Reading
Introduction [Watch video]
Have you ever had a dream come true? There are dreams I’d rather not have come true! Now, I’ve no idea what I dreamt about last night, but I have in the past had a dream about standing at the front of church in my underwear—and I hope that’s one that never comes true!
Our dog dreams, and she sometimes lies there in her bed yapping and running, and I remember seeing online once a film of a dog doing this, and its dream came true, because it was so aggressive in its running that it actually got up and ran into the wall! So, dreams can come true.
And then we all have those classic anxiety dreams. We’re trying to get somewhere but whichever route we take, whatever bus we get on, it’s going the wrong way. We get off that, go somewhere else; and you get in your car and find you’re riding a bike, and all that kind of thing goes on. Dreams are weird, and who knows what dreams are about.
But sometimes dreams are amazing and this is a dream that we’ve read about today which, for this man Nebuchadnezzar, came true.We’ve arrived, today, at the end of the amazing story of God’s dealings with Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful king on earth in his day.
He seems to combine into one the controlling, manipulative oppression of Vladimir Putin, the narcissistic arrogance of Donald Trump and the dark, brooding menace of Xi Jinping’s China!
It’s a story about God’s amazing grace.
You may remember from Daniel chapter one that the Israelites were in exile in Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar tried to further subvert their identity by training important exiles to live like Babylonians.
With superb irony, the story ends with the whole scheme being turned on its head and Nebuchadnezzar becomes a worshipper of the Hebrew God.
In today’s chapter
- we’ll learn that our God uses all manner of ways to make himself known
- we’ll think about using our testimonies as a way for us to make God known
- we’ll see that, in a world that’s gone bonkers, we can be assured that God really is in control
- and we’ll learn that humility is something God values greatly.
Our God Makes Himself Known
God communicates with people in many different ways.
- Nature itself speaks of God. As Psalm 19 tells us, 1The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
- He speaks through his written word, the Bible,
- and supremely through his living word, Jesus himself.
- God can speak through sermons—who’d have thought that?
- And God can even speak through dreams!
The Bible has plenty of examples of God speaking through dreams: Jacob and his stairway to heaven; Joseph of techni-coloured dream-coat fame; and, in the New Testament, a different Joseph was told in a dream it was OK to marry Mary, and in another warned to get the infant Jesus away from the threat from Herod.
[name redacted], a professor of New Testament, wrote in Christianity magazine recently,
‘I became interested in … dreams … of Jesus after serving … in the Middle East as a missionary… I met Muslims from Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Gaza and Iraq who had converted to Christianity as a result of having dreams … about Jesus. … .’
Peter, preaching to the crowd on the day of Pentecost quotes from Joel,
“In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.”
I can remember four dreams which were clearly God speaking to me. I must have been an old man way before my time!
But if you do have a dream you think may be from God, check it out: test it against scripture, talk to wise counsellors – like Nebuchadnezzar did.
Why would God speak in dreams? Maybe we’re so distracted sometimes it’s the only way he can get our attention!
Up to this point in Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar hasn’t learnt his lesson. He was impressed by Daniel’s handling of his earlier dream, which we heard about two weeks ago. In that dream, God dropped a huge hint to Nebuchadnezzar: Your kingdom won’t last forever, you know. But mine will! Then last week we heard how he’d witnessed God’s miraculous power in rescuing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the blazing furnace.
Then Daniel interpreted this latest dream—which was bad news for Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel tells him (and I’m paraphrasing): I wish this wasn’t about you, but it is. You’re too big for your boots and God is going to take you down more than a peg or two. You’ll get it all back, but not until you’ve learnt your lesson. Stop being an evil tyrant. Perhaps it won’t happen.
But no. Nebuchadnezzar continues in his arrogant pride. In verse 30, ‘… 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 the threatened judgement is carried out. The dream came true! The man who “[had] become great and strong; [whose] greatness [had] grown until it [reached] the sky, and [whose] dominion [extended] to distant parts of the earth” is cut down. (v30)
For a time, he loses everything—including his mind. Somehow, in all his madness, he finally gets it! He “[acknowledges] that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (v25)
God graciously keeps his promise of restoration, and a much-improved Nebuchadnezzar becomes even greater than before.
God has spoken; finally, Nebuchadnezzar has heard.
God still speaks; are we listening?
The Value of Testimony
A couple of weeks ago I went to the North East Gospel Partnership meeting, as did many of us. It was a great meeting but the highlight for me was the testimony of a man who’d suffered PTSD during his service as a Royal Marine. As a result, his life had spiralled down into addiction and dissipation; then he found Jesus, and everything changed!
Daniel 4 is Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony. He’s encountered the Living God. He’s been deeply humiliated—you’d think he’d want to keep that quiet. But he’s also been shown incredible mercy by God.
