Daniel Chapter 4, Part 2
No-one can hold back His hand
22nd March 2007
Last week, we looked briefly at Nebuchadnezzar's terrifying dream of a tree that was cut down, and its even more terrifying interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar was to lose his sanity, his possessions, him home and his throne. Seven times (years) would pass before he regained what he had lost.
At the time the Daniel interpreted this dream for him, Daniel advised him "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".
We read on...
Daniel 4:28-33
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
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?"
The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King
Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
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."
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and
ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his
nails like the claws of a bird.
God doesn't mess around.
What was prophesied, happened. But listen to Nebuchadnezzar's proud words. He'd been told in Chapter 2, verses 20-21 that "God... sets up kings and deposes them". He himself had confessed (Chapter 2 verse 47) that "God... is the Lord of kings". And yet he still imagined that things were as they were, that Babylon was beautiful and successful, because of his own "mighty power" and it was "for the glory of [his own] majesty". Not much repentance there, then. Not much acknowledgment of God.
How much of our own success do we attribute to ourselves, and how much to God? Are we proud of our qualifications, our salary, our possessions, our ministry, even. Or do we give thanks to God for them all?
And Nebuchadnezzar was still singing his own praise when a voice spoke from heaven. The decree was enacted. Nebuchadnezzar lost everything - including his own sanity. It's a sobering thought. Things can change that fast. When God speaks the word, nothing can stop Him doing what He's decided to do. We can lose - or gain - everything in an instant.
Daniel 4:34-37
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven, and my sanity was restored.
Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives for ever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom
endures from generation to generation.
All 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?"
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honour and splendour 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.
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.
It took this deeply traumatic episode for Nebuchadnezzar to truly accept God's sovereignty over him. He'd paid lip service to the idea that God was his king, but now he KNEW it was true. God took his mental health away and, with it, all he had. Only when he finally "acknowledge[d] that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes" (verse 25) did God restore him to his right mind and to everything he'd lost. Now he knew - really knew - not just academic theology, but real understanding - that God was in control, whether he liked it or not.
Now he KNEW that when God intervenes, there's nothing to do but accept it, and bow the knee to the Most High. If you pick a fight with God, you'll always lose, because He's bigger than you are.
As Job said:
Job 1:21
...Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the
LORD be praised.
And many of us have had a similar experience. Not as severe as Job's or Nebuchadnezzar's, perhaps. But deeply painful. Not all of us manage to handle it as well as Job, or even as Nebuchadnezzar.
I myself went through a period of severe depression. I'm glad to say it was only for about one year (not seven). And I didn't lose my home, and I didn't eat grass. But the fact remains that there was nothing much I could do about it. The doctors helped. But the sovereign Lord restored me :-). And, with hindsight, I can say that God proved the truth of:
Psalm 23:4a
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me
Yes, He was really close to me at that time.
And I can also say (again, with hindsight) that I am a better person as a result of it all. God does know what He's doing. Let me repeat: our part is to "acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign".