Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “Through It All, God Is Just” – Saturday, 20 September 2014 - Scripture: Daniel 4: The Loss and Regaining of a Mind and a Kingdom28-30 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Just twelve months later, he was walking on the balcony of the royal palace in Babylon and boasted, “Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!”
31-32 The words were no sooner out of his mouth than a voice out of heaven spoke, “This is the verdict on you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your kingdom is taken from you. You will be driven out of human company and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like an ox. The sentence is for seven seasons, enough time to learn that the High God rules human kingdoms and puts whomever he wishes in charge.”
33 It happened at once. Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of human company, ate grass like an ox, and was soaked in heaven’s dew. His hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a hawk.
34-35 “At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. I was given my mind back and I blessed the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives forever:
“His sovereign rule lasts and lasts,
his kingdom never declines and falls.
Life on this earth doesn’t add up to much,
but God’s heavenly army keeps everything going.
No one can interrupt his work,
no one can call his rule into question.
36-37 “At the same time that I was given back my mind, I was also given back my majesty and splendor, making my kingdom shine. All the leaders and important people came looking for me. I was reestablished as king in my kingdom and became greater than ever. And that’s why I’m singing—I, Nebuchadnezzar—singing and praising the King of Heaven:
“Everything he does is right,
and he does it the right way.
He knows how to turn a proud person
into a humble man or woman.”
"Through It All, God Is Just" by James H. Diehl
We have heard the age-old question, “Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?” The answers to that question are beyond this brief writing, but allow me one observation: God often causes the wicked to bring glory to His name.
So it was with King Nebuchadnezzar. In Daniel 4:30 he boasts, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Then God humbled him! Nebuchadnezzar was reduced to living like an animal in a field. That’s being broken! After seven years of total humiliation, the king praised, exalted, and glorified the God who does all things rightly and fairly. The king finally spoke the truth–we can join him in his declaration that God “is right and all his ways are just!” (v. 37b).
It may take time in heaven for us to understand why God does what He does, but until then, we can trust God’s heart. As testified by a wicked and (formerly) arrogant king, Everything God does is right and just.
Hymn for Today:
"Raise From Death To Love And Living" by Ken Bible; copyright 1984 by Pioot Point Music, Box 41952, Kansas City, Missouri 64141 United States. All rights reserved.
1. Raised from death to love and living,
Freed from sin to serve our Lord;
Called to share His holy purpose,
Know His likeness here restored.
Holy God, I stand before You
Pardoned, cleansed, and reconciled.
Help me live as in Your presence:
Holy Father, holy child.
2. What a loving, faithful Father,
Mighty God who knows each need.
All His paths are truth and kindness
When we daily let Him lead.
Father God, I stand before You
Pardoned, cleansed, and reconciled.
Help me live as in Your presence:
Caring Father, trusting child.
3. God, who knows our thoughts and actions,
Soon will judge us by His Son.
Each will then appear before Him,
See His perfect justice done.
Judge of all, I stand before You
Pardoned, cleansed, and reconciled.
Help me live as in Your presence:
Righteous Father, watchful child.
4. God, who planned and gave and suffered,
Took our pain and death and sin,
What a price to buy a sinner!
Where can gratitude begin?
Father God, I bow before You;
No response could be enough.
Fill my life with all Your fulness:
Constant, holy, selfless love.
1. Raised from death to love and living,
Freed from sin to serve our Lord;
Called to share His holy purpose,
Know His likeness here restored.
Holy God, I stand before You
Pardoned, cleansed, and reconciled.
Help me live as in Your presence:
Holy Father, holy child.
2. What a loving, faithful Father,
Mighty God who knows each need.
All His paths are truth and kindness
When we daily let Him lead.
Father God, I stand before You
Pardoned, cleansed, and reconciled.
Help me live as in Your presence:
Caring Father, trusting child.
3. God, who knows our thoughts and actions,
Soon will judge us by His Son.
Each will then appear before Him,
See His perfect justice done.
Judge of all, I stand before You
Pardoned, cleansed, and reconciled.
Help me live as in Your presence:
Righteous Father, watchful child.
4. God, who planned and gave and suffered,
Took our pain and death and sin,
What a price to buy a sinner!
Where can gratitude begin?
Father God, I bow before You;
No response could be enough.
Fill my life with all Your fulness:
Constant, holy, selfless love.
Thought for Today:
“In God's Justice, we see His Righteousness; in His mercy we learn His Love".Prayer Needs:
For the development of Christian leaders in El Salvador.
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