CHAPTER DANIEL 4
CHAPTER: DANIEL 4
Nebuchadnezzar had a testimony verse 1- 3
Nebuchadnezzar the king – to all people
nations – languages
that dwell in all the earth
Peace be multiplied to you
I thought Nebuchadnezzar had a testimony verse 1- 3
Nebuchadnezzar the king – to all people
nations – languages
that dwell in all the earth
Peace be multiplied to you
I thought it good to show the signs and wonders
that the high God has wrought toward me
How great are HIS signs!
And how mighty are HIS wonders!
HIS kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
and HIS dominion is from
generation to generation
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream verse 4- 7
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house
and flourishing in my palace
I saw a dream which made me afraid
and the thoughts upon my bed
and the visions of my head
troubled me
THEREFORE I made a decree
to bring in all the wise men of Babylon
before me
that they might make known to me
the interpretation of the dream
THEN came in the magicians-astrologers
Chaldeans-soothsayers
and I told the dream before them
BUT they did not make known to me
the interpretation thereof
it good to show the signs and wonders
that the high God has wrought toward me
How great are HIS signs!
And how mighty are HIS wonders!
HIS kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
and HIS dominion is from
generation to generation
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream verse 4- 7
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house
and flourishing in my palace
I saw a dream which made me afraid
and the thoughts upon my bed
and the visions of my head
troubled me
THEREFORE I made a decree
to bring in all the wise men of Babylon
before me
that they might make known to me
the interpretation of the dream
THEN came in the magicians-astrologers
Chaldeans-soothsayers
and I told the dream before them
BUT they did not make known to me
the interpretation thereof
Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel to interpret dream verse 8- 9
BUT at the last Daniel came in before me
whose name was Belteshazzar
according to the name of my god
and in whom is the
spirit of the holy gods
and before him I told the dream
saying
O Belteshazzar – master of magicians
BECAUSE I know that the
spirit of the holy gods is in you
and no secret troubles you
tell me the visions of my dream
that I have seen
and the interpretation thereof
Nebuchadnezzar states dream to Daniel verse 10- 18
THUS were the visions of mine head in my bed
I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth
and the height thereof was great
the tree grew – and was strong
and the height thereof reached unto heaven
and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth
the leaves thereof were fair
and the fruit thereof much
and in it was meat for all
the beasts of the field had shadow under it
and the fowls of the heaven dwelt
in the boughs thereof
and all flesh was fed of it
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed
and – behold
A watcher and a holy one came down from heaven
he cried aloud
and said thus
Hew down the tree – and cut off his branches
shake off his leaves – and scatter his fruit
let the beasts get away from under it
and the fowls from his branches
NEVERTHELESS – leave the stump of his roots in the earth
even with a band of iron and brass
in the tender grass of the field
And let it be wet with the dew of heaven
and let his portion be with
the beasts in the grass of the earth
let his heart be changed from man’s
and let a beast’s heart be given unto him
and let seven times pass over him
This matter is by the decree of the watchers
and the demand by the word of the holy ones
to the intent that the living may know
that the Most High rules
in the kingdom of men
and gives it to whomsoever HE will
and sets up over it the basest of men
This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen
Now you- O Belteshazzar
declare the interpretation thereof
forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom
are not able
to make known unto me the interpretation
BUT you are able for the spirit of the holy gods is in you
Daniel restates the dream verse 19- 23
THEN Daniel – whose name was Belteshazzar
was astonished for one hour
and his thoughts troubled him
The king spoke and said – Belteshazzar – let not the dream
or the interpretation thereof – trouble you
Belteshazzar answered
and said
My lord – the dream be to them that hate you
and the interpretation thereof of your enemies
The tree that you saw – which grew – and was strong
whose height reached unto the heaven
and the sight thereof to all the earth
whose leaves were fair – and the fruit thereof much
and in it was meat for all
under which the beasts of the field dwelt
and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven
had their habitation
IT WAS YOU – O king – that art grown and become strong
for your greatness is grown – and reaches unto heaven
and your dominion to the end of the earth
AND whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming
down from heaven
and saying
Hew the tree down – and destroy it
YET leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth
even with a band of iron and brass
in the tender grass of the field
And let it be wet with the dew of heaven
and let his portion be with the beasts of the field
till seven times pass over him
Daniel gives interpretation of dream verse 24- 26
This is the interpretation – O king
and this is the decree of the Most High
which is come upon my lord the king
that they shall drive you from men
and your dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field
and they shall make you
to eat grass as oxen
and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven
and seven times shall pass over you
till you know that the most High rules
in the kingdom of men
and gives it to whomsoever HE will
AND whereas they commanded to leave
the stump of the tree roots
your kingdom shall be sure to you
AFTER that you shall have known that the heavens do rule
Daniel gives advice to Nebuchadnezzar verse 27
WHEREFORE – O king – let my counsel
be acceptable to you
and break off your sins by righteousness
and your iniquities
by showing mercy to the poor
IF it may be a lengthening of your tranquility
Fulfillment of dream caused by pride verse 28- 33
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar
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?
