In the book of Daniel, Daniel shared how King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, and Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the dream meant he would be driven away from men, eating grass with the animals and have the night due fall upon him for seven seasons until he realized that God is in control of all people. “All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar” and “at the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”, and in chapter four and verse thirty-one of his book Daniel shared what happened, “while the word was in the king’s mouth” where we read,
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying,
O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from you.
The verse reads, “While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, …” Daniel began with the words, “while the word” or “during the time the speech, utterance, matter and affair” “was in the king’s mouth” which means “existed within the royal ruler and leader’s orifice in the face used for eating, drinking and speaking”, “there fell a voice” or “there descended a sound of words” “from heaven” which means “separate and apart from the sky atmosphere and sidereal heaven where God dwells and other spiritual beings”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following. Daniel shared how a sound of uttered words descended from the sky during the time the royal ruler and leader Nebuchadnezzar made his prideful declaration.
The verse goes on to say, “… O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from you.” Daniel continued with the words, “O King Nebuchadnezzar” which means “O royal ruler and leader Nebuchadnezzar whose name means ‘may Nebo protect the crown’ and was the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive”, “to you it is spoken” or “toward you, King Nebuchadnezzar, the following is declared and proclaimed”; “the kingdom” which means “the royal rule, reign and kingly authority” “is departed from you” or “exists as passed away, deposed and removed from you, King Nebuchadnezzar”. Daniel shared how the “voice” from “heaven” declared to “King Nebuchadnezzar” that his kingly rule was removed from him.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Daniel how there was a response from “heaven” for the prideful words of King Nebuchadnezzar. Even as it was prophesied, Nebuchadnezzar was to have his “kingdom” stripped from Him. King Solomon wrote, “Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (See Provers 16:18), and this is exactly what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. God wants us to humble ourselves, repent of our sins, turn away from pride and surrender to His Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when He raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way when we believe and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and provided with His Holy Spirit who will check our spirit to be certain that we do not speak or act in prideful ways like King Nebuchadnezzar.
Next time Daniel shares how the voice from heaven says, “they shall drive you from men”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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