February 6, 2022
Lessons Learned
Daniel 4
by Wayne Gaeddert
1. Outline of Daniel 4
V1-3 A summary of what has happened, the king gives praise to God.
V4-33 What the king went through before he gave praise to God.
V4 The setting of the dream.
V5 How the king was impacted by the dream.
V6-7 The impotence of seeking answers from the wrong source.
V8-9 Daniel is called.
V10-18 The king tells Daniel the dream.
V19-27 Daniel interprets the dream.
V28-33 The king is judged for his pride.
V34-37 The king is restored.
2. The Hebrew name Daniel means God is my Judge.
The Babylonian name Belteshazzar means O wife of the god Bel, protect the king.
3. Nebuchadnezzar means may Nebo guard the boundary.
4. Nebuchadnezzar has been confronted with the God of the Hebrews in:
· Chapter 2: Temporary inferior kingdoms will be destroyed and replaced with a kingdom from heaven that will not be destroyed.
· Chapter 3: God’s protection of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
· Chapter 4: The great tree that was cut down.
5. Verse 25b is a central theme of the book of Daniel”
“...till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”
6. The king of Babylon was a great builder: The Hanging Gardens (one of the 7 wonders of the world), three palaces, thick inner wall around the city with towers every 60 feet, an outer wall, a moat out side the wall (a channel for the Euphrates river to flow around the city). Plus he ruled over the known world.
7. Chapter 4 is written from the perspective of the Babylonian king.
8. God is able to humble those who walk in pride.
9. Don’t let your accomplishments cause you to forget God.
10. “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’” Psalm 10:4
11. “Love the Lord, all you his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.” Psalm 31:23
12. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2
13. “Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
14. “One's pride will bring him low,
but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” Proverbs 29:23
15. “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:21-23
16. “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:16
17. Application:
· God is in control.
· Pride is an affront to the honor and glory that belongs to God.
· Ask God to reveal to you where pride has slipped into your life.
