Why does God want us to be humble? • May 5, 2024 • Eric Stillman

NewLife Christian Fellowship's Podcast

Why does God want us to be humble? • May 5, 2024 • Eric Stillman
This morning, I am in the fifth week of a sermon series through the Old Testament
book of Daniel that will take us up until the summer. To recap, God has allowed
Israel to be conquered by Babylon as discipline for their sins. The main characters
in this story are Daniel and his three friends, commonly known as Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, who are attempting to remain faithful to their God
despite being in exile and being faced with the attempts of the Babylonian King,
Nebuchadnezzar, to reprogram them into loyal Babylonian servants. Up to this
point, despite God’s clear challenges to Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, the king has yet
to bend the knee to God. But in chapter 5, we get a unique view of the world from
the king’s perspective:
Daniel 4:1–37 - King Nebuchadnezzar, To the nations and peoples of every
language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! 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. 4
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and
prosperous. 5
I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images
and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. 6 So I commanded that all
the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the
dream, but they could not interpret it for me. 8 Finally, Daniel came into my
presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my
god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) 9
I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the
magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too
difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. 10 These are the visions I
saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of
the land. Its height was enormous. 11The tree grew large and strong and its top
touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful,
its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found
shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed. 13 “In the
visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a
messenger, coming down from heaven. 14 He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the
tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the
animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15But let the stump and
its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the
field. “ ‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the
animals among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a
man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
17
“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict,