DWDP: From Pride to Humility – Confronting the Downfall of Kings and Embracing Grace through Scripture

Join me, Dr. Robert Jackson, as we journey through the annals of scripture to confront the consequences of pride and celebrate the virtues of humility. Discover the powerful lessons drawn from the tales of King Nebuchadnezzar's madness, Hezekiah's oversight, and the fall of Lucifer, reminding us all of the dangers that come with losing sight of gratitude. These narratives are not just ancient history; they serve as a mirror, reflecting the perils that beset us when we allow pride to cloud our vision and obscure the grace that underpins our existence.

This episode is an exploration of scripture's stark warnings and the hope that shines through a humble heart. As we traverse the stories from Daniel, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah, I invite you to reflect on the idea that our sins, like a foul odor, could be evident for all to see – would pride be what others notice about you? We conclude with heartfelt thanks and an invitation to continue this spiritual journey through JacksonFamilyMinistry.com, where more inspiration and paths to growth await. Gather your family, open your Bible, and prepare to engage with these timeless lessons on how the mightiest of kings fell from grace and how their stories can guide us in nurturing a humble spirit.

https://www.jacksonfamilyministry.com

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Welcome to More Than Medicine, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, dr Robert Jackson.

Speaker 2: 0:16

Papa, can you tell me a story? Do you really want me to tell you a story? Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Welcome to Devotions with Dr Papa. Grab your Bible and gather around and let's look into the written word, which reveals to us the living word which is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Speaker 2: 0:42

Well, today we're going to look at a lesson regarding the prideful potentate which is King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel, chapter 3. And I submit to you, very respectfully, that this chapter should be read aloud daily in the presence of every president, every premier, every potentate, every dictator, every tyrant, every king, every congressman, every senator, every military general, every corporate executive, every doctor, lawyer, judge and Indian chief. Why? As a reminder of what happens to prideful men, you remember what happened to Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles, chapter 32. The Bible tells us very plainly in 2 Chronicles what happened to Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a king and he was a very affluent king and God had blessed him beyond all of his deserving. In 2 Chronicles 32, verse 24, the Bible tells us that in those days Hezekiah became mortally ill and he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign, but Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received because his heart was proud. Therefore, wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem, but to his benefit, to his credit, rather, the Bible says that Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah. You see, the Bible says that Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received because his heart was proud. He was this affluent king who had been blessed beyond measure by the Lord, god Almighty, but his heart became proud and arrogant and lifted up and he gave no return for the benefit that he had received.

Speaker 2: 3:18

But he's not the only one. Just think about that angel whose name was Lucifer. And the Bible tells us in Isaiah, chapter 14, what happened to Lucifer, who was an exalted cherub. Isaiah 14, 12 to 15, said how you have fallen from heaven, o star of the morning, son of the dawn. You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations. But you said in your heart I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the most high. Nevertheless, you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. You see, that's what happened to Lucifer when he exalted himself and said he would be like the most high. He was cast down to the pit. Even an exalted angel was not spared, but was cast out of heaven. Because of what? Because of pride.

Speaker 2: 4:43

Now, in the book of Proverbs, the Bible has a list of the things that God hates. In Proverbs, chapter 6, verses 16 through 19, the Bible lists those things that God hates. There are six things which the Lord hates yes, seven, which are an abomination to him. And what's the very first thing on that list? You remember? Haughty eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies and one who spreads strife among brothers. But you recall what was number one on that list of things that God hates? Haughty eyes. Some people call those the seven deadly sins, but these are the things that God hates, and pride is listed number one, described as haughty eyes.

Speaker 2: 5:48

So let me ask you a question how does pride think and how does pride talk?

Speaker 2: 5:54

Pride always says I know better than God, my way is better than God's way. I know the Bible says blessed is the man that walks in righteousness. I know that the Bible says the way of the wicked is hard, but I still think that my way is better than God's way. And I want you to know that the prideful heart is a forgetful heart. You see, nebuchadnezzar forgot what he saw. You see, he saw that fourth man in the fire and he forgot that. He forgot what he learned. He learned that God was the almighty God, whose dominion was an eternal and everlasting dominion, and he forgot his previous confession that the Lord God was a great God and that mighty was his wonders and that his kingdom was an everlasting kingdom and his dominion is from everlasting to everlasting. And he forgot the lessons that he learned and he forgot his previous confessions, just like Hezekiah forgot and he gave no return for his previous benefit. And you see, you and I sometimes forget too, don't we? We forget the benefits that God has given to us and we forget their origin. The psalmist says bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget none of his benefits. You and I are just like Hezekiah. You and I are just like Nebuchadnezzar, and the prideful heart is a forgetful heart.

