THE EPISTLE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR I.

THE EPISTLE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR I.
God Suffers Long with the Pride of Man
Daniel 4

Question: (short) How Long? (Long) Why does God’s Justice Tarry?
Read v.1-2

I. Introduction and Doxology (vv1-3)
So Nebuchadnezzar begins his epistle, which he addresses to all peoples, nations and languages that dwell on the face of the earth. I can only imagine that the king had in mind to extend this letter to people in other nations as well and that this letter could have reached India and China as well as Rome. It may have been read in the courts of Kings and emperors beyond the borders of Babylon bearing witness to Yahweh centuries before Christianity ever came to those nations.

It just shows that God is able to bring glory to himself in every nation and in every era, with or without the help of His people.

Then Nebuchadnezzar sets the tone of his letter with this remarkable doxology: “How great are His signs and mighty His wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and His dominion is from generation to generation.”

I could stop right here and mine this text for the rest of my life and barely make a dent in the riches of the doctrines that are contained in this pagan king’s proclamation of God’s glory.
It is astounding to me that this crude pagan king has a better grasp of the sovereignty of God than do many… most of today’s popular Christian scholars.

To the king, this alien deity of the common Jewish captives is great and mighty in working signs and wonders and his Kingdom has no beginning, His rule extends from one generation to the next. What thing could affect the king this way and produce this kind of praise?

But Nebuchadnezzar did not learn this in a vacuum- God imparted it to Him in a special revelation.
Our catechism question a few weeks ago asked:
How do we know there is a God?
We know there is a God because the light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declares that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal him unto us for our salvation.
In other words, all of creation bears witness that there is a God and Nebuchadnezzar had that witness. But general revelation alone is not enough to lead us into a saving knowledge of Christ. What was also required for him to discover the glory of God was for there to be a special revelation by the grace of God.

Fortunately, God no longer speaks just to the fathers through various and sundry means, but today he speaks to us directly through His Son
“14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Paul asks inn Romans 10:14.

In chapter 2 of 1 Corinthians Paul reminded the Corinthians that he came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, (but) declaring unto them the testimony of God. Because he had determined not to know any thing among them, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

(1 Cor 2:1-2) He wrote, “my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (verse 4-5).

My point is that many Pastors today are under a lot of pressure to tickle men’s ears with the prevailing wisdom of our time. People want us to be more like Phil Donahue or Jay Lenno then like Paul.

But we have to stand firm against the natural desires of men preferring the foolishness of the cross: “for I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it (not me, not my eloquence, nor my ability to persuade) the gospel itself is the power of God to for the salvation of everyone who believes it (Romans 1:16)!

That way, regardless of whether I lead a mega church or a country church of a few dozen, when I stand before God I can say that I did not hide the treasure that He entrusted to me. But I went out with the good seed of the gospel and I sowed and watered trusting that God was able to cause.

II. The Dream of the Great tree (tell the story)
1. V. 4. At rest and flourishing- (content and prosperous- NIV):
• green and Lush (Psalm 92:14 uses it to describe the righteous who are like a lush and flourishing palm tree even in their old age)
2. v. 5 – saw a dream that made him afraid (lit. shrink back like a worm)
3. v. 6 calls the wise men together
4. v. 7- no one could tell him the dream (likely they knew what it meant)
5. v. 8- Daniel is called and Neb. explains the dream:
• a tree in the midst of the earth (reminds of Tree in Garden)
• v. 11 reaches to heave- (reminds of Tower of Babel):
Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."

But Jesus said in John 3:13 that no one has ever ascended to heaven but the one who came from heaven (namely Jesus). But human history and the history of man made religion going back to the lie of the serpent in the garden has been that we can in our own power ascend to heaven and become gods.

The tower of Babel is a symbol of the arrogance of man to ascend to heaven and we find here in the very same city, a king who sees himself as a tree which towers above all men and kingdoms and extends to heaven itself.

“the Son of Man must be lifted up” because he is the only means of coming to God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whomever should believe in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:13-16).

But the arrogance of Babylon endures through man-made wisdom and religions that exalt our own ability and say “I can do it my way and God will bow down to me.”
Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, (Psalm 2:1-2).

This is what I am driving at, God is patient- he’s long suffering. We see this in the life of Nebuchadnezzar.
• Give context of ch. 4 (i.e. ch 2-3)

But now in chapter 4, God sends the king one final warning only because of His grace and that He is longsuffering with his elect. This is a model for us to suffer long with those whom we share the gospel.
(Read v. 13-17)

III. Daniels interpretation 19-28
v. 19- Daniel is astonished-
• the word can mean to be laid desolate (wasted)
• See the love of Daniel for his mast “may it concern your enemies”

How important it is for us to preach the whole counsel of God, to preach the entire gospel, sin and grace. But Daniel models to us a loving manner in which to do it. You see, it is just as irresponsible to preach the gospel and not to mention sin or the need to repent as it is to preach it with hatred in our hearts.

In our conversations with the unsaved, let us model ourselves after Daniel. Let us be laid desolate over the consequence of sin, but let us overflow in abundance of love for those who face that consequence without Christ remembering that there but for the grace of God go I!

Read v. 20-26

The Law and the gospel are faithfully and beautifully communicated here- the sinfulness of sin and the grace of God. Daniel concludes: “Therefore, Oh King, stop sinning,” and, as John the Baptist said, “bring forth fruit worthy of repentance”: show mercy to the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those in prison, for as you do this to the least of Christ’s brothers, you do it to him.

But Nebuchadnezzar would not hear and at the end of twelve months, even as the words were on his lips, “Is this not the Great Babylon which I have built for a Royal dwelling…” this word “House, or Royal dwelling” is used almost exclusively in the Old Testament for the Temple or House of God.

Note how easily Nebuchadnezzar forgot the dreams and the warnings of Daniel and returned to his self-deification. Is this not Bablyon the great golden image which I have built for myself… and poof- He immediately went insane and was driven our to live with animals because he was so wild.

If you’re hearing the gospel for the first time or the one millionth time, “see to it that none of you has a sinful and an unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (Heb 3:12).

You can only rebel for so long, you can only have it your way for so long. But if God has called you, if He is drawing you to himself, He will only tarry for so long and then the consequence of your rebellion will come upon you

Let us earn from Nebuchadnezzar then these two things: that God’s patience with your pride is longsuffering, but that sooner or later, when you think that you are flourishing- when you are contented and prosperous- then your Kingdom will depart from.