He could have lowered him down. 787 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:27,440 But Daniel didn't just have the wisdom of God, he also had the 788 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:30,480 character of God. And he respond with compassion. 789 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:34,440 And so when we are confronted with oppressive people. 790 00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:36,280 Over us. Look, you and I have an 791 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:38,600 opportunity to model Jesus in those moments. 792 00:44:38,600 --> 00:44:43,920 Well, to model Jesus who turned the other cheek and as it says 793 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:46,480 in First Peter, that when they hurled insults at him, he did 794 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:49,160 not retaliate. When he suffered, he made no 795 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:52,560 threats and instead he entrusted himself to him who judges 796 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:59,280 justly. Church, the world needs less 797 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:04,200 harsh critics and more truth tellers like Daniel. 798 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:07,440 We can call out evil when it's necessary, but we can do it with 799 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:09,800 compassion and love in God's timing. 800 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:15,800 So maybe here today you are actually one of the prideful 801 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:18,200 people who are in a season of humiliation. 802 00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:22,760 Maybe you're in a season where you feel like you have been 803 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:26,840 lowered, like you are a a chopped tree and a stump that's 804 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:28,320 barely sticking out of the ground. 805 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:31,480 Maybe you feel. Lower than you've ever been 806 00:45:31,480 --> 00:45:33,120 before. Maybe you're facing obstacles, 807 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:36,120 maybe you you realize how far you've fallen. 808 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:39,440 And I just want to encourage you here today and to say that that 809 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:43,680 even in that season where Nebuchadnezzar was being chopped 810 00:45:43,720 --> 00:45:47,080 down, there was still a word of hope and encouragement for him. 811 00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:51,680 Because it said in Daniel 415, it said, but let the stump and 812 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:55,600 its roots bound with iron and bronze remain in the ground. 813 00:45:56,720 --> 00:45:59,480 In other words, the stump of Nebuchadnezzar's life wasn't 814 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:01,960 pulled up. Uprooted and thrown away. 815 00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:06,760 Instead, in God's grace, bounded with iron and bronze. 816 00:46:06,760 --> 00:46:11,440 In other words, God protected Nebuchadnezzar even in the midst 817 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:15,840 of his lowest moment. And so if you're here today and 818 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:18,040 you feel like you've been chopped to pieces, you're low to 819 00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:20,920 the ground, and you feel like hope is lost, let me just 820 00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:24,400 encourage you that it doesn't necessarily mean that God is 821 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:28,040 done with you. Just because you're in a season 822 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:30,880 of being lowered doesn't mean it's the end. 823 00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:36,840 Hebrews 12/16 it says because the Lord disciplines the one he 824 00:46:36,840 --> 00:46:42,040 loves. John 15 reminds us that he cuts 825 00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:44,080 off every branch in me that bears no fruit. 826 00:46:44,080 --> 00:46:46,600 Well, every branch that does bear fruit. 827 00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:51,040 He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 828 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:56,680 God is not done with you yet. Even if you're in a season of, 829 00:46:56,880 --> 00:47:00,800 of humiliation and your pride is being killed right here and now, 830 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,920 God may be putting his protection of iron and bronze 831 00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:07,400 around you. He is not wanting to uproot you, 832 00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:13,680 He is wanting to refine you. To circle back to when I was in 833 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:16,680 elementary school, even though I had to go through a moment of, 834 00:47:18,160 --> 00:47:21,200 of realistic self evaluation, even though I wasn't maybe a 835 00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:24,240 smart or intelligent or a brainiac like I liked to 836 00:47:24,240 --> 00:47:28,880 believe, there was still this moment that took place when I 837 00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:34,120 was in 5th or 6th grade where I was invited to go to a youth 838 00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:38,800 camp at Fort Dodge. And I was invited to, to go 839 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:42,120 because my teachers actually identified me. 840 00:47:42,120 --> 00:47:44,760 My, my guidance counselor recommended me as someone who, 841 00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:49,600 who showed leadership potential. And I think I was, I think I 842 00:47:49,600 --> 00:47:53,520 was, I was 1, one, one person chosen from our entire school. 