Speaker 2: 7:44

More than that, the prideful heart is a foolish heart that says and does foolish things. Sin makes us stupid and blind, doesn't it? Pride makes us stupid and blind, for you see, in Daniel, chapter 4 and verse 30, king Nebuchadnezzar reflected in his heart and said Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? Oh, my goodness, what a prideful statement, what a foolish statement, what a forgetful statement. Was he not the one who had confessed, just a few years before, to Daniel your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries? Was this not Nebuchadnezzar who had said this? And did he not say his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion from everlasting to everlasting? How could he have forgotten that His heart is both forgetful and foolish to say out loud, or even to himself, these prideful words? Dear listener, god does not share his glory with anyone, especially a punk pagan king like Nebuchadnezzar, who was merely a temporary puppet in his divine plan. Now let's go back and let's look at the context that took place prior to this prideful statement by this prideful potentate In chapter 4,.

Speaker 2: 9:49

King Nebuchadnezzar has another dream and this is how it begins. Now, this is Nebuchadnezzar's biography and he's writing out his own statement. And he says I, nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream and it made me fearful, and these fantasies, as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me". So, once again, he gave orders to bring into his presence all the wise men of Babylon that they might make known to him the interpretation of the dreams. And of course they could not. So who did they call? Well, it wasn't Ghostbusters, they called Daniel. And he requested of Daniel to make known to him the dream, saying to him I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you. Tell me the visions of my dream, which I have seen, along with its interpretation.

Speaker 2: 11:03

And then he explained to Daniel his dream, and it involved a large tree that became strong and its height reached to the sky and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in. It was food for all, and the beasts of the field found shade under it and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches and all living creatures fed themselves from it. But as he kept looking, and as he lay on his bed, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. He shouted out and spoke chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the beast flee from under it and the birds from its branches. Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and let him share with the beast in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the most high is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whom he wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.

Speaker 2: 12:55

Now, that was King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and he asked Daniel to interpret the dream. Now, daniel was appalled at the dream and its interpretation. King Nebuchadnezzar begged him not to be alarmed but to tell him the truth, and Daniel immediately replied my lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries. And he began to explain to him that the tree, the large tree which grew strong and whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth, he said, it is you, o King, for you have become great and grown strong and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dimension to the ends of the earth. In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying chop down the tree and destroy it, yet leave the stump, with the roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the new grass of the field and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and let him share with the beast of the field until seven periods of time pass over him. This is the interpretation, o King, and this is the decree of the Most High which has come upon my lord the king that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place. Be with the beast of the field and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever he wishes, and in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree. Your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is heaven that rules. Now, then, daniel gives him some wise advice. Therefore, o King, may my advice be pleasing to you Break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there be a prolonging of your prosperity.

Speaker 2: 15:30

The Bible says that all this happened to Nebuchadnezzar, the king. Now the Bible says, 12 months later, the king was walking on the royal palace of Babylon. Now, for 12 months, did he heed the advice of Daniel? Did he moderate his ways? Did he take care of the poor? Did he moderate his alcohol consumption? Did he reject the magicians and the conjurers and the sorcerers? Did he reject his idols and give homage to the true king of the heavens and the earth, the Bible doesn't say. But 12 months later, when walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, the king reflected and said is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? And the Bible tells us that while the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven saying king Nebuchadnezzar, to you, it is declared, sovereignty has been removed from you and you will be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place will be with the beast of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the most high is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever he wishes. Immediately, the words concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles feathers and his nails like birds claws.

Speaker 2: 17:33

You see the consequence of this prideful attitude in the heart of this king. The consequence was a supernatural whammy in the life of this king. Now, was it a consequence of excessive alcohol intoxication in this king's life? I don't know, had his sorcerers and conjurers given him mushrooms that affected his mind for seven years? I don't know. Was it just the consequence of a divine impact in his life? I suspect that's probably the case, but it was an instantaneous event, with that prideful confession on his part, and he experienced a seven year psychosis.

