Learning Humility the Hard Way - Daniel - Part 4

The ancient city of Babylon. Without a doubt, was one of the most magnificent cities that has ever existed. The city was surrounded by a wall that was over 14 miles long and 106 1/2 feet for think about that now. City had many elaborate city gates are the most famous of course, was the Ishtar gate the Ishtar date gate open onto the cities processional Street that lived through the city and down to the Temple of Marmaduke on the other end. It was decorated with 575 and now allies wills and dragons and lions, and these are now allies.

Clay bricks were not just in black and white. They were in color and it made for the most amazing and impressive appearance from afar as these enamel lies color liens and dragons and bees would glisten in the sunlight. Unbelievable. The king's palace was a gorgeously decorated building with a huge banquet hall throne room that measured 56 feet wide by 168 feet long, had like a scrub at floor ladies once a week.

Big floor. There was a magnificent Xerox in Babylon. That's one of those step like temples that they built many people think and I don't know whether it's right or not, but their speculation it was built on the foundation of the never finished tower of Babel there wanted Babel and had seven steps going up to the top or the Temple of Marmaduke the city God of Babylon was located in the levels below were adorned with trees and vegetation of all, I'm also in Babel and Nebuchadnezzar built one of the seven wonders of the ancient world something called the hanging Gardens of Babylon. This was a breathtaking structure that was built to make his median Queen happy. She missed her homeland of media. She missed the hillsides of Afghanistan and to make her happy. Nebuchadnezzar built for her AA mock Mountain Terrace with all kinds of vegetation that would've been native to her land. It was so impressive that the Greeks when they found it called it one of the seven wonders of the world.

This is only a small summary of the grandeur that was Babylon, and the matter was almost single-handedly responsible for all of this was guessed to Nebuchadnezzar. That's right look. He says right here in Daniel chapter 4 verse 30 he says is not this the great Babylon that I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my Majesty and we know from archaeology that Nebuchadnezzar's post right here in Daniel for was not an idle boast. We know that is one archaeology spoil archaeologist footed and I quote the city did indeed owe most of its immortal reputation for magnificence to Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar was so anxious never to have this forgotten that he had his name stamped into almost every brick that was used in the building of Babylon.

The bricks read Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon exalted firstborn son of Neville Paul Lassiter also bring about, and friends.

We are talking about million upon billions of bricks that some poor slave had to sit and stay up with this thing one at a time in the hot Iraqis on and had to stand billions of these bricks with Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar never wanted to forgotten this was his city. Once again, the archaeologist spade is confirmed. The Scripture writers care because archaeology has made the situation here in Daniel for entirely believable. In other words, it is entirely believable that Nebuchadnezzar would have taken personal credit for the magnificence of the city of Babylon is entirely believable that he would have been walking around 19 up on his route and would've been looking over the city and saying, is this not magnificent Babylon that I've built by my power and for the magnificence of my glory. Archaeology makes that very believable.

Nebuchadnezzar's world was going along just fine, thank you, when all of a sudden Almighty God decided to step in goal Nebuchadnezzar's world, and the result was that Nebuchadnezzar was never the same again.

And that's with Daniel four is all about. Not only did God teach Nebuchadnezzar a lot here in Daniel for, but I believe he's got a great lesson to teach us as well. So let's look Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel here in Daniel chapter 4.

Now let's remember that Nebuchadnezzar has had some exposure to the living God of the universe before we get to chapter 4 in Daniel chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar you remember had a dream that none of his wise men could interpret and then Daniel comes in and Daniel tells the king not only the interpretation of the dream, but before that even tells the king what the dream was suppressed old Nebuchadnezzar's breast as a matter fact, Daniel knew he was impressed with Daniel was not about to let them be impressed with Daniel.

Daniel wanted to make sure the credit went to the right place. So if you look back in chapter 2 verse 27.

You will find Daniel saying this to Nebuchadnezzar. He said no wise man or enchanter or magician or diviner can explain to the King the mystery. The kings ask about God's verse 28 there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the days to come.

And so Daniel made sure that Nebuchadnezzar understood that Daniel's ability to interpret his dream came from God. Nebuchadnezzar was impressed.

