The Pernicious Problem of Pride

41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. – 1 Kings 11:41-12:15 ESV

As God had promised, Solomon was allowed to complete his reign with his kingdom still intact. But upon Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam, who succeeded him to the throne, found himself facing a God-ordained crisis that would leave his kingdom divided and greatly diminished. It would be easy to sympathize with poor Rehoboam because he was utterly unaware of what was about to happen to him. The day of his coronation should have been one of the most joyous occasions of his life. He was inheriting the vast kingdom his father had established, along with all the wealth and riches that Solomon had accumulated over the last four decades. He was a lucky young man. But his fate was about to take a decidedly negative turn for the worse. Speaking through the prophet Ahijah, God had promised to divide the kingdom of Israel, awarding ten of the tribes to Jeroboam and leaving Rehoboam with only one.

“For the sake of my servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you. His son will have one tribe so that the descendants of David my servant will continue to reign, shining like a lamp in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen to be the place for my name.” – 1 Kings 11:34-36 NLT

But any sorrow one might feel for Rehoboam is quickly dispelled when his true nature is revealed as he attempts to handle his first official crisis as king. For some undisclosed reason, Rehoboam had decided to hold his coronation ceremony in the city of Shechem, located in the land that belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. His decision to hold this vital ceremony outside the city of Jerusalem may indicate that he was aware of the potential problem with Jeroboam. Solomon had likely warned Rehoboam about the possible threat from the Ephraimites.

Before his death, Solomon had become aware of the prediction that Ahijah the prophet had delivered concerning Jeroboam and attempted to have Jeroboam murdered. Jeroboam, who was an Ephraimite, had been assigned the task of supervising the conscripted labor force from among his own people. In performing his duties, he became aware of the heavy burden Solomon had placed upon the Ephraimites and other northern tribes. So, Rehoboam may have moved his coronation to Shechem in an attempt to placate and win over the disgruntled Ephraimites. But this ploy would prove unsuccessful.

From his place of exile in Egypt, Jeroboam heard the news that Solomon had died and returned to Israel, where he was promptly appointed the official spokesperson for the ten northern tribes. When Rehoboam arrived in Shechem for his coronation, he was met by a large contingent of the people who made an appeal through their appointed leader, Jeroboam.

“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” – 1 Kings 12:4 NLT

Notice that Jeroboam did not restate the words of the prophet. He did not boast about the promise God had made, declaring that he was going to be the next king over ten of the tribes of Israel. There were no threats of insurrection or insurgency. He simply expressed the people's grievances and their desire to have the heavy burdens of labor and taxation alleviated.

This was a defining moment for Rehoboam. He could have seen this as an opportunity to unify the nation by demonstrating his intentions to be a fair and just king. Even though he was the son of Solomon, Rehoboam would have to win the favor and trust of the people. He was being given the opportunity to rectify some of his father’s less-than-stellar policies.

Having heard the people’s request, Rehoboam sent the people away, assuring them that he would take everything into consideration and return with a decision. As the son of Solomon, the man who compiled and edited an entire book of proverbial sayings, Rehoboam would have grown up hearing all the sage advice his father had gathered.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. – Proverbs 11:14 ESV

Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. – Proverbs 15:22 ESV

Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. – Proverbs 20:18 ESV

Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors. – Proverbs 24:6 BSB

So, it should come as no surprise that Rehoboam sought counsel. First, he “discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father” (1 Kings 12:6 NLT). These men advised Rehoboam that he could win over the people's hearts by responding favorably to their request. He could forestall any potential unrest by demonstrating that he was, first and foremost, the servant of all the people. While Rehoboam was from the tribe of Judah, he was expected to serve as God’s shepherd over all the people. By making this concession, Rehoboam could avoid a rebellion and establish himself as a compassionate and caring king.

But Rehoboam didn’t like what he heard. The author flatly states, “Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers” (1 Kings 12:8 NLT). In doing so, Rehoboam lived out the truth revealed in the proverbs his father had so painstakingly collected.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. – Proverbs 12:15 ESV

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. – Proverbs 19:20 ESV

Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. – Proverbs 8:33 BSB

Unlike his father, Rehoboam had not been given the gift of wisdom from God. He was young and inexperienced and in desperate need of wise counsel. But when he received it, he rejected it, choosing instead to seek out those who would tell him what he wanted to hear. Disliking the counsel of the older and wiser men, Rehoboam turned to his peers for advice, and they were more than eager to give it.

The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” – 1 Kings 12:10-11 NLT

These brash young men appealed to Rehoboam’s ego. They advised him to lay down the law and establish his reputation as a no-holds-barred disciplinarian who ruled with an iron fist. These young men knew Rehoboam well, and their advice was meant to appeal to his over-inflated ego and his desperate need to escape the shadow of his father’s reputation. In a demonstration of his inherent foolishness and pride, Rehoboam heeded the counsel of his peers and handed down his decision to the people. In doing so, he fulfilled the words of another of his father's proverbs.

Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe. – Proverbs 28:26 NLT

Rather than humbly heeding the pleas of his people, Rehoboam listened to his own heart. However, the author reveals that this was all part of God's sovereign will.

…it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word. – 1 Kings 12:15 ESV

God didn’t force Rehoboam to do what he did. This stubborn and prideful young man simply acted according to his own sinful nature. However, in doing so, he fulfilled God's will. Rehoboam’s decision would fuel the fire that would end up burning down his kingdom. In a foolish attempt to establish himself as a great king, Rehoboam unwittingly brought about the dismantling of the realm his father had built.

It seems likely that his more senior advisors would have responded to his fateful decision by quoting some of the proverbs his father had compiled. These sage counselors would have encouraged him to demonstrate humility rather than pride. 

Pride leads to disgrace,
    but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 NLT

Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 ESV

Haughtiness goes before destruction;
    humility precedes honor. – Proverbs 18:12 NLT

Pride ends in humiliation,
    while humility brings honor. – Proverbs 29:23 NLT

Their own life experiences would have prompted them to beg Rehoboam to reconsider his unwise and potentially devastating decision. But Rehoboam’s mind was made up, and the fate of his kingdom was sealed. This sad state of affairs was a fulfillment of the warning God had given to Solomon. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness and refusal to repent of his spiritual infidelity, God did as He said He would do and split the kingdom, leaving Rehoboam with one tribe over which to rule. The days ahead would prove to be difficult as the heir to Solomon’s throne attempted to thwart God’s plan by winning back the ten disgruntled tribes through military force. His efforts would fail miserably, and the judgment of God would remain in effect for generations to come, all because one man failed to keep his covenant commitment to Yahweh.    

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Wealth of Reasons to Be Wary

20 Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. 21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22 Solomon's provision for one day was thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, 23 ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, a hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. 24 For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him. 25 And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon. 26 Solomon also had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. 27 And those officers supplied provisions for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon's table, each one in his month. They let nothing be lacking. 28 Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds they brought to the place where it was required, each according to his duty.

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30 so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. 34 And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. – 1 Kings 4:20-34 ESV

Solomon inherited a vast and sprawling kingdom from his father. But in time, Solomon would expand its borders until it reached from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Euphrates River in the far northeast. Its southern border reached all the way to the land occupied by the once-powerful Egyptians. As the author makes clear, many of the regions under Solomon’s rule were vassal states that were required to pay an annual tax to the royal treasury. Some of the land under Solomon’s rule was located outside the original geographic boundaries designated by God and allotted to the 12 tribes of Israel. Through alliances and treaties, Solomon expanded the influence and scope of his kingdom without waging a single war. His reign was marked by a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity, and it was in direct fulfillment of the promise God had made to Abraham hundreds of years earlier.

“I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies.” – Genesis 22:17 NLT

David had been the conqueror, completing much of the work the 12 tribes had failed to do when they first took possession of the land of Canaan. David had successfully defeated and subjugated many of the remaining remnants of those nations that the Israelites had been charged to eliminate from the land. However, Solomon’s expansion of the kingdom occurred through peaceful negotiations and economic alliances.

Some believe that the author’s reference to Judah and Israel is proof that he wrote his book after God had divided the nation into the southern and northern kingdoms (1 Kings 11:43). But even when David had announced his decision to make Solomon the heir to his throne, he used these two designations when referring to his kingdom.

“…he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” – 1 Kings 1:35 ESV

It seems likely that, over the years, the Israelites had already aligned themselves into two factions that were little more than loose confederations of tribes structured around geographic boundaries. Regardless, Solomon ruled over all of Israel and Judah, from the north to the south. And it was a period of unparalleled peace and abundance.

During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden. – 1 Kings 4:25 NLT

Everyone benefited from Solomon’s reign, including Solomon. In this passage, the author outlines the extent of Solomon’s great wealth, providing tangible proof that God had kept the promise He had made to Solomon.

“I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” – 1 Kings 3:13 NLT

The detailed lists provided by the author are intended to stagger the imagination and illustrate the vast nature of Solomon’s wealth.

The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry. – 1 Kings 4:22-23 NLT

The budget required to operate his royal residence was astronomical. Yet, Solomon had cleverly created a system that helped to underwrite this ongoing expense.

The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court; each made sure nothing was lacking during the month assigned to him. They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables. – 1 Kings 4:27-28 NLT

A rotating schedule was implemented to equally distribute the responsibility for providing food for Solomon’s court, as well as for his expanding collection of horses. This note should catch the reader’s attention because it was in direct violation of God’s earlier command.  

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself.” – Deuteronomy 17:16 NLT

Yet, the author reveals that “Solomon had 4,000 stalls for his chariot horses, and he had 12,000 horses” (1 Kings 4:26 NLT). While the text reads “40,000,” it is thought to be a copyist’s error.  In 2 Chronicles 29:5, a companion passage, it reads: “Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.”

However, the most crucial point is that Solomon had assembled a stable of 12,000 horses, specifically bred to pull chariots. Later in his book, the author provides further details concerning Solomon’s extensive collection of horses and chariots.

Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia. – 1 Kings 10: 26-28 NLT

It is interesting to note that Solomon’s own father had described the vanity of putting one’s hope in horses and chariots.

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the LORD our God. – Psalm 20:7 NLT

Yet, Solomon seemed to have bought into the concept of a strong offense being the best defense. But in building up his formidable collection of chariots and horses, he had violated the command of God. Even though this passage paints a glowing picture of Solomon’s wealth, fame, and influence, a faint but dark cloud can be seen on the horizon.

Solomon was wise, wealthy, and highly successful. His kingdom was marked by tremendous prosperity and unprecedented peace. Yahweh had blessed him with a degree of wisdom that was unmatched by any other living human being.

God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else… – 1 Kings 4:29-31 NLT

The wisdom that God bestowed upon Solomon was extensive, providing him with encyclopedic knowledge and a vast interest in a wide range of disciplines.

He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. – 1 Kings 4:32-33 NLT

Along with his vast wealth and wisdom, Solomon found fame. The author states that “kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon” (1 Kings 4:34 NLT). He was a celebrity. He had a retinue of admirers who came from all over the world to witness his fabled wisdom and fabulous wealth. But you can almost sense the foreboding nature of this passage. Amidst all the splendor and opulence, a shadow looms. Much later in his reign, Solomon wrote of his vast wealth, wisdom, and penchant for surrounding himself with the finer things in life. 

I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. – Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 NLT

In the early stages of his reign, Solomon found himself on a trajectory of success and unparalleled significance. He was sought out and looked up to. He was revered and envied. He had everything a man could ever want. But there was a cancer lurking, unseen and undetected, that threatened the health of his glorious kingdom. In time, it would reveal itself.

For now, Solomon was living the dream and using his God-given wisdom to build a kingdom that was unrivaled in power, size, and scope. But he needed to be watchful and wary of the hidden dangers that lurked behind the trappings of outward success. If he wasn't careful, he could become intoxicated by his own fame and fortune. His success could go to his head and cause him to lose sight of the One who made it all possible. Yahweh was blessing Solomon, and soon, it would be time for Solomon to return the favor by building a house for Yahweh. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Godly Wisdom Versus God-like Wisdom

5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

10 It pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. – 1 Kings 3:5-15 ESV

Early in his reign, Solomon was a man who loved and honored Yahweh. His devotion to God shows up in the regular trips he made to Gibeon, where the tent or Tabernacle was located. There, he would offer burnt offerings to God, sometimes as many as 1,000 at a time. The divine regulations concerning these sacrifices are found in the book of Leviticus, where they are described as “a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:17 NET).

