August 10th

DANIEL 4 – 5

GOOD TITLES FOR TODAY'S LESSON MIGHT BE: 
What do Others KNOW about me?
What is the Cure for Pride?
Trust the LORD when He Tells You Something!
Purpose in Discipline!
Taught by Chastizement???
Is Your Rear View Mirror Broken?

Nebuchadnezzar the king had a dream.  Daniel was called into the king’s presence to interpret.  In 4:9, 18 “YOU ARE ABLE, FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GOD IS IN YOU.” the king said of Daniel (Belteshazzar) “BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GOD IS IN YOU AND NO SECRET MYSTERY IS A BURDEN OR TROUBLES YOU…”  Do others KNOW this about me??? 

There is purpose in the LORD GOD’s actions in life:  v. 17 “to the intent that the living may know that the Most High [God] rules the kingdom or mankind and gives it to whomever He will and sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men.  2:21 and 5:21

The DREAM was given from the FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD and was certainly a REAL warning to Nebuchadnezzar.  This was a king/man that had seen the work of the LORD GOD through the ‘firy furnace’!!!! 

Included was a time set upon the happening – SEVEN years…v. 25 b ”Until you know that the Most High [God] rules the kingdom of mankind, and gives it to whomever He will.  Yes, the Lord knows everything that we think, say and do.  He already knew Nebuchadnezzar’s heart altho’ the words had not yet been spoken that expressed the king’s heart attitude!

Daniel interpreted the DREAM clearly to the king and then he gave counsel:  v.27 “break off your sins and show the reality of your repentance by righteousness [right standing with God and rightness in every area and relation], and liberate yourself from your iniquities by showing mercy and loving kindness to the poor and oppressed, that [if the king will repent] there may be possibly a continuance and lengthening of your peace and tranquility and a healing of your error.

The king followed the counsel of Daniel it seems…FOR 12 MONTHS!!!. 

V. 30 states the root heart problem/attitude:                                                                 …”I have built as the royal residence and seat of government by the might of my power and for the honor and glory of my majesty…” – the sin of pride!!!!!

IMMEDIATE FULFILLMENT OF THE LORD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE STATED THROUGH DANIEL! V. 31…”while the words were still in the king’s mouth!”  v.33 “In that very hour.”  Purpose of the chastizement stated again in v. 32…”until  you have learned and know that the Most High [God] rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He will.”

v. 34 AT THE END OF THE DAYS [SEVEN YEARS]:  Nebuchadnezzar came to the purpose of his chastisement: 
“I blessed the Most High [God], and I praised and honored and glorified Him Who lives forever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation…HE does according to His will…none can say His hand…He does according to His will…I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of Whose works are faithful and right and His ways are just; and those who walk in pride He is able to abase and humble!” WOW!!!!!!!

What is mine and yours’ condition at the end of our discipline?  Do I turn in repentance and make anew my recognition of HIS honor and glory and power and grace in my life?  Do I turn from my pride and choose humility?  HUMILITY – total dependence upon HIM!

WHAT IS THE CURE FOR PRIDE:  Humility…recognizing that HE is in charge, He is the Giver of all…He brings about His will for our lives…not we ourselves!  PSALM 75: 4-7 (BOASTING in self as the king had done in Daniel 4:30.)  GRATEFULNESS toward others that have guided, advised, encouraged and led in our journey of life is a Cure for Pride!

The WRITING on the Wall:  Chapter 5…A descendant of Nebuchadnezzar (son?) … shows that most do not learn from looking back at their legacy.  (Nebuchadnezzar had removed the vessels from the temple…we should investigate the lives of our ancestors and learn from the good and the bad actions…Belshazzar should have put away the vessels, but instead he used them for partaking and partying with his friends…AND THEN MADE IDOLS OF THEM)  What are we leaving as our legacy that those who follow might emulate? 

The “writing on the wall” took away the shine and excitement from the king’s face!  Just as conviction and revelation of the Holy Spirit will take away the excitement of artificial happiness from our lives! 

Why didn’t this descendant king NOT understand what was happening to him?  5:22.  The queen told him about Daniel and again Daniel was sought to interpret the foreknowledge of God!  V. 14 “I have heard of you, that the Spirit of the holy God is in you and that light and understanding and superior wisdom are found in you….v.16 But I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations and solve knotty problems …”

Daniel interpreted but he makes it clear that he is not doing it for reward!  V. 17 and then he explains to the king what had happened in earlier years to King Nebuchadnezzar…V. 18 – 21.  

In v. 22 Daniel tells the king that he is guilty PRIDE!!!! Lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven…IDOLATRY!!!!  AND WHAT ABOUT YOU AND ME?  Have we ignored our legacy and NOT learned from others????

Daniel spoke clearly of the Writing on the Wall:  v. 26 – 28

The king kept his promise of rewarding the interpreter…v. 29

AND THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD AS STATED AND INTERPRETED BY DANIEL WAS FULFILLED THAT NIGHT!!!!

Questions to consider:

·        Have you been and are being taught (it has a purpose) for the discipline/chastisement that the LORD brings into your life?

·        Do you respond quickly with examining your life when discipline comes and respond to the evaluation with repentance of sin OR acceptance that the LORD is teaching you something!?

·        Are you reading and responding to the “Writing on the Wall” in your life?

·        As with Daniel, do others recognize that the precious Holy Spirit lives in you, that you belong to Him and that they can trust that what you say or counsel is “thus saith the LORD”?

·        Do you see the gifts of the LORD as being from HIM?

·        Do you turn the ‘good things’ (like the vessels from the temple) into an idolatrous situation?

·        Will you step forward as Daniel…brave and confident that you are walking in the LORD’s grace (power) through the lions’ den?  Through the fire?  Through the possibility of ‘standing before treacherous kings’???