What stood out today: v3:25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." v28 Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, v29 No other god can save in this way. v4:17 The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. v25 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. v26 Your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. v34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. v37 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.
My response: Its interesting God, how you speak to people who don’t know you and when you do, they don’t know what you mean. You speak in pictures, parables. Only by your Spirit can we understand. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream in chapter two with an enormous dazzling statue with four elements. In chapter three, Nebuchadnezzar builds a 90 foot statue all out of gold, not the four elements. He issues a decree to worship the statue. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego make a bold profession of faith and you, Jesus, are there with them, uniting them, walking with them, and being present to them. In 2:47 and 3:28, God is still not Nebuchadnezzar’s God. He is the God of Daniel and the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
It’s not until v4:37 when Nebuchadnezzar says, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven." God, your white hot love pursued Nebuchadnezzar. What a glorious display of your power, sovereignty, goodness and mercy to know what it would take to subdue Nebuchadnezzar. God, what great stories of your strength over the greatest of men and kingdoms. You, O God, are truly the one to fear. The only One, the Holy One of Israel, the Holy One over, and for, and in, Rick. Lord Jesus, teach me to walk humbly in your kingdom. Teach me to: do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God.
God, I am struck by the “sevens,” seven times better, seven times or years. What Nebuchadnezzar ordered in v3:19, God decreed in v4:25. God you determined the length of years until Grace enabled Nebuchadnezzar to raise his eyes toward heaven.
God, you indeed set times, circumstances, plans, purposes. You are indeed sovereign over all. Yes, even sovereign over me. How wonderful! Thank you…
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