On one such occasion, after a day of offering unblemished sacrificial animals on the altar to Yahweh, Solomon went to bed that evening and had a dream. In his dream, he was visited by Yahweh, who made Solomon a gracious and magnanimous offer: “Tell me what I should give you” (1 Kings 3:5 NET).

Solomon had spared no expense when giving to God the thousands of unblemished animals from his royal flocks and herds. He had willingly offered the best of what he had as a way of expressing his gratitude and devotion to God. And now, God was offering to give Solomon a gift in return. As a reward for his faithful obedience, Solomon was granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ask for whatever he desired from God. He was being given carte blanche, a literal blank check from Yahweh, to name his own blessing. The God of the universe was opening up the doors to His royal treasuries and telling Solomon that he could have whatever he wanted.

The gravity of this moment should not be overlooked. In a sense, Solomon was being tested by God to reveal the true nature of his heart. He could ask God for anything, and his request would expose his hidden desires and priorities.

What would you do if faced with the same opportunity? How would you respond? Would you ask for wealth, power, popularity, good health, and a long life? The problem is that many of us already think of God as some kind of cosmic Genie-in-a-bottle, an all-powerful, divine being who exists to fulfill our wishes. We would relish the thought of being in Solomon’s sandals, faced with the chance to tell God our one request for Him to meet. But this was Solomon’s dream, and he didn’t hesitate for a second to give God his answer.

First, Solomon expressed his gratitude to God for all that He had already done.

“You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.” – 1 Kings 3:6 NLT

Solomon was grateful for God’s faithfulness and unfailing love. He was well aware of the many ways in which God had blessed his father, David. Now, he was sitting on the throne of Israel because Yahweh had ordained it to be so. His newfound position of power and authority had been a gift from God. Solomon knew he had done nothing to deserve this honor. If anything, he felt ill-equipped and unprepared for such an important role.

“I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!” – 1 Kings 3:7-8 NLT

When faced with a situation that could have easily exposed his greed and opportunism, Solomon displayed remarkable humility. His mind was not immediately filled with dreams of riches or glory. His first thoughts were not of a new royal wardrobe, a faster chariot, a bigger palace, or a larger kingdom. His mind focused on his inadequacy and inability to do the job he had been given by God. So, he asked Yahweh for the one thing he knew he lacked: Wisdom.

“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” – 1 Kings 3:9 NLT

Solomon already possessed unsurpassed power and tremendous wealth. He didn’t need more of either one. In the short time he had ruled over Israel, he realized that what he lacked was the wisdom to govern God’s people. It had been said of David that he shepherded the people of Israel with “integrity of heart” and “guided them with skillful hands” (Psalm 78:72 BSB). Solomon wanted to do the same thing, but knew he was deficient. He lacked the necessary qualities to govern wisely and well. So, he asked God to provide the missing ingredient, and God was pleased to do so. 

“Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!” – 1 Kings 3:11-12 NLT

In essence, God said, “Good answer!” He liked what He heard and was more than willing to give Solomon exactly what he had requested, and more.

“And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!” – 1 Kings 3:13 NLT

God blessed Solomon, first, by giving him what he needed most. God provided this newly crowned king with wisdom that would set him apart from every other ruler on the planet. Solomon would become world-renowned for his wisdom. Even today, he is often referred to as the wisest man who ever lived. However, God also gave Solomon more than he had requested, by promising to bless him with riches and fame. But those unrequested gifts would actually come as a result of Solomon’s wisdom. God didn’t suddenly fill Solomon’s royal treasuries with gold and silver. His net worth didn't double overnight. His great wealth would be a byproduct of the wisdom given to him by God. One of the proverbs later collected and compiled by Solomon personifies the voice of wisdom, declaring its many residual benefits.

Riches and honor are with me,
    enduring wealth and righteousness. – Proverbs 8:18 ESV

Solomon would grow wealthy and become famous, but those were side benefits. The gift of wisdom, bestowed upon him by God, would enable Solomon to govern his kingdom according to divine principles. Every aspect of his decision-making was divinely influenced and inspired. As long as he relied on God, he would experience the blessings that accompany godly wisdom.

God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. – 1 Kings 4:29-34 NLT

Fame and fortune were not what Solomon asked for; wisdom was. Godly wisdom was the gift he received, and everything else flowed from it. As Proverbs 8 clearly states, the wisdom of God is of far greater value than any benefits it may yield.

Take my instruction instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is better than jewels,
    and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. – Proverbs 8:10-11 ESV

It is interesting to note how Solomon worded his answer to Yahweh.  

“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil…” – 1 Kings 3:9 ESV

This brings to mind the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. When God created the first couple, he placed them in the garden and gave them one prohibition.

“You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” – Genesis 3:16-17 ESV

That one tree was off-limits, and consuming its fruit would result in death. Yet, it seems to have contained the very thing Solomon asked God for: The knowledge of good and evil. As the story goes, Eve later found herself in the garden, considering the tempting fruit of the forbidden tree. Suddenly, Satan, disguised as a serpent, appeared to her and encouraged her to eat what God had banned. When Eve articulated God's warning of death if they ate the fruit, Satan countered, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5 ESV). 

Satan wasn't offering the promise of godly wisdom; he was offering God-like wisdom. He was trying to get Eve to seek wisdom from the wrong source. Proverbs 2 states, “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright” (Proverbs 2:6-7 ESV). Wisdom, at its core, is the knowledge of good and evil. It is the ability to understand the difference between right and wrong, as defined by God's standards.  The knowledge of good and evil (wisdom) was never meant to come from any source other than God. But Satan wanted Adam and Eve to be the sole determiners of their moral standards. Rather than allow God to direct their moral trajectory, he wanted them to become moral free agents, choosing for themselves what was best. And when the first couple chose to “be as God,” they opened the door to sin, condemnation, and death. Thinking themselves to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:22). 

The Proverbs portray the outcome of Adam and Eve’s decision to choose God-like wisdom rather than godly wisdom. When they decided to become their own gods and determine their own standards for right and wrong, they discovered it produced a dangerous byproduct.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. – Proverbs 14:12 BSB

What sets Solomon’s request apart is his understanding that the knowledge of good and evil can only come from God. He knew that, on his own, he could not and would not make the right choices. Adam and Eve were lured by the fruit of self-determinism. They wanted to be the masters of their own fates, deciding for themselves how to live their lives. However, they failed to grasp the painful truth that the prophet Jeremiah later exposed.

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? – Jeremiah 17:9 NLT 

Solomon was young and inexperienced, but he knew enough to know that he didn't want to be “as God;” he wanted to have the wisdom of God. He was willing to let God determine what was right and wrong, and because he trusted God, he was blessed in ways he could have never imagined. 

“I grant your request and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you.  Furthermore, I am giving you what you did not request—riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation.” – 1 Kings 3:12-13 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Give Thanks

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
    whom he has redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
    till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul,
    and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
    and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
    they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
    and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze
    and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
    and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
    and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
    doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the LORD,
    his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
    their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
    and were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a desert,
    springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
    because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
    a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
    and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
    and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his blessing they multiply greatly,
    and he does not let their livestock diminish.

39 When they are diminished and brought low
    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 he pours contempt on princes
    and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction
    and makes their families like flocks.
42 The upright see it and are glad,
    and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
    let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. – Psalm 107:1-43 ESV

This psalm contains four word pictures that illustrate God’s grace, mercy, and deliverance. The psalmist uses these visual metaphors to paint the dire nature of Israel's fate. The first describes a person on a journey who has lost his way (Psalms 107:4-10). The second features a person locked away in a prison (Psalms 107:11-16). The third person suffers from a debilitating illness (Psalms 107:17-22). The final image is of a sailor lost in a storm (Psalms 107:23-32).

In each case, their problem has been caused by rebellion against God. As a result, they find themselves in a predicament with no way of escape. This causes them to pray for God to spare them. In each scenario, the result is that God hears and provides a way of escape or deliverance. Their response? Praise to God for His lovingkindness and mercy.

Each of these scenarios would have struck a chord with the author's Hebrew audience. They would have recognized the not-so-subtle similarities between the four scenarios and the history of their own people. This psalm appears to be addressing the nation of Judah after their 70-year captivity in Babylon and their subsequent return to the land of Canaan. Centuries earlier, when Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem, he offered a prayer of petition on behalf of the people of Israel. 

“If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to their land far away or near. But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’ If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their enemies and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—then hear their prayers and their petition from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all the offenses they have committed against you. Make their captors merciful to them, for they are your people—your special possession—whom you brought out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt.” – 1 Kings 8:46-51 NLT  

Solomon seemed to know that his people would be unfaithful and suffer the judgment of God. But he wanted God’s reassurance that He would show them mercy and grace in their time of suffering. This psalm emphasizes the lovingkindness of God expressed toward them even though they had rebelled against Him. 

In four little stories, the psalmist reminds his readers of just how bad things were when they were in captivity. They were lost and had no way to get home. They had been prisoners in a foreign land, with no way of escape. They were as good as dead, in need of healing and suffering because of their own sinfulness. They were like sailors lost in a violent storm and at the mercy of the sea. Yet in each case, God responded in mercy and grace. He delivered them. He led them. He satisfied them. He filled them. He saved them. He brought them out. He broke their bonds apart. He shattered the gates of bronze. He healed them. He guided them.

God delivers the needy, but we must reach the point where we recognize that need. As long as we stubbornly cling to our pride and independence, refusing to admit our problem and cry out to Him, we will remain in our predicament. But as soon as we humble ourselves and pray for His deliverance, He hears and delivers.

When they decrease in number and become impoverished
    through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
the LORD pours contempt on their princes,
    causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.
But he rescues the poor from trouble
    and increases their families like flocks of sheep. – Psalms 107:39-41 NLT

So what's in this for us? "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord" (Psalms 107:43 NLT). We will learn from the lives of the Israelites. They rebelled and suffered the consequences. They refused to obey the Lord. They rejected His leadership in their lives and reaped the results. But as soon as they realized the folly of their ways and recognized their need for God, humbly crying out to Him for His help, He responded. God loves to respond. He loves to deliver. He loves to redeem. He loves to save. He loves to show Himself strong on behalf of His children. But we must cry out before God will reach down. We must recognize our need for Him if we desire to be delivered by Him. We must come to an end of ourselves and our stubborn desire to solve all our own problems. God is in the restoration business.

And when He restores, we must be quick to respond with thanksgiving and praise.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.
Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out!
    Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,
    from east and west,
    from north and south. – Psalm 107:1-3 NLT

When He delivers, give Him the credit He deserves. Every time He reaches down and rescues, speak up and shout out. Declare His goodness and greatness. Praise Him for His faithfulness and love. Recall the many examples of His deliverance and rejoice that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  

Those who are wise will take all this to heart;
    they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD. – Psalm 107:43 NLT

Father, what a great reminder. You want to restore me. You desire to bless me. But I must reach an end of myself. I must humble myself before You and cry out. I must admit my need for Your help and my own inability to save myself. Forgive me for the many times I stubbornly remain in the middle of my problem just because I refuse to admit that I can't fix it. All the while You patiently wait for me to admit my neediness and helplessness and call out to You for help. When I reach the end of me, I discover the beginning of Your grace and mercy all over again. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Will…

A Psalm of David.

1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
    to you, O LORD, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.
    Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
    within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes
    anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
    it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;
    I will know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
    I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
    I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
    that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
    shall minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit
    shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
    shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy
    all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
    from the city of the LORD. – Psalm 101:1-8 ESV

After a lengthy pause, the psalter picks back up with the psalms of David, the famous king of Israel whom God deemed “a man after his heart” (1 Samuel 13:14 ESV). David had been God's handpicked successor for Saul, the first king of Israel, who had proven unfaithful and disobedient. The people of Israel recognized that their demand to be like all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:19-20) and have a human king to rule over them had produced less-than-satisfactory results.

Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’”

So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. – 2 Samuel 5:1-3 NLT

In one of his psalms, Asaph recorded God’s selection of David and described why the Lord had deemed this young man to be the right man for the job.

He chose his servant David,
    calling him from the sheep pens.
He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
    and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
    God’s own people, Israel.
He cared for them with a true heart
    and led them with skillful hands. – Psalm 78:70-72 NLT

This psalm provides a glimpse into David’s “true heart” as he reveals his intentions to serve God with integrity, honesty, and a selfless commitment to His will. Notice how many times David begins a sentence with the words, “I will…”

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.

I will praise you with songs.

I will be careful to live a blameless life…

I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.

I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.

I will have nothing to do with those who deal wickedly.

I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.

I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.

I will not endure conceit and pride.

I will search for faithful people to be my companions.

I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.

David vocalized his commitment to use his divine appointment as king to live a set-apart life that reflected his love for and submission to God. Yahweh had done much for him, and he was expressing his desire to return the favor.

But this psalm begs the question: What will you do for God? Most of us have a long list of things we want God to do for us. We have prayer requests we would like Him to answer. We have problems we would like Him to solve. We have people in our lives we would like Him to change or remove, conflicts we need Him to resolve, illnesses we want Him to heal, mysteries we want Him to reveal, and cloudy futures we demand that He clear up.

But what are we willing to do for Him? Over and over again in this short Psalm, David says, “I will…” This is not evidence of a prideful heart or an over-inflated ego. David is simply expressing his willingness to praise God, pursue a life of integrity, refuse to look at anything inappropriate, reject relationships with the wicked, not tolerate conceit in his life, search out the faithful as his companions, and hire those whose lives are above reproach as his employees.

David was telling God that he was serious about living a life set apart for God’s use. He understood the concept of holiness and knew that his life would be distinctive and different as God’s chosen servant. It was to be characterized by a different way of life. David was not pledging to do these things to please God or score brownie points, but because they are characteristic of someone who shares God’s heart.

In Psalm 86, David prayed, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Give me purity of heart, that I may honor you” (Psalm 86:11 NLT). In Psalm 101, David describes what he has learned about God’s way – His path for living life. It is a life characterized by integrity or wholeness. It is “sound” or “healthy” in all areas, not just parts. There is no compartmentalization or hidden areas where God has no sway or influence. When David says, “I will be careful to live a blameless life,” he is not promising a life of sinless perfection. He is declaring his intention to live a life of wholeness or integrity. He is committing to do everything he can to live a life that will bring glory to God in every detail.

David tells God, “I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.” That word translated “integrity” shares the same root word as the one translated “blameless” earlier in the verse. Again, it has to do with wholeness and completeness. David is expressing his desire to live a holy, set-apart life in every area of his life — even at home, where no one else can see him.

There is a sense in which we will have to make difficult decisions if we want to live according to God’s way. Like David, we must “refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar” (Psalm 101:3 NLT). Think about that the next time you turn on the TV or head to the movie theater. We will have to “hate all who deal crookedly” and “have nothing to do with them” (Psalm 101:3 NLT). David is not telling us to hate the lost, but to refuse to enjoy the companionship of those whose lives dishonor God. Do you enjoy the company of those who have no heart for the things of God more than you enjoy the company of believers? This is speaking more about having a love affair with their behavior than with the individuals themselves. Are the lifestyles of the godless more appealing to us than the lifestyles of the godly? David said, “I will search for faithful people to be my companions” (Psalm 101:6 NLT). He wanted to hang with the holy, not the heathen.

David wanted his life to be different, so he was willing to change how he lived. He sought new habits and new friends. He chose to give up old ways of doing things. He decided to surround himself with good influences. What are you willing to do for God? What steps will you take to ensure your life is marked by integrity or wholeness?

Father, You want all of my life, not just the parts that people see on Sunday morning. You desire that I would be willing to make changes to the way that I live. You have given me a new heart and the power to live differently, but I still have to choose to do so. And it begins with the daily decisions to live my whole life for You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Presence and Protection Require Faithfulness

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress.

4 For behold, the kings assembled;
    they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
    they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
    anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
    the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
    in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God,
    which God will establish forever. Selah

9 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
    in the midst of your temple.
10 As your name, O God,
    so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11     Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments!

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
    go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14     that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
    He will guide us forever. – Psalm 48:1-14 ESV

This psalm, like the previous one, was written by one of the sons of Korah and was designed to accentuate the supremacy and superiority of Yahweh over every other ĕlōhîm. The title ĕlōhîm, which is commonly rendered as “god” in our English translations, was the generic title for all deities. Yet, it was also used to refer to the one true God, the Creator of the universe.

In the beginning, God [ĕlōhîm] created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God [ĕlōhîm] was hovering over the face of the waters. – Genesis 1:1-2 ESV

To differentiate Himself from all the false gods that mankind manufactured after the fall, the Creator God introduced Himself to Moses with a new name.

Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” God [ĕlōhîm] also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God [ĕlōhîm] of Abraham, the God [ĕlōhîm] of Isaac, and the God [ĕlōhîm] of Jacob—has sent me to you.” – Exodus 3:14-15 NLT

This more intimate and personal name would become the primary way the people of Israel addressed their God. He even told them, “This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations” (Psalm 48:15 NLT).

The psalmist opens his song with a statement of praise for this eternal and highly personal name of God.

How great is the LORD [Yahweh],
    how deserving of praise… – Psalm 48:1 NLT

In a sense, the psalmist is highlighting the unparalleled nature of Israel's ĕlōhîm. Other nations could claim to worship a superior ĕlōhîm, but their god was no match for Yahweh. In ancient times, gods were believed to be regionally based deities who ruled from and over specific locales. That is why the psalmist mentions Jerusalem, “the city of our God!” (Psalm 48:2 ESV). Then, he specifies the exact spot on which the royal city sits.

His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress. – Psalm 48:1-3 ESV

From the psalmist’s perspective, Yahweh dwelt in Jerusalam, which sat on the Mount of Zion. He describes this sacred spot as Yahweh’s citadel or palace, from which He rules as the great King. His presence among the Israelites created a fortress-like environment, protecting them from their enemies and assuring them of safety and security from harm.

God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers,
    revealing himself as its defender. – Psalm 48:3 NLT

In a somewhat arrogant fashion, the psalmist brags of Jerusalem’s invincibility, declaring that Yahweh’s presence serves as a kind of “iron dome,” protecting its inhabitants from all threats.

The kings of the earth joined forces
    and advanced against the city.
But when they saw it, they were stunned;
    they were terrified and ran away.
They were gripped with terror
    and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish
    shattered by a powerful east wind. – Psalm 48:4-7 NLT

With Yahweh serving as their protector and defender, they could sleep peacefully at night, knowing they had nothing to fear. No harm could come their way as long as Yahweh was with them.

Verse 2 contains a subtle yet significant statement intended to set Yahweh apart from the competition. In describing Mount Zion, the psalmist states, “It is lofty and pleasing to look at,  a source of joy to the whole earth. Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon” (Psalm 48:2 NET). He is purposefully differentiating Mount Zion from Mount Zaphon, a range located to the north of Jerusalem. This reference to Mount Zaphon is important because local legends designated this location as the gathering place of the gods.

The prophet Isaiah recorded a divine warning against the king of Babylon, predicting his eventual fall.

“How you are fallen from heaven,
    O shining star, son of the morning!
You have been thrown down to the earth,
    you who destroyed the nations of the world.
For you said to yourself,
    ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.
I will preside on the mountain of the gods
    far away in the north [ṣāp̄ôn].
I will climb to the highest heavens
    and be like the Most High…” – Isaiah 14:12-14 NLT

In this prophetic judgment, the king is described as seeking to set up his throne on “the mountain of the gods,” which was located in the north. The Hebrew word translated as “north” is ṣāp̄ôn or Zaphon.

“Mt. Zaphon to the north of Palestine was the mythical residence of the gods (as Mt. Olympus was the mythical residence of the gods to the Greeks; v. 13; cf. Ps. 48:2). Rather than being king of the gods, Babylon’s king proved to be only human having weakened nations through his domination of them. Even though he had exalted himself to near deity status, he would die and go to Sheol like every other proud person.” – Thomas L. Constable, Study Notes on Isaiah

“Zaphon, located north of Israel, was the sacred mountain of the Canaanites from which their high god El supposedly ruled. However, Zion was the real ‘Zaphon,’ for it was here that the Lord God of Israel, the ‘Great King’ of the universe, lived and ruled.” – Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., "A Theology of the Psalms." In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament

Zaphon was not a sacred mountain because the Canaanite god, El, was not a real god. He was the figment of the fertile imaginations of a pagan people who attempted to replace the one true ĕlōhîm with a god of their own making. The apostle Paul describes mankind’s sin-inspired penchant for replacing the one true God with a poor substitute.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:21-23 NLT

But for the psalmist, no other ĕlōhîm would do.

O God [ĕlōhîm], we meditate on your unfailing love
    as we worship in your Temple.
As your name deserves, O God [ĕlōhîm],
    you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
    Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
    Let all the towns of Judah be glad
    because of your justice. – Psalm 48:9-11 NLT

There was no competition between Zion and Zaphon because there was no ĕlōhîm living in the north. Yahweh had no rivals, and the people of Israel had nothing to worry about when it came to their enemies and their enemies’ false, non-existent gods. All they had to do was look at the majesty and magnificence of Jerusalem and be reminded that their ĕlōhîm was superior.

Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.
    Walk around and count the many towers.
Take note of the fortified walls,
    and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
    to future generations.
For that is what God is like.
    He is our God forever and ever,
    and he will guide us until we die. – Psalm 48:12-14 NLT

The city was impregnable, a fitting reminder of God’s power and protective capacity. The fortifications of Jerusalem were to serve as a symbol of Yahweh’s presence, power, and provision for generations to come. He would not leave them or forsake them. But in his enthusiasm, the psalmist leaves out one small but highly significant point. God expected His people to remain faithful. His presence was predicated on their obedience to His law and faithfulness to the covenant they had made with Him. They would enjoy His protection as long as they remained spiritually faithful and refrained from worshiping other ĕlōhîm. But centuries later, the prophet Isaiah would repeatedly warn of God’s pending wrath for their infidelity and unfaithfulness.

“Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you. Don’t you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? No wonder I am so angry! Watch how the children gather wood and the fathers build sacrificial fires. See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods! Am I the one they are hurting?” asks the Lord. “Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame.”

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place. Its people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable fire of my anger.” – Jeremiah 7:16-20 NLT

God’s presence and protection are vital to His people’s survival, but they do not come without a cost. God requires that His people commit wholeheartedly to Him. He is a jealous God who will not tolerate infidelity and unfaithfulness. He will not tolerate spiritual adultery among His chosen people. If the psalmist wanted to continue to enjoy the presence, power, and protection of Yahweh, he would need to call the people of Israel to live up to their covenant commitments.

Father, I revel in the reality of Your presence in my life and I fully appreciate the promise of the care and protection You provide. But I sometimes live as though my actions don't matter. I treat Your love with a flippancy and carelessness that borders on rebellion. I fail to treat You with the honor and reverence You deserve, living my life according to my own will and agenda. I know You are the one true God and I am confident in Your power and fully appreciate Your divine protection over my life. But forgive me for the many times I take Your protection for granted. Help me to live faithfully and obediently, treating You with all the honor You deserve. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Hope in the Lord

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye is wasted from grief;
    my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and my bones waste away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
    especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
    rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love!
17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,
    for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go silently to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
    which speak insolently against the righteous
    in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of the children of mankind!
20 In the cover of your presence you hide them
    from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
    “I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
    when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord! – Psalm 31:1-24 ESV

Why do we fear? Why do we worry and doubt? When we serve a mighty God who loves us like He does, what would ever cause us to distrust or doubt Him? The simple answer is that we are weak and sinful. In our limited understanding, we know of no one or nothing as strong as God is. We have no experience with anyone as reliable and trustworthy as He is. Yet, we tend to judge God based on human standards and our own limitations. If we truly believed God was all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, would we fear and doubt dominate our lives like they do? 

