PRIDE, HUMILIATION, AND HUMBLENESS.

PRIDE, HUMILIATION, AND HUMBLENESS.


Daniel 4.30-33
30.”The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power, and for the glory of my majesty?'

31.While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from Heaven saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: Sovereignty has been removed from you,

32.and you will be driven away from mankind, and you dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is Ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'

33.Immediately the Word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled, and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.”



I cannot recall any place in the Bible where such incredible thing happens to any human being, when someone has been turned to an animal. And it happened not to ordinary man but to the most powerful and famous king!


How much GOD hates pride and arrogance of human beings has been really revealed in this part of the writing of Daniel.


Nebuchadnezzar perhaps retained some of his physical human form when he was turned to an animal, but his mind surely was the mind of the animal.


This also serves as a good example of the enormous difference between us and animals. We are gods compare to animals and we posses a part of the Spirit and of intelligence of the Lord Most High. The animals on the other hand mostly driven by their instinct and practically have no GOD’S given intelligence.


Deuteronomy 32.43
43.Praise O Heavens, His people worship Him *all you gods! (Psalm 82.6 of Asaph) (John 10.34). He will avenge the blood of His children and take vengeance on His adversaries, He will repay those who hate Him, and cleanse the land for His people.

"*You are gods." (Psalms 58.1, 82.1.6-7, 84.7, 136.2, 138.1. NRSV) (Job 41.9.25. NRSV) (Deuteronomy 32.43. NRSV) (John 10.34-35)


But despite being gods we are all die like mortals and High Power has full control over us. We assume that we are smart and doing right things, but in the eyes of the Lord we look completely different, because His intelligence, His character, His personality, and His mind are different from us, much more holy and much more perfect, and He judges us according to His Holy Spirit of ultimate Righteousness and Truth, which is much higher and different from ours.


So the point of the story is that we should think about ourselves with humbleness and humility, knowing that the High Power looking on us from Heaven and knows every single thought in our mind, and our arrogance, haughtiness, and pride are not hidden from Him, and He will judge us according to our own thoughts and deeds.


So the Lord GOD disciplined Nebuchadnezzar, and it was very good lesson for him and for all of us.


Deuteronomy 8.5
5.Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child, so the Lord your GOD disciplines you.

Psalms 138.6
6.Though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He perceives from far away.

Isaiah 23.9
9.The Lord of hosts has planned it, to define the pride of all glory, to shame all the honored of the Earth.

Matthew 23.12
12.All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Job 22.29) (Proverbs 29.23) (Matthew 20.25-28, 23.11-12) (Mark 9.35, 10.43-45) (Luke 14.11, 18.14, 22.24-27) (1Peter 5.5-6)


Zephaniah 3.12
12."I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,"