Pride comes before the fall… (5 things)

• 1^st – The letter of Nebuchadnezzar… vs. 1-3
  • 1^st – Testimony of a King… vs. 1
    • Nebby wrote a letter to tell the world about God…
    • He opens by addressing all people / nations / in all languages of the earth…
    • In other words he wrote the letter to literally everyone…
    • Because there is power in sharing your personal testimony with others!
    • When people want proof that God is real – and that Jesus is the answer…
    • The best answer we can give others is our testimony of what He has done in us…
    • People can argue with our words – but they cannot argue with Jesus in our lives!
    • II Corinthians 3:3 – “Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God…”
  • 2^nd – Purpose of the Letter… vs. 2-3
    • Purpose Nebby wrote the letter so that people might have peace (shalom) multiplied!
      • The greatest fear of all men is the fear of death – because it is an unknown…
      • But most of all men fear death because it means they will be judged…
      • They do not want talk / or even think about death – they have no peace!
      • Because apart from God – we live in certain expectation of His wrath and judgment…
      • There is no peace apart from Christ – only the fear of death – and punishment…
      • Only with God can we have true peace – rest in the knowledge we are forgiven!
    • The letter is the personal testimony of how God revealed himself to the King…
      • Through GREAT signs and MIGHTY wonders in the life of Nebby…
      • Note that these were personal miracles in the life of one man…
      • You might ask – why does God not do great and mighty things in my life…
      • I am convinced it is not God who is not acting – we just do not pay attention…
      • When the bills miraculously manage to get paid / when the sickness goes away…
      • We tend to be quick to explain away how it happened – not giving glory to God…
      • Yet God often does GREAT and MIGHTY things in our lives – if we pay attention!
    • Whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom – from generation to generation…
      • Nebby thought he could set up his very own everlasting kingdom…
      • But the king came to understand a VERY powerful truth…
      • There are many people today who would try to tell you the Bible is not relevant…
      • It was written 2000 years ago – and has nothing to offer to us today…
      • But in spite of all our knowledge – we still have not come up with an answer to death…
      • And no matter what we believe – we will all still have to stand before God one day!
      • Only God does not change – His Word is just as relevant today as ever – Hebrews 13:8

• 2^nd – Troubled by a dream… vs. 4-9
  • 1^st – Resting in the palace… vs. 4
    • Nebby was at rest in his palace – he had conquered all of his enemies…
    • His victories had no doubt made him very cocky – overconfident…
    • We often get into the most trouble in life when we have been the most successful…
    • It tends to make us overly confident in ourselves – our abilities – rather than in God…
    • That is when satan can sneak in – because we are most vulnerable…
    • We are depending on our strength – we are not clinging to Jesus!
    • I Corinthians 10:12 – “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
  • 2^nd – Looking for answers… vs. 5-7
    • Nebby had another dream that scared and was deeply troubling to him…
    • So he called for all the magicians / astrologers / Chaldeans / and the soothsayers…
    • He told them the dream – but they could not tell him the interpretation…
    • Odd that the king would go the same men who had failed him before!
    • The definition of insanity – is doing the same thing but expecting different results!
    • Yet so often that is how we face the scary / troubling trials that come into our lives…
    • We run to the bank for help – only to be told again there is no more money / credit…
    • We run to our friend / go-fund-me / Facebook – though they only ignore us again…
    • We do the same thing – expecting different results – rather than run to the Lord…
    • As if prayer – seeking Jesus – is a last-ditch effort to solve our problem!
  • 3^rd – Finally the King called Daniel in to interpret the dream… vs. 8-9
    • Nebby knew Daniel could interpret the dream because he had the spirit of ‘elahh’ (Allah)…
      • Obviously the confidence of the King was not in Jesus – uses Aramaic word for a god…
      • His confidence was in Daniel – because he had seen him do the impossible before!
      • It was his experience with Daniel – that gave him confidence in Daniel!
      • I believe God can heal – and that for Him nothing is impossible… 
      • Yet although I could believe God could cure a cold – how about raise the dead…
      • I believe – but I doubt – my problem is have never seen Him do it personally
    • Where do we find the confidence that God can do the impossible…
      • If I told you it was possible to pick up 1 million pounds – what would you say…
      • If I went on to say it could fly 10,000 miles going 600mph at over 30k feet…
      • With over 500 people comfortably seated inside – what would you say…
      • You would believe me – but only because you have seen an airplane!
      • If you had never seen one before – you would say it was impossible!
      • Confidence does not come from what we do – but who we spend time with…
      • Our faith grows as we spend time with the Word – Jesus – Romans 10:17
      • We get to see Him provide – see Him heal – see Him do the impossible!
      • Then we have the confidence when trials come – that nothing is impossible for Him!