Over the course of his life, David had learned to turn his bouts with doubt into opportunities to see God display His power, grace, and mercy. He came to God for protection, salvation, and encouragement. He viewed God as his “rock of refuge” and “strong fortress” (Psalm 31:2 ESV). In times of trouble, David had learned to run to the One who could provide safety, comfort, guidance, and deliverance.

This Psalm seems to have been written amid a time of crisis. David found himself in the middle of a difficult season of life in which some sin he had committed had left him discouraged, despondent, and deeply depressed. He doesn’t elaborate on the circumstances or disclose the nature of his indiscretion, but he painfully describes his troubled emotional state.

Tears blur my eyes.
    My body and soul are withering away.
I am dying from grief;
    my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
    I am wasting away from within.
I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me. – Psalm 31:9-11 NLT

Whatever sin he committed left him feeling attacked from within and without. His guilt weighed heavy on his heart, and the scorn of his friends and enemies deepened his discouragement and despair. The rumor mill had generated all kinds of salacious gossip and motivated his enemies to take advantage of his diminished popularity and weakened position. He was vulnerable and feeling exposed.

But while David was feeling down and out, he didn’t feel abandoned by God. He knew he could find refuge and rest in the arms of his loving, faithful, and all-powerful God.

But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me. – Psalm 31:14-16 NLT

David had learned that Yahweh was a reliable and trustworthy source of strength and sustenance to all those who feared Him and placed their trust in Him.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues. – Psalm 31:20 NLT

David could praise God in the midst of the current storm because he had experienced Yahweh’s deliverance in the past. David used God’s track record of divine deliverance to bolster his faith.

He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help. – Psalm 31:21-22 NLT

Recalling God’s past actions helped to strengthen David’s resolve and led him to declare, “Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (Psalm 31:24 NLT).

It seems that a big part of the journey for Christ's followers is to learn to trust God more and to fear life less. In this Psalm, David seems to ebb back and forth between a strong confidence in God and a wavering doubt. He says, “Save me, for you do what is right” (Psalm 31:1 NLT). He calls God his rock and his fortress and talks of His unfailing love and mercy. But then, David seems to change tones because he faces the daily reality of living in a fallen world. He has to confront wickedness and the influence of sinful people who make it hard to live the life of faith. There is a constant battle between trusting God and living amid difficult circumstances, constantly attempting to shake our faith in Him.

Knowing and serving God does not guarantee us an easy road or a life free from difficulty. It promises us a God who loves us enough to care about what is happening to us and is powerful enough to do something about it. David seemed to know that from experience. Despite his difficulties, he turned to God. He knew where the source of his help and hope was to be found — in God alone. David states confidently, “But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15a NLT). All David had to do was remember the countless times God had rescued him before. God had proven Himself faithful in the past, and David knew God would prove Himself faithful in the future. He could be trusted because the Lord preserves the faithful.

Father, thank You that You can be trusted. And because You can be trusted, I can be brave and strong. May my courage increase daily as I learn to rely on and trust in You. May I increasingly learn to put my hope in You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Submission is Not a Dirty Word

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. – Colossians 3:18-4:1 ESV

Paul now takes those other-oriented, selfless, and love-motivated character traits and applies them to everyday life. Since he was writing to believers living in Colossae, he customized his words for their particular context. He wanted them to know what seeking and setting their minds on things that are above would look like on a daily basis. He wasn’t promoting an ethereal and impractical brand of religious pietism and asceticism. No, he was recommending a highly practical brand of faith that revealed the transformative nature of the gospel in everyday life.

They were to “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10 ESV). As God's chosen ones, they were to put on “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12 ESV). But none of these “add-ons” would be effective without love.

…put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony… – Colossians 3:14 ESV

Since God is love and He best expressed that love through the gift of His Son, Paul called the Colossians to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17 ESV). But what does that look like? How were they supposed to make these powerful admonitions practical? Well, Paul makes it plain and simple for them. He begins with the family unit, one of the most foundational and universal arenas of personal relationships in this life.

The family was God’s idea. He originated and ordained the union of one man and one woman, creating an indissoluble bond between them as husband and wife. The creation account found in the opening chapters of Genesis records God’s creation of the first marriage.

So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. – Genesis 2:21-24 ESV

Jesus Himself confirmed the validity of the Genesis account by stating, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6 ESV).

So, Paul begins at the beginning – with the family unit. He calls believing wives to submit to their believing husbands. But he adds an important, yet often overlooked, distinction: “as is fitting in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18 ESV). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.”

Paul’s use of the word “submission” was directly linked to his call that all believers conduct themselves with compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. If there was ever a relationship where those characteristics were necessary, it was the union between a husband and wife. So, he calls wives to lovingly, humbly, meekly, and patiently relate to their husbands in such a way that honors their role as the God-appointed head of the household. Paul provided additional insight into the headship role of the husband when writing to the church in Ephesus.

…submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. – Ephesians 5:21-24 NLT

The biblical concept of submission has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority. Paul is not suggesting that women are somehow second-class citizens. He is simply articulating the divinely ordained concept of headship within the family unit. Just as Christ is the head of the church, the believing husband is responsible for the well-being of his family, and that role comes with a heavy dose of accountability.

Paul made it painfully clear that one of the primary leadership responsibilities of a godly husband was to selflessly love his wife. Once again, Paul provides further clarity in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

…this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. – Ephesians 5:25-26 NLT

To lovingly and graciously submit to her husband, a wife must surrender her pride and natural desire for autonomy. In other words, she would have to “put off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9 ESV). Submission doesn’t come naturally or easily for anyone. It requires a sacrifice of the human will. For anyone to submit in a way that “is fitting for those who belong to the Lord” (Colossians 3:18 NLT), they have to “put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within” (Colossians 3:18 NLT). And according to Peter, submission isn’t required for wives alone. He calls all believers to model godly submission to all those in authority.

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God… – 1 Peter 2:13-15 ESV

Regardless of their gender, each believer’s life is to be marked by an attitude of humble submission to others – for this is the will of God. According to Paul, one of the greatest displays of dying to self was to be a husband’s selfless expression of love for his wife. He was to put his wife’s life ahead of his own, even sacrificing his own life if necessary.

At the core of Paul’s teaching on submission is the contrast between humility and pride. There was no place for self-aggrandizement in the life of a believer.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4 BSB

Even children had a part to play in God’s divine order for the home. They were to obey their parents in everything. Why? Because this was pleasing to the Lord. It was in keeping with His divine will. A child’s obedience was a form of submission to the God-ordained authority of their parents. Again, this is not normal or natural. As the proverb states, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child…” (Proverbs 22:15 BSB).

It’s interesting to note that the disobedience of children was one of the characteristics Paul listed when describing the state of the world in the last days.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. – 2 Timothy 3:1-4 NLT

But, according to Paul, an obedient child is the byproduct of a loving and godly father.

Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. – Colossians 3:21 NLT

Proverbs 22 goes on to say, “A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away” (Proverbs 22:15 NLT). Yet, too much discipline, done in an unloving and heavy-handed manner, can do more harm than good. It can cause a child to become discouraged. Discipline that is unloving and lacking in compassion can disincentivize a child from trying to obey. It can actually result in rebellion rather than submission. So, Paul warns fathers to use their role as heads of their households with care.

Next, Paul moves from addressing the family unit to dealing with another relationship that was ubiquitous in the Colossian community: slavery. While we find this topic uncomfortable and somewhat off-putting, it was a normal part of everyday life for the citizens of Colossae.

“Scholars estimate about 10% (but possibly up to 20%) of the Roman empire’s population were enslaved. This would mean, for an estimated Roman empire population of 50 million (in the first century AD) between five and ten million were enslaved. This number would have been unequally distributed across the empire, with a higher concentration of enslaved people in urban areas and in Italy.” – www.britishmuseum.org

Slavery was an everyday part of daily life in Colossae. Yet Paul doesn’t attempt to address the moral implications of slavery. Instead, he shows the Colossian believers how their new identity in Christ should impact every area of life. The reality was that slaves were coming to faith in Christ and becoming a part of the local congregation of believers. It was highly likely that the church in Colossae had slaves attending worship services with their own masters. This presented a particularly difficult problem for Paul and the church's leadership. How were these people supposed to relate to one another? How should their mutual relationship with Christ impact their interpersonal relationship with one another?

Paul addresses both parties. He tells slaves, “obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord” (Colossians 3:22 NLT). Then he turns his attention to the masters.

…be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven. – Colossians 4:1 NLT

Notice his emphasis on God. Both parties were to recognize that their earthly relationship with one another had been dramatically altered by their new identity in Christ. While nothing had changed regarding their worldly status, Paul wanted them to know that God viewed them in a new light.

In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. – Colossians 3:11 NLT

Paul's words to slaves teach an invaluable and universal lesson. These were individuals who had no choice regarding their condition. Their position as slaves required that they submit, whether they wanted to or not. But Paul challenged them to take a different attitude.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. – Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

This call to a new outlook applied to every believer in the local church in Colossae. It’s what Paul meant when he wrote, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2 ESV). A slave was to live with an eternal perspective, knowing that his current circumstance was temporal. There was a reward awaiting him that made his present suffering pale in comparison. But that heavenly-minded, future-focused perspective was to motivate the life of every believer in Colossae, regardless of their gender, race, or social status.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

No Match for the Almighty

5 If thieves came to you,
    if plunderers came by night—
    how you have been destroyed!—
    would they not steal only enough for themselves?
If grape gatherers came to you,
    would they not leave gleanings?
6 How Esau has been pillaged,
    his treasures sought out!
7 All your allies have driven you to your border;
    those at peace with you have deceived you;
they have prevailed against you;
    those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you—
    you have no understanding.

8 Will I not on that day, declares the Lord,
    destroy the wise men out of Edom,
    and understanding out of Mount Esau?
9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,
    so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter. – Obadiah 1:5-9 ESV

This short book is filled with messages of doom and gloom concerning Edom, but it was intended to bring hope to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. Obadiah was likely a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah during the reign of Jehoram (848-841 B.C.). The Book of 2 Kings describes a revolt by the Edomites not long after Jehoram took the throne.

In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, since he promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. Then Joram passed over to Zair with all his chariots and rose by night, and he and his chariot commanders struck the Edomites who had surrounded him, but his army fled home. So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. – 2 Kings 8:16-22 ESV

The Edomites proved to be a problem for the people of God throughout the centuries. These distant relatives of the Israelites were a constant source of irritation and trouble. The ongoing nature of their harassment and God’s decision to punish them for it is reflected by their mention in the writings of four different prophets. Obadiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Joel all mention God’s plan to deal harshly with the Edomites. There are also glaring similarities between the writings of these four men that seem to indicate that each was familiar with the work of the others.

Jeremiah uses some of the same language as Obadiah in his prophecy concerning Edom.

If grape gatherers came to you,
    would they not leave gleanings?
If thieves came by night,
    would they not destroy only enough for themselves? – Jeremiah 49:9 ESV

The horror you inspire has deceived you,
    and the pride of your heart,
you who live in the clefts of the rock,
    who hold the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's,
    I will bring you down from there,
declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 49:16 ESV

It is unclear which prophet borrowed from the other, but the similarity of their language indicates that they were aware of and referenced one another’s writings. Their common message also reflects the divine inspiration of their prophecies. Each man was receiving the same basic message concerning the nation of Edom and its pending judgment by God. 

Both Jeremiah and Obadiah indicate that Edom’s fall was tied to their arrogance and pride.

The horror you inspire has deceived you,
    and the pride of your heart.  – Jeremiah 49:16 ESV

The pride of your heart has deceived you… – Obadiah 1:3 ESV

The Hebrew word translated as “pride” is zāḏôn, and it conveys the idea of insolence and arrogance. It comes from the root word zûḏ, which means “to boil or seeth.” It illustrates the contents of a boiling pot spilling over the edges and onto its surroundings. The pride of the Edomites had gotten the best of them, causing them to exceed their God-given boundaries and “boil over” and onto their neighbors.