If you look at the end of chapter 2, verse 46 it says then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and order that an offering and incense be presented to him and the king said to Daniel, surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, or else you never would've been able to tell me all old Nebuchadnezzar and Jehovah meet up again in chapter 3 a few years later. Here Nebuchadnezzar had erected a statue of himself, big statue gold statue nice statue but he wanted everybody to bow down and worship the statue big problem for Shadrach me shack and Abednego who said we are not bowing down to this statue, and even if I God doesn't save us.

Sarai were not bowing down Nebuchadnezzar you know. It also made his old fiery furnace and a turbocharged it for our friends through the men and Jehovah delivered the boys and if you look at chapter 3 verse 28 Nebuchadnezzar said. Praise be to the God of Shadrach me shack and Abednego who said his angel and rescued his servants. They trusted in God and they defied the king's command, and they were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any other God. Therefore, I decree that the people of any nation or language to say anything against the God of Shadrach me shack and Abednego will be cut into pieces, their houses will be turned in the piles of rubble. Because no other God can save the weight is God just dear friends as we come to Daniel for Nebuchadnezzar and Jehovah are not strangers. They have run into each other a couple times before but even though Nebuchadnezzar has run into Jehovah. A couple of times in the past, Nebuchadnezzar has not yet gotten the point is it what point the point that Jehovah is the King of Kings and Lord of lords, and that he Nebuchadnezzar is merely a pawn in Jehovah's hands that he is merely a pawn who was working out Jehovah's plan and that everything Nebuchadnezzar is everything Nebuchadnezzar has everything Nebuchadnezzar has ever accomplished, including the building of his beloved Babylon is all because of the pleasure of Jehovah, not because of the power of Nebuchadnezzar.

He had gotten the point if Nebuchadnezzar had gotten the point before there never would've been in Daniel chapter 4 and say what I'm saying Daniel chapter 4 is Jehovah intention to deliver the point with such force that Nebuchadnezzar gets it, he strong price had gone through though Nebuchadnezzar you dear friends, God knows how to get through. When God makes up his mind. He's going through and one way won't work. God has all kinds of ways up his sleeve to get through to people who he is and he's going to teach Nebuchadnezzar who he is. Whether Nebuchadnezzar wants to learn it or not, and that's with Daniel four is all about. To put it bluntly, Daniel four is all about God teaching Nebuchadnezzar humility humbling. This man bringing Nebuchadnezzar to the place were Nebuchadnezzar sees himself where he sees his accomplishments where he sees everything he's ever done accurately in light of the true working of the universe. In light of who God really is. And I also believe that God was trying to bring Nebuchadnezzar to saving faith in Christ himself and all that was going on as we come to chapter 4 now let's look and see what happened. Verse one King Nebuchadnezzar to the People's nations and men of every language live in the world. May you greatly prosper is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders of the most high God is performed for me how great are his signs, Almighty or his wonders. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Let's stop there for second. Apparently chapter 4 of Daniel was a circular. Apparently Daniel chapter 4 was a proclamation that was sent out throughout all of Nebuchadnezzar's empire as a matter of fact Daniel chapter 4 is not Hebrew is Aramaic because Aramaic it was the language of the Empire. It was a language that everyone in the Empire understood and everyone in the Empire could relate to and decipher, and this is a apparently A8 the kind of hear ye hear ye that some guy would come into town intact on the wall.

Nebuchadnezzar wanted all of his empire to know what had transpired between him and God and so not only does he begin by telling his subjects of the excellencies of Jehovah. But then he goes on to relate to them what he's been through that is causing this that this makes a lot of sense. Think about it for second if what happens in this chapter is really true. If he's been out of the kingship for seven years acting like an animal. He grass it seems very logical that now that he's back and having taken the throne back and he's back in his right mind that he would like not only to spread through the Empire. His newfound faith, but it also like to write them a little letter and let them know that Nebuchadnezzar was back in so he wrote this as I understand it is a proclamation that he sent throughout the Empire, and then Nebuchadnezzar goes on to explain what happened to verse four.

He said I Nebuchadnezzar was home in my palace. One day, contented and prosperous.

I wouldn't bother anybody. Nobody bothered and I dream that made me afraid.