• 3^rd – The dream and interpretation… vs. 10-27
  • 1^st – The dream of Nebby… vs. 10-18
    • There was a very high tree standing in the middle of the earth – reaching up to heaven…
      • It could be seen from every corner of the planet – with lovely leaves / abundant fruit…
      • The birds of heavens dwelt in its braches – all flesh was fed by its fruit!
      • Interesting that birds in the Bible are often a illustration of satan – Matthew 13:19
      • Giving a picture that the governments of men are place where satan comes to dwell!
      • Striving to reach up to heaven – challenged the authority of God here on earth…
      • And the fruits of the government feed the FLESH (sinful nature) of men!
      • A good reminder that while we are to obey the government – Romans 13:1
      • We most certainly are not to put our faith in the government – we trust in Jesus!
    • Then a watcher (angel) came down from heaven…
      • Crying out – chop down the tree / strip its branches / scatter its fruit…
      • But leave the stump – bound with iron and brass – let him graze with the beasts…
      • Change his heart from a man to a beast – till 7 times have passed over him…
      • To show everyone the Most High rules over the Kingdom of men – sets the lowest over it!
      • God was going to use Nebby as an example for the whole world of His power / choice!
      • And God does not pick many wise – mighty – or noble – I Corinthians 1:26
      • There is a common misconception that God only uses the ELITE…
      • In order to be used by God you have to have a PhD in theology…
      • That is the wisdom of men – a worldly idea that has crept into the church…
      • You do not see any Bible colleges or seminaries in the Bible – you just see sinners!
  • 2^nd – The interpretation of the dream… vs. 19-26
    • The dream troubled the heart of Daniel…
      • He was astonished by what it meant – he knew it was a prophecy against the King…
      • The interpretation so upset his heart – he was quiet for a time…
      • But Nebby encouraged him to not be troubled – and share the interpretation!
      • It is hard to confront people with their sin – especially those who we care about…
      • We might think it is kinder not to confront someone who is sinning…
      • But the truth is leaving someone in their sin – is condemning them to hell…
      • So we are called to confront them in spite of how we fear it might hurt them…
      • Not that we can make people turn back to Jesus – but we can warn them – Hebrews 3:13
      • And our motive needs to be love – we want to see them clean / forgiven – Ephesians 4:15
      • We want them to repent – see them restored to their relationship to Jesus!
    • The tree in the dream was Nebby – who had grown into a powerful King…
      • His greatness had reached up to heaven – and his power over all the earth…
      • But because of his pride – the Most High decreed he was to be driven from men…
      • He would live in the wild – eat grass like an ox – sleep in the open fields (dew of heaven)…
      • Till 7 years (times) passed – and Nebby learned the Most High rules the Kingdom of men!
      • But the stump would remain – Nebby would not loose his Kingdom…
      • Once he had learned his lesson – God would restore him to the throne!
        
    • The Grace of God does not mean we get away with sin…
      • The first mission trip I led from CCBF was to ‘check up’ on a missionary in Nepal…
      • He was from U-Turn – and it turned out he had fallen back into hold habits – marijuana…
      • When I arrived he fled the country – rather than face the truth about his actions…
      • When I got back I was heavy hearted – it was not an easy trip…
      • But a good friend shared with me – sometimes Grace has to have teeth!
      • God resists the proud – but he pours out His grace upon the humble – James 4:6
      • Therefore it is the Grace of God that allows our sin to be revealed – bring consequences…
      • In an effort to humble us – SO THAT God can pour his Grace out on us…
      • Because then God can restore to our lives everything that our sin and pride took from us!
  • 3^rd – The counsel of Daniel… vs. 27
    • Daniel encouraged the King to stop sinning – live righteously…
      • Evidently the King had a bit of a reputation – lots of slaves / not kind to the needy…
      • So the way the king would prove his repentance – was by showing mercy to the poor…
      • As a result perhaps the Lord would lengthen the prosperity of the King…
      • Not that Nebby would be saved by his works – but his works would show he was saved!
    • It is easy to say we have ‘faith’ and ‘believe’ in Jesus – but the proof is in our actions…
      • James 2:17-18 – “I cannot see your faith if you do not have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.’”
      • If we say we are Christians – but still live like the world – do we really have faith…
      • We can call ourselves Christians – but if are continuing to living in sin – are we really…
      • The only way to know for sure – is to see the fruit of salvation coming from our lives!

