“Lord of Nations” Daniel 4 (Selected Portions)
Vicar Peter Zaferos Pentecost 3 July 3, 2011
Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
I want to begin today by taking a quick survey. We’ll do it by a show of hands. How many of you have hand-written a letter in the last week? How about in the last month? How about in the last year? I bet if we took that same poll just 10 years ago the results would have been a whole lot different, don’t you think?
In less than ten years, the way we communicate has drastically changed. First it was e-mail. About fifteen years ago e-mail really began to catch on. And for at least the last ten years, I think it’s safe to say that the number of e-mails sent, far outweighs the number of hand written letters sent by snail mail. And then, the cell phone became a very common thing. Ten years ago, lots of people didn’t have cell phones. Now it’s hard to find a person who doesn’t have a cell phone. And in the last five years or so, even the way we use our cell phones has changed! I think I use my cell phone to send text messages and picture messages more than I use it to talk!
But even today, in this world of e-mail, and texting, and voicemail, the hand written letter still plays a very important role. In fact, in an ironic sort of way, I think the hand written letter may be even more meaningful today than when it was the mainstream method of communicating. If someone sends you a personalized, hand written letter, that means something, doesn’t it? E-mail and texting are so quick and so convenient that when you take the time to hand write a letter these days, it sort of carries along undertones of respect, appreciation and sincerity, that an e-mail or text message just wouldn’t have.
This morning we have an incredible example of a hand written letter. It’s a letter written by the king of the most dominant world power of his day, and it’s addressed to all mankind. As you can see in your service folders, the heading of the letter reads, “To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly!” That’s pretty cool in and of itself! Anyone reading this letter is hearing the most powerful king in all the world wish them great prosperity! That’s pretty cool!
Can you imagine if the President of the United States hand wrote a letter to you and said, “May you prosper greatly!” That would be an incredible honor! And when you really stop to think about it, this letter, from King Nebuchadnezzar is written to you and me as well! You see, King Nebuchadnezzar had just experienced something so incredible that he wanted to share it with everyone who lived on the earth during his reign, and also with those who would live after him.
King Nebuchadnezzar starts off by saying, “2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.” Right off the bat, it’s pretty incredible to hear this come from the mouth of the King of Babylon! I can only imagine what was running through the minds of the people who read this letter as it was first being distributed around the world.
While King Nebuchadnezzar was ruling in Babylon, the Babylonian empire was at the height of its power. It was under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar’s father that the Babylonians first defeated the previous world power, the Assyrians, and then finally defeated the Egyptians. So when Nebuchadnezzar assumed the throne in 605 B.C., he ruled over the most powerful empire in the world! So the people first reading this letter are hearing the man they know to be the most powerful king in the world, speak of a different King who is even more powerful than him! The Almighty God of the Bible performed miraculous signs and wonders for Nebuchadnezzar, and these signs and wonders were so amazing, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to make sure everyone on the face of the earth new about it!
You see it all started off with a dream that Nebuchadnezzar had—a dream that left him absolutely terrified! This dream left Nebuchadnezzar so afraid that he called all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners from his kingdom and begged them to interpret the dream for him. But when they could not get the job done, he had to call in an Israelite who worked for him—a man named Daniel. Two chapters before this, Nebuchadnezzar had another dream. But when King Nebuchadnezzar had this first dream, he wouldn’t tell his religious men or Daniel, what the dream was. They had to tell him what the dream was first, to prove themselves, and then interpret it. Well, God told Daniel what the first dream was, and what it meant, so Daniel could display the power of the true God before the king. And the king obviously remembered this display of power because when the religious men who worked for his own gods failed to get the job done, he called for Daniel.
When Daniel arrived, Nebuchadnezzar told him the dream. (Read Daniel 4:10-17)
After hearing the dream, Daniel had some bad news. The tree in the dream was the king. Just like that tree had grown to enormous heights and was extremely strong, the kingdom of King Nebuchadnezzar had grown equally as large. His kingdom was beautiful and powerful and everyone who lived in his kingdom was safe and cared for.
But that tree was about to be cut down. Nebuchadnezzar was about to have his kingdom ripped from his hands by the very God who gave it to him! Daniel says, “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” And while the words were still on his lips a voice came from heaven saying, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” As soon as these words were spoken Nebuchadnezzar was driven into the wild and lived like an animal. He ate grass like cattle, his body was drenched with dew, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails looked like the claws of a bird.
Nebuchadnezzar lived like this until seven times had passed. Some have understood “times” to mean years, but in the book of Daniel, numbers are often symbolic. Since seven is the number of God it could simply be describing this judgment as an act of God. So it could be symbolic, it could mean 7 years, it could mean 7 months, but in the end, the duration of time doesn’t really matter. Nebuchadnezzar had his kingdom ripped from his hands by the God who gave it to him and that kingdom wouldn’t be returned until Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged “that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” It would be then, and only then, that Nebuchadnezzar would have his kingdom returned to him!
“34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” 36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
King Nebuchadnezzar wrote this letter to the peoples of this world, because he wanted them to know, that there is a God in heaven who rules over all things, including the most powerful of nations. On this 4th of July weekend, we celebrate the birthday of this great nation, and we celebrate the brave men and women who have fought to protect its freedoms over the past few centuries. Our attention is drawn to the blessings we enjoy in this land—freedoms and opportunities that are unrivaled anywhere in the world.
And yet, we don’t always seem so grateful to live in this land. So often we complain about the leaders God has blessed us with, and the decisions they make. We tear them down, and do our best to destroy their character. We act as if the world would be a better place if God would step down from his throne and let us have a seat. We act as if we would be much better off if only God would let us hand select those who should rule us. Make no mistake brothers and sisters, just because we live in a democracy and not in a monarchy, doesn’t mean that we are the ones who give our rulers their power and authority. Just as was the case with King Nebuchadnezzar, our God grants the authority to rule and He alone takes it away—in democracies, monarchies, or any other type of government.
When you think about it, that’s a wonderful thing to know! When the world seems to be in chaos and disorder, we know that our God is the one who grants power to rulers and that he takes it away. So no matter how bad a situation in an earthly kingdom may seem to us, through all things, our God has the best interests of His eternal kingdom in mind!
The King of heaven who ruled over all things during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign is the same King of heaven who rules over all things today. He’s the same God who sees our sinfulness and loves us just the same. He’s the same God who came to this earth and lived a perfect life; the same God who died on a cross; and the same God who rose from the dead. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! He is the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end! He is the God who loves you dearly, paid for your sins, and wants you to be with Him in heaven. He’s the same God who’s blessed us with a country that permits us to worship him as we please and where we can tell anyone we meet about the awesome things He has done! May God continue to bless the United States of America, as he has for the past 235 years!
Amen? Amen!!