The Story So Far:
Today we are continuing our study on the Christian Foundations looking at Daniel 4, asking the questions:
- “What does the everyday Christian life look like?”
- “What’s required for ongoing, genuine relationship with God.”
So far, we have learned that followers of Christ “Determine to be Different” because it is the law. We will face challenges because of this. But if we choose to place our “Confidence in God and His Covenant” we will see that not only, is he still relevant, but so too are his promises. As the world continues to move away from God’s truth, true followers of Christ will have increasing opportunities to practice “Death-defying Faith”. However, to those who accept His invitation to “Choose Him”, and remain faithful to His law of love, He shares and requires implicit intimacy— sharing intimate thoughts or feelings with another, especially on a spiritual level—through life-long, genuine relationship.
Background/ Context
We heard Simon read chapter 4 of Daniel, but before we unpack this, I’d like to start looking at the background and context of this story by going right back to the beginning.
God is a Creator God and He created… everything… because he wanted to. He didn’t need to, he wasn’t lonely, he wasn’t incomplete without us or creation. He created because He is Creator. And what he created was good… and he loved it all.
He loved humanity so much he gave us free will because he didn’t want automations. He wanted children. But with free will comes the option to choose, “Other than God”. So, God’s children chose “Other than God”. However, when we step:
- Away from the “life giver”, we die
- Out of the Light, we are in the dark
- Out of relationship with our Creator Father, we step into a void that nothing but the love and intimacy of the Father can fill.
So, in his love, God determined to draw close to us, to show us our need for him, teach us the consequences of our choices, then offer us a way home, all for his glory. This was, is, and will always be God’s plan. Let’s call it Plan A.
When the world’s influence became more attractive to humanity than God, we read in Genesis 6 God used a flood to wash the earth clean and restarted His plan with Noah and his family. When that road ended up at the Tower of Babel, God restarted his plan with Abraham.
Abraham and Sarah
Through Abraham and Sarah, God started revealing who He was on a personal level. But not only was he revealing himself to Abraham, Sarah and their household, but through them, he was revealing himself to all the places the family travelled. From this point in time, Scripture follows the adventures and misadventures of Abraham, Sarah and their descendants.
Melchizedek
Were Abraham and Sarah God’s only witnesses at that time? No. Genesis 14:18-20.
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.20 And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Genesis 14:18-20
God’s heart and plan of connection and reconciliation wasn’t ever just for Abraham, Sarah and their descendants, but for all of creation.
Amorites
When God was making his covenant with Abraham in Gen 15:15-16 he told him:
15 You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here [Canaan], for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
Gen 15:15-16
Salem, where Melchizedek was both King and High Priest of the God most high, was very likely Jerusalem, a significant city in the heart of Amorite lands. What it looks like God was saying was, this group of people will eventually fully reject connection with me, then I will send you in to replace them, you will be the vessel of my Plan A.
Out of Egypt
In the last days of the battle between God and Pharoah, before Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, there were Egyptians sitting ringside who had come to fear and acknowledged Yahweh. When God promised hail Exodus 9:20
20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.
Exodus 9:20
When Israel eventually left Egypt, the doors were open for any Egyptians to join the community. And some did: Exodus 12:37-38
37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them…
Exodus 12:37-38
The Law
When Moses was given the law, it included compassion, inclusion and care for the foreigners among them. Any who weren’t born Israelite, yet openly “Chose God” by entering covenant relationship with Him, were considered one of God’s people. Six times throughout the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, it is clearly stated the blessings, provision and consequences of the law were for the Israelite community including the foreigners living among them.
A Prostitute
When Israel came to the border of the promised land—the second time—Rahab, a citizen of Jericho, had heard of the acts of God and annihilation of Egypt and she chose to throw her lot in with Yahweh.
10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you.
Joshua 2:10-12:
Rahab was a prostitute who lived in the city’s wall. She spoke of events that happened forty years in the past. We don’t know how old Rahab was, but Israel leaving Egypt may have happened before she was born. Yet she knew of it and chose to draw close to God and in return, He blessed her by being the great grandmother of the greatest King Israel ever knew. And a direct ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Assyria
After hundreds of years living in the Promised Land, choosing “Other than God”, the Israelites’—The Northern Kingdom—sin had reached its full measure and God chose Assyria as his hand of discipline. But because Israel failed in their role to be His witnesses, before he evicted them and gave the Promised Land to Assyria, he sent the reluctant prophet, Jonah, to the capital, Nineveh, to challenge them to repent. And this is what happened. Jonah 3:7b-9:
7 This is the proclamation he [King] issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Jonah 3:7b-9:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
They repented and turned to God. But not for long. Assyria came in, wiped out Israel using excessive force because they had reverted to choosing, “Other than God”.
Judah
Not too long afterwards, Judah’s sin had also reached its full measure, and God chose Babylon to be his tool of discipline for both Judah and Assyria. But as he handed the Promised Land over to Nebuchadnezzar fully, he sent him Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
God’s heart is not just for the Israelites, but for all of humanity, all of his creation. But due to humanity’s decision to choose “Other than God” we became distant from God. So, in his love, God determined to draw close to his lost children, to show them their need for him, teach them the consequences for their choices, then offer them a way home, all for his glory.
