Read a Chapter A Day (RACAD) Daniel 4

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RACAD Highlights 

Scripture For The Day: Daniel 4

Thoughts on Daniel 4

Daniel 4:17 KJV

“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men”. 

This is the central theme of this book. Known unto God are His works, from generation to generation. Hear this, no man, not even the greatest of kings that choses to take God’s glory can remain standing… he will be hewn down! But in wrath, He remembers mercy, God allowed the stump of the the root of Nebuchadnezzar remain on the earth. For others, they are completely uprooted as we see in other scriptures. It is quite unfortunate that mankind rarely learns as history is allowed to repeat itself over and over again. Power remains an opium for men who were once sane, inevitably become overtaken by its influence and are set on the path to self destruction with no chances of recovery.

Nebuchadnezzar got carried away with his conquests of many nations. He was oblivious to the one thing that lifts a man up and sustains him there “Humility”.

The man whose heart is lifted up with pride will only set himself on a collision course with the maker of all things, when he is resisted.

……they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will….

Nebuchadnezzar had his day in God’s court (likewise you and I). From today’s reading, we can conclude that his previous encounters of witnessing first- hand, the unlimited power of God, only ended in his outbursts of superfluous declarations in Daniel 1,& 2. His heart remained unaffected and hardened until finally he learnt submission and obedience to the one God, by the things he suffered. Note that in the interpretation of the dream, Daniel pointed at a way of escape for him in verse 27. But he ignored it to his own peril ( a dog that will be lost will be deaf to the hunter’s whistle) While he was still speaking his vanities, his judgment began just as it was spoken in the dream.

Who then are the Nebuchadnezzars of this age? Hear,hear, no matter the heights they may have attained, God has the final word. And just as He has spoken, He will do….*all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?*

Our God will arise to judge all our oppressors in this nation.

 

2. PRIDE.GOES BEFORE A FALL

Daniel4:4 

“I Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace”

This chapter is not just about King Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, it is about many who have in one way or the other experienced GOD’s glory in their lives and taken them for granted. It makes them see themselves as ” special people” and others are not. Pride of life sets in.

In our Bible Study class, we have just finished treating the series on the glories of GOD in man.The effect of such glory is usually mind blowing. We saw David kill Goliath with catapult, kill lions and bears with bare hands, We saw Gideon defeat 3 combined armies with 300 men, We saw Sampson kill lions, carry the gate of a city up to a mountain. We saw a slave orphaned girl become a queen; Now we see Nebuchadnezzar ( who knows his humble beginning🤷‍♂️) rise to become the greatest world power.

And sometimes because these manifestations come so easily to us ( We are easily prospering in whatever we lay our hands to do; we are in full control); that the immature among us are wont to ascribe all the result to our own human effort, devoid of any help from GOD, just ike Nebuchadnezzar did in Dan4:30;

“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

Reminds us of the rich fool.

And then the fall came.

Nebuchadnezzar was living out the glory of GOD; In his excesses, GOD used his slaves ( Daniel & his 3 friends) to show him who HE is. Encountering the greater power of GOD, Nebuchadnezzar worshipped and testified.

But these encounters were superficial and didnt last because there was no relationship. Despite Daniel’s interpretation of the dream and his advise, it only lasted one year before he returned to who he was.

A touch of GOD that is not followed through with a relationship with HIM that will bring about a transformation, is open to attack.

May the LORD open our eyes to learn from this experience and realize that it will take only a relationship with GOD to destroy the power of self( ego) in us.

And if self( ego) is not destroyed in us, sooner or later, it will destroy us.

And GOD’s mercy ever shines through, that even when HE chastized us as he did Nebuchadnezzar and if we come to our senses and repent, HE will restore us, just as HE did unto Nebuchadnezzar..

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