Proud King’s Conversion - Part 1

Undermined Christian lady asked some people come to believe as we have no one else consume two of the use of prideful but you know one of those really might want to die on to the point David Jeremiah considers one of the Bible's most dramatic examples of the transformation in the life of King David is listed as David introduces his powerful and moving message around King's conviction. You know every once in a while you know somebody or you meet somebody came to Christ out of our very sordid background. Maybe somebody who you would never think whatever become a Christian will. If there was ever somebody you would think would never come to God. It would be Nebuchadnezzar.

One of the most wicked pagan kings whose record is recorded in the Bible. He was cruel, she was a tyrant. He was he was everything you can think of when you think of a dictator and his cruelty, but God got a hold of his heart and the story of what happened is here in the fourth chapter. In fact, the entire fourth chapter tells the story of Nebuchadnezzar and how God got a hold of his heart. Well it's time to get back to the book of Daniel. Here's Daniel chapter 4, and part one problem James converted is about pride and how God deals with you will never find a better, more graphic picture that in this chapter in this chapter were going to say goodbye to a friend. Good old king that he could master member when we started out with him. He's got to be one of the most fascinating personalities in all of the Old Testament, we won't hear from him anymore were going to see him in his last picture in the Bible chapter of Daniel by way of introduction is a very unique portion of the word of God, for it is a Babylonian state document written by Nebuchadnezzar of all people notice in the first verse met you can answer is addressing negative because of the king onto all the people, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth. Peace be multiplied up to you. I thought it good.

He's talking himself apart from several verses that interpret what Messer says here is that he could Messer's own personal written testimony of what God did in his life and Daniel incorporates it under the spirit of God into the book which bears Daniel's name if I could tell you in simple terms what the fourth chapter is I would say it is a gospel tract is that he could Messer's testimony to how God took him from where he was to where he wanted them to be and Nebuchadnezzar tells it in his own language very graphically. Just exactly how God dealt with him see in chapters 2 and three. We might get the impression that Nebuchadnezzar was warm to spiritual things because there are couple of times we tipsters have to God. Remember when God gets done with in the fourth chapter he will just get on his knees and exalted God of heaven. He'll be like Thomas in the New Testament who went finally confronted with the real live risen Christ cried out in faith believing my Lord and my God.

Now, let's review what God's done in Nebuchadnezzar's life in the second chapter of the book of Daniel.

God showed him through Daniel that he was the head of gold in the image which was in his dream. Remember what God also warned that we could Messer by telling him that that image, which represented the kingdoms of this world was only going to exist for a short time, but it would fall and that is kingdom would be taken over by a kingdom of lesser value. So Nebuchadnezzar had his first warning in the image that God interpreted to them. Then you get to the third chapter and remember when we were studying the fiery furnace. We pointed out that many could Messer saw God in the fire because he saw how God was dealing with those three Hebrew children and once again God was dealing with Nebuchadnezzar trying to confront him with the truth and once again Nebuchadnezzar tips his hat to God, but he never really truly repents. Somebody said if in chapter 2 God dealt with Nebuchadnezzar straightly in chapter 3, he dealt with him sternly and in chapter 4 he deals with him severely. Let's follow this outline as we study the text together. First of all verses one through three. The reason for this story. The reason for this story.

Nebuchadnezzar tells us the reason in verses one through three.

If this is a state document would be like the preamble to the state document.

It is Nebuchadnezzar's introduction to what's going to happen.

Let's read it together.

Nebuchadnezzar the king of all the people, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth. Peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. This is what he's going to do, how great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. That's the reduction that could Messer say here's what I'm going to do. I'm to show you how God dealt with me. I want to just notice to three things about this introduction. First of all, this is a universal declaration that he could Messer in verse one says that this testimony is to all people and all nations in all languages that dwell in the here is this monarch at the peak of his popularity and of his reign and he is now making a statement.

Universal testimony if you will in my library. I have a commentary on the book of Daniel, written by GH Langan in this commentary. He makes a very interesting statement. He says that about every 500 years God makes a statement to the whole universe and goes back in history member. Interestingly, documents this fact. He says you the first thing that he made to the whole world was the universal flood about five years later he decided to make another statement with the Tower of Babel was long after that Sodom and Gomorrah were burned down, and you may not think that was a statement to the whole world, but if you know how some of the more were strategically located. Almost everyone traveled had to come through those parts, and so the word about God's dealing with some more spread quickly throughout the whole world was long after that God spoke to the whole world to the Exodus. In fact, if you read the book of Exodus chapter 9 and 16 you will read there that what God was doing when the children of Israel were extricated from Egypt was. He was telling the whole world that Jehovah is God. That was a universal statement if you will about 500 years later, God makes a statement through Solomon that all the earth came to inquire of Solomon concerning his wisdom and is well God made a statement to the whole world.