The Edomites occupied a virtually impenetrable tract of land near Mount Seir just south of the Dead Sea. This lofty and difficult-to-reach location gave them a false sense of security. They took great pride in their mountain fortress and believed it made them invincible. Located at an elevation of more than 5,700 feet and protected by a series of gorges, their mountain stronghold gave them a false sense of security.

“You have been deceived by your own pride
    because you live in a rock fortress
    and make your home high in the mountains.
‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’
    you ask boastfully.
But even if you soar as high as eagles
    and build your nest among the stars,
I will bring you crashing down,”
    says the Lord. – Obadiah 1:3-4 NLT

“You have been deceived
    by the fear you inspire in others
    and by your own pride.
You live in a rock fortress
    and control the mountain heights.
But even if you make your nest among the peaks with the eagles,
    I will bring you crashing down,”
    says the Lord.” – Jeremiah 49:16 NLT

The message is clear; the Edomites could not escape the wrath of God. Their “kingdom in the sky” was no match for the God who reigns in heaven. They could hide from men but they could not hide from God. Their actions against the people of Israel and Judah would require justice and judgment. And God makes it clear that His judgment will be swift and complete.

“…your enemies will wipe you out completely!
Every nook and cranny of Edom
    will be searched and looted.
    Every treasure will be found and taken.” – Obadiah 1:5-6 NLT

“Edom will be an object of horror.
    All who pass by will be appalled
    and will gasp at the destruction they see there.” – Jeremiah 49:17 NLT

The epic nature of Edom’s fall will shock their neighbors. The devastation of this once-powerful and seemingly invincible nation will make an impression on the rest of Judah’s enemies. God will make an object lesson of the Edomites and send a powerful message to all those who oppose His chosen people. The Edomites were blood relatives of the Israelites, but their mistreatment of the descendants of Jacob would cost them dearly. Their pride had caused them to overstep their bounds and put them at odds with God Almighty. Now they were going to pay.

Edom was a relatively small nation but they were resourceful. They regularly sent raiding parties from their mountain hideout to plunder the villages and towns in southern Judah. This is why Obadiah mentions thieves who plunder at night. The Edomites were opportunists who took advantage of the weak and defenseless. Lacking in numbers and military strength, they utilized ingenuity and resourcefulness to survive. But they made a huge mistake when they decided to plunder the nation of Judah.

The prophet Amos describes the pending judgment of God against the Edomites.

“The people of Edom have sinned again and again,
    and I will not let them go unpunished!
They chased down their relatives, the Israelites, with swords,
    showing them no mercy.
In their rage, they slashed them continually
    and were unrelenting in their anger.
So I will send down fire on Teman,
    and the fortresses of Bozrah will be destroyed.” – Amos 1:11-12 NLT

According to Obadiah, the Edomites will find themselves all alone with no one to stand by their side. Even their closest allies will abandon them in their time of need.

“All your allies will turn against you.
    They will help to chase you from your land.
They will promise you peace
    while plotting to deceive and destroy you.
Your trusted friends will set traps for you,
    and you won’t even know about it.” – Obadiah 1:7 NLT

Alliances and treaties will be of no use. The promises of neighboring states will prove worthless. When God decides to bring judgment against the people of Edom, nothing will stand in His way, including “the wise” and “the mighty.” Human wisdom and strength are of little consequence to the God of the universe. In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote, “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20 ESV).

The psalmist also speaks of God’s derision and disregard for those who flaunt their power and prestige in His face.

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury. – Psalm 2:1-5 NLT

The leaders of Edom were too full of themselves and far too confident in their military might. “Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:22 BLB). Their reliance upon human reason and understanding would prove unreliable. Their belief in their invincibility would become their greatest liability. God was about to expose the fallacy of their superiority.

“At that time not a single wise person
    will be left in the whole land of Edom,”
    says the Lord.
“For on the mountains of Edom
    I will destroy everyone who has understanding.
The mightiest warriors of Teman
    will be terrified,
and everyone on the mountains of Edom
    will be cut down in the slaughter.” – Obadiah 1:8-9 NLT

None of this was good news for the Edomites, but it was meant to encourage the people of Judah. Their God was letting them know He was aware of their circumstances and fully prepared to act. He was sovereign and in full control. The actions of the Edomites had not escaped His attention and the Edomites would not escape His judgment.

God’s message was a not-so-subtle warning to all the enemies of Judah. But, at the same time, it was a powerful word of encouragement to His chosen people. He was on His throne and in full control of world affairs. Nothing escapes His attention. No one operates outside His sovereign will and control. Even the high and lofty Edomites would be brought low by the hand of Almighty God.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The First Shall Be Last

9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. – 3 John 1:9-10 ESV

After praising Gaius for his generosity and the hospitality he extended to the visiting evangelists, John points out the actions of another individual within the local fellowship. In this case, John has nothing good to say about this man, whose name is Diotrephes. In fact, John describes Diotrephes as someone “who likes to put himself first” and “does not acknowledge our authority” (3 John 1:9 ESV).

This church member was resisting John’s authority as an elder and apostle. He saw himself as a leader within the local congregation and opposed the visiting evangelists' ministry. John accused him of refusing to “welcome the brothers” (3 John 1:10 ESV). Diotrephes had also tried to prevent anyone in the church from meeting the needs of these men, punishing those who did so by throwing them out of the church.

Diotrephes was the antithesis of Gaius. There are no other details regarding his life other than what John describes here, but it is not difficult to assess that this man was selfish and self-centered, motivated by a need for control, and unwilling to love others in the same way that God had shown love to him. Diotrephes saw John and these visiting evangelists as a threat to his authority.

Notice that John does not accuse Diotrephes of propagating false doctrine. This man was not preaching another gospel or denying the deity of Jesus. He simply refused to acknowledge John’s authority as an apostle of Christ and rejected the ministry of those who had been divinely gifted to minister to the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11).

Diotrephes was not teaching falsehood, but he was modeling an attitude of pride and arrogance that had no place in the church. Yet, his actions were just as dangerous and destructive as those of the false teachers and prophets who were wreaking havoc on congregations throughout Asia Minor.

In a way, Diotrephes was preaching a different Jesus because his actions were in direct violation of the teachings of Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Jesus used the Pharisees and religious leaders of the Jews as examples to be avoided, not followed. According to Jesus, these men had set themselves up as religious and civic authorities over the Jews but were actually deceptive and destructive. They were looked up to as leaders, but Jesus had warned His disciples, “don’t follow their example” (Matthew 23:3 NLT), and He provided ample evidence for emulating their behavior.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’” – Matthew 23:5-7 NLT

For these men, leadership was all about authority and power. They flaunted their positions and gloried in their prominence. But Jesus went on to warn his followers:

“The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:11-12 NLT

His statement explains the difference between Gaius and Diotrephes. One was humble and willing to serve, while the other was marked by pride and an overwhelming need to be the center of attention.

This kind of attitude was particularly repulsive to John because he knew that it stood in stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus. He would have recalled the unforgettable occasion when Jesus confronted him and the other disciples over their conversation while walking along the road to Capernaum. When they arrived at their destination Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing out on the road?” (Mark 9:33 NLT). But they were too embarrassed to answer Jesus “because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest” (Mark 9:34 NLT).

So, Jesus had sat the disciples down and delivered the sobering news that “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else” (Mark 9:35 NLT).

One might think this message from Jesus would have left the disciples embarrassed and reticent to bring up the topic again. Yet, in the next chapter, Mark records another moment when Jesus had to confront the worldly outlook of His own followers; this time it involved John and his brother James. These two men approached Jesus to make a bold and brazen request.

“When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” – Mark 10:37 NLT

The audacity of these two brothers is shocking. How could they make such a request after hearing Jesus say, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place?” Yet, they asked Jesus to award them the two most prominent positions available in a royal administration. They didn’t just ask for seats at the table, they wanted the prime spots reserved for the most powerful dignitaries. Make no mistake about it, they were asking for the right to rule and reign alongside Jesus when He set up His earthly kingdom.

And the answer Jesus gave these two brash brothers echoed the message He had told them earlier.

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:43-45 NLT

Their request was completely off-base and uncalled for. Jesus let them know that He did not have the authority to make that decision. It was up to God alone.

“I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” – Mark 10:40 NLT

Not only that, the right to rule alongside Jesus would have to be preceded by a willingness to suffer as He would.

“You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” – Mark 10:38 NLT

John and James had no clue what they were asking. They didn’t understand that the authority they coveted was only available to those willing to suffer and serve. Jesus used Himself as the model for godly leadership, stating, “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT).

John and James were in it for what they could get out of it and so was Diotrephes. But Jesus had come to earth, not to gain, but to give His life away. He had willingly taken on the nature of a man so that He could die on behalf of sinful humanity. Yet, His humiliation was followed by His glorification.

When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. – Hebrews 3:3 NLT

John was appalled by the actions of Diotrephes. Watching this arrogant man revel in his self-exalted state of authority must have reminded John of his own shame-filled moment when he and his brother asked Jesus for the right to reign at His side.

John had come a long way. He had learned a lot since watching his friend and teacher die on the cross. His encounters with the resurrected Messiah had left him a changed man. His understanding of what it means to be a true leader had been radically altered by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.

For Diotrephes, glory was all about power and position in this life. But the apostle Paul had a radically different perspective. His words to the church in Colossae provide a powerful reminder of the tendency within all of us to follow the example of Diotrephes. We are not to seek glory in this life. Instead, we are to keep our eyes fixed on heaven, where the hope of true glorification can be found.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. – Colossians 3:1-4 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

LORD of All

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God,
    enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
    and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders
    in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. – Daniel 6:1-28 ESV

This chapter contains one of the Bible's most familiar and beloved stories. For centuries, it has been a staple of Sunday School classes, and Daniel's daring exploits have been used to inspire young children to stand up for their faith against all odds. Among Christians, the phrase “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” conjures up visions of living an uncompromised and faith-filled life even in the face of life-threatening opposition.

But there is far more to the story than the simple tale of a faith-filled man willing to face death rather than compromise his religious convictions. The story’s placement in the narrative is important and is probably not in chronological order. It comes immediately after the stories of Belshazzar’s death and Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling by the hand of God. It is intended to continue the theme of God’s sovereignty over the kings and nations of the world. Daniel is the common thread that ties all these stories together. This Hebrew exile has the unique privilege and responsibility of acting as God’s mouthpiece to some of the most powerful men who ruled over one of the most dominant nations on Earth. Daniel is featured prominently in each of these stories but he was never intended to be the lead actor in the dramas they unfold.

As chapter six begins, the reader is presented with the name of yet another ruler. Since chapter four ended with Belshazzar’s death, it would be easy to assume that the story picks up with his replacement. The opening verses state, “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one” (Daniel 6:1-2 ESV). To the modern reader, this opening line seems rather black and white; a new king named Darius took over for the recently deceased Belshazzar. But there is a problem. No extra-biblical sources have been found that corroborate the existence of a king named Darius who ruled over the kingdom of Babylon or the Medo-Persian empire.

There has been much debate about who this individual was, with some suggesting that Darius was just another name for Cyrus, who ruled the Medo-Persian Empire. Others have speculated that it was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, who served as his father’s co-regent over the kingdom of Babylon and later inherited the throne. A third option is that Darius was an individual named Gubaru, an official in Cyrus’ administration, whom the king appointed as ruler over Babylon immediately after its capture by the Medo-Persian forces.

The simplest solution to this problem may lie in the meaning of the name “Darius.” Of Aramaic origin, Darius translates as “lord” and was likely a title rather than a proper name. It seems that the author purposefully chose to leave out the name of the king involved in the story. He also provides scant details to help determine the date of the events recorded in this chapter. It is as if Darius was intended to represent all the “lords” who ruled over the kingdom of Babylon and its successor, the Medo-Persian empire.