I was lying in my bed in the images and visions of Pastor my mind terrified me. So I commanded all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream, but when the magicians and the chanters in the astrologer and the diviners came and I told him the dream they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came to my presence and I told him the dream's names. Also called belch as her after the name of my God and the spirit of the holy God's is in him. Nebuchadnezzar was minding his own business when bother anybody and had this terrible dream that scared them to death. And when none of his own wisemen could interpret it. He remembered how Daniel called and Daniels get to be an older man by now but he still and he came in verse nine and I said Delta schnauzer meeting Daniel Cheever the magicians. I know that the spirit of the holy God is in you and no mysteries too difficult for you. Here's my dream. Tell me what it means. Please, and then he started telling the dream is that I looked, and behold me. There was a tree in the middle of the land and its height was enormous. The trees were large and strong in its top touch the sky was visible to the ends of the earth, its leaves were beautiful and screwed abundant and on it was food for all underwritten fees of all the field found shelter and the birds of the air lived in its branches in front of every creature was then in the vision I saw while lying on my bed.

I looked in there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and he called out in a loud voice cut down the tree trim off the branches strip off its leaves and scattered screwed, but the animals flee from under it in the birds from hundred branches but let the stone and its roots bound around with iron and bronze let it remain in the ground, let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let them live with the animals. Among the plants of the earth let his mind be changed from that of a man allegedly given the mind of an animal to 70 times passes for you.

The decision is announced by messengers the holy ones declare this verdict so that everyone living.

They know that the most high is sovereign over the kingdoms of man and he gives them to whomever he wishes and sets over them.

The lowliest of men not this is the tree dream that I had belch as her tell me what it means for nobody else in my kingdom can interpret it for me, but you can because in you is the spirit of a holy God's. Nebuchadnezzar recounts his whole dream to Daniel that he pleads with Daniel to help them understand it in his his conception of why Daniel ought to be able to do this is that the spirit of the holy God's lives in Daniel, well that's close not no cigar but it was kinda close. He was on the right track anyway, wasn't a holy God's that were living in Daniel, but the true God.

Anyway, Daniel became visibly shaken.

Look at verse 19 verse 19 says, then Daniel was also called Delta schnauzer was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts alarmed him so the king said Delta schnauzer. Don't let the dream worrier tell me what it means I won't hurt you. I will do anything to bother you. It is pompous in this Nebuchadnezzar said don't be afraid, Daniel. I will let anything happen. You and Daniel said hey King is not me. I'm worried about is you worried about then Daniel proceeded to tell the king what the dream meant.

Verse 20 the tree you saw the grew large and strong with its top touching the sky visible to the whole earth with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit.

Providing food for all giving shelter to the bees you Nebuchadnezzar of tree that you and you become great and strong, and your greatness is grown until it reaches the sky and your dominion to the distant parts of the earth. We know from archaeological records at this time, the Empire, Nebuchadnezzar stretch from Egypt to Persia. What an enormous empire you King Saul messenger coming down from heaven and saying cut down the tree and destroy believe the stomp in the grass of the field while its roots remain in the ground and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let them live like a wild animal to seven times Passover. This is the interpretational king and the decree of the most high, that he is issued against you.

You will be driven away from all people. You will live like a wild animal usually grass like cattle. You will be drenched with the dew of heaven, seven times will pass over you until you are willing to knowledge that the most high is sovereign over the kingdoms of man and gives them to whoever he wants the command to leave the stone with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you are willing to acknowledge that heaven rules to understand what he said. He said King.

You could be cut off you will be driven out in the woods and act like an animal you can eat grass, you and I have the do fall over.

You lose your right mind so you're willing to humble yourself and until you're willing to admit that it's not you did all of this. It was God's pleasure to your willing to admit the gods in charge, not you. Nebuchadnezzar and then when you're willing to admit that God will give your kingdom back then.

Daniel is a piece of advice for Nebuchadnezzar verse 27. Therefore, King be pleased to to accept my vice King a word to the wise is sufficient. A fool needs to be wrapped on the head. Listen to what I'm telling you, King renounce your sin, renounce your sin by doing what is right and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. Humble yourself notebook it may, the be then that God may choose not to do this to you and your prosperity might continue. That was good advice with real good advice sorted Nebuchadnezzar do all this happened, verse 28 to King Nebuchadnezzar.

