Daniel: Thriving in a Modern-Day Babylon: Part 4 From Pride to Praise

From Pride to Praise
Daniel 4

Daniel 4:1-3 “Peace and prosperity to you! “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and
wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.”

1. Deal with the roots of pride to stop the fruits of pride.
Daniel 4:10-17 “‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of
the earth. The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It
had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and
birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree. “‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a
messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop
off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the
birds from its branches. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and
bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him
live with the wild animals among the plants of the field. For seven periods of time, let him have the mind
of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is
commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of
the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—even to the lowliest of people.”

Daniel 4:18 “‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it
means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the
holy gods is in you.’”

Daniel 4:26 “But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive
your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.”

Proverbs 16:18-19 “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Better to live humbly
with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.”

Matthew 23:5-7 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with
Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head
table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings
as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’”

1 Corinthians 10:1-5 “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the
wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them
walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as
followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual
water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God
was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”

James 1:17 (NIV) “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

C.S. Lewis “If you want to find out how proud you are the easiest way is to ask yourself, 'How much do I
dislike it when other people snub me, or refuse to take any notice of me, or meddle in my business, or
give me unwanted advice, or patronize me, or show off?'; The point is that each person's pride is in
competition with everyone else's pride. It is because I wanted to be the big noise at the party that I am
so annoyed at someone else being the big noise.”

Daniel 4:27 “‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break
from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”

Proverbs 25:21-22 “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them
water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the LORD will reward you.”

Daniel 4:28-32 “But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later he was
taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said,
‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal
residence to display my majestic splendor.’ “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called
down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this
kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you
will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the
Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’”

2. Be willing to walk through the valley of humility.
Philippians 2:5-8 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did
not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took
the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he
humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

Matthew 23:12 “But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will
be exalted.”
Colossians 3:12-15 “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with
tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s
faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive
others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the
peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in
peace. And always be thankful.”
Daniel 4:34-35 “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned,
and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is
everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does
as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or
say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’”

3. Lift up your head in praise to God.
Daniel 4:37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are
just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”
Micah 6:8 (NIV) “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To
act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”