Last week we learnt from David’s life how Pride blinded to commit the “Decrees for Israel” that lead to 70,000 people to be dead. Pride stands as Satan's most potent tool, driving a wedge between us and God, diverting us from God's intended path for our lives. Conversely,
Humility serves as its antithesis. Humility is a greatest asset of God to bring the blessing to us.
This week we will learn from Daniel’s life, how to inhibit humility and what are the qualities needed to get that so that we receive God’s blessings.
Quick Short Story of Daniel (For People who may not know this)
Daniel and his friends (Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah) were exiles from Judah brought into the kingdom as wise people (we read about this) Daniel 1:3-4, 6-7 NIV ”Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.“
Daniel and his friends were considered as wise men along with other magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Astrologers by King Nebuchadnezzar
King Nebuchadnezzar in his second year of reign, had a dream, he invites the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Astrologers to come and interpret the dream. Daniel 2:2-3 NIV ”So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”“
King got furious and said they were conspiring to mislead him and tell wicked things to make situations change and he gave them the ultimatum to say that they will be put to death if they don’t interpret Daniel 2:9, 12 NIV ”If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.” This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon.“
Since no one was able to interpret the dream, the King issues a decree to execute all the wise men (magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Astrologers, Daniel and his friends got impacted) in Babylon Daniel 2:13 NIV ”So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.“
Kings commander Arioch comes looking for Daniel to execute them and put to death based on the decree issued by the King.
Daniel’s Behaviour - Lessons to Learn
Dependence in God
Daniel’s behaviour with Kings commander - When Kings commander Arioch was looking to put to death. Daniel Spoke to him with Wisdom and tact ? Daniel 2:14 NIV ”When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact.“
This wisdom and tact came from the blessing of God, we read this wisdom was better 10X than the other wise men in the King’s kingdom Daniel 1:17, 20 NIV ”To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.“
When God has greater plans for his children, enemy cannot touch them, God gives the wisdom and tact to deal when the enemy comes to attack them, thats what he did with Daniel.
The way God's chosen ones approached the King differed from how those in the worldly realm approached him when they were invited.
Worldly - All the people came (magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Astrologers) and said “we will interpret it”, they praised the King and humbled themself as servants to King, We represents the dependence on their own wisdom. Also represents the collective wisdom of the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Astrologers. Daniel 2:4 NIV ”Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”“
God’s chosen - Daniel
Look the way Daniel met the King, “Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him” - He did not worship or praise any one expect the Lord. We read there “We”, here we read “He”. Daniel was not dependent on any other humans to Say we, He meant Daniel will depend on God’s wisdom to interpret the dream.
If you Look at the David vs Goliath, same was the case, David did not depend on others, his dependence was with God, he says “he will give all of you into our hands” in 1 Samuel 17:47 NIV “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”“
God uses weak instruments (humans) against powerful forces, so that he can exhibit the glory of God.
Humility in God
Daniel did not come and depend on himself, he returned to the house and guided the friends to plead to God. As God’s promise is true Matthew 18:20 NIV ”For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” he believed the collective prayer can have a hearing from God and he can get God’s mercy.
Daniel did not depend on him and his own strength, he used his righteous friends also in this prayer
Their (Daniel & his friends) Prayer was a “Pleading prayer- plead for mercy from the God of heaven” Daniel 2:18 NIV ”He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.“
Prayer was not only for their cause (self centred), they even prayed for the other wise men not to be executed in Babylon Daniel 2:18 NIV “… with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.“
God honors our humility when our prayers are pleading to God, God showed his mercy in the night to reveal Daniel with the Vision
When there is humility ,there is a heart to recognise the source from where we get the strength, in this case Daniel praised God and gave the glory to God Daniel 2:19-23 NIV ”During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”“
Very important thing to learn here, most of us assume humility means, we should bring ourself low and behave with low self esteem, when I was small, I understood humility to be not taking front seat, seating in back or last seats makes us humble.
Humility means being humble before God, acknowledging complete dependence on him and trusting him as the source of everything. It involves asking God in a way that resembles a beggar pleading for help from a passerby.
This act of Humility comes only when we recognise God is our source and we depend on him for every thing. Our self feels its impotent and has nothing to give as its not having any strength.
This act of Humility comes when our heart is filled with reverence to God, and filled with that kind of love for God.
Once this kind of act (Dependence & Pleading) comes, the actions of us will also follow the same to reflect the humility in us. When we get a blessing in the world we will not show any arrogance / pride, as we know from our heart we don’t own the credit for this action. We see this kind of action in Daniels life as well Daniel 2:30, he did not boast on this comparing with others.. Daniel 2:30 NIV ”As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.“
God’s Blessing
When we humble and show our humility to God, he will bless us to reveal his Glory, so that his name be glorified. Here in the case of Daniel, God showed Daniel the dream and interpreted the dream of the King.
See what happened, Daniel Glorifies God to King - Daniel 2:45 NIV ”This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. “The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”“
King falls prostrate before Daniel to honour him - Daniel 2:46 NIV ”Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.“
King glorifies God - Daniel 2:47 NIV ”The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”“
When we humble and show our humility to God, he blesses more than we ask, in the case of Daniel he was appointed the high position and made the ruler over entire province of Babylon. Daniel 2:48 NIV ”Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.“
Same is true in our lives, Seek God with all your heart, all things will be given. This verse is true when we show our humility to God. Matthew 6:33 NIV ”But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.“
Summary
Humility and Dependence on God go hand in hand. We cannot say we are humble and not act Independently
Humility will always honour and glorify God, it never will take any credit for the work
When we are humble, God will use a weak instrument (our weak humans) to bring a mighty work. Remember he used fisherman as disciples, he did not choose intellect people to be his disciples..
God will bless us with more than we can imagine when we show our humility to God
When we show our humility to him, he uses that to accomplish “his will” through our actions.
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