The Study:
1. What did Nebuchadnezzar do?
In chapter 1:20 we read, after their 3 years of study, at their exit interview, the four young Jews demonstrated to Nebuchadnezzar that genuine relationship with Yahweh brought true wisdom and insight.
Daniel 2:10-11 reveals how God answered the magician’s challenge, and in Nebuchadnezzars great distress, demonstrated that, in fact, He did live among humans and enabled Daniel to reveal the “mysteries of the gods”, like none other ever had.
In Daniel 3:15 we read how, Nebuchadnezzar had a front row seat when God answered the challenge: “…what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” when he miraculously delivered his three faithful sons from the fire, like none other ever had.
Enter Yahweh
Nebuchadnezzar had heard, he had experienced, and he had seen. How much more evidence did he need? God had out challenged every pagan god in the ANE. He had shown up and worked in miraculous ways never before witnessed or recorded. What did he do? Instead of “Choosing God”, He chose himself. Daniel 4:30
30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Daniel 4:30
2. How did he do it?
Knowingly and arrogantly.
God knew Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and, in his grace, sent him another dream. Confused and distressed, Nebuchadnezzar went to Daniel seeking clarification. Daniel could see what was coming and begged the King to repent, Daniel 4:27
27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
Daniel 4:27
He was warned, he didn’t listen, he didn’t change. God had drawn close to Nebuchadnezzar, blessed him and revealed himself as the One True God. And yet, Nebuchadnezzar chose to ignore all the evidence, God’s warning and Daniel’s advice.
3. What were the consequences?
- He didn’t die, but he was kind of turned into a bird-cow.He wasn’t exiled permanently from the palace.
- Just like Judah, after he had served his time (7 years) he was returned to full mental health and official duties.
- Nebuchadnezzar learned there is only room for one on the throne in his life.
- He also learned the One True God doesn’t want observers, or passengers who give him lip service whilst going through the motions. He wants genuine relationship and implicit intimacy with those who are humble in heart.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Daniel 4:37
4. So what?
God has a plan of salvation for everyone: in his love, He determines to draw close to his lost children, to show us our need for Him, teach us the consequences of our choices, then offer us a way home, all for his glory. He doesn’t need a plan B because Plan A is perfect. However, his vessels are not.
If his desired instruments fail in their role to be salt and Light in a dark and desperate world, he can easily get others. And if they fail, he can raise an army of dry bones to do his will. He can cause stones and infants to sing His praises. And He can reveal His truths to little children. (children praise).
He does not Need us
But he desires relationship with us. Genuine, heartfelt, life-altering, absolute Intimacy with each of us. This is a desire of His heart.
Deuteronomy 6:4–5: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” What Jesus was getting at was, “God desires us to love him in a way that is tender, in a way that is committed, in a way that is sincere, in a way that is intentionally thoughtful and utterly devoted.” He was saying, “The first duty of every man and every woman is to acknowledge God, to truly acknowledge him, and to love him. Everything else emanates from that.”
T. Brisbane, R. Rueff. The Faith Code, 2023, New York, Morehouse Publishing. P34.
Like Nebuchadnezzar, there comes a point when we just have to make a choice. We have seen, heard and experienced… now what? We either step through the door and embrace the whole truth that Christ is, was and will forever be, (Like Rahab) or turn our back and deny him (Like Jericho). Because once our eyes have been opened, we cannot claim naivety.
But He wants us
God does not want automations or sycophants—“yes men”—who give him lip service. When with our mouths we say, “yes Lord”, but in our hearts, we say, “I am Lord”. In everyday Christian life, in genuine relationship with God, there is no glass half-full, part-time love.God desires and requires absolute, no holds barred, access all areas, intimacy.
Now don’t confuse this with me suggesting you tell God all your secrets. There are no secrets. He already knows everything about you. But in each one of us there are closed doors we don’t open for anyone. God stands at these doors and knocks. He wants “access all areas”: access to the darkness; He wants access to your pain; access to the void of loneliness, of brokenness. He won’t barge through. He is asking you to open the door so he can pour Himself in and light every corner, heal every wound, and fill that aching void. I believe this is what Jesus meant when He said,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:14
Because once every need has been filled, we are complete in Him. This is the intimacy that God desires. And He shares with us.
He wants us all
But it doesn’t stop with us. God is concerned for every life, every soul, because he is also a big picture God. His plan doesn’t stop with the individual. Through the individual, God reaches the whole. Through us he reveals it is possible to step:
- Out of death, into life with the life giver
- Out of darkness into the Light of the world
- Back into intimate relationship which is the only cure for the gaping void devouring our souls.
Whilst God deems to allow us to participate in His plan, it does not depend on us. It is not, has not ever been nor will it ever be all about us. He loves us, each and every one of us: foreigner, refugee, widow, orphan, executive, blue collar, white collar, the farmer, child… for in him we are all equal. Equally unworthy of our place at his table, and equally loved, cherished and desired for implicit intimacy.
5. Questions to ponder:
- What areas of your life do you struggle to surrender to God?
- Which barriers have you created to keep God at arm’s length?
- What is stopping you from stepping fully into Implicit Intimacy with God?
- How does God use you specifically to reveal his love and truth to the wider community?