843 00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:54,920 I think it was one boy and one girl. 844 00:47:54,920 --> 00:48:00,320 And I remember going to that camp, I remember being, having, 845 00:48:00,320 --> 00:48:04,360 having instilled in me these leadership principles as I 846 00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:07,840 taught me skills of communication, as I taught me 847 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:12,440 problem solving, teamwork. And I got to do a bunch of other 848 00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:14,240 fun stuff. And, and I'd kind of forgotten 849 00:48:14,240 --> 00:48:17,120 about that memory until this week as I was talking about 850 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:22,400 being lowered and I was talking and thinking about the idea of 851 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:25,760 God restoring people even in the midst when they're being humble. 852 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:30,520 And I and I share that story about being selected for that, 853 00:48:30,520 --> 00:48:35,480 not because it's about me whatsoever, but it just reminded 854 00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:37,960 me of God's faithfulness in my life. 855 00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:41,080 It reminded me that even though I had to be lowered, even though 856 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:45,840 my pride was maybe cut, cut away from me, that God was still 857 00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:49,720 moving and he still had his hand on my life. 858 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:54,240 And even at a young age, for whatever reason, God chose me to 859 00:48:54,240 --> 00:48:58,160 be a leader, not even having any idea that I would one day be 860 00:48:58,160 --> 00:49:00,720 helping lead a church and one day be given more and more 861 00:49:00,720 --> 00:49:02,600 opportunities. But all along the way, it was 862 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:05,680 just A1 symbol of many of God's faithfulness, of bringing 863 00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:09,000 incredible leaders, incredible mentors, incredible parents, 864 00:49:09,120 --> 00:49:11,760 incredible people who believed in me all along the way. 865 00:49:12,720 --> 00:49:15,120 And I shared the story, not to talk about myself whatsoever, 866 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:18,240 but but to invite you to recall. Has God been faithful like that 867 00:49:18,240 --> 00:49:22,600 in your life too? I wonder if for some of you who 868 00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:24,760 are feeling lower than ever at this point in your life, I 869 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:27,280 wonder if God is just bringing you through a season of 870 00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:32,920 refinement. And I wonder if this season is 871 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:35,400 necessary, not so that God can get rid of you, but so that He 872 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:38,040 can use you for even greater purposes down the road. 873 00:49:38,920 --> 00:49:43,160 What if this is just the beginning of God using you for 874 00:49:43,160 --> 00:49:48,080 something beautiful and good? And are you willing to humble 875 00:49:48,080 --> 00:49:51,520 yourself enough to say yes, God, here I am, send me whatever it 876 00:49:51,520 --> 00:49:59,000 is. God loves restoring people who 877 00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:02,720 are broken. Maybe you're just broken in the 878 00:50:02,720 --> 00:50:07,040 room today. I wonder if God wants to bring 879 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:13,400 restoration to you. If God was willing to show his 880 00:50:13,400 --> 00:50:16,040 compassion to King Nebuchadnezzar by giving him a 881 00:50:16,040 --> 00:50:20,680 second chance, how much more compassion will he show you, his 882 00:50:20,680 --> 00:50:24,400 beloved child? Psalm 113, as I close it, says 883 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:28,320 he raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the 884 00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:31,120 ash. He he seats them with Princess 885 00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:33,520 and with the Princess of his people. 886 00:50:34,080 --> 00:50:37,120 Luke 1 says. He has brought down the rulers 887 00:50:37,120 --> 00:50:40,680 from their Thrones, but has lifted up the humble. 888 00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:45,080 The Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms of earth, and he 889 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:47,880 sets even the lowliest of people over those kingdoms. 890 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:51,520 Jesus Christ was the lowliest person who ever lived, but yet 891 00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:54,680 He was elevated to the place of highest authority over every 892 00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:57,000 Kingdom for all time, for all of eternity. 893 00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:00,280 And even Jesus himself was willing to pray to the Father. 894 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:03,400 Yet not my will, but yours be done. 895 00:51:03,760 --> 00:51:06,200 I pray that we we would be able to pray that same prayer. 896 00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:11,800 We are not gods in a human world, we're just children in 897 00:51:11,800 --> 00:51:12,560 our father's world.