Darius is not the point of the story any more than Daniel is. But the title “lord” takes on important significance as the story unfolds. Whoever this man was, he had power and authority. He ruled over a nation that had proven its dominance by conquering a great part of the geographical landscape of that day. This Darius commanded fear and respect from his citizens and wielded his power with the aid of his royal officials. As his empire grew, he divided it into 120 provinces and put them under the care of his hand-picked officials. Daniel was included in this list of “satraps” or governors.

But before long, Daniel “proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers” (Daniel 6:3 NLT). Daniel’s superior leadership skills led the king to consider plans “to place him over the entire empire” (Daniel 6:3 NLT). News of Daniel’s pending promotion soon reached his 119 peers and they were far from pleased. They immediately set out to scuttle the king’s plan and end Daniel’s hopes of “lording” over them.

Their plan was simple but deadly, designed to appeal to the king’s pride and vanity. They recommended that Darius issue a decree requiring every citizen in the nation to cease all worship of any other deity except him for 30 days.

“Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you…” – Daniel 6:6-7 NLT

They recommended an official edict that would place Darius as “lord” over all other gods, including the God of Daniel. This was a calculated and callous plan designed to do one thing: Prevent Daniel’s promotion by ending his life. But they failed to realize that their ingenuous plan to elevate their “lord” was going to end up offending the LORD Most High. They were out to eliminate Daniel at all costs and their efforts would prove costly. It should not be overlooked that their recommended punishment for violation of the edict involved death by the “king” of beasts.

“…whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.” – Daniel 6:7 ESV

Darius the “lord” liked what he heard and willingly signed the document they had pre-prepared. Unknowingly, Darius had sealed Daniel’s fate and set in motion a chain of events that would prove who was “Lord” of all.

As the 119 satraps expected, Daniel chose to violate the king’s edict. He would not cease praying to his God and was caught in the act by his enemies. They took the matter to the king and the news of Daniel’s actions left the “lord” in a conundrum. What was he to do? He thought highly of Daniel but he also had a reputation to maintain. After all, he was “lord” over all the kingdom of Babylon and he expected his citizens to treat him with the respect and honor he deserved.

But Darius was torn and spent the rest of the day trying to come up with a way to save Daniel’s life. But the “lord” was powerless to overturn his own edict because he was bound by “the law of the Medes and the Persians” (Daniel 6:15 NLT), which meant that he lacked the power to change the law he had decreed. There was nothing Darius could do. The matter was out of his hands and Daniel’s fate was sealed. Or was it?

As the story goes, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den and miraculously survived. His life was spared but not by Darius the “lord.” Another LORD intervened and proved Himself greater than Darius and the law of the Medes and the Persians. This LORD didn’t answer to man-made edicts. As a result, Daniel exited the Daniel’s den unscathed and announced, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty” (Daniel 6:21-22 NLT).

This miraculous event led the joyous king to issue another proclamation.

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,
    and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
    and his rule will never end.
He rescues and saves his people;
    he performs miraculous signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.” – Daniel 6:26-27 NLT

The “lord” had learned an invaluable lesson. He could issue decrees. He could demand that every knee bow and every tongue confess him as “lord” but he was nothing compared to the LORD of Daniel.

Once again, God proved Himself superior to the kings of the world. Whoever Darius was, he was nothing compared to Yahweh. And while Daniel displayed great faith and fearlessness in the face of opposition, the real hero of the story is the LORD Most High, the living God whose kingdom will never be destroyed.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Failure to Measure Up

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31  And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. – Daniel 5:13-31 ESV

Daniel, most likely in his 80s, was summoned to appear before the king. The elderly octogenarian, who had served for decades in the courts of the kings of Babylon, did as commanded and entered the familiar courts of the royal palace. Once inside, he was confronted by a scene of chaos and confusion. The room was filled with thousands of Babylon’s most powerful and influential citizens who appeared strangely agitated. A contingent of the king’s wise men was also present, but these royal counselors seemed to be missing their usual swagger and confidence. The atmosphere was tense as Daniel entered the room and everyone’s eyes followed him closely as he slowly made his way to the king’s dais. Hushed whispers filled the room as the lords and ladies quietly discussed Daniel’s fate. Would he be able to fulfill the king’s request? Was this shuffling old man up to the challenge? Some in the room would have recognized Daniel and been familiar with his reputation. Others, unfamiliar with Daniel’s back story, would have viewed his with skepticism and doubt. At this late stage of life, it’s unlikely that Daniel cut an imposing figure, but he had something going for him that no one else in the room could claim: He had Yahweh’s power and presence on his side.

It seems apparent from the text that Belshazzar did not know or recognize Daniel. The king’s mother had informed him of Daniel’s past exploits under the reign of her father Nebuchadnezzar. So, when Belshazzar saw Daniel, he asked for proof of identity.

“Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar?” – Daniel 5:13 NLT

But before Daniel had time to respond, Belshazzar blurted out the distressing nature of the situation.

“I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it.” – Daniel 5:14-15 NLT

The scenario was familiar to Daniel because he had seen and experienced it before. Decades had passed and the king before whom Daniel stood bore a different name but it all must have felt like déjà vu to this aging Hebrew. New king; same old familiar story.

Once Daniel heard the king’s explanation of the problem and the more-than-generous reward that accompanied its solution, he bluntly responded, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means” ( Daniel 5:17 NLT). His words would have shocked everyone in the room, including the king’s wise men. How dare he talk to the king in such a disrespectful manner? Who did he think he was and how stupid could he be to turn down a chance to become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom?

But Daniel wasn’t interested in rewards or royal appointments. He served a higher authority and he made that fact known. He quickly recalled his former relationship with the king’s grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, to whom “the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor” ( Daniel 5:18 NLT). This simple declaration was intended to let everyone in the room know that Daniel’s God was the one true God, and He was the source behind Nebuchadnezzar’s success. 

Daniel could read a room as well as he could read the handwriting on the wall. He knew exactly what was going on and understood the message that Yahweh had sent to Belshazzar. Some things never change, and this much younger king suffered from the same age-old problem of pride as his grandfather. But Daniel knew that Belshazzar had complicated his pride problem by choosing to flaunt his power in the face of Yahweh.

Before revealing his hand to the king, Daniel recounted the painful lesson that Nebuchadnezzar had to learn.

“He [God] made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.” – Daniel 5:19-20 NLT

Daniel wasn’t telling Belshazzar anything he didn’t already know. The young king would have been familiar with the stories of his grandfather’s power and glory. He would also known about the seven-year period of insanity Nebuchadnezzar endured. But Belshazzar’s recent behavior demonstrates that he was less than familiar with the role Yahweh played in his grandfather’s rise and fall. This news would have come as a surprise and, to ensure that Belshazzar connected all the dots, Daniel added that Nebuchadnezzar “was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them” (Daniel 5:21 NLT).

This last line was meant to drive home a point. Daniel wanted Belshazzar to understand the gravity of his situation. He had been given a message from the same God who had stricken his grandfather with a long-term case of insanity. Daniel even claims that Belshazzar knew of God’s involvement in Nebuchadnezzar’s fall, but refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he treated Yahweh with contempt by desecrating the sacred cups dedicated for use in Yahweh’s house. He had profaned what was holy. He had taken what belonged to God and used it for his own selfish desires. He and his drunken guests had quenched their thirsts at the expense of God’s glory. To make matters worse, they used those same cups to honor their false gods.

“You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!” – Daniel 5:23 NLT

Belshazzar didn’t need to read the handwriting on the wall to understand what had taken place or the motivation behind it. He recognized pride and arrogance when he saw it but he was also able to see the depth of the message contained in the simple hand-scrawled message: “Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin” (Daniel 5:25 ESV). These words were written in Aramaic, the lingua franca of the Babylonian government. Everyone in the room could read them but no one could decipher their meaning. Each word is a term referring to weights and measures. Mene (mᵊnē') was used to refer to a weight of measurement (50-60 shekels) and to convey the act of numbering or measuring something. It carries the idea of balancing scale. Tekel (tᵊqal) refers to the act of being measured. Parsin (pᵊras) comes from a word that means “to divine” or “to break in two.” It was often used to refer to a half-shekel. These words, joined together in an awkward, incomplete sentence made no sense to anyone in the room, except Daniel. 

The words literally read “Weighed, weighed, measured, and broken.” Yet only Daniel was able to assess their true meaning, which he quickly revealed.

“Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” – Daniel 5:26-28 NLT

As Belshazzar seems to have feared, this was not good news. God was letting the king know that his days were numbered and the glory days of the Babylonian empire were quickly coming to an end. But Belshazzar had no idea just how quickly this message was going to be fulfilled. God had seen enough. He had used the Babylonians to accomplish His judgment against the people of Judah but now He was ready to punish them for the very role they played. This may come across as unfair or malicious on God’s part, but He had never forced Nebuchadnezzar to invade Judah. God simply used the king’s natural desire for global domination to accomplish His own sovereign will for Judah’s subjugation.

It’s fascinating to consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah.

“Flee from Babylon! Save yourselves!
    Don’t get trapped in her punishment!
It is the Lord’s time for vengeance;
    he will repay her in full.
Babylon has been a gold cup in the Lord’s hands,
    a cup that made the whole earth drunk.
The nations drank Babylon’s wine,
    and it drove them all mad.
But suddenly Babylon, too, has fallen.” – Jeremiah 51:6-8 NLT

That day had come and Belshazzar would be the last king to rule over the Babylonian empire. In fact, he had less than 24 hours to live. After fulfilling his promise to reward Daniel for interpreting the message, Belshazzar was killed that very night. The Persians and Medes conquered Babylon in October 539 B.C., ending Belshazzar’s life and ushering in the era of Medo-Persian dominance.

Daniel walked out of the room dressed in a royal robe, draped in gold chains, and possessing unprecedented power and influence that must have left the king’s wise men in a fit of rage and jealousy. This elderly, unassuming servant of Yahweh was elevated to a place of honor within the Babylonian government, while the pride-filled king was dethroned and deprived of life. This stark contrast reflects the timeless truth found in the pages of the Scriptures.

Pride ends in humiliation,
    while humility brings honor. – Proverbs 29:23 NLT

The Lord mocks the mockers
    but is gracious to the humble. – Proverbs 3:34 NLT

“…those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:12 NLT

God opposes the proud
    but gives grace to the humble. – 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

The Handwriting on the Wall

1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.

2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.

10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.” – Daniel 5:1-12 ESV

Once again, the narrative jumps ahead, shifting the focus from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar, the last king to reign over the Babylonian empire. Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter, Nitocris, married Nabonidus, to whom she bore Belshazzar. When Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C., he was succeeded by Amel-Marduk. Over a period of nine years, a succession of family members would rule the nation, including Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, and Nabonidus. When Nabonidus was exiled in 550 B.C., he appointed his eldest son, Belshazzar, as his co-regent. This places the events of chapter five nearly 66 years after Daniel and his friends arrived in Babylon and some 36 years after the events in chapter four.

Chronologically, the story recorded in chapter five takes place after the events found in chapters seven and eight. The author’s decision to rearrange the order was meant to connect Belshazzar’s vision with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Both stories deal with the topic of pride and feature Daniel’s God-given capacity to interpret dreams and visions (Daniel 1:17). Daniel was likely in his 80s when this story takes place and had been in exile and service to the Babylonian crown for decades.

As the story opens, Belshazzar is hosting a sumptuous feast for 1,000 of his lords. Little did he know that his reign and the dominance of the Babylonian kingdom were about to come to an end. His father, Nabonidus, had already been captured in battle with the Medo-Persians and sent into exile. His departure left Belshazzar in charge of the kingdom and tasked with protecting the capital city from the Medo-Persian army that camped outside its walls.

But instead of making battle plans, the king throws a lavish party for his cronies. As the wine flowed and the tongues loosened, Belshazzar commanded that his stewards retrieve the gold and silver cups that had been plundered from the Temple in Jerusalem when his grandfather had captured the city decades earlier. Facing possible defeat at the hands of the Medo-Persians, Belshazzar decided to relive the glory days of his grandfather and impress his guests with looted treasure from a bygone era. During his short reign, he had done little to expand the borders of his kingdom. He had few exploits to celebrate and no stories of global expansion with which to impress his guests. So, he brought out the symbols of his grandfather’s glory days and drank heartily before his friends and family members.