• 4^th – The humbling of a King… vs. 28-33
  • 1^st – The fall of a mighty King… vs. 28-29
    • After 12 months – the king was walking around the royal palace in Babylon…
    • I imagine Nebby might have been treading carefully for several months after his dream…
    • But he did not have a changed heart – he did not desire to live for God… 
    • His caution was not true repentance – it was just a fear of the consequences!
    • No one like consequences – no one wants to face the results of their sin…
    • If we are just afraid of being caught – if we just want to avoid consequence…
    • Then there is no real change of heart – we still want to sin – our desire is not to love God…
    • So that fear of consequence ultimately leads to death – because we are not trusting in Jesus!
    • II Corinthians 7:10 – “Sorrow without repentance… results in death.”
  • 2^nd – The patience of God… vs. 30
    • Nebby was surrounded by the most beautiful city the world had ever seen… 
    • Bolstered by an almost unlimited budget / and a slave workforce at his bidding…
    • He had built some of the most impressive wonders of the ancient world…
    • The hanging gardens of Babylon – a palace called the ‘Marvel of mankind’…
    • Looking at it – Nebby commented how great Babylon was…
    • That HE had built as a royal dwelling for HIS power / honor / and majesty!
    • Mistakenly thinking the patience of God – meant that he was safe from the judgment of God…
    • Just because God has not judged yet – does not mean God will not judge…
    • God is patient – longsuffering – giving time to repent and turn back to Him…
    • God waits to punish sin only because He loves the sinner – II Peter 3:9
    • God is patient – longsuffering – to give time to repent and turn back to Him…
    • But if we harden our hearts / not to repent – our sin will not remain hidden!
      
  • 3^rd – The judgement of God. vs. 31-33
    • While the words were still in his mouth – a voice fell from heaven… 
    • The kingdom has departed from you – you will be driven to live like an animal for 7 years…
    • Till you learn that the Most High rules the Kingdom of men – and gives it to whom he wills!
    • That hour Nebby went mad – and lived out in the wild – eating grass…
    • His hair grew long like the feathers of an eagle / his nails like the claw of a bird…
    • It was an extreme judgment for his pride – one that Nebby would never forget!
    • If the consequence for stealing a million dollars – was you had to say you were sorry…
    • A lot of people would become a thief – that is why the consequence is years in prison!
    • If sin did not have any lasting consequence – we might be tempted to sin again…
    • But like the child who only has to touch a hot flame once…
    • Severe consequences teach us a lesson that we will never forget!
      
• 5^th – The salvation of a humbled man… vs. 34-37
  • 1^st – At the end of 7 years – Nebby looked up to heaven… vs. 34-35
    • When he did his understanding returned to him…
      • Nebby blessed the Most High – praising and honoring Him…
      • Finally coming to understand the only Lord had an everlasting Kingdom…
      • And the will and plans of the inhabitants of earth mean nothing…
      • God does what He wants – in heaven – as well as on the earth…
      • No one can stop him – restrain his hand – or even question what He does!
    • It was also when God changed his heart…
      • Daniel 7:4 – Daniel had a vision of a beast with eagles wings – being given a new heart…
      • The interpretation of the dream is believed to be the salvation of Nebby…
      • When he finally looked up – after 7 years of being a wild animal – he was given a new heart!
      • Apart from Jesus – like Nebby – we lived like wild animals…
• In other words before we knew Jesus we had no direction – no purpose…

• Before Jesus we did not think about sin – we just did what we wanted…
• Only living to please ourselves – destined to face the wrath of God!
• But when we looked up – when we came to Jesus – we got a new heart…
  • Jesus came to restore us to God – He died in our place to pay for our sin…
  • He then gave us a new heart – so we no longer want to continue in sin!
  • II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
• 2^nd – God restored the kingdom to Nebby… vs. 36-37
  • Not only did Nebby get his mind back – and his Spirit reborn…
    • But God also restored all of the glory of his Kingdom to him – he became King again…
    • In fact God even added more excellence and majesty to him…
    • Because Nebby realized God had judged him so that he would understand truth…
    • So he not only got his Kingdom back – he became part of the Kingdom of God!
  • Many of us can reflect back on many years wasted – not living for the Lord…
    • We can often regret those ‘lost years’ wishing we could have them back…
    • Joel 2:25 – “I will restore to you the years that [sin] has eaten…”
    • God can restore the years – as if we had never lost anything to the foolishness of sin!
    • Only the Lord can take our poor choices – and turn them into blessings!
    • Not only giving us back the things that we lost to foolish prideful choices…
    • But giving us something far more precious – citizenship in heaven!