But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified him who lives forever: For his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and he does what he wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can block his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
Daniel 4:34-35
“Narcissus did not suffer from an overabundance of self-love, but rather from its deficiency. The myth is a parable about paralysis. The youth, who first appears in restless motion, is suddenly rooted to one spot, unable to leave the elusive spirit. If narcissus had possessed real self-love, he would have been able to leave his fascination. This curse of Narcissus is immobilization, not out of love for himself, but out of dependency upon his image.” – Marsilio Ficino
In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this: There was a tree in the middle of the earth, and it was very tall. The tree grew large and strong; its top reached to the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and on it was food for all. Wild animals found shelter under it, the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and every creature was fed from it. “As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He called out loudly: Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the plants of the earth with the animals. Let his mind be changed from that of a human, and let him be given the mind of an animal for seven periods of time. This word is by decree of the watchers, and the decision is by command from the holy ones. This is so that the living will know that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms. He gives them to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of people over them.
Daniel 4:10-17
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:28
At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you.
Daniel 4:29-31
Every institution has the opportunity to rule with life and dignity for all and the first step is to humble themselves before God.
Living life with pride leads to a life dictated by a morality separate from the morals of God.
This word is by decree of the watchers, and the decision is by command from the holy ones. This is so that the living will know that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms. He gives them to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of people over them.
Daniel 4:17
The ethic of the upside-down kingdom of God: the lowly, needy, and humble will inherit and rule in God’s Kingdom.
Daniel 4:27
When you think of pride and narcissism, what comes to mind? Are there differences between the two? Any similarities? How do you think God views pride and narcissism?
Do you believe that all institutions have the opportunity to rule with life and dignity? If so, why? If not, why not?
In what areas of society and life have you seen an increase in the pride of people? How does the Bible speak into this? How does the Gospel help us understand pride that people may have?
How can we practice humility in the modern age? What kind of impact do you think Christians who are humble can have in the secular world?
