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Daniel 4-5: Pride, Humility, and Divine Sovereignty

A study of Daniel 4-5, focusing on Nebuchadnezzar's repentance and Belshazzar's downfall, highlighting God's sovereignty and the consequences of pride and profanity.

1. Nebuchadnezzar's Pride and Repentance

1.1 The Dream of the Tree

Verses: Daniel 4:10-12; Daniel 4:20-22
  • Nebuchadnezzar's dream revealed God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms.
  • The tree represented Nebuchadnezzar's power and dominion.

1.2 Daniel's Interpretation

Verses: Daniel 4:24-27
  • Daniel interpreted the dream, warning of a period of insanity and humility.
  • The purpose was for Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the Most High's rule.

1.3 The King's Humiliation

Verses: Daniel 4:28-33
  • Nebuchadnezzar's pride led to the fulfillment of the dream.
  • He lived as a beast for seven periods of time.

1.4 Nebuchadnezzar's Restoration

Verses: Daniel 4:34-37
  • After his period of insanity, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God's power and praised Him.
  • His kingdom and sanity were restored.

2. Belshazzar's Profanity and Downfall

2.1 Belshazzar's Feast

Verses: Daniel 5:1-4
  • Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's successor, held a feast and profaned the vessels from the temple in Jerusalem.
  • He praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

2.2 The Handwriting on the Wall

Verses: Daniel 5:5-9
  • A hand appeared and wrote on the wall, terrifying the king.
  • The writing was mysterious and indecipherable to Belshazzar's wise men.

2.3 The Queen's Recommendation

Verses: Daniel 5:10-12
  • The queen remembered Daniel's wisdom and suggested he be called.
  • Daniel was known for his ability to interpret dreams and solve difficult problems.

2.4 Daniel's Rebuke

Verses: Daniel 5:17-23
  • Daniel rebuked Belshazzar for his arrogance and profaning the temple vessels.
  • He reminded Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar's experience and failure to learn from it.

2.5 Daniel's Interpretation

Verses: Daniel 5:25-28
  • Daniel interpreted the writing: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin.'
  • The interpretation signified the end of Belshazzar's kingdom and its division.

2.6 The Fall of Babylon

Verses: Daniel 5:29-31
  • Belshazzar rewarded Daniel for the interpretation, but it was too late.
  • That very night, Belshazzar was killed, and the kingdom was taken over.

3. Lessons and Applications

3.1 God's Sovereignty and Humility

Verses: Daniel 4:17; Daniel 5:22-23
  • God's sovereignty is absolute over all kingdoms and rulers.
  • Pride leads to downfall, while humility leads to restoration.

3.2 Heeding Warnings and Honoring God

Verses: Daniel 4:27; Daniel 5:22-23
  • Disregarding God's warnings and lessons from history leads to destruction.
  • Acknowledging and honoring God brings blessings.

3.3 God's Judgment and Holiness

Verses: Daniel 5:5-6; Daniel 5:26-30
  • God's judgment is sure and just.
  • Profaning what is holy brings consequences.