The transformation he’s undergone is so complete that he wants everyone to know about it. He’s saying, “Don’t look at me, look at Him!”
Another way God speaks is through the testimony of his people—our lives and our testimonies point the people around us to God.
But sharing our stories with other people isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
- We might feel that our story is too ordinary. It’s perhaps not as dramatic as Nebuchadnezzar’s, or the former Royal Marine’s. But that’s OK. Most of the people we meet are ordinary like us. Our ordinary stories are relevant.
Your seemingly ordinary testimony can be used powerfully by the Holy Spirit. Not everyone will be impressed with what you say. But my stumbling determination to follow Jesus began because a school friend spoke about his faith.
- We might feel we don’t know the answers to all the questions we could be asked. And there are some big questions! But what you do know is how you came to know Jesus and the difference he’s made to you.
I can’t give anyone scientific proof of the existence of God, but I can share experiences that mean I can never doubt his existence or that he loves me!
- We might feel we don’t know how to begin telling our story. It was easy for Nebuchadnezzar: I’m the king; you listen!
Peter writes in his first letter,
… Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, …
One way to be prepared is to get used to telling our stories. Perhaps we can begin among people we know well in our Connect groups. We can share there without fear or embarrassment.
- We might not feel brave enough to tell our stories. Sometimes we just have to take the plunge! Daniel wasn’t too keen on having to speak up for God once he knew the interpretation of the dream. Verse 19 says, ‘Then Daniel … was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him.’
Fortunately, Daniel had a good relationship with the king who encouraged him to spill the beans. Good relationships are always helpful.
God can speak to others through your testimony. When you do need courage to speak, remember that God is in control.
God is in Control
Verses 25 and 32 tell us the lesson that Nebuchadnezzar had to learn: ‘… the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.’
God expects authority to be exercised justly and with humility, not with injustice and arrogant pride. But human beings abuse authority—Nebuchadnezzar is a prime example of that.
God used Babylon as an agent of judgement against Israel’s waywardness. The Israelites are taken into exile, but even there, God is in control of their destiny, protecting them and preserving them for the promised return to their own land.
But Babylon is a corrupt power and has incurred judgement for its own sin. Nebuchadnezzar has already been told his kingdom was temporary. God is in control.
We look at the world today. Tyrants are still at large. We could easily fall into fear and despair.
Our God is still in control. Surely judgement must come.
Thinking of an issue closer to home, we’ve had some disappointing news this week about our acquisition of this building. But I want to say to you: don’t lose hope; God is in control!
- Remember that a blazing furnace was no problem for God; God was in control.
- An arrogant, all-powerful king was no problem for God; God was in control.
- Do you believe that what’s happening here is a work of God? He is still in control.
- Even if we have to buy this building, God can provide; he is in control.
- Even if God has something else in mind for us, he is still in control.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
God is in control!
Humility
The chapter ends with Nebuchadnezzar saying about God, ‘… those who walk in pride he is able to humble.’
The root of his sinful behaviour was arrogant pride. His attitude was, “I can do what I want to whomever I want, however I want, whenever I want; and no-one can stop me!”
Scripture tells us that God requires us ‘to act justly and to love mercy, and walk to humbly with [our] God.’
Nebuchadnezzar got all of those requirements wrong. At least his humility issue got resolved! I hope that led him into just and merciful action for what remained of his reign.
Humility is a quality that God values greatly. It isn’t about being a doormat for people to wipe their feet on. It’s not about having a dim view of ourselves. It’s about having a right view of ourselves, especially in relation to God and to others. It’s the attitude that I have no special importance that makes me better than anyone else.
The greatest example of humility I can think of is Jesus himself. Here’s a well-known New Testament passage: (Philippians 2)
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
What a contrast with Nebuchadnezzar! The one who truly has all the power in the universe doesn’t use it to dominate and dictate like some cosmic bully.
Jesus had a right view of himself: he is God! Yet he sets it all aside to come and do something about our problem. We were lost, as good as dead because of our proud refusal to live God’s way.
We cannot find our own way back to God, so Jesus came and made a way for us.
We deserved death. He died in our place.
Now, Jesus is the King of God’s everlasting Kingdom, and anyone, even someone as bad as Nebuchadnezzar, can be rescued, forgiven, transformed and welcomed into God’s family.
Jesus himself is our only way back to God. He’s the one to follow!
Summary
So, winding all this up
- Our Most High God speaks to people in many ways to make himself known.
- Our stories, however spectacular, however ordinary, can encourage others to look for him.
- Our God is fully in control of this world and all our circumstances.
- He calls us to walk in humility in loving relationship with him and with each other, following the example of Jesus.
