Daniel (Greek) 4:28-32: a reflection

28All this came on the King Nebuchadnezzar. 29At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. 30The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” 31While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed from you. 32You shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass as oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”

Nebuchadnezzar is walking on his palace roof, surveying his magnificent city, and he says aloud what his heart believes: Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for my royal residence by my own strength and for the glory of my majesty? By my strength, for my glory. And the words are barely out of his mouth when a voice from heaven declares the kingdom is taken from him, and he is driven out to live like an animal, eating grass, until, the sentence says, he knows that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he will.

Notice the two claims Nebuchadnezzar makes, and how both are false. By my strength, as though the greatness he enjoyed was self-produced, forgetting that his strength, his empire, his very breath were given. And for my glory, as though it all existed to magnify him, when glory belongs to God. Pride does exactly this: it takes credit for what was given and claims for itself the glory that is God's. And God will not indefinitely share his glory with a proud heart.

The humbling is severe, but its aim is stated: until he knows that God rules. That is worth taking to heart before pride grows that far. What in your life are you quietly crediting to your own strength, and taking the glory for, that was actually given by God? The remedy is not to wait for a humbling like Nebuchadnezzar's, but to acknowledge now what he learned the hard way: your strength is given, the glory is God's, and he rules. Give the credit and the glory back to him.

Lord, like Nebuchadnezzar I can credit my greatness to my own strength and claim for myself the glory that is yours. Show me what I am quietly taking credit and glory for that you actually gave. Before pride must be broken, help me acknowledge now: my strength is your gift, the glory is yours, and you rule. I give the credit and the glory back to you.