Daniel: Beauty and the Beast
This is the fifth of seven sermons in our series on Daniel. This sermon is ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Reading: Daniel 4
Sermons – St Bart's Anglican Church · The Rev'd Adam Lowe
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Show Notes
Sermon & Small Group Resources
This is the fifth of seven sermons in our series on Daniel. This sermon is ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Reading: Daniel 4
DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).
Next Steps this Week
BIBLE READING: Daniel 4:1-27
King Nebuchadnezzar,
To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:
May you prosper greatly!
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.
So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.
The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
“In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven.
He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.
“ ‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.
Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.”
Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds—
Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
“Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
“This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
CONNECT: How can we trust God this week and acknowledge his work in our lives to those on our frontlines?
WARM-UP
At surface level, looking at Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel, how did the kingdom of Babylon and Kingdom of God seem to compare?
Read Daniel 4:1-27
Who is this letter written by? Who is it written to?
What are the main features of the dream? What (according to Daniel) do these mean?
Why do you think that this dream terrified Nebuchadnezzar? Why did it scare Daniel?
How is it evident that Daniel had great compassion for Nebuchadnezzar? Is this surprising? Have you ever known someone to whom you found it difficult to demonstrate God’s compassion to?
Is there any significance about the stump of the tree being left? How is this an image of hope?
According to this section, what is the point of this wake-up-call and warning? (See verses 17 and 25.) How is this an incredible act of mercy? What does Daniel implore Nebuchadnezzar to do?
How can we look for greatness in all the wrong places? What helps you recognise God’s greatness?
Read Daniel 4:28-37
Looking back through Daniel, when has Nebuchadnezzar almost grasped the truth about God?
What blinded Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the Lord despite all of the evidence that he had witnessed? Can we ever be blinded like this?
As Nebuchadnezzar looks upon the city, what is his conclusion? What truth has he ultimately failed to recognise and acknowledge?
On one of your frontlines, how does recognising that you’re accountable to God (he rules) and that everything you have is from God (including salvation) help you to orientate everything to him?
What truth about God becomes apparent...