Lesson 5 For February 1, 2020

FROM PRIDE TO HUMILITY
Lesson 5 for February 1, 2020

Daniel 4 tells the second dream God sent to king
Nebuchadnezzar.
This time, the topic was not what troubled the king,
but what troubled God.
God cares for the salvation of everyone. He was
worried about the salvation of Nebuchadnezzar.
What the king needed:
To abandon pride.
To accept God’s authority.
To follow the prophet’s advice.
What the king did:
He accepted God’s authority.

He proclaimed God’s mercy.
ABANDONING PRIDE
“The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I
have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for
the honor of my majesty?’” (Daniel 4:30)
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed
another disturbing dream.
He was able to remember it this time, but the
wise men couldn’t interpret it. Daniel was
called to do so.
A great tree. It gave shelter to animals and
birds which also ate its fruit. “A watcher, a holy
one,” ordered to chop it down. Only a stump
remained which was bound with a band of iron
and bronze. It was left with the beasts for
seven years.
Daniel explained that the tree represented the
king. As Daniel told him earlier: “the God of
heaven has given you a kingdom, power,
strength, and glory.” But the king proudly
attributed those achievements to himself.
ACCEPTING GOD’S AUTHORITY
“This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and
the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order
that the living may know that the Most High rules in
the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and
sets over it the lowest of men.” (Daniel 4:17)
Nebuchadnezzar’s punishment for his pride was a

type of mental disorder called lycanthropy. He
thought he was an animal and began to act as one.
He was sick for seven years, until God gave his
reasoning back to him. God wanted him to accept
that only He “rules in the kingdom of men.”
Nebuchadnezzar was promised that

his kingdom would remain stable
during those seven years.
We must acknowledge and accept
that God must rule our lives. He is
the Lord of our lives.
FOLLOWING THE PROPHET’S ADVICE
“Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your
sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.
Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” (Daniel 4:27)
Nebuchadnezzar didn’t have to wait passively for his sentence.
How could he avoid it? By following the prophet’s advice:
Break off be
your sins, righteous.
He had built the great

Babylon and its
magnificent hanging
gardens with the sweat of
the oppressed.
Loving and caring for
Break off your show mercy to others is part of the path
iniquities, the poor. to greatness.
ACCEPTING GOD’S AUTHORITY
“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.” (Daniel 4:34)
“Lifting your eyes” is used as a synonym of
looking at something (Gn. 13:10; 18:2; 22:13;
24:64), or as an act of worship (Dt. 4:19;
Ps. 123:1; Is. 38:14).
God was merciful to Nebuchadnezzar when he
sought Him, and He gave his reasoning back to
him.
Now the king fully acknowledged what he only
wanted to partially accept before: God is the
everlasting King; He’s the only Ruler over all things.
God is constantly giving us another chance to accept
Him, so we can enjoy a close relationship with Him.
PROCLAIMING GOD’S MERCY
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of
heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And
those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” (Daniel 4:37)
Nebuchadnezzar had already acknowledge God as
the “revealer of secrets” (Dn. 2:47), and the one
who “delivered His servants” (Dn. 3:28).
Then, he acknowledged God as the one who puts
the proud to shame. He left his pride aside and
proclaimed God’s mercy as He had given him his
reasoning and throne back.
His conversion was sincere. His
values had changed. His heart was
no longer a proud one. His
letter/testimony ends by praising
God.
His experience is a lesson of how
harmful pride is. We must imitate
Christ and live humbly
(Philippians 2:1-11).
“There is need of decided changes. It is time for us to
humble our proud, self-willed hearts, and seek the Lord
while He may be found…
The Lord is calling upon us to come into line. The day is
far spent. The night is at hand. The judgments of God are
already seen, both on land and on sea. No second
probation will be granted us. This is no time for making
false moves. Let every one thank God that we still have
an opportunity to form characters for the future eternal
life.”
E.G.W. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, cp. 1, p. 40)

Lesson 5 For February 1, 2020

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FROM PRIDE TO HUMILITY

Lesson 5 for February 1, 2020

What the king needed:

What the king did:

He accepted God’s authority.

Nebuchadnezzar’s punishment for his pride was a

Nebuchadnezzar was promised that

He had built the great

E.G.W. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, cp. 1, p. 40)

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