Daniel 4:1-3

The testimony of experience.

It is interesting to observe that the account of Nebuchadnezzar's great humiliation comes from the lips of the king himself, without a word of comment by his servant Daniel. While the conduct of the prophet teaches us to regard the chastisement of other people with a similar courtesy of reserve, that of the king should remind us of the duty and utility of frankly confessing the lessons of our own experience.

I. THE DESIRE TO GLORIFY GOD AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR OWN HUMILIATION IS ONE OF THE FAIREST FRUITS OF GENUINE REPENTANCE .

1 . Nebuchadnezzar had been a haughty despot. The confession of deep humiliation by such a man is evidence of a great change of spirit. The moral value of humility must be measured

2 . Nebuchadnezzar had defied the God of the Jews. ( Daniel 3:15 .) To recognize him as the true God, who held the king's destiny in his hand, was another proof of a great change. It would have been much if Nebuchadnezzar had privately trusted in the true God. But his repentance is confirmed by this public confession.

3 . Nebuchadnezzar had been a selfish tyrant. He now sinks his self-interest in concern for the glory of God. We never truly and perfectly repent until we renounce self, and give ourselves up to a pure desire to glorify God.

II. THE TESTIMONY OF EXPERIENCE IS AN EVIDENCE OF SPIRITUAL TRUTHS WHICH WE SHOULD CAREFULLY OBSERVE FOR OURSELVES AND GRATEFULLY OFFER TO OTHERS . The recognition of Divine truths in the passage before us is specially valuable, because it is not based on abstract grounds, but is derived from personal experience. It does not come from an inspired Hebrew prophet, but from a heathen king, and it derives a special force from this circumstance, because the spiritual teaching of Scripture thus finds an echo in a most unlikely quarter.

1 . Ignorance of Divine truths on speculative ground gave force to the testimony. There can be no self-deceit in such cases.

2 . Prejudice against these truths, after it was overcome, increased the force of the testimony. The king was not accustomed to bow before any providential power. His recognition of this is the more significant. It disposes of any suspicion of hypocrisy.

3 . The depth of the experience gave intensity to the testimony. Much religious language sounds hollow because it is not verified by experience. As we realize truth in our lives, we see and feel it with a new power, and then we have at once the clear light of personal knowledge and the strong earnestness of personal feeling to enable us to declare it to others ( 1 John 1:1 ).

III. A SOUND INTERPRETATION OF EXPERIENCE WILL TEACH US TO SEE THE POWER , WISDOM , TRUTH , AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN ALL HIS WAYS WITH US . (See verses 3 and 37.)

1 . The power of God is seen in his successful performance of his will when the greatest force is set against it, and the greatest difficulties lie in its way, as in the overthrow of the might of Nebuchadnezzar, and the more wonderful restoration of him from his insanity (verses 29-36).

2 . The wisdom of God is seen when mysteries of providence are interpreted by later experience , as when the king saw the purpose and meaning of God's strange dealings with him (verse 36).

3 . The truth of God is seen in his keeping his word. The dream-prophecy was fulfilled (verse 28).

4 . The righteousness of God is seen in the ultimate justice of his chastisements and their good results, as in the deserved punishment of Nebuchadnezzar, and the final good this wrought in him (verse 25).

IV. A RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF THE MUTABILITY OF EARTHLY THINGS WILL HELP US TO RISE TO FAITH IN THE ETERNITY OF THINGS DIVINE . Nebuehadnezzar now sees that "God's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation . " Before this the king had been warned not to trust in the perpetuity of earthly monarchies, but to see that these must give way before an everlasting kingdom ( Daniel 2:44 ). God sends us changes and disappointments that we may not rest in the temporal and transitory ( Hebrews 12:27 ); and he sometimes reveals, through these changes, principles and purposes which run up into the eternal.