12 months later as the king was walking on the roof of his royal palace. He said not this the great Babylon that I have built is my royal residence residence by my mighty power and by the glory of my Majesty did he take Daniel's advice.

No, I'm sure. What I did as he said, Daniel, thank you very much for coming.

I really appreciate you interpreting the dream somebody give this man a Coke on the way out. Thank you very much. Given some souvenir from coming here to the palace but the king didn't pay diddly squat worth of attention to what Daniel advised him to do the humble himself. No. Did he go out to be kind of a bore no. Did he knowledge of God was really above him no, he didn't do anything.

When Daniel told him to do. Would you notice, God gave them 12 months to think about. Still didn't do anything. One night he was off on his balcony walking around admiring his city and saying all man look at his great city built verse 31. The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, and said that's it times conduct Nebuchadnezzar's view that all the time to go to gets on. This is what's decree for you Nebuchadnezzar your royal authority is been taken from you, you will be driven away from your people.

You will live with a wild animal usually grass like cattle seven times will Passover you tell you it knowledge that it was God who gave you the authority God owed it by his good leisure gave you the power to build the city not to. You acknowledge God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and he gives them to anyone he wishes and immediately what it been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from the people. He ate grass like cattle. His body became drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, and his angels like the clause of a bird will stop there for is a long did this really happen. I mean come more I can accept the fact that God moved in and had to knock Nebuchadnezzar down a couple notches but after driving out of mankind. He ate grass me a grass come on, you really think this lunacy happen. I never heard of anything like this before. What your friends. I believe this lunacy happened exactly the way the Bible says and you know what, there is a psychological condition. That's exactly what's described in the book of Daniel is called Bo amphora.

It's not a very commonly seen psychosis, but nonetheless it is clinically accepted as a psychological psychosis, philanthropy, it's a psychosis where a person believes themselves to be a particular kind of animal, and where they go out then and begin to act in the same fashion as that animal and it's clinically accepted. I like the quote from Dr. Raymond Harrison, a British psychiatrist, and I quote a great many doctors spent an entire busy professional career without once encountering an instance of the mono mania described in the book of Daniel, the present writer therefore considers himself particularly fortunate to have actually deserve observed rather a clinical case of Bo amphora P in a British mental institution in 1946 the patient was in his early 20s. His daily routine consisted of wandering around the magnificent lawns and it was his custom to pluck up and eat handfuls of grass as he went along on observation he was seen to be able to discriminate carefully between grass and weeds, which is good, and upon inquiry, the writer was told that the diet of this patient consisted exclusively of grass from the hospital long. The writer was able to examine him and the only physical abnormality noted consisted of a lengthening of the hair, and a course to conduct condition of the fingernails without institutional care. This patient would have manifested precisely the same physical conditions as those mentioned in Daniel chapter 4 from the foregoing it seems evident that the author of the fourth chapter of Daniel was describing accurately and a testable, if rather rare mental affliction" this is a psychotic condition that is clinically document is there are long. Maybe so, but how in the world could Nebuchadnezzar have main control maintain control of his empire for seven years when he was out eating grass. Well first of all, the Bible doesn't say it was seven years. Some translations do the one I've been reading. You've heard me say three or four times as seven times the Aramaic word here literally means times it could be used for weeks. It could be used for months and could be used for years. Any of those are possible translations. I don't know how long it was made it was seven years. Maybe it was seven months. Maybe it was seven weeks.

I don't know.

But however long it was, it seems reasonable that some people who were loyal to Nebuchadnezzar very possibly even Daniel himself since Daniel understood what was happening to him. Since Daniel was a high official in the Babylonian empire. Since Daniel knew that Nebuchadnezzar one day was coming back to his right mind is very possible that Daniel got a few people together, and they kept Nebuchadnezzar out of the gaze of people somewhere you know. Bob boxed up somewhere in the palace deck Lots of fresh grass on hand for him and ended, Daniel ran the kingdom. While Nebuchadnezzar was eaten grass for a possible that some people loyal to him. Didn't you say come on long you really expect me to believe this happened.

Give me a break will you.