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
And they shall drive you from men
and your dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field
they shall make you to eat grass as oxen
and seven times shall pass over you
until you know that the most High
rules in the kingdom of men
and gives it to whomsoever HE will
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar
and he was driven from men – and did eat grass as oxen
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven
till his hairs were grown
like eagles’ feathers
and his nails like birds’ claws
Sanity returns to Nebuchadnezzar verse 34- 36
AND at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar
lifted up mine eyes unto heaven
and mine understanding returned to me
and I blessed the most High
and I praised and honored HIM that lives for ever
whose dominion is an everlasting dominion
and his kingdom is
from generation to generation
and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing
and HE does according to HIS will
in the army of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth
and none can stay HIS hand
or say unto HIM
What do YOU?
At the same time my reason returned to me
and for the glory of my kingdom
mine honor and brightness returned unto me
and my counselors and my lords sought unto me
and I was established in my kingdom
and excellent majesty was added to me
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges LORD verse 37
NOW I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor
the King of heaven – all WHOSE works are truth
and HIS ways judgment
and those that walk in pride HE is able to abase
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God has wrought toward me. (2324 “show” [chava] means interpret, explain, inform, declare, make known, to make information that was previously known only to a few people or that was hidden or meant to be kept a secret, or to breathe)
DEVOTION: In every life there are special times. There is a time to be born. There is a time to start school. There is a time when you end going to school. There is a time when you earn your first paycheck. There is a time when you move out of your parent’s house into your own place. There is a time when you are married. There is a time you have children. There is a time to retire. There is a time to die.
Between birth and death there are times when we see the LORD work in our life. Those who are no believers might not ever realize that the LORD has given them a chance to become a follower of HIM. Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world so everyone has an opportunity to become a believer but most chose to reject the message and the Savior.
Those of us who are follower of the LORD have special occasions when we see the LORD working in our life. Here we have a pagan king realizing that the LORD is working in his life. He realizes that the LORD has showed him many things in his dreams and in his kingdom. It gives credit to the LORD even when he seems to be going in a different direction. He will see the LORD deal with an issue of pride in his life.
God is at work in our life. HE is dealing with some sin issues in each of our lives. Each of us has a besetting sin in our life. We inherit it from our family. The LORD gives us opportunities to overcome our besetting sin with HIS help. God deals with pagan kings and us.
CHALLENGE: Look at the rainbows in the clouds to see that the LORD always keeps HIS promises to HIS people.
____________________________________________________
: 8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar,
according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy
gods: and before him I told the dream, saying (2493 “dream” [chelem] means a dream in which the God of Israel makes something known whether through verbal communications or images, as vehicle or revelation, a visionary revelation from God as an omen of the future)
As a heathen king he didn’t understand completely good Bible doctrine or teaching. He only knew what he was taught by his ancestors. They believed in more than one god, they believed in many gods. In fact, they would conquer nations and take their gods made of wood or gold or silver or stone and put them in their temples. They thought that once they conquered a people they were more powerful that the gods of those nations but they didn’t want to upset any god. They were afraid of all gods.
Daniel represented the only TRUE God in the universe which is the one we should worship regularly in a Biblical church each Sunday. The king of Babylon had a history with Daniel whom he renamed after his god Belteshazzar.
However, Daniel told him that he represented the Most High God of the universe. There was none greater than the Most High God.
Nebuchadnezzar realized that Daniel was working for the Most High God who gave him the Holy Spirit to help him interpret dreams. He made this statement three times in this chapter. He knew from Daniel about HIS God. He didn’t understand all about HIM but he knew that Daniel did and would tell him the truth.
