James 4:6-7
“Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.”
In verse 6 we read God opposes, resists, combats the proud, but gives grace to the humble. We find a perfect example of just how God opposes the proud in Daniel 4. Pride was the source of King Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation. Pride is the great Babylon defiantly proclaiming, “I am and there is no one besides me”. As King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar had slowly let pride seep in to his life. Daniel 4 tells of a dream Nebuchadnezzar had about a beautiful tree that flourished and spread across the whole earth, and then a Holy One came down from heaven and decreed that the tree be cut down to its stump. The prophet Daniel interprets this dream to Nebuchadnezzar, explaining that this beautiful tree is, in fact, a representation of the king, himself, and he is to be humiliated for seven periods of time till he knows “that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” (Dan. 4:25) Immediately after Daniel interprets this dream, he encouraged the king to follow his counsel: “break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” (Daniel 4:27)
And, yet, we see from the following verses that the fulfillment of this dream did not come upon King Nebuchadnezzar for twelve long months! He said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While he was still speaking these words a voice from heaven spoke to him and said that his kingdom had departed from him and he would be driven from among men to dwell with the beasts of the field. During these years of humiliation he ate grass like the ox and his body was wet with the dew of heaven and his hair grew long and his nails were like bird claws. After seven years Nebuchadnezzar was restored when he blessed the Most High and acknowledged that he ruled the kingdom of men and give it to whom he will. (Daniel 4:27-35 ESV)
Hidden Wisdom…Application for our Lives:
1. Rather than glorify God, Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself. Pray and ask God to search your heart for any areas where you are exalting self rather than God.
2. Heed Daniels advice! Break off your sins by practicing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.
3. Bless the Most High and acknowledge that God rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
The opposite of pride is submitting oneself to God. To submit to God means total surrender and denying all confidence in the flesh. It means complete resolve that God’s GRACE is sufficient and when we are weak, then we are strong! I have always pondered the meaning of Paul when he said, “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength” or when God told Paul “when you are weak, then you are strong.” I have come to the conclusion that these verses go hand in hand with humility. The secret is to understand that our weakness represents our own inadequacy so we can rely completely on God to work. Then we can say from the bottom of our hearts, NOT I, but CHRIST. That is true humility.
Let us run the race, to win the prize….but whatever I considered gain, I now count as loss for the sake of Christ!--Phil. 3
Great post! ;)
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