Power & Control - Part IV

by Tim Knappenberger

How easily we forget. How arrogant we become. Very possibly after a year with nothing having happened, Nebuchadnezzar may well have thought the dream was in error. Whatever the reason, he continued in the false illusion that he was master of his kingdom. What did he believe confirmed his authority? What he could see. "Yep, those are my gardens. Look at that sprawling city! All mine. Up here on my palace wall, I’m really "king o’ the hill." His ability to touch, see, command, and consume left him assuming control really was his. Even after a clear warning from God, he clung to the delusion. So you say you’ve never had a Nebuchadnezzar-like dream? The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; (Psalms 24:1 - NIV). Can you find yourself or your house or your car or your career or your family or your life in this verse? If you can, then you’ve been given more than a dream as a warning; you’ve been given God’s final word on the matter in black and white!

After 12 months slipping by, it may have seemed that God might have been only kidding or (hopefully) forgot. Sometimes God’s delay appears to be His detachment. Other times God’s timing is strikingly swift and immediate. The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven. . . He didn’t buy the dream. He didn’t buy the interpretation. He didn’t buy the warning. He couldn’t help but buy God’s final word on the matter. God’s judgment delayed is never God’s judgment denied. One of the best examples of God’s sovereign control over all things is how he picks His time and place. We struggle and wrestle with time in an effort to keep order and control over our world. Hurry to make the payment before the grace period expires. Cram 26 hours of work in our 24 hour days. God simply decides what He will do and then does it. It may take a day, a year, a millennium, or a blink of an eye. His deciding it seals it.

What interests me is how little Nebuchadnezzar details his seven years of "wild living." Maybe leaving that to our imaginations makes a better point. Regardless, he finally comes to his senses and "runs up the white flag," or in this case raises his eyes to heaven.

The moment Nebuchadnezzar had the sense to acknowledge God’s sovereignty, he came to his senses. Now it may have been that sometime during those seven years Nebuchadnezzar desired to end the whole affair, scream "uncle," and go home to the palace, but was prevented by God’s will from doing so. It may rather have been that he could have returned to his senses at any time during those seven years, but resisted bowing to God’s lordship out of kingly pride and ego. Either way, he had to come to the same place we all have to come. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him. . . (2 Cor 5:10 - NIV).

Some tip-toe into God’s throne room humble and contrite. Head bowed, Holy authority acknowledged. Others trudge bloodied, bruised and broken toward the throne. Beat up from doing it "my way." Humiliated from years of ignoring God’s decrees. The important thing to remember in all of this is not so much how we come or what gets us there. It’s simply that we finally choose to come. You see, the day is fast approaching when our choice to come will be no more. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:31-32 - NIV). In the scenario above, mankind is summoned to the throne room. The time for choosing to come and receive God’s grace through the blood of His Son is tragically past.

It’s amazing how an up-close encounter with the living God alters our perspective. Who’s glory and honor is it, oh good king? Say again, who’s kingdom endures forever? Who’s dominion are we talking about here, oh royal one? If the old Saturday Night Live cast were to do a skit on this story you could almost here Gilda Radner in her character of Emile Lattella saying, "Oh!. . . never mind!"

Nebuchadnezzar was fortunate enough to get a second chance. He mattered enough to God to warrant his very own home, tutorial lesson in Control #101. Notice his final comment on what he’s learned: "And those who walk in pride he is able to humble." It’s true that at the core of our control-addicted society is raw, human pride. "Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:15-16 NIV) Our motives and intentions may be for the best, but unless we apply James’ outlook to everything we undertake, we end up living under the false notion that we really are captains of our own fate. God allowed a king to live as a canine in order to make His point. What might it take for Him to get your attention?

For the love of Christ controls us, . . . (2 Corinthians 5:14 - RSV)

Power & Control I

Power & Control II

Power & Control III

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

Daniel 4:28-33

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (NIV)

Daniel 4:33-37