Today those who become followers of Jesus Christ are indwelt with the Holy Spirit the moment they become a follower. HE is the third person of the Godhead. HE is equal with the Father and the Son. They make up ONE GOD. Today we use the word Trinity to help us understand this truth.
Nebuchadnezzar had to realize this truth and he did after seven years of acting like an animal. Pride always comes before a fall.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men. (5894 “watchers” [‘iyr] means wakeful ones, angels, messenger, sentinel, or guardian.)
DEVOTION: In I Peter 1: 12 we find that the angels desire to look into our salvation. They want to understand the dealings of God with men. They are not omniscient. They have to study what is going on to see what they can learn.
Here we have angels described as those who are watchers. They are the holy angels not the angels that followed Satan in the fall from heaven.
Remember about a third of the angels fell with Satan. They thought he had a better idea. They were wrong.
Did the fall of man and the fall of angels surprise God? NO!! HE knew before the foundation of the world what was going to happen before creation and until the end of time. HE doesn’t live in time, we do. HE knows the beginning from the end. HE knows the past, present and future. The angels on the other hand have to learn. They are God’s representatives to humans on many occasions throughout Scripture. Here they are used to judge a heathen king who is full of pride. They are used to teach him a lesson as to who is in control of the universe.
Nebuchadnezzar was warned in a dream but he didn’t take the warning. He is recorded in the Bible to give us a warning regarding pride. If we think that everything that has happened in our life is our own doing, we are wrong. God is watching over every individual in this world. HE is using HIS angels as messengers to us at times.
The New Testament states that we can entertain angels unaware. They are not the angels of television but the angels that are revealed in the Bible. As I have stated before there seems to be about twenty-two different offices for angels. Here we have those who are watchful.
CHALLENGE: Do we realize that the Most High is in control of this universe? If we believe it does it show? Angels are real.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (7187 “truth”[q@showt] means what really is, truly, surely, right, just, or in accord with a standard.)
DEVOTION: Nebuchadnezzar was on top of the world. He was successful. He was ruler of a great nation. His capital was beautiful. He was sitting back and enjoying his success. He was proud of himself. He made a statement that he had done it all himself.
The LORD had him dream a dream one night. He saw a large tree in his dream. The dream made him afraid. He called for Daniel to come and interpret the dream. Daniel didn’t want to tell him the meaning of the dream. He even asked the king to stop sinning. He was given a year by the LORD to turn his life around and he chose to ignore the gift the LORD offered.
There is a news commentator that uses a man named Walter and in his segment of the program he tells people that they are in Walter’s world. We sometimes think that the world revolves around us and in truth it doesn’t. Our world revolves around the LORD who created it and is still in control of what is happening.
Daniel knew that the LORD would cause the dream to take place if the king didn’t change his ways. His pride was going to cause the dream to come true if he didn’t repent of his sin within a year and turn to the LORD. If we don’t listen to the Word of God the LORD will send judgment to all those who reject HIM. Nebuchadnezzar found out this truth.
After seven years of acting like a wild animal, the king came to his senses and realized that the LORD had done it to him because of his pride. Now all he could do is praise the LORD. He realized that the King of Heaven had caused this to happen to abase him because of his pride. He realized that the LORD had set him up in his kingdom. He realized that he, LORD could take the kingdom away from him.
While he was praising the LORD, he made the statement that the LORD always did what was right. HE always did what was just. The king understood that what happened to him was for his good.
Now we need to realize that when things happen to us it is for our good to bring us closer to the LORD. HE is always right in HIS actions in our lives. Are we thankful for all that HE sends our way? Are we listening to the warnings that come our way? IF we are not listening to the warnings, HE will correct us one way or another to get our attention. It is time to listen to the LORD!!!
CHALLENGE: Remember that all truth is God’s truth. There are some truths that are not found in the Bible but the ones we are to learn are found there.