The author provides a not-so-subtle hint of things to come when he writes, “While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (Daniel 5:4 NLT). The Hebrew audience for which this book was intended would have recognized the warning sign in this statement. Belshazzar and his fellow partiers were using sacred vessels consecrated for use in the worship of Yahweh to celebrate the false gods of Babylon. This pride-filled decision would not turn out well and the text conveys the immediacy of the outcome.

Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him. – Daniel 5:5-6 NLT

Belshazzar’s actions were likely meant to instill a sense of national pride among his key leaders. The nation was on the brink of annihilation and in desperate need of encouragement. But his decision to boast in his own might at the expense of God was a poor one. The vision of a disembodied hand scrawling a message on the wall of his palace left Belshazzar and his guests shaken to the core. The entire entourage sobered up immediately.

In a scene reminiscent of chapters two and four, Belshazzar sent for his enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. These “wise men” were gathered up and brought before the king, who demanded that they use their supernatural powers to ascertain the meaning of the vision.

“Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!” – Daniel 5:7 NLT

Belshazzar was willing to richly reward anyone who could provide an explanation for what he had just witnessed. While the floating hand had disappeared, the message it scrawled was still there for all to see. But the handwriting was in a language no one could decipher. The king’s occult experts were left scratching their heads and unable to interpret what the words said, let alone what they meant. This left the king in an increasing state of unrest and fear. The party was over and the drunken guests could only watch with increasing fear as the king became increasingly more agitated.

At this point, an unlikely and unexpected individual came to the rescue: The king’s own mother, Nitocris. She recalled a scene from the past and informed Belshazzar of a man named Daniel who had come to the aid of her father during a similar situation.

“There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon.” – Daniel 5:11 NLT

Due to his advanced age, it seems likely that Daniel’s work schedule had greatly diminished. Despite his position as chief of all the wise men, Daniel had not been summoned to the palace. But the queen noted Daniel’s reputation for solving difficult mysteries.

“This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems.” – Daniel 5:12 NLT

She purposefully shares Daniel’s Babylonian name, which is remarkably similar to that of her son. Belshazzar means “Baal protect the king” or “Prince of Bel.” Belteshazzar appears to be the feminine version of that same name and could be translated as “Lady protect the king.” But the similarities between their names would not have escaped Belshazzar. Desperate to have someone translate the words on the wall and provide their meaning, Belshazzar sent for Belteshazzar.

Once again, through a series of strange and unexpected events, God worked behind the scenes to communicate His will to a pagan, pride-filled king. Years had passed and a new king sat on the throne of Babylon, but he too would find himself little more than a pawn on the chessboard of God Almighty. This still-wet-behind-the-ears potentate had a lot to learn about sovereignty and power. He could drink from the Lord’s cups and gloat over his vast power and superiority, but his fate rested in the hands of Yahweh. Daniel, who was nearing the end of his life, was still a capable vessel in the hands of the Almighty. He was going to be used one more time to serve his God by proclaiming a divine message of judgment upon the arrogant ruler of a pagan kingdom.

God was not done with Daniel, and He was far from done with the nation of Babylon. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God had already predicted the demise of the once-mighty Babylonian empire.

“I will stir up a destroyer against Babylon
    and the people of Babylonia.
Foreigners will come and winnow her,
    blowing her away as chaff.
They will come from every side
    to rise against her in her day of trouble.
Don’t let the archers put on their armor
    or draw their bows.
Don’t spare even her best soldiers!
    Let her army be completely destroyed.
They will fall dead in the land of the Babylonians,
    slashed to death in her streets.
For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    has not abandoned Israel and Judah.
He is still their God,
    even though their land was filled with sin
    against the Holy One of Israel.” – Jeremiah 51:1-5 NLT

Belshazzar had been greatly disturbed by the handwriting on the wall, but he had no idea just how bad his day was about to get. Things were going to go from bad to worse. His little stunt of drinking wine from the vessels of God was going to cost him dearly. In an effort to glorify himself, Belshazzar had mocked God and now he would pay the price.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

A Simple Lesson Hard Learned

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason 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 endures from generation to generation;
35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
    and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
    and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
    or say to him, “What have you done?”

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” – Daniel 4:34-37 ESV

No details are provided regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s seven-year stint of psychological suffering. The text simply states that he “was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven” (Daniel 4:33 NLT). To put it bluntly, Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind, he went crazy. One minute, he stood on his palace rooftop surveying his vast domain and proclaiming his only glory, then, without warning, he was relegated to living like a wild animal. According to his own recollection, “He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws” (Daniel 4:33 NLT).

Seven years passed before Nebuchadnezzar “came to his senses” and recognized the error of his ways. For some unexplained reason, this beast of a man looked up to heaven and his reason returned. After seven years of living more like an animal than a man, he suddenly snapped out of it. But Nebuchadnezzar realized that his sudden mental restoration had not resulted from good fortune; it had been the work of God – the God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He confesses, “My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever” (Daniel 4:34 NLT). His mind fully restored, the king articulated the insights about God he had gained from his experience.

“His rule is everlasting,
    and his kingdom is eternal.
All the people of the earth
    are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
    among the angels of heaven
    and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
    ‘What do you mean by doing these things?” – Daniel 4:34-35 NLT

But what would cause the pagan king of one of the most powerful nations on earth to sing the praises of the God of Israel – the nation he had defeated and whose people he had taken captive? Why would this man praise, glorify, and honor Yahweh as the King of Heaven? The answer is simple. God had humbled him. Nebuchadnezzar had learned the power and prominence of God the hard way. Seven years earlier, God had given Nebuchadnezzar a dream in which He had predicted the king’s not-too-distant and far-from-pleasant future.

It took Daniel to interpret the dream, but the meaning was clear. Because of Nebuchadnezzar's pride, God would have to humble him. Nebuchadnezzar refused to acknowledge that God was responsible for putting him on his throne. He couldn’t bring himself to consider or acknowledge subordination to anyone else, including God. After having conquered virtually every nation in the region, he became drunk on his own success. He had a powerful army, lived in a beautiful palace, and enjoyed a life of ease and prosperity. He had power, possessions, and a massive pride problem.

Nebuchadnezzar had overlooked one important factor; it was God who had given him his throne and the ability to conquer all the surrounding nations. God had raised up Babylon for his own divine purposes and Nebuchadnezzar was simply a tool in the hands of the Almighty. So God took this pride-filled pagan king and humbled him. Daniel advised the king to take the dream seriously and to, "stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper" (Daniel 4:27 NLT). But Nebuchadnezzar refused to listen.

But seven years later, Nebuchadnezzar was a new man. He went from worshiping himself to worshiping God. He went from praising himself to praising God. Through his tragedy, he came to understand God’s rule “is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal” (Daniel 4:34 NLT).

Pride is a powerful force in the hands of the enemy. He uses it to take our eyes off of God. Satan does not require men to worship him; he just wants to make sure that they worship ANYTHING other than God, and the worship of self is the ultimate form of idolatry. When we read our own press clippings and begin to believe our success is self-made, we are in danger. Self-exaltation is ultimately self-destructive. It can be bad for your health because God does not share His glory with anyone.

The Scriptures remind us, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 NIV). The lesson Nebuchadnezzar had to learn was that God is sovereign over everyone and everything. He had to understand that God rules over ALL the kingdoms of Earth, including his own. He had to learn that God was the only true King and had no equals or competitors. He had to come to grips with the fact that God was the consummate conqueror, not him. Nebuchadnezzar had learned the lesson that James simply reiterated: "All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud" (Daniel 4:37 NLT).

The amazing part of the story is Nebuchadnezzar’s admission of God’s greatness was accompanied by his own restoration to power and prominence. During the seven years Nebuchadnezzar suffered from insanity and lived in lonely isolation from the rest of humanity, God preserved his kingdom. No coup took place. Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t de-throned or written off as a lost cause. His kingdom remained intact and as soon as word got out that he had been healed, his advisors and counselors restored him to power and showered him with greater honor than ever. And Nebuchadnezzar recognized that it was all the handiwork of God.

The lessons in this story are profound and echo across the ages. Pride is at the root of all sin and continues to plague humanity at every level. Even as modern-day believers we can begin to believe that any success we enjoy has been self-made. We convince ourselves to believe we are the masters of our souls and the sole arbiters of our fates. Our accomplishments and achievements are the work of our hands. But in this passage, God reminds us that the only thing that separates us from the wild beasts in the field is His divine, sovereign hand. He can lift us up and He can bring us down. He will not tolerate self-worship. He will not put up with self-exaltation. We are to keep our eyes focused on Him alone. May we learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s mistake and acknowledge God’s power and sovereignty so we don’t have to learn it the hard way.

Every man and woman must one day face the reality that God alone reigns. There are no other gods, either large or small. There are no self-made men and women. God rules over all that He has made and determines the fates of men and the futures of kingdoms.

The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster. – Proverbs 16:4 NLT

He also has a strong disdain for those who proudly declare their independence and autonomy.

The Lord detests the proud;
    they will surely be punished. – Proverbs 16:4-5 NLT – Proverbs 16:5 NLT

God also reminds us that He not only despises pride, but He knows how to deal with it.

Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 NLT

And He offers a better option for all those who will recognize their need for Him and acknowledge that submission to His will always results in soul-satisfaction rather than self-satisfaction.

Better to live humbly with the poor
    than to share plunder with the proud. – Proverbs 16:19 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

A Mind of His Own

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. – Daniel 4:10-33 ESV

In the earlier episode, when forced to reveal and interpret the king’s dream, Daniel took the matter to God. He gathered his three friends together and they prayed, asking God to tell them the content of the dream and its meaning, and God obliged. This time, however, there is no indication that Daniel utilized prayer to discern the interpretation of the king's second dream. It appears Daniel knew the meaning of the dream as soon as the king described it, but he hesitated and was  “dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him” (Daniel 4:19 ESV). No explanation is given for Daniel’s disturbed state of mind but when the king sensed his reluctance to speak and encouraged him to reveal what he knew, Daniel replied, “I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you!” (Daniel 4:19 NLT).

Daniel may have been well into his 50s by the time this incident occurred. He would have spent decades in Nebuchadnezzar’s employment, serving as the chief of all the king’s wise men. It’s likely that, during that time, Daniel and the king would have developed a close relationship. Despite their ethnic and religious differences, the two men would have shared a mutual respect and affinity for one another. Daniel’s hesitancy to reveal the dream’s meaning was born out of his care and concern for Nebuchadnezzar, not a fear of repercussions.

Buoyed by the king’s kind words of encouragement, Daniel broke his silence and said, “That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth” (Daniel 4:22 NLT). That part of the dream would have been easy to deliver because it was what Nebuchadnezzar wanted to hear. But it was the second half of the interpretation that had disturbed Daniel and caused him to hesitate. The blissful, happy image of the king’s reign would not end well. The watcher in the dream was a bad omen that signaled an unpleasant and unavoidable end to the king’s fame and fortune.

“Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.” – Daniel 4:24-25 NLT

Daniel had to be the bearer of bad news but he didn’t deliver his message with any sense of joy or vindictiveness. He found no comfort in informing Nebuchadnezzar of his fate. Daniel seems completely aware that Nebuchadnezzar was going to get what he deserved. After all his years in the king’s employment, Daniel knew from personal experience that Nebuchadnezzar had a pride problem. He would have regularly witnessed the king’s growing arrogance and overconfidence in his own self-worth. Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man in the world and he had built an empire that was second to none. But Daniel knew that God was about to send a powerful and irrefutable message to his pride-filled boss.

What’s interesting to note is the focus of God’s judgment. He chooses to mess with Nebuchadnezzar’s mind, not his might. God could have dealt a death blow to the kingdom of Babylon but, instead, he threatens the king with temporary insanity. Babylon posed no problem for God. He was not intimidated by Babylonian supremacy and their reputation as an invincible superpower. As Daniel reveals in his interpretation of the dream, “…the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses” ( Daniel 4:25 NLT). God had chosen to use Babylon as His instrument of judgment against the nation of Judah. He had raised Nebuchadnezzar to power for the sole purpose of fulfilling His promise of divine discipline against His disobedient children.

