Sermon Archive
Remember God Rules

Christians Remember that God Rules!

#3b How to Live Like A Christian!
Daniel 4:4-37
 
We are in a series of messages called “How To Live Like A Christian.” 
This morning I want to look at the subject of what a Christian remembers during an election year. Here’s the big truth: Christians Remember that God Rules!
 
Background to Daniel 4: This story took place in 580BC after God had disciplined the Jews for not obeying his commandments. They disobeyed & so God allowed another nation, Babylonia, to defeat the Jews & cart them off into 70 years of captivity. God appears to be defeated & the god of the Babylonians, Marduk, appeared to be in control.
 
Nebuchadnezzar was an interesting leader. When he would defeat another nation he would take the best, the brightest, smartest & most talented & use them in his government. One of those was a young Hebrew man named Daniel. Daniel loved, worshipped, & obeyed God.
 
All of this happened in the ancient country of Babylon, which is modern day Iraq. In fact, Saddam Hussein wanted to recreate the Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar.
 
In the midst of all his success Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that shakes up his world. Daniel 4:4 begins with Nebuchadnezzar telling us his story.  4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented & prosperous. 5 I had a dream that made me afraid.” Here’s the dream: Hesaw a huge tree at the center of the world. Its fruit provided enough food for everyone! Wild animals & birds found shelter under it, everything living was fed & sheltered by it. Then he hears this loud voice that says cut down the tree. But leave the stump & roots in the ground, with a chain wrapped around it. Then he hears the voice which says: v17‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict,” Here’s the part that is applicable to us: “so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men & gives them to anyone he wishes….’
 
That’s the dream & the King is so shook up that he calls in the smart guys to tell him what it means. But the smart guys had no idea what the dream means. So finally they bring Daniel in to interpret the dream.
 
Daniel did not want to share with Nebuchadnezzar what the dream meant. He says, “I wish this was a dream that one of your enemies had because this is a bad dream. But I can tell you what it means but it doesn’t look too good for you.” The king insisted that Daniel tell him what it means: v24 “This is the interpretation, O king, & this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:” Notice the words “the most high”,  Nebuchadnezzar & the Babylonians had a god called Marduk, but Daniel looks at the most powerful man in the world & says, “the most high” has sent you this message which is going to happen. v 25 “You will be driven away from people & will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle & be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men & gives them to anyone he wishes.”
 
Daniel says to the King, “You are not God! Marduk is not God! But the God that I know is about to judge you.” God wants to make a point & the point is this Nebuchadnezzar: The “most high God,” who you think you defeated when you defeated Israel & took them into captivity, is alive & well & He is just biding his time. God is saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “I’m still here, I’m still in control, I’m still at work, & you are not as big as you think you are. You think you defeated Israel because you are so powerful. Wrong! You only did that because I allowed you to!”
 
Then Daniel adds in v27:  “So, king, take my advice: Make a clean break with your sin of pride & arrogance & start living for others. Quit your wicked life & look after the needs of the down-and-out. Then you will continue to have a good life.”(msg)
 
So what does Nebuchadnezzar do? He basically disregards the dream & Daniels advice. v29  “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 & for the glory of my majesty?”Nebuchadnezzar says, “Am I great or what! I’m the man!”   v31 “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.”    
God, who is sovereign over all, lets Nebuchadnezzar know thatGodis in control & that Nebuchadnezzar is accountable to God.     And God says “I’m going to show you that I’m in control by taking away your position of power, because I am the most high God.”
 
The story continues as God is speaking to Nebuchadnezzar, v 31 “You will be driven away from people & 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 & gives them to anyone he wishes.”  Immediately it was fulfilled.” 
 
God is sovereign! God is in control! God is at work. God rules!
 
 
The story continues in v34: “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, & my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored & 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 & the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” Nebuchadnezzar says, I know realize & affirm that God is sovereign. God is in control. God rules!   v37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise & exalt & glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right & all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
 
King Nebuchadnezzar realized that we are accountable to God. Do you realize you are accountable to God? How does that reality influence the way you live life?
How am I to live like a Christian in an election year? I need to be informed about the candidates, the issues, & then I should get out & vote. I But I am to remember that, & here’s the big truth: God is sovereign. God is in control. God Rules! Even if your candidate doesn’t win!
 
Whenever you begin to think that God is out of touch, that he doesn’t know what’s going on, remember God is still in control. God rules!