Well you know what I expect you to believe it happened because I believe it did. In fact, you know we have some non-biblical sources that make reference to this is a really absolutely a fellow named DeRosa's who was a Babylonian priest lived during the third century BC wrote an extensive history of Babylon tension that Nebuchadnezzar underwent a all he says is a severe time of illness. That's all he says. But he says Nebuchadnezzar underwent a severe time of illness. Towards the end of of his reign, and another historian name about abide in us, who was also a Babylonian, a secular historian from Babylon who died in 268 BC also mentioned the fact that towards the end of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar felt previously sick for a time now friends in those days. You never wrote down anything about the king unless it was good. And believe me, if these people wrote down that the king was previously kill. You can believe whatever he had.

Must've been a walker. It was not cold. It was not the flu but he must have some big for historian to write it down in the official history of the king. Yeah, I absolutely believe this happened and I believe we got extra biblical confirmation from these historical secular writers that Nebuchadnezzar took grossly ill towards the end of his reign and the growth illness was Bo amphora. A clinically tested psychosis where he went out and started acting like an animal and eaten grass had it all turn out well.

Verse 34.

At the end of that time what time seven months seven weeks seven years. I don't know. But however much time it was Nebuchadnezzar raised my eyes towards heaven and my sanity was restored to say how did that happen will have a wind I don't know how to God making the Bo amphora business in the first place. I don't know but if God was able to give it to him. God was able to take away from. Seems simple enough to me. I came back to my own mind.

My right mind that I pray is the most high God. And I said I'm sick of eating grass know that's not here and I said I honored and I glorify God, who live forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion. His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the people of the earth are regarded as nothing God does as he pleases with the power of heaven and the peoples of the earth.

Nobody can hold back his hand or say to him what have you done for sounds like a different different God talking done.

This is of the guy who walked around and said loaded Babylon the great, traveling all I am a bona fide great power and majesty is not the same Bella talking now. Now we hear some guy saying hey, look how all awesome locale tremendous God is God gives kingdoms to whomever he wants.

God exalts whoever he wants. God does what he pleases. Nobody can stop the hand of this God boy, this doesn't sound like the same when the might of been the same man outwardly.

But there'd been a great heart change in this man. There was humility there was repentance that was worship there was submission.

Personally, I believe there was salvation, not I fully expect seal Nebuchadnezzar and have I think God brought this more like to his knees to such a degree that he really understood who Jehovah God really was and I believe he committed his life to and in response, God not only restore Nebuchadnezzar to his right mind he restored his kingdom to in verse 36. At the same time that my sanity was restored my honor and my splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisors and my nobles sought me out and I was restored to my throne and I became even greater then 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 home even the king of the greatest empire on the face of the earth.

He is able to humble so Nebuchadnezzar sent this little circular that today we know is Daniel chapter 4, to all his empire making it clear that he understood the true nature of God now making it clear he understood that human accomplishment like building.

Babylon was only something that came at the pleasure and the will of Almighty God that the final credit belongs to Almighty God, not to Nebuchadnezzar, that the honor and the glory belongs to God not to Nebuchadnezzar, and as a result, look what it says in verse 36 God made him even greater then he was before. Why because as Jesus said, everyone who exalts himself will be abased, but everyone who humbles himself will be exalted in James as humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God and he will withdraw and he took Nebuchadnezzar lifted them even farther.

What a great story. What a neat thing. Dr. we still have to answer the question so what yeah that's right. I've never built Babylon and God knows I hope I never get Bo amphora fee. So what long. So what was the main point of this chapter.

What is God trying to teach us. While I believe it's all in the last verse, and those who walk in pride he is able to humble one that the whole point was that what he was trying to do. Nebuchadnezzar I mean, it seems to me that humility is a theme around which everything in this chapter revolves before Nebuchadnezzar to be could be saved. He had to be humble and no matter how much he had achieved. Nebuchadnezzar had gone wasn't impressed what God was looking for was humility and no matter how powerful we are, and Nebuchadnezzar was powerful.

Don't you give yourself the matter how powerful we are.

God has enough power to whittle it down to size and teachers humility and about how great we are before we learn true humility God will exalt is higher. Once we do, it seems to be humility is at the center of everything, this chapter is all about.