And now he's about to make another one through King Nebuchadnezzar he's going to take the most powerful figure in all of the world is seen as of his power, and he's going to bring him down as low as a man can be for all the world to see and for all of us to hear. It was a universal declaration. I want you to notice. Secondly, under the reason for the story that Nebuchadnezzar is not only making universal statement please making a personal statement. Notice verse two, he said I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me not talking about what God did in somebody else's life, or what he remembers and the experience of his youth, but he saying as I review now what God is done toward me. I thought it was good to put that down in paper and tell you what he's done pretty good thing to do is let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Nebuchadnezzar did a lot more with his life and most of us have done with ours was a personal statement mental notice. Thirdly, I think it was enthusiastic. I've been accused of occasional being of those gastric I believe it from the word of God we have a good pattern for that notice verse three Nebuchadnezzar statement I can imagine him telling this in a dry, dull monotone. He said I wanted tell the whole world personally what God has done and how great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion from generation that's what I want to say and what I write in this chapter. So that's the reason for story to tell the whole world. What God is done for him. Isn't it good that God is given us an opportunity to tell the whole world what he's done for us. The reason for the story. Now let's go to number two verses four through nine. The reception of the dream. Verses four through nine, we read five Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my palace and I saw dream which made me afraid.

And the thoughts upon my bed in the visions of my head troubled me therefore made. I decreed to bring in all the wise men of Babel and before me that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans of the soothsayers and I told dream to them, but they did not make known to me, it's interpretation, but it last.

Daniel came in before me, whose name is Delta jazz recording doing my God and in whom the spirit of a holy God's is to him.

I told dream, saying, although this as her master the magicians because I know that the spirit of the holy God is in the secret trouble with sleep tell me the visions of my dream that I've seen interpretation of it.

Now the reception of the dream. Once again, Nebuchadnezzar's writing in the first person he says that he was in his palace at rest, and he was racing, it means that he was not necessarily reclining or recovering from fatigue, but to me at rest meant that all was well in the kingdom he was not at war. There were no battles being fought subdued all of his enemies and he wasn't rest and he was prosperous in his kingdom and at the height of his prosperity. He had a dream and the dream troubled him someone is that it's difficult to be prosperous without being proud. I can show you hundreds of Christian people I know who have succeeded in the Christian life in poverty is not always easy to find that many who have been blessed with wealth who you could consider successful he was prosperous he was proud and he was troubled. Now he does a very strange thing when he struggled with his dream. He calls in the Chaldeans, and if you've been with us to this study. You want to certainly recognize why that's a strange thing because he's called on those fellows every time he's been in trouble and they are batting zero. They have not helped him once they have struck out every single time he's called on and you would've thought that Nebuchadnezzar would've learned his lesson and you just a look and waste time with you guys anymore because every time I call on you. You never know the answer and then it's interesting in the text verse eight. But at the last Daniel came in nicely.

We do it after we've exhausted all of the human possibilities that there are, we finally do the things you did on first at the last so Daniel comes in how to know some about Daniel never saw this before in this chapter, but it's really thrilling. There was something about Daniel because Nebuchadnezzar to keep knocking on his door when he got to the end of himself and it's mentioned in this chapter.

Three times I want you to notice verse eight according to the name of my God and in whom is the spirit of the holy God's.

That's about Daniel verse nine will relish as her master the magicians because I know that the spirit of the holy God is in the verse 18 for the spirit of a holy God's is in the truest sense of the Old Testament. Daniel was a spirit filled man and Nebuchadnezzar did know how to describe that in any other way except in his own terminology and that was that the spirit of the holy God's was in Daniel was different there was about Daniel, and over the 30 years that they had been together king that he could miss her whenever he was around him. He knew there was something about that me the best way he could put it was in this phrase he was filled with the spirit of the holy God's can I say something by way of practical application to all of us here together.

Those of you who worked out of a secular domain out of the business world.

Inevitably, because of your faith. You are going to be criticized and ridiculed. You're going to be put down and you have people make fun of you, but I've learned something. I worked in the world a long time before I became a pastor working my way through school and they ridiculed me and call me preacher boy all of that. But as soon as one of those fellows got in trouble they came to the truck I was working in because they wanted to talk to me they knew the guys they swore with carouse with Dragon with didn't have any answers. But there was something different in my life, and they wanted some help.

I would say something if you let the spirit of God dwell in you and your spirit filled person will be long for someone to be knocking on your door will see the difference and they'll want some help. Number three.

The repetition of the dream. Verses 10 through 18.

