Gtcotr/ss112821
Hubris comes from the ancient Greek. It means to possess a great or foolish amount of pride or to exhibit excessively dangerous overconfidence. Based on the ancient Greek meaning it is always seen as negative. However, I believe at times God grants extreme confidence to the meek who put their trust in Him.
This was not the case with King Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned in Babylon from 605 until 561BC. He is rather the picture of a Godless conqueror. Many others throughout history have been compared with him. Men with such hubris as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, King Herod, Napoleon Bonaparte, and even Adolph Hitler. Men who believed or acted as though they were greater than God and not subject to Him. Men who believed they ruled by their own power, might, and wisdom. Men who falsely imagined themselves untouchable … foolishly overconfident.
The account of King Nebuchadnezzar is a story of Hubris and hope.
King Nebuchadnezzar ruled the whole known world and there was none to match his earthly reign and glory. However, the prophet Daniel records King Nebuchadnezzar’s problem in his own words:
Daniel 4 NLT
30 As the king looked out
across the city, he said, “Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty
power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my
majestic splendor.”
31 While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom.”
Hubris can be both powerful and dangerous. Powerful in the lives of the humble whose lives are in the hands of God (ie. Moses), and dangerous to nations, family, and friends when in the prideful hands of mortal man. The Bible plainly explains that God sets up one and brings down another. Paul reveals that there is no power or authority on earth but that which God allows. God governs in the affairs of men. And as the prophet foretold, God is determined to orchestrate the gathering of nations together so that He might pour out of the wrath of His indignation against them. (Zep 3:8)
If we were to read the full account of King Nebuchadnezzar’s fall from power, we would find that he went insane and lived like an animal for seven years. His hair grew long like eagle’s feathers, and his fingernails became like claws. After those 7 years he came to his senses …
Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
The account we have been given does not include the whole story. We don’t know how the kingdom of Babylon and its citizens faired during those seven years, People under the prideful power of a godless conqueror often suffer abuses which can take years from which to recover. However, God is a God of hope. What we are told is that in the end, after Nebuchadnezzar repented and offered true respect and devotion to Almighty God, the nobles sought him out so that they might restore him to the throne.
This
story of King Nebuchadnezzar teaches us several truths about God and how He
governs in the affairs of men. We learn that:
·
God is a kind, just, and patient God.
·
God loves and includes even the godless in His
plans.
·
Pride goes before a fall.
·
There is always something we can do to please
God.
o God gives us warning
and instruction before He corrects us.
o And He always gives us a way back to Him.
It is with this thought in mind that we are going to turn to our text for today in Luke 6. Just like God used first a dream and then the prophet Daniel to warn King Nebuchadnezzar, God has also not left us without instructions on how we can live a godly life.
Luke 6
37 ¶ “Judge not, and you
shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and
you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your lap. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Let’s take a closer look at these instructions from Jesus. There are two negative reactions we are told to avoid and then Jesus shares two positive admonitions we are instructed to actively pursue.
1.
Do not act like you are God.
a. Only God can judge
another person … (Romans 2:1)
b. And only God knows
when it’s time.
c. The judgment Jesus is
speaking of is judgement we make about others in our own hearts and minds.
d. He simply says, “Judge
not, and you will not be judged.”
2.
Do not condemn others.
a. While judging others
is something we may do in our own heart and mind …
b. Condemning others is
an act we perpetrate against others because we have judged them worthy of public
condemnation.
c. God is never pleased
with our efforts to hurt other people.
3.
Forgive
a. Forgiveness is an
active pursuit.
b. Forgiveness says
nothing about the person who is being forgiven and everything about the person
who is forgiving.
c. When we forgive
someone, it is the measure of God in us, not in the other person.
d. Your forgiveness of
another person who has hurt you does not let the other person off of the hook
with God, it lets you off.
e. More than once Jesus reveals
that our attitude of forgiveness towards others will count for us with God in heaven.
f. All in all, Forgiveness is a pretty good insurance policy.
g. If you expect to ever
need God’s forgiveness, forgive others now.
4.
Give
a. Giving is an active
pursuit.
b. Whereas forgiveness
sets us free, giving helps God to set others free.
c. Jesus encourages us to
participate with Him in His Kingdom efforts with the resources we have in our
hand.
d. More is said in the
Bible about finances than about heaven and hell combined.
e. God has chosen to
advance His Kingdom plan through the giving of the tithes and offerings of His
children.
f. God is willing to give
to you in direct proportion to what He can give through you. His policy is “you
first” … sow then reap …
g. Giving is nothing less
than a partnership with God. It’s like lending to the Lord. He will remember
and repay. (Pro 19:7)
h. Giving to the Lord is The Best Investment we can ever make.
God gives us warnings and instructions so that we might check ourselves, challenge ourselves, and change where needed. Do this today! Let’s lift our eyes to heaven … King Nebuchadnezzar did, and it worked for him!
Hopefully
we won’t have to wait 7 years before giving God the honor and glory only He
deserves!
