Introduction: Nebuchadnezzar had already encountered at least three opportunities to understand that all his accomplishments should be credited to the Hebrew God. But because he did not learn this lesson, God gave him a final lesson to help him understand the difference between pride and humility and to have a glimpse of God’s character.
Lesson Themes:
Pride: In focusing on his own accomplishments, Nebuchadnezzar forgot the God of Daniel to whom he owed his throne and everything else.
Humility: Only after he lost his kingdom could Nebuchadnezzar recognize the God of Daniel as the source and sustainer of his power.
God: God reveals Himself in this episode as the One who establishes kings and removes them.
Life Application: There is a Nebuchadnezzar in everyone. To overcome pride and become humble is an ideal we cannot achieve in human terms. Humility is an elusive goal. As soon as we think we have reached it, it is already lost. But Jesus can give us power to overcome our arrogance and live a humble life. He can change every “temptation to pride into an opportunity for gratitude.”—Christopher J. H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today's World (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), p. 94.
Part II: Commentary
Pride: Daniel 4 records a personal testimony of Nebuchadnezzar. As the narrative unfolds, the king recognizes that pride was the cause of his fall from kingship and proceeds to recount how God acted in order to bring him to humility. At the peak of his accomplishments (about thirty years after the events reported in Daniel 3), the king had a dream of a gigantic tree that provided shelter and sustenance to all creatures of the earth. Next, due to a heavenly decision, the tree was chopped down. Again, only Daniel was able to tell the king the true interpretation. That luxuriant tree represented the king himself in his arrogance. Indeed, trees and vines are depicted elsewhere in Scripture as symbols of arrogant kings and kingdoms that God eventually brings down (Ezek. 17:1–15, Ezek. 19:10–14, Ezek. 31:3–12).
With extreme pastoral sensitivity, Daniel explained that the tree represented the king himself. God would remove him from the throne unless he changed his attitude toward his subjects (Dan. 4:27). Pride, as usual, has repercussions in the social sphere. But the time had come for Nebuchadnezzar to be held accountable for his haughty administrative style. If he wished to escape his dire fate, he had no option but to replace oppression with justice and thus reflect the character of God in the affairs of his kingdom. But the king was not willing to set aside his arrogance and change his ways. A year later, he was reveling in his building accomplishments (Dan. 4:29, 30), which is an irony. After all, “Nebuchadnezzar probably never handled a brick in his life. He had not built Babylon. It had been built by the sweat of the nameless thousands of oppressed slaves, immigrants, and other poor sections of the nation, the kind of teeming multitudes whose labours have built every vaunting civilization of the fallen human race in history.”—Christopher J. H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel, p. 101.
At that very moment the king was afflicted by a mental disease, possibly a mental disorder known as zoanthropy or lycanthropy in which a person thinks he or she has become an animal and behaves accordingly. For seven years Nebuchadnezzar had to live among the beasts of the field. Thus, the one who thought himself to be a god became less than human. As Scripture says: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18, NKJV).
Humility: Nebuchadnezzar learned the lesson God designed for him. After seven years among the beasts, the king had a radical change of attitude: “I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven” (Dan. 4:34, NKJV). This look upward signals a shift in Nebuchadnezzar’s mindset. Formerly, the king used to look down from the height of pride. And as he looked upward, whence all power and wisdom comes, three important things occurred: (1) he was healed from his mental illness (“my understanding returned to me”); (2) he acknowledged God as the sovereign of the universe; and (3) he was restored to the throne (Dan. 4:34–36). As the king himself stated: “I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down” (Dan. 4:37, NKJV). No one more than Nebuchadnezzar could recognize the truth that God puts down “those who walk in pride.”
But the process of humiliation lasted seven times; the original word most likely means “years” and here must be understood in terms of seven literal years. These seven years refer to a literal time period during which the king, removed from the throne and humiliated, had to live among the beasts of the field. Therefore, unlike the time periods mentioned in the apocalyptic sections of Daniel, the seven years are not to be interpreted according to the day-year principle. As mentioned earlier, twelve months elapsed between the king’s boasting and his period of being under judgment, which lasted seven times. So, at the end of the seven years, the king was restored to the throne. Thus, there is no indication that the time period mentioned in Daniel 4 should be interpreted in any but a literal way.