And so as we close this evening.

Let's ask ourselves the question and that is if humility is what God was out to teach Nebuchadnezzar if humility is out is what God is out to teach me what is humility biblically and how Michael get so I don't have to go through when Nebuchadnezzar went through and he learned humility the hard way friends even grass like an animal the hard way.

I want to learn really hard with you. I'm always amazed at what Americans think humility is ever ask yourself what is the American conception of humility. While I can tell you it's not the biblical conception of humility. Let me tell you.

First of all when humility is not because sometimes it helps us to understand what something is, by understanding what it's not biblical. Humility does not mean that we demean ourselves and constantly devalue ourselves. It doesn't mean that we go around saying all the food. August durable good for nothing worm, I should never been born worthless although I'm an unworthy creature cannot say why God loves me should nail me up to that because that's where I belong.

I don't deserve the love of God, I'm a worm work was awful on the drag of society nonrenewing may sound nice, that is not humility. Jeremiah tried Jeremiah chapter 1 God came to God's and I got some I want to do Jeremiah's it all child to speak about somebody else and got it. Would you knock it off. Jeremiah don't tell me that thought that sniveling. We got a job to do. Don't tell me your child to go where I tell you to go and you can say what I tell you today saying I'm to fill you with my spirit. I don't want to hear that, self-deprecation okay friends. I believe that kind of cheapening of our worth as a human being is not humility that is cheapening something made in the image of God that is not biblical humility, its neurosis may be, but it's not humility.

Neither does it mean that when were humble that we can never feel a sense of pride or accomplishment that we done a good job at something you don't ever met people who say will you ever say thank you when somebody gives her complement.

Don't ever accept the complement. It'll make you proud. Don't ever feel good about accomplishing something. If you start feeling a sense of achievement and accomplishment in an almost a sense really that you can't proud of yourself that you did a good job. Spry creeping in your life. I don't believe that friends. Jesus said we get to heaven. One of the things we ought to be looking to here is well done good and faithful servant. There's nothing wrong with being told. You did a good job is nothing wrong with taking a sense of accomplishment and a sense of personal pride in that you gave it your best and did something of quality. There's nothing wrong and that throughout the word of God. God calls us to a pride in workmanship and an aspiring to do our very best for Christ. He says, in Colossians 3. Whatever you do, do it with your whole heart, as unto the Lord, and when we finish a project at work. We cook a nice meal when we get an a in school we teach a good lesson or good Bible study.

When we organize a good retreat, we ought to feel good. There's nothing wrong with that.

We should have a feeling of accomplishment and pride and we gave God our best biblical humility is a recognition that God is utterly greater than we are and that his sovereign will controls everything that happens on this earth. Furthermore, it is a recognition that everything I ever accomplish is achieved at his pleasure. He gives me the life he gives me the breath he gave me the gifts you give me the talents he empowers those gifts and those talents by his spirit he works in the circumstances to create the opportunities. I even get to exercise my gifts and that anything I achieve using my gifts is only allowed by God because it fit into his plan.

Somehow ended any honor any prestige that he allows me to experience his grace to me. In short, biblical humility is a recognition that all the credit belongs to God Allah.

That's what God taught Nebuchadnezzar. Bottom line, he said nothing and Nebuchadnezzar.

Yes you did this.

Yes, Babylon is a pretty city but the credit Nebuchadnezzar belongs to me that you Nebuchadnezzar became willing to admit this and give the credit to God, both privately in his own estimation of himself and publicly by writing this letter to his whole kingdom. The Nebuchadnezzar became a humble man in the sight of God. Dear friends, Nebuchadnezzar did not have to stop wearing purple robes to become a humble man.

Nebuchadnezzar did not have to take off his gold jewelry to become a humble man. Nebuchadnezzar did not have to give up his throne to become a humble man because humility is not a function of drones or riches or clothing or roads or anything else you can be a poor man and be incredibly arrogant. You can be a powerless man and be incredibly arrogant.

Humility is an attitude. It is a state of mind.

It is a mentality.

