Daniel 4
As an overarching theme for this sermon series we will consider Peter’s conclusion regarding eschatology and daily life: 2 Peter 3:11-18. Eschatology is not intended to be informational, but transformational as it gives the believer incredible hope and trust in God.
Nebuchadnezzar has a second dream. This time, however, the text is recorded by the king himself and included in Daniel’s prophetic book.
The Jewish Talmud says: “Of every proud person God says: He and I cannot live together in the world.”
Pride is a major theme in this chapter and yet I would contend that this is not the central lesson. God’s sovereign rule over all things - even the king’s heart - is the central theme. As we consider these things this morning we will move through the following outline:
The proclamation of the King 4:1-4
The king’s dream 4:5-18
The explanation for the King 4:19-27
The king’s pride 4:28-33
The conversion of the King 4:34-37
Along the way I explain the reference to “seven times” (4:16, 23 and 32) as a possible “bridge term” to account for the different calendars of the day.
The Assyrian empire used a lunisolar calendar that started in the Spring, counted 12 months of 30 days, and a ten-day week.
The Babylonean lunisolar calendar consisted of 12 months of 30 days, a 7-day week, and three seasons (beginning, middle, and end of the year). The Jewish calendar followed the Babyloneans with the exception that they recognized four seasons. These calendars employed a thirteenth "intercalation" month to readjust according to the seasons.
The Egyptian calendar was a solar calendar with 365 days and the year consisted of three seasons of 120 days each, divided into weeks that had 7 or 8 days.
The Babylonean empire was the first empire to span so much territory and swallow up so many conquered people groups. Perhaps this use of "times" was a universal way of referring to a full cycle of the seasons (regardless of how many seasons or days you count in a year). Therefore seven times refers to seven cycles of the seasons, meaning seven years.
It is noteworthy that Nebuchadnezzar is given a (very specific) twelve month grace period before he boasts on his rooftop and is stricken with madness (4:29). Here the text is specific, which is why I lean toward this (also specific) understanding of "times".
My conclusion is to point out God’s work in the characters in Daniel.
Daniel and his friends learn: God is God and I am not. Even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Daniel teaches us: Be faithful where God places you, give Him all the glory, love people and leave the rest up to Him.
Nebuchadnezzar learns: who the most high God is, that the most high God saves spectacularly, and the most high God demands humble repentance.
Do you acknowledge that the most High God reigns?
