"Large and in Charge!"

Scripture Passage

1 Chronicles 8:29-9:1; Daniel 4:1-37; Ezekiel 40:1-37

(Oops, sorry--wrong guy.)

Scripture Focus

…the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. (Daniel 4:32 NLT)

Observation

There’s so much I like (or at least am challenged by) from today’s Daniel passage. I like Daniel’s appeal to King Nebuchadnezzar…

“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” (Daniel 4:27 NLT).

“Perhaps then,” Daniel says. In other words, “There’s no guarantee you won’t have to bear the fruit of your arrogance, but there is the possibility. And that's a possibility I'd encourage you to act on!”

I think it’s interesting that it was “twelve months later” (4:28) when Nebuchadnezzar suffered the punishment his deeds had earned him. Given Daniel’s warning and appeal, I’m reminded of Jesus’ parable of the fruitless fig tree in Luke 13—“Leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down” (Luke 13:8-9 NIV).

But mostly I like Daniel 4:32…

“…the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses” (Daniel 4:32 NLT).

We live in a distinctly secular society, having removed any genuine awareness of an all-powerful deity from our consciousness (just as Nebuchadnezzar had done). But eliminating our awareness of God does nothing to remove Him from the equation. As Nebuchadnezzar learned…

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?’
                               (Daniel 4:34-35 NLT)

I think Nebuchadnezzar’s experience reminds me that I *will* learn that lesson—one way or the other! Which leads me full circle, back to Daniel’s counsel for the Babylonian king…

“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” (Daniel 4:27 NLT).

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