It is a condition of the heart that says yes I gave it my best. And yes, isn't it needs with what I've been able to accomplish but I know that it was God who gave me the life to do it God who gave you the gifts to do it. God gave me the opportunity to do it. God gave me the success to do it and sure it feels good to do something successful. But Lord you and I both know the credit is that humility and you can be rich and humble in before, and humble you may middle class and humble the matter. It's an attitude so long would I get this kind of attitude. The easy way could I suggest to you that we get it from doing three things number one being in the word of God. You know amount looks pretty haughty compared to the stars that it looks pretty puny. We look pretty good to we compare ourselves to God, we compare ourselves to each other. We look pretty good, but you get into the word of God and saturate yourself with the word of God and can start comparing yourself to God and you'll take on a whole different dimension in your own site is how big you really are. You want to have some humility friends. You gotta compare yourself to the right standard to get some humility in the right standard is nowhere but in the word of God, for God tells you who he is and tells you who you are. Want some humility saturate yourself with the word of God. Second of all, be on your knees for the greatest places I know to get more humility is on your knees because even the fact of getting on your knee's is a humble act. It's a way of saying Lord I'm talking to somebody who's bigger and greater than me, and that's why more money. It's a working out of what you learned in the Bible where God says in here. I'm bigger than you are.

And we get on our knees to say you're right. Lord I agree with I'm coming to you that spirit and third. I believe that we stay humble. By keeping in touch with the living God.

In other words, keeping relationship going. Keeping communication going because God has little neat ways.

As long as the communication is flowing to keep you constantly aware of how little you really are and how big he really is. We need to be comparing ourselves to the right standard for the stay humble, and I challenge you, dear friends, you are more humility, you won't get it by reading the Washington Post, you won't get it by reading Newsweek time or U.S. News & World Report.

You won't get it from walking around and talking all your friends about how they really feel about you. You'll get it by going to this book and getting on. You need and let God show you what you really are. Like Paul said we need to be careful that none of us think more highly of ourselves and we all. This is the place were we find out what we ought to think about ourselves. Humility is what God wants for you what he wants from me.

I wonder, is this how we see ourselves the matter what your socioeconomic condition is do you understand all the credit belongs to him. Always amazed people say I work for this. Yeah, but who gave you the breath to be alive who gave you the job in the first place in around Washington these days. That's no joke anymore who gave you that job and you kept it this long.

Who gave you the skill and the ability that you're not a babbling lunatic like Nebuchadnezzar was, but that your mind works in your healthy every day and you can get get up and go to work to keep you safe on the highways you know people set out every day to go to work that never make it. You made it. Who got you there is how we see life is how we see our accomplishments. Is this where we direct the credit when it comes our way. We can praise do we say inside of ourselves all. Thank you Lord, you and I both know the credit yours or do we say yeah I guess I am pretty hot stuff.

I don't believe you always have to go around saying to other people.

All well thank you, Mrs. Laureano, so you suffice to say that sometime but I don't think you have to. The important thing is you believe in here to believe in here. Production listen.

One way leads to honor the other way leads to eating grass talk to you but you know what I have learned God is going to teach us humility one way or the other. He'll do it the easy way.

If you're letting he'll do it the hard way.

If he has to, that you folks but I sure would like God teach me the easy way. If you would God bless you, God teacher and garlic soldier as you letting teacher may do this. Let's pray heavenly father, thank you for the Scripture this evening and you know, Lord, humility is not an easy thing for us to learn because very frankly, most of us like the idea feeling like Nebuchadnezzar felt that we really did this we really accomplishes were really pretty hot stuff, Lord Jesus remind us this evening that those who walk in pride. You are able to humble Lord I pray for each of us, myself. All of us that you would teach us what it means to have true humility, not deprecation of ourselves. God but a sense in which we were able to hold her head up high because were your children, but a sense in which at the same time we understand that Lord it's all of you. None of that's really of us alive the breath to help restrain the gifts the opportunities success ratios that we have. It's all your pleasure. So Lord remind us of that this evening remind us that the credit really belongs to you and you alone make that our attitude make that our mentality think that our hearts that we might be humble people in your site so that you can use us so that you can exalt us in due time. Thank you for using the word of God not only to teach these lessons, Nebuchadnezzar, but to teach them to us.

May you make them part of our lives for your glory. We pray in Jesus name, amen