_________________________________________________________-
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Nebuchadnezzar blessed the most High verse 34
Nebuchadnezzar praised the most High verse 34, 37
Nebuchadnezzar honored the most High verse 34, 37
_____________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – elahh (Aramaic) verse 2
High God verse 2
Signs verse 3
Wonders verse 3
Everlasting kingdome verse 3
Dominion verse 3
Most High verse 17, 24, 25,
32, 34
Live for ever verse 34
Everlasting dominion verse 34
Kingdom is from generation to generation verse 34
King of heaven verse 37
Works of truth verse 37
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Spirit of the HOLY verse 8, 9, 18
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Watcher verse 13, 17, 23
Holy one verse 13, 17, 23
Army of heaven verse 35
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nebuchadnezzar verse 1- 37
Dream of Nebuchadnezzar verse 5- 27
Wise men of Babylon verse 6, 18
Interpretation of dream verse 6, 18, 24- 33
Magicians verse 7
Astrologers verse 7
Chaldeans verse 7
Kingdom of men verse 17, 32
Basest of men verse 17
Enemies verse 19
Kingdom of Babylon verse 29
Fulfillment of dream verse 31- 33
Reason verse 36
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Afraid verse 5
Troubled verse 5, 9, 19
Sins verse 27
Iniquities verse 27
Pride verse 37
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Indwelling of Holy Spirit verse 8, 9, 18
No secret troubles verse 9
Righteousness verse 27
Mercy verse 27
Truth verse 37
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Daniel (Belteshazzar) verse 8, 9, 18, 19
Master of magicians (Daniel) verse 9
Interpreter of dreams (Daniel) verse 9
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
_________________________________________________________________
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
_____________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
All of the horrible events foretold in the dream did, regrettably, transpire. Twelve months later God’s judgment fell upon the king of Babylon. In his mercy God had graciously allowed Nebuchadnezzar a full year to repent of his sins, but he had not done so. Now a great outburst of pride on the part of the Babylonian monarch became the catalyst for the dream’s fulfillment. (Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 139). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
__________________________________________________________
29. twelve months—This respite was granted to him to leave him without excuse. So the hundred twenty years granted before the flood (Ge 6:3). At the first announcement of the coming judgment he was alarmed, as Ahab (1 Ki 21:27), but did not thoroughly repent; so when judgment was not executed at once, he thought it would never come, and so returned to his former pride (Ec 8:11). (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 629). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
_________________________________________________________
4:28–33. The revelation given to … Nebuchadnezzar through Daniel’s interpretation was soon forgotten and Daniel’s exhortation was ignored. Nebuchadnezzar continued in his sinful pride. He did not repent as Daniel had advised him to do (v. 27). The king was controlled by his great egotism. He considered the city of Babylon itself as his personal possession and as a reflection of his power and glory (v. 30).
God endured Nebuchadnezzar’s pride for 12 months. This may have been a period of grace in which God was giving Nebuchadnezzar an opportunity to turn to Him in repentance. But when Nebuchadnezzar ignored Daniel’s exhortation God, who had given Nebuchadnezzar his authority, announced the interruption of his rule.
What had been predicted was no longer postponed and judgment came on Nebuchadnezzar, in keeping with Daniel’s interpretation. As the king was boasting of his accomplishments while walking on the roof (apparently a flat roof, common in those days) of his royal palace (v. 29), a voice … from heaven (v. 31) announced his judgment. (Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1343). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
__________________________________________________________-
“All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar” (v. 28), because God’s Word never fails to fulfill its purposes. God graciously gave the king an entire year in which to heed His warning and repent of his sins, but the king refused to yield. Pride had so gripped his heart that he would not submit to the Most High God. “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecc. 8:11, nkjv). God waited patiently in the days of Noah and gave the inhabitants of the world 120 years to turn from their sins, but they refused (1 Peter 3:20; Gen. 6:3). He gave the city of Jerusalem almost forty years of grace after the religious leaders crucified their Messiah, and then the Romans came and destroyed the city and the temple. Just think of how long-suffering He has been with this present evil world! (2 Peter 3:9) (Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be resolute (pp. 54–55). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor.)