It took a terrible judgment from God upon the king to awaken his mind fully to realize that the God of Daniel was the one in charge. Why is it so difficult for a human being to become humble? It is because we are all infected with the desire to be served and praised, which is nothing more than the desire to be treated like God (see Genesis 3). But because we cannot become God, pride produces a sour frustration. Humility, however, brings satisfaction. We always can find someone in need to serve, and in doing so, we experience the joy and fulfillment of serving Christ (see Gary Thomas, “Downward Mobility,” Discipleship Journal, July–August 2005, pp. 34–37).
Conversion: A question that often emerges in this connection concerns whether or not the king was truly converted. Although some commentators feel that there is not enough evidence to confirm a genuine conversion, there is enough evidence that points in that direction. As we look at the heart of the king’s confession in Daniel 4:34, 35, four elements stand out:
He confesses the sovereignty of God, who establishes a kingdom that is without end. God “does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ” (Dan. 4:35, NKJV). There is a hint of the infinite and eternal in Nebuchadnezzar’s words when states, “His kingdom is from generation to generation” (Dan. 4:34, NKJV).
Nebuchadnezzar confesses also the creatureliness of humankind: “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing” (Dan. 4:35, NKJV). The king no longer recognizes divine power at a merely theoretical level. He confesses that even the greatest of men (and he had been in his own eyes and, arguably, in the eyes of his subjects, the greatest) are nothing before the majestic Lord. Such recognition is always a mark of the subdued heart; the creatureliness of individuals and their dependence on God is evident. Man is not autonomous; he is dependent and creaturely. His true joy is found only when he has come to recognize that His true dependence upon the divine.
Nebuchadnezzar confesses the truthfulness and righteousness of God, “all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice” (Dan. 4:37, NKJV). God has dealt with him severely, but he acknowledges how true and righteous God’s judgments have been. They were appropriate to his sins.
“Finally, he came to recognize that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (compare with Prov. 3:34). His life was a portrayal of the application that Peter made of the following principle: ‘Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time’ (1 Pet. 5:6, NKJV).”—Sinclair B. Ferguson and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, vol. 21, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988), pp. 96, 97. The pattern of His saving grace always rests upon this precept of humility.
Part III: Life Application
How do you evaluate your own accomplishments when compared to those of others? How do you tell the difference between pride and a high self-esteem?
In your opinion, how can we show and experience genuine humility? What is the difference between humility and a low self-esteem?
What is the place of humility in church leadership? Do you think a humble leader can be respected and followed? Explain.
In what ways has Jesus taught humility? On what occasion of Jesus’ ministry did He exemplify humility in the most powerful way? What, and how, can you learn from Him?
What do you perceive to be the relationship between humility and forgiveness? How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who offends you?
This week’s lesson opens the possibility for some self-examination. Ask your class members to reflect on the following: Try to put yourself in the shoes of Nebuchadnezzar, and ask yourself:
Do I tend to take credit for certain accomplishments more than I deserve? In what ways do I tell my personal stories? Do I tell them to look better or more successful than I really am?
What steps must I take in order to attain humility?
Have there been any situations in my life in which I was humbled in ways that helped me to understand my limitations and hence to honor God? If so, how?
How often do I remember to give God the glory for everything that I may have accomplished? What can help me remember always to give the glory to Him?
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Key Text: Daniel 4:3
Study Focus: Dan. 4:1–33, Prov. 14:31, 2 Kings 20:1–5, Jon. 3:10, Dan. 4:34–37, Phil. 2:1–11.
Introduction: Nebuchadnezzar had already encountered at least three opportunities to understand that all his accomplishments should be credited to the Hebrew God. But because he did not learn this lesson, God gave him a final lesson to help him understand the difference between pride and humility and to have a glimpse of God’s character.
Lesson Themes:
Life Application: There is a Nebuchadnezzar in everyone. To overcome pride and become humble is an ideal we cannot achieve in human terms. Humility is an elusive goal. As soon as we think we have reached it, it is already lost. But Jesus can give us power to overcome our arrogance and live a humble life. He can change every “temptation to pride into an opportunity for gratitude.”—Christopher J. H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today's World (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), p. 94.