Speaker 2: 18:25

Now let me ask you this what if, every time you had a sinful, prideful thought, instead of being made psychotic like King Nebuchadnezzar, god caused you to emit a bad odor? You became mal-odorous. God caused you to smell bad. Now, wouldn't that be a good thing? It would certainly have a strong disincentive to sin, to sinful thoughts, to prideful attitudes. Now, the reason I bring that up was many years ago.

Speaker 2: 19:06

I had a pastor and he posed that situation to the congregation and he said wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if God caused each of us to emit a bad odor every time we committed a sin or had a bad attitude or a sinful thought? Well, there was one gentleman in the back of the congregation who had, who had lived a rather rough life before he became a Christian, a few years prior, and he immediately responded from the back of the congregation and he said well, I'd be the first one you'd smell. Well, there was a lot of nervous laughter in the congregation as folks pondered that possibility. Well, what if different sins gave off their own peculiar odor and folks could say, oh, she's jealous, I can smell. I mean, I can tell, oh, he's bitter, I can smell, oh, I can tell you see, if that were true, I guarantee you that in the parking lot before worship service there'd be folks out in the parking lot selling spiritual deodorant. The blood of Jesus, roll on, grace alone, spray on. And folks would buy it in the parking lot and they'd roll it on or spray it on to cover up the bad odor of their sinful thoughts or sinful attitudes. Well, now, that's just a little bit of fun. But aren't you glad God doesn't treat us that way or give us a psychosis like Nebuchadnezzar? But I want you to understand that this king's experience is instructive for you and me.

Speaker 2: 20:56

Now, what happened after seven years? Well, in verse 34 and 37 of Daniel, chapter 4, the Bible says that at the end of seven years, I, nebuchadnezzar Now Nebuchadnezzar's the one talking here. This is his biography I, nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me and I blessed the most high and praised and honored him who lives forever. And he went on with this doxology, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth, and no one can ward off his hand or say to him what have you done? You see, nebuchadnezzar learned that firsthand, didn't he?

Speaker 2: 22:07

This is the king's confession. First he raised his eyes from eating grass and being drenched with the dew of heaven. After seven years he raised his eyes up to heaven and the Bible says his reason returned, his psychosis resolved and he blessed the God of heaven. And then he confessed God's sovereignty and, as a consequence, god reestablished his kingdom. He was restored to the throne of the kingdom and then he humbly admitted that he is able to humble those who walk in pride. Did you see that? Watch this.

Speaker 2: 22:58

At that time my reason returned to me and my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. And my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out. Now I'm sure before that they were fearful. They were afraid to even come around him, but slowly and certainly, they began to seek him out. So I was reestablished in my sovereignty and surpassing greatness was added to me. And here's the conclusion of this little biographical sketch. Now I never could nether praise, exalt and honor the king of heaven, for all his works are true and his ways just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride. And that's the last we hear of King Nubucadnezzar the prideful potentate. He concludes his biography by saying that God is able to humble those who walk in pride, and that's why I said in the very beginning that this chapter should be read in the presence of every king, every premier, every president, every congressman, every senator, every corporate executive, every doctor, lawyer, judge and Indian chief.

Speaker 2: 24:28

Every single day you see, brothers and sisters, this was written for our instruction. You don't need to lose your mind with psychosis, you don't need to give off an awful odor. You just need to learn from the life of Nubucadnezzar, hezekiah and Lucifer. These things were written for our instruction. A word to the wise is sufficient.

Speaker 2: 25:02

Remember God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. You know that humility is not the default position of the human heart. Pride is our default position. Only by the grace of God, the enabling power of Holy Spirit and the transforming power of God's Word and daily death to self Do we acquire a genuine heart of humility. Let me say that again, only by the grace of God, the enabling power of Holy Spirit, the transforming power of God's Word and daily death to self Do we acquire a genuine heart of humility. You're listening to devotions with Dr Papa. I trust that you enjoy what you hear and, if you do, I pray that you would like it, follow it or share, and that you would tell your friends about devotions with Dr Papa. I pray that the Lord will bless you real good and we'll be back again next week.

Speaker 1: 26:14

Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry, dr Jackson's books or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, instagram or their webpage at JacksonFamilyMinistrycom. This podcast is produced by Bob Sloan Audio Production at bobsloancom.