The Book of Daniel, The Epistle of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4:1-3 - Lesson 16

We will not read all of Chapter Four in our lesson for today but we will discuss the chapter as a whole with a more detailed study in coming weeks.

It is interesting to note the chapter begins as many epistles of the New Testament begin, as a salutation from the writer of the epistle, with a brief explanation of the purpose of the letter.

This chapter could easily be called the Epistle to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth, not an epistle from an Apostle as we normally expect but from Nebuchadnezzar the King.

Everyone who claims salvation ought to be glad to offer a testimony of how that salvation came about for it is about a life changing event, a born again event, an event which cannot be forgotten.

In the case of the king of Babylon it is no different and we are about to hear his testimony as we enter into a study of Chapter 4 of the book of Daniel.

This chapter is unique for it is a personal letter to all peoples, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth.

It is a broadcast of God’s working in the king’s life and a clear declaration of the king finally bowing to the Most High God.

It is that which would be given in a testimony service of today but instead it is given to all and to us in letter form which has survived the ages.

It’s message has survived the ages for it has been integrated into the book of Daniel as a letter to those of the king’s time but also to those since then and to we of 21^st century.

The first 18 verses of the letter are written in the first person, that of King Nebuchadnezzar, with verses 19-33 written in the second and third person.

This was necessary to do because at the time of this testimony the king was of an unsound mind and dwelling with the beasts of the field and others had to describe the events.

The letter concludes with verses 34-37 in the king’s own words where we get a glimpse of a man who is a new creation who publicly praised the God of Israel and acknowledged his own humiliation and restoration.

This letter records the events of at least eight years in the king’s life, one year from the dream interpretation followed by seven years in which the king was humiliated with insanity and dwelt among the beasts of the field and shared grass with them.

For a second time in the book of Daniel the king was the recipient of a dream from God and this dream included a warning of divine discipline.

After the dream interpretation God gave the king one year to repent and humble himself.

But Nebuchadnezzar chose to disregard the warning and because of his pride and arrogance he became insane for seven years with all power and position removed while he dwelt among the beasts of the field.

We know from scripture that God is not a respecter of persons.

He does not have laws that only apply to some while exempting others.

He does not place special fences around kings where they may do things apart from his principles.

And one of his eternal principles that applies to all of us including the king who is pictured as the head of gold, the greatest of the kings, is given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ in:

Matthew 23:12,  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Nebuchadnezzar was not in the habit of humbling himself but it was ordinary for him to exalt himself for he was the king.

He refused to see himself as a king under the most High God but saw himself under no one.

He was sovereign of all that he surveyed and would share his glory with none.

Because of this, God’s principle came into play.

Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased.

There is no getting around it but pride and arrogance ignore this principle and cause the proud to go toward destruction where abasing will take place.

Nebuchadnezzar learned abasement at the hand of God for seven years and after that period his sanity was restored, his kingdom was restored and its majesty and splendor increased from its former grandeur.

But after this time of abasing God’s principles again operate in his life for God also says that whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

And after that humbling and then the exaltation of Nebuchadnezzar this king was never the same man.

His view of all things had changed for he now had God’s vision of things for that is what salvation brings.

It turns the blind into the sighted.

It turns the insane into the sane.

It turns those who think in the temporal into those who think in the eternal.

And it was all of God and none of the king.

God drew this man and he used dreams and his faithful servant Daniel to bring him to himself but the bringing had to include the abandonment of pride and the abasing of the king.

In many ways this story is also the story of Israel who was carried into captivity by this very king who was captive for seven years, one tenth of the captivity of Israel.

Israel came into captivity with pride and arrogance but had to suffer the humiliation of slavery in Babylon before being set free to return to the land of their forefathers.

So we have in our text for today a sub plot of that which is taking place in the lives of the Hebrews that are exiled from their homeland for seventy years.

We are given four chapters in Daniel about the life of King Nebuchadnezzar before going on to learn about following kings of the land of Babylon.

We see in these chapters a rise of knowledge in his life about the God of Israel and a slow realization of this God’s superiority over the many gods of Babylon.

Chapter one was given to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar the faithfulness of Daniel and his three friends to the God of Israel and His law, for they chose not to defile themselves.

Nebuchadnezzar recognized their wisdom and because of this he appointed them to positions of power.

Chapter 2 shows us how Nebuchadnezzar learned that Daniel’s God is all-wise and fully able to reveal the future to men and nations.

In chapter 3,  Nebuchadnezzar learns that Israel’s God is not only all-wise, but all-powerful and able to deliver those who trust in Him, even from the most powerful of kings.

But chapter four reveals a personal relationship between Israel’s God and the king.

The God whom Nebuchadnezzar once knew only intellectually, he now comes to trust and worship in a very personal way.

When we complete this chapter we will see a radically changed king, a king who has been brought to the end of himself and his power and glory and sees himself as totally beholden to another.

He comes to the most high place in his life by being brought from the most low place in his life.

He calls upon the Most High God and is saved as any sinner is saved.

His kingship does him no good in the halls of God where only repentant and forgiven sinners are welcome.

The lesson of course to all of us that there is no exaltation until abasing takes place.

John the Baptist was a forerunner to the Savior of the world and what he preached was repentance.

The humiliation of oneself seeing himself as God sees him is a must if the exaltation of salvation is to take place.

This is something that we should remember especially in dealing with children who can easily be led into compliance with an adult’s persuasion.

But when leading a child to the Lord the humiliation of repentance is a must for this is what the Lord instructs.

Salvation only comes to those who bow the knee to the Most High God.

And of this salvation Nebuchadnezzar took pen in hand and scribed the testimony of chapter four.

What a change we have witnessed in the testimony of this man.

He does not intend to lift up his greatness as he did in

previous chapters but his focus is on the one true God, the God of Israel.

This is the king who commanded his subjects to bow down to the golden image and in a boastful manner questioned the three Hebrews, asking what god is able to deliver you out of my hands?

These hands are hands of the most mightiest of kings.

These hands are mighty in battle and it would be good for all to remember they were the hands that subdued the king of Judah and the hands which brought the exiled ones into his kingdom that they might be subservient and do the work of slaves.

But this is not the message of this letter.

This same boastful king now boasts in another king, a king whom he recognizes as the Most High God.

He sends forth greetings of peace and not war.

He who worshipped many gods now declares that there is only one true God and now gives a personal account of what this God has done in his life through mighty signs and wonders.