Part II: Commentary
Pride: Daniel 4 records a personal testimony of Nebuchadnezzar. As the narrative unfolds, the king recognizes that pride was the cause of his fall from kingship and proceeds to recount how God acted in order to bring him to humility. At the peak of his accomplishments (about thirty years after the events reported in Daniel 3), the king had a dream of a gigantic tree that provided shelter and sustenance to all creatures of the earth. Next, due to a heavenly decision, the tree was chopped down. Again, only Daniel was able to tell the king the true interpretation. That luxuriant tree represented the king himself in his arrogance. Indeed, trees and vines are depicted elsewhere in Scripture as symbols of arrogant kings and kingdoms that God eventually brings down (Ezek. 17:1–15, Ezek. 19:10–14, Ezek. 31:3–12). With extreme pastoral sensitivity, Daniel explained that the tree represented the king himself. God would remove him from the throne unless he changed his attitude toward his subjects (Dan. 4:27). Pride, as usual, has repercussions in the social sphere. But the time had come for Nebuchadnezzar to be held accountable for his haughty administrative style. If he wished to escape his dire fate, he had no option but to replace oppression with justice and thus reflect the character of God in the affairs of his kingdom. But the king was not willing to set aside his arrogance and change his ways. A year later, he was reveling in his building accomplishments (Dan. 4:29, 30), which is an irony. After all, “Nebuchadnezzar probably never handled a brick in his life. He had not built Babylon. It had been built by the sweat of the nameless thousands of oppressed slaves, immigrants, and other poor sections of the nation, the kind of teeming multitudes whose labours have built every vaunting civilization of the fallen human race in history.”—Christopher J. H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel, p. 101. At that very moment the king was afflicted by a mental disease, possibly a mental disorder known as zoanthropy or lycanthropy in which a person thinks he or she has become an animal and behaves accordingly. For seven years Nebuchadnezzar had to live among the beasts of the field. Thus, the one who thought himself to be a god became less than human. As Scripture says: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18, NKJV).
Humility: Nebuchadnezzar learned the lesson God designed for him. After seven years among the beasts, the king had a radical change of attitude: “I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven” (Dan. 4:34, NKJV). This look upward signals a shift in Nebuchadnezzar’s mindset. Formerly, the king used to look down from the height of pride. And as he looked upward, whence all power and wisdom comes, three important things occurred: (1) he was healed from his mental illness (“my understanding returned to me”); (2) he acknowledged God as the sovereign of the universe; and (3) he was restored to the throne (Dan. 4:34–36). As the king himself stated: “I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down” (Dan. 4:37, NKJV). No one more than Nebuchadnezzar could recognize the truth that God puts down “those who walk in pride.” But the process of humiliation lasted seven times; the original word most likely means “years” and here must be understood in terms of seven literal years. These seven years refer to a literal time period during which the king, removed from the throne and humiliated, had to live among the beasts of the field. Therefore, unlike the time periods mentioned in the apocalyptic sections of Daniel, the seven years are not to be interpreted according to the day-year principle. As mentioned earlier, twelve months elapsed between the king’s boasting and his period of being under judgment, which lasted seven times. So, at the end of the seven years, the king was restored to the throne. Thus, there is no indication that the time period mentioned in Daniel 4 should be interpreted in any but a literal way. It took a terrible judgment from God upon the king to awaken his mind fully to realize that the God of Daniel was the one in charge. Why is it so difficult for a human being to become humble? It is because we are all infected with the desire to be served and praised, which is nothing more than the desire to be treated like God (see Genesis 3). But because we cannot become God, pride produces a sour frustration. Humility, however, brings satisfaction. We always can find someone in need to serve, and in doing so, we experience the joy and fulfillment of serving Christ (see Gary Thomas, “Downward Mobility,” Discipleship Journal, July–August 2005, pp. 34–37).
Conversion: A question that often emerges in this connection concerns whether or not the king was truly converted. Although some commentators feel that there is not enough evidence to confirm a genuine conversion, there is enough evidence that points in that direction. As we look at the heart of the king’s confession in Daniel 4:34, 35, four elements stand out:
Part III: Life Application
Do I tend to take credit for certain accomplishments more than I deserve? In what ways do I tell my personal stories? Do I tell them to look better or more successful than I really am?
What steps must I take in order to attain humility?
Have there been any situations in my life in which I was humbled in ways that helped me to understand my limitations and hence to honor God? If so, how?
How often do I remember to give God the glory for everything that I may have accomplished? What can help me remember always to give the glory to Him?