_____________________________________________________
Ver. 29. At the end of twelve months, &c.] After the dream, and the interpretation of it; which, according to Bishop Usher, Dean Prideauxt, and Mr. Whiston, was in the year of the Julian period 4145, and before Christ 569, and in the 36th year of his reign: one whole year, a space of time, either which God gave him to repent in, or which he obtained by attending for a while to Daniel’s advice: he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon; or upon the palace; upon the roof of it, which in the eastern countries was usually flat and plain; and so Abydenusx, in the above-cited place, represents him, ως ανασοας επι τα βασιληια, as ascending upon his royal palace; when, after he had finished his oration on it, he disappeared. From hence he could take a full view of the great city of Babylon, which swelled him with pride and vanity, and which he expressed in the next verse; see the note on ver. 4, where also mention is made of his palace, the new one built by him. The old palace of the kings of Babylon stood on the east side of the river Euphrates, over-against it, as Dean Prideaux observes; on the other side of the river stood the new palace Nebuchadnezzar built. The old one was four miles in circumference; but this new one was eight miles, encompassed with three walls, one within another, and strongly fortified; and in it were hanging-gardens, one of the wonders of the world, made by him for the pleasure of his wife Amyitis, daughter of Astyages king of Media; who being taken with the mountainous and woody parts of her native country, and retaining an inclination for them, desired something like it at Babylon; and, to gratify her herein, this surprising work was made: though Diodorus Siculusz says it was made by a Syrian king he does not name, for the sake of his concubine; and whose account of it, and which is given from him by Dean Prideaux, and the authors of the Universal Historyb, is this, and in the words of the latter: “these gardens are said to contain a square of four plethra, or four hundred feet on each side, and to have consisted of terraces one above another, carried up to the height of the wall of the city; the ascent, from terrace to terrace, being by steps ten feet wide. The whole pile consisted of substantial arches upon arches, and was strengthened by a wall, surrounding it on every side, twenty-two feet thick; and the floors on each of them were laid in this order: first on the tops of the arches was laid a bed or pavement of stones, sixteen feet long, and four feet broad; over this was a layer of reed, mixed with a great quantity of bitumen; and over this two courses of brick, closely cemented with plaster; and over all these were thick sheets of lead, and on these the earth or mould of the garden. This floorage was designed to retain the moisture of the mould; which was so deep as to give root to the greatest trees, which were planted on every terrace, together with great variety of other vegetables, pleasing to the eye; upon the uppermost of these terraces was a reservoir, supplied by a certain engine with water from the river, from whence the gardens at the other terraces were supplied.” And it was either on the roof of the palace, as before observed, or perhaps it might be upon this uppermost terrace, that Nebuchadnezzar was walking, and from whence he might take a view of the city of Babylon; the greatness of which, as set forth by him, he prided himself with, in the following words: (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, pp. 300–301). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
___________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
LOOKING ON
And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. Exodus 33:8
I am rather interested in what we are told about the remainder of the people. They say that Moses and one or two individuals used to go out of the camp to the Tabernacle to pray. In Exodus 33:8 we read, “And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.”
There is something very wonderful about this. All they did was to look on with interest. They were aware that something was happening, but they did not know what it was, and they did not understand it. They did not go out of the camp with Moses into the tent of meeting with God and pray and intercede. All they knew was that Moses had taken the tent outside the camp and that he and certain others periodically visited it. So they just stood at their tent doors, watching Moses as he went and talking about him, wondering what he was doing and what exactly was happening. Now the appalling thing is that the right place for the tent was in the midst of the camp. But it was not there.
As you read the history of the church, you will find this repeated. At first just a few people feel the call and separate themselves, and then the others begin to say, “What is happening to so and so? Have you heard about this man or that woman?” They stand at their tent doors, and they look on. They have a feeling that something is happening. But they do nothing at all. Oh, if we wait until the whole church moves, revival will never happen.
A Thought to Ponder: If we wait until the whole church moves, revival will never happen. (From Revival, p. 170, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
__________________________________________________________________
The Self Life
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24)
This despondent cry follows Paul’s disturbing monologue on the inner strife between his two natures (Romans 7:13-24). Here the apostle describes the conflict that goes on in the life of every Christian, until the self-life is completely subjugated and the will of Christ reigns supreme. The ascendancy of self is indicated in these verses by the fact that the personal pronouns “I,” “me,” “my” are used no less than 35 times in verses 15-24 alone as Paul records his inner thoughts and feelings (e.g., “that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I”—v. 15). Such a testimony is pervaded with introspection, relating everything to self instead of to Christ. No wonder the conclusion is so miserable: “O wretched man that I am!”
Unfortunately, this is the status of most Christians whose interests are almost completely self-centered. Most Christian books and sermons are designed to appeal to such personal interests, and the explosive modern growth of Christian professional “counseling” likewise reflects the existence of multitudes of self-centered Christians.
But the happy and useful Christian is the one whose concerns and activities center around others and who earnestly seeks to follow and honor Christ and His Word. And this is exactly the conclusion to which the apostle Paul comes in his melancholy soliloquy. “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” he cries. Immediately the answer comes: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25).
We do still have to battle the old nature, but in Christ we have both the incentive and power to “put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9) and to “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.