December 2023 - Humility
There’s a famous statue of Jesus as designed by Danish artist Karl Albert “Bertel” Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) that is housed in a cathedral in Copenhagen. People flock from all around the world to see the masterpiece. Bertel intentionally designed it to teach the viewer a vital life lesson. You can see the inviting hands of Jesus from nearly every vantage point in the building. However, you can’t see his eyes. Inevitably visitors enquire of their tour guides as to how they can get the best view. ‘You want the best view of the sculpture?’, they reply. ‘You need to kneel before him and look up.’ Humility is the key to seeing the true beauty of the Lord.
That’s the crux of Nebuchadnezzar’s confession in Daniel 4. Infact, the key verse of chapter comes right at the end.
‘…and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.’ (4:37)
The King learnt it the hard way but he wants his readers to learn it the easy way. How did he learn it?
His bad news was actually good news.
Nebuchadnezzar, at ease and prospering (v.4), had a terrible dream. It’s not a hard one to discern truth be told. A mighty tree being felled and humbled? It’s surprising that no-one in his Kingdom could understand it (v.7)! Did they not understand or did no-one have the courage to tell the King the truth for fear of the consequences? Regardless, Daniel is up to the task. The dream alarms Daniel (v.19) when he hears about it. What’s admirable here is that such concern doesn’t repel Daniel it compels him to tell the King the truth. He clearly likes the King and thinks he needs to know the bad news! The reason? Well because the bad news, if a break (v.27) is made, can be good news! What will the King do? The suspense in the text is palpable.
His good news was actually bad news.
Well, change scene and fast forward a year and we see the King looking out over his Kingdom (v.29). The first person language that Nebuchadnezzar uses here is an indicator of the state of the King’s heart. The great Babylon that I have built that displays the glory of my majesty (v.30). Alarm bells! Sure enough pride comes before a fall. The King loses his senses and is driven mad. Did this actually happen? Well, the account of the King’s life as recorded in Daniel would appear to be historically reliable. Paul Ferguson, a professor of the Old Testament writes that, “Meticulous historical records are available up to about the eleventh year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, after which the chronicles are practically silent.” This would suggest that something was seriously amiss in the later part of the king’s reign. More importantly though, the theological lesson is clear. The Most High God rules and reigns (v.32). His Kingdom is above all earthly Kingdoms. All power is his to give and his to take away. Will the King heed the lesson?
Well it appear that he did. The whole chapter is effectively a testimony to all peoples, nations and languages (v.1) that the Lord alone should be praised and honoured (v.34). Imagine being one of Daniel’s generation, living away from your homeland with the fear of an uncertain future, and hearing that from the most powerful man alive!
Given the approaching festive season one can’t help but notice the wonderful parallels here with what Mary confesses in her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-56). There she sings about a God who lifts us the humble and humbles the proud. A God who delights to demonstrate his might and uses it to serve his good purposes. A God who, unlike human beings, does not change from generation to generation. Sound familiar? It would seem that the young girl from Bethlehem has reached the same conclusion as the mighty pagan Babylonian King centuries before her. Humility is the key to seeing the true beauty of the Lord.
Flight to Copenhagen anyone?
