Pride
Subject: Pride
Transition: I intend to show you why man
with all of his ability and wisdom is nothing without the wisdom of God.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy
getting get understanding. Prov 4.7
Introduction:
I want to talk about pride from outside of the book of Daniel but use Daniel for the illustration. Daniel, a book of many illustrations is the most attacked book in the Bible and we will not have time this morning to go into all of the illustrations. It is under attack because of its declaration of condemnation and declaration coupled with known world history. If you can destroy the integrity of Daniel, you don’t need Revelation, with our Rev you don’t need Genesis, without Genesis you don’t have a nation of Israel or the prophets. All of this means no sin, man is king and do not need a redeemer. Without God, man can worship himself and pride is acceptable. Webster defines pride as a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own importance or superiority, man can not be superior if there is someone to worship other than himself.
Message:
Lets read Proverbs 14.3 and 29.23 together
and talk about Nebuchanezzar. His
name meant protected by Nabu, a Babylonian god, but God used him as His
appointed servant. Read Dan 1.34 And
the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring
certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom,
and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in
them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and
the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of
the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years,
that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
He brought the future generation of leaders of Israel to Babylon, changed their names from God is my Judge, God is gracious, Who is as God and God is my Helper to Babylonian god names. These boys were very young, not even mid teens yet and his thought was that he could influence them. Daniel chose not to eat the king’s food because of the Levitical law, not vegetarian. This showed the wisdom of Daniel because the law said that Israel’s kings should judge from the law and Daniel was of the kingly tribe of Judah. Neb’s intelligence is shown here because he was leaving Jerusalem destitute and could change the world with his new captives.
BUT GOD, Who is sovereign gave Neb dreams,
the greatest minds in Babylon could not interpret or tell the dreams.
As a matter of fact, they verbally attacked the king by saying that a
king should not make the demand on his people that he was making, they even said
that no one or nothing dwelling with flesh could answer the king.
The king sent out a decree to destroy all of the wise men.
Daniel asked for an appointment with the king, went to God in prayer, received his answer, thanked God and told the captain of the guard that he was ready for his meeting with the king. Arioch, the captain of the guard, told the king that he had found a man. Look at Arioch, he was extremely crazy or very trusting, God had made Daniel find favor with him but this was a life changing situation.
Daniel answered the king by telling him who God was first and agreeing with the wise men that flesh could not interpret his dream.
The king worshipped Daniel (UH-OH) then said
of a truth, Daniel’s God is really God, he gave Daniel and the Hebrew boys
many great gifts and high honors. Re Matthew 6.33. Neb even made a decree that
if anyone did not worship Daniel’s God he and his household would be turned
into a fertilizer hill.
Now we began to see a little bit more about Neb, he was acknowledging Daniel’s God, but not for himself. Another vision came to Neb, this time he was told that he would be caused to live and eat like a wild animal if he did not change, Daniel pleaded with him to change but we see in Daniel 4.30 that Neb boasted of his ability and immediately the vision became a reality. When the time was up, Neb, himself said in 4.34 that he lifted his eyes to heaven and acknowledged the Most High and he was immediately restored, re stump.
Now lets look at
2 Chronicle 7.14 If
my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and
will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Does it apply to Neb, not at first, but eventually yes. God’s sovereignty is shown here along with his omniscience
Now look at Daniel 2.27-30 Daniel answered
in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded
cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto
the king; But there is a God
in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar
what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon
thy bed, are these;
Daniel was responsible for the life of all
of the wise men when he was able to answer the king, but lets look at their
gratitude, go to Daniel 6. 1-14, verse 24 tells of what happened to those men
and their households.
I
have a question. Are you proud or
are you humble. Do you know that if
you have to boast, boast in the glory of the Lord.
Boast about your weakness. Boast
of how He took your place on the cross. Boast
of His love which is unconditional. Boast
on the fact that He, the author and finisher of faith endured the cross for the
joy that was set before him. Boast
on the fact that you are His joy.
Boast
on
John
3.16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through
him might be saved.
2
Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him.
1
Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which
is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1
Cor 6:19
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is
in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2
Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us.(KJV)
2
Cor 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us.
Rom
8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what
the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.