Daniel is now in the Kings palace and the king is about to tell Daniel what his dream was and this is his remote notice as her. These were the visions of my head in my bed. I saw me hold a tree in the midst of the earth and the height of it was great and the tree grew and was strong in its height reached on the heaven and the sight of it to the end of all the earth. If sleeves were fair and its fruit much, and it was food for all of the beasts of the field had shadow wandered in the files of the heavens dwelled in its bowels, and all flesh was fed from it, I saw in the vision of my head, upon my bed and behold a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven and cried aloud and said fescue down the tree and cut off its branches shake off its leaves scattering screwed let the beast get away from under it in the files from its branches nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth. Even with the band of iron and bronze and tender grass of the field and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the grass of the earth, but his heart be changed from man's B's heart be given to him and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers of the demand of the word of the holy ones to the intent of the living may know that the most tireless in the kingdom of men and give effect to whomsoever he will and set it up over at the basest of men. This dream I can Nebuchadnezzar have seen now how old Bill Shatzer declare the interpretation of it for as much as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation, but thou art able for the spirit of the holy God's is in the house is quite a dream and if you dream that you might be afraid to have you ever dreamed of the tree so big that it reached from the earth, and it filled the whole heavens tree so gigantic that every place you were in the whole world. You could see the tree from where you were a tree that was so gigantic that the fruit of it fed the whole world and all of the base of all the fields were under its branches and all of the files of all be here when asked about there were two parts of this dream that frightening that you could measure. First of all, the magnificent tree and the tree according to Nebuchadnezzar's dream was in the middle of the earth was strong, its height was under the heavens. It was seen by the whole earth.

If sleeves were fair contain much the piece were under the birds were in it at all flesh the magnificent three verses 10 through 12, but added to that was a mandate from heaven. Verses 13 to 18 verse 13 says I saw the visions of my head, upon my bed, and a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven knows that the watcher and the holy one is simply the Chaldean way of talking about an angel. It's not two people, but it's one person described in two ways.

He was a watcher in the holy one and Nebuchadnezzar wasn't too used to dealing with heaven, but this angel came down from heaven with a decree with a mandate notice verse 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers and the demand by the holy one and verse 24 in the interpretation.

Daniel says okay this is the decree of the most high. So the angel is a representation of God and the angel comes down from heaven with a word from God. And this is the word the angel says this huge gigantic trees going to be cut down and the description of it is replete is going to be cut down all the branches are going to go down and all of the birds fly away from the tree and all the pieces can be taken out from under and the only thing that's going to be left of this gigantic tree is a little stone left in the ground, surrounded by an iron band.

Notice in verse 15, there's a very strategic change in pronouns nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth. Even with the band of iron and bronze in the tender grass in the field and let what him a tree is in the him but here we are now moving gradually toward the interpretation of the dream we've moved away just a little bit from the tree now and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the grass of the earth let his heart be changed from man's and B's heart be given out to him seven times pass over him. One of the 7×7 times here simply reference to seven years in the book of Daniel. You will find the word times used for years. When were talking about the first half of the tribulation. Later on, the book of Daniel. They call it a time and times and half a time. How long is jubilation.

Seven years and so how many years is half of the time. That's one times. That's two and half a time is 1/2 one and two is 3 1/2 3 1/2 so time is a reference to the year and this is a prophecy that this thing that's going to happen in this dream is going to happen over a period of seven years, seven times, shall pass over seven years shall go by.

That's the dream now we come to the revelation of the dream.

In verses 19 to 27 were moving right along, then Daniel's name was notice as it was perplexed for one hour and his thoughts troubled him not want you to notice that when it says Daniel was perplexed.

It doesn't mean that he didn't know what to do. It doesn't mean that he didn't know what the dream meant when the Scripture says he was perplexed. It simply means that he was troubled in his spirit.

Listen people, Daniel had been with Nebuchadnezzar for 30 long years, and the evidence of the text is that he had come to love that man. With all of his heart and hear God had revealed to him a tragic terrible dream concerning the future of his friend measure and as Daniel wrestled with that dream in his heart he didn't want to tell Nebuchadnezzar what Hitler notice what he says.

King spoke and said go to Shatzer. Let not the DreamWorks interpretation troubled me and Daniel answered and said model hard paraphrasing this my Lord. I wish this dream was about those who hate you, and the interpretation of it about your enemies. See what's happening in Daniel's heart. He knows what God is going to do with his friend Nebuchadnezzar, and it's just tearing him up to tell him the truth. Daniel gives to us here, a beautiful pattern of how to preach the judgment of God to people is to be done with a broken heart is to be done with a heart of concern with the troubled countenance point out their sin. Yes, always immersing Daniel had a compassionate heart when it came time to tell the awful story of what was going to happen to this king. He could hardly bring himself to do it have the rest of Daniel for tomorrow morning and then on Thursday, Friday, one of them amazing stories in the book of Daniel, and it's the signature lesson for the soul series.

It's the handwriting on the wall what happened in that banquet hall that night when I hand wrote a message on the wall tomorrow. It's the end of a proud king's conversion Thursday and Friday. The handwriting on the wall. Hey we have a magazine that we love and we are so excited.

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