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.” – Jeremiah 25:8-9 ESV

But Nebuchadnezzar had grown overconfident and self-assured. In his eyes, he was a self-made man who took full credit for his own success and saw no end to his dream of world dominance. But God had other plans. Little did Nebuchadnezzar know that his 15 minutes of fame would one day come to an end. God had given Jeremiah a second part to the divine plan for Babylon’s future.

“Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste. I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them, and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.” – Jeremiah 25:10-14 NLT

But that prophecy was to be fulfilled at a later date. Nebuchadnezzar faced a much more imminent problem – the loss of his mind, not his kingdom. What God had in store for him was going to be personal and painful. His kingdom would remain intact but his sanity would be removed for “seven periods of time” ( Daniel 4:25 NLT). Most scholars believe this is a reference to years. If so, then the king was going to go through a protracted period of unprecedented insanity. He would live like an animal with no recollection of his former status as king and no interaction with other humans. The once great and greatly feared king of Babylon would become a madman, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it from happening.

There is no indication that Nebuchadnezzar could forestall the inevitable. He had no power to prevent God Most High from fulfilling His edict. Daniel will plead with the king to change his ways, but even he does not seem confident that it will do any good.

“King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.” – Daniel 4:27 NLT

God knew Nebuchadnezzar’s heart better than Daniel did. He knew the king would never bow the knee or renounce his pride and arrogance. Even the threat of losing his most precious possession, his mind, would not be enough to cause Nebuchadnezzar to repent.

But there was good news. While God would destroy Nebuchadnezzar’s mind, it would only be for a season. In time, God would relent and restore the king’s sanity. But it would only happen when the king had learned his lesson. God had Daniel inform Nebuchadnezzar of the meaning behind the stump in his dream.

“…the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.” – Daniel 4:26 NLT

Nebuchadnezzar’s mind would be bound by God until he was willing to admit the reality of God’s sovereignty. There was only one King and He alone rules and reigns over all the kingdoms of Earth. And despite Daniel’s desperate pleas for Nebuchadnezzar to repent, the king will continue in his stubborn, pride-filled ways.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

If a Tree Falls In the Forest…

10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” – Daniel 4:10-18 ESV

On this occasion, Nebuchadnezzar shares the content of his dream with Daniel. When Nebuchadnezzar experienced his first disturbing dream, Daniel was forced to reveal its content and meaning (Daniel 2). This dream, like the first, left the king disturbed, frightened, and anxious to know what the imagery symbolized. But in recounting the details of the dream to Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar appears to have already reached his own conclusion about its meaning.

It didn’t take a soothsayer or fortune-teller to inform Nebuchadnezzar that the dream was about him. He seems to have already surmised that the tree featured in his vision was somehow meant to represent him and his kingdom. It would have been difficult to miss the symbolism and its less-than-encouraging message. The dream starts out well, as a large, healthy tree suddenly appears in the middle of the earth. This fully grown tree then began to grow ever larger, “reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see” (Daniel 4:11 NLT). So far, so good.

At this point in the dream, Nebuchadnezzar must have viewed the lush, healthy tree as an apt symbol of his own ever-expanding kingdom. After all, the tree was fruitful and beneficial to all those around it.

“It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.” – Daniel 4:14 NLT

Nebuchadnezzar would have enjoyed this part of the dream, viewing the imagery as justification and validation for his quest for global domination. He was doing the world a favor. The expansion of his kingdom had been a good thing, delivering peace and prosperity to the nations of the world. At least, that’s the way he would have seen it. But his dream doesn’t reflect the real outcome of his campaign to become the world’s reigning superpower: death, devastation, and destruction.

Nebuchadnezzar had long ago convinced himself that his conquests had been the right thing to do. After all, he had benefited greatly from his invasion of foreign lands and the subjugation of innocent people. His kingdom flourished and its melting pot of citizens lived in relative peace and harmony. The early portion of the dream seems to have confirmed the king’s sanitized view of his quest for global ascendency.

Then the dream takes a dark turn with the appearance of a “watcher.” This Aramaic term refers to one who stays awake to keep watch. Every kingdom had men who served as watchmen on the walls and played an important role as an early warning defense system, protecting the nation from threats. But in his dream, Nebuchadnezzar recognized this watcher as “a holy one, coming down from heaven” (Daniel 4:13 NLT). This was some kind of divine being who delivered a very disturbing message, transforming the king’s dream into a nightmare.

“Cut down the tree and lop off its branches!
    Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit!” – Daniel 4:14 NLT

This would have been when the king’s heart rate increased and his blood pressure spiked. The message was not what he wanted or expected to hear. This was some kind of divine decree, ordering the tree's immediate destruction. Nothing about this message could be viewed as encouraging or uplifting. No amount of spin could make it sound beneficial or positive. Nebuchadnezzar knew full well that this message did not bode well for him or his kingdom. What made his dream so frightening was its rather obvious meaning. Nebuchadnezzar wasn't looking for Daniel to provide an interpretation as much as clarification. He knew something was coming but he had no way of knowing what to expect. That is what frightened him most.

As Nebuchadnezzar continued to relay the specifics of the dream, he noted that the watcher gave further instructions to an invisible and unidentifiable audience. These unseen agents of destruction were ordered to chase away all the birds and animals and then cut down the tree, leaving only a stump. The entire scene was to be transformed from one of peace and tranquility to one of chaos and destruction. Then the limbless, fruitless stump was to be “bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass” (Daniel 4:15 NLT).

That’s when the watcher’s message takes a sudden and disturbing twist. He shifts from talking about a defoliated tree and begins referring to an unidentified man.

“Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
    and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field.
For seven periods of time,
    let him have the mind of a wild animal
    instead of the mind of a human.” – Daniel 4:15-16 NLT

This obviously caught the king’s attention. He no longer had to doubt whether the tree represented him or his kingdom; it was now perfectly and painfully clear. But what did it mean? What was the watcher describing and how would it turn out?

The dream ends without a clear resolution. The watcher simply states that the dream is of a heavenly origin and has a divine purpose: “that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17 ESV). That part the king understood. But what did the rest of the dream mean? He must have assumed he was the man in the dream, but he had no idea what the watcher’s words meant. That’s where Daniel was to come in, so the king concluded his recounting of his dream with a desperate plea to his trusted counselor.

“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’” – Daniel 4:18 NLT

The stage was set and the expectations were high. Once again, Daniel found himself in the unenviable position of having to deliver not-so-good news to the most powerful man in the world. But Daniel would step up to the challenge and provide the message God had for the prideful and fear-filled king.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

The Self-Delusions of a Self-Made Man

1 “King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

3 How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.” – Daniel 4:1-9 ESV

The content of this chapter appears to cover events that happened much later in Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, perhaps near its end. Some scholars propose that a significant gap exists between the close of chapter three and the opening of chapter four. If correct, Daniel would be a much older man and Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom would have had time to reach the height of its glory. Babylon would have become a formidable world power with its opulent capital city reflecting Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams of unbridled success and significance.

The chapter opens with what appears to be a written testimony from the king himself. He begins by praising the greatness of 'ĕlâʿillay – the God most high. This is clearly a reference to the God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar was not declaring his allegiance to the Hebrew God but was simply acknowledging Yahweh’s supremacy over all other gods. The king had ample evidence to reach this conclusion, having witnessed the miraculous salvation of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace. He also experienced Yahweh’s power when Daniel interpreted his dream, something none of his magicians, sorcerers, or astrologers could do. Nebuchadnezzar was impressed with the God of the Hebrews and had promoted Him to a premier position among all the gods of the Babylonians.

Nebuchadnezzar was an equal opportunity idolater, choosing to include the gods of the nations he had conquered. Since Yahweh had proved Himself powerful and useful, Nebuchadnezzar was willing to promote His worship. He had even issued an official decree that made it illegal to denigrate or disparage the God of the Hebrews.

“If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” – Daniel 3:29 NLT

Even years later, as the king reflected on his power and prominence, he was willing to give Yahweh some of the credit. Verses 1-3 are intended to set up what Nebuchadnezzar is about to relate. In the verses that follow, the king recalls yet another incident involving a dream, Daniel, and Yahweh. Decades have passed and the prophecy contained in the first dream has not yet been fulfilled. His kingdom remains intact and his power has not diminished. He even begins his testimony with the pride-filled statement, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity” (Daniel 4:4 NLT).

He was enjoying all the perks and benefits that accompanied the crown. He was rich, revered, and greatly feared. He ruled over a kingdom that had conquered much of the known world. But Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t control his unconscious thoughts. As he lay on his richly appointed bed, his mind was filled with nightmares that left him agitated and confused. Unable to sleep and anxious to know the meaning of the dream, Nebuchadnezzar sent for his wise men, a distinguished group of trusted advisors that included “magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers” (Daniel 4:7 NLT). But as before, these self-proclaimed prophets men proved powerless to help the king.

“I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.” – Daniel 4:7 NLT

This time, Nebuchadnezzar took it easy on them. He didn’t require them to use their powers to determine what he dreamed, he simply asked them to explain its meaning. But they were clueless.

Then Daniel showed up. The text doesn’t explain Daniel’s late arrival but according to chapter two, he was the highest-ranking wise man in the kingdom.

…the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. – Daniel 2:48 NLT

Perhaps Daniel had been occupied with matters of state. But whatever the case, his timing could not have been better. He arrived just in time to hear the king’s dream and provide its interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar recounts Daniel’s entrance into the royal court by using his Hebrew and Babylonian names. It is unclear what Belteshazzar means but the king states that it has ties to one of his gods. He also adds the note that Daniel was filled with “the spirit of the holy gods” (Daniel 4:8 ESV). It seems unlikely that Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan polytheist, would have been referring to the Holy Spirit. He was simply acknowledging that Daniel possessed supernatural powers of a divine origin.

Desperate to know what his dream meant, Nebuchadnezzar begged Daniel to use his powers to solve the mystery.

“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.” – Daniel 4:9 NLT

While Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t mention Yahweh by name, he knows that Daniel is a devout follower of the God of the Hebrews. Throughout this chapter, Yahweh’s superiority will be proclaimed. Even in the opening verses, Nebuchadnezzar declares His greatness.

“How great are his signs,
    how powerful his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,
    his rule through all generations.” – Daniel 4:3 NLT

But as the chapter unfolds, Yahweh’s supremacy will be repeatedly stated.

“…the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” – Daniel 4:17 ESV

“…this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king.” – Daniel 4:24 ESV

“…the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” – Daniel 4:25 ESV

“…the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” – Daniel 4:32 ESV

“I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    and his kingdom endures from generation to generation…” – Daniel 4:34 ESV

“…he does according to his will among the host of heaven
    and among the inhabitants of the earth…” – Daniel 4:35 ESV

“I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” – Daniel 4:37 ESV

This entire chapter is intended to provide a stark contrast between the powers of this world and the sovereign majesty and might of God Almighty. Nebuchadnezzar is meant to represent human authority in all its prideful arrogance. He is the consummate self-made man who dares to shake his fist in the face of God and declare his autonomy and independent authority. Surrounded by all the trappings of his own success, he dares to see himself as a deity in his own mind. But his dream mocks and rocks his confidence.

Nebuchadnezzar had conquered the world, but he couldn’t win the battle going on inside his head. Things were happening that he could not control or explain. There was a dimension to the world he could not see and over which he was powerless. Despite his posse of prophetic posers, he could not see the future. Regardless of his power, he had no way of controlling his fate. But the King of Heaven was not only aware of Nebuchadnezzar’s future, but He was in control of it.

Nebuchadnezzar was going to learn a powerful and painful lesson about God’s sovereignty and man’s inadequacy. His might was minimal when compared to that of God. His rule was impermanent when compared to that of God. His autonomy was non-existent when compared with the providential power of God Most High.

…all the nations of the world
    are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
    than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
    as though it were a grain of sand. – Isaiah 40:17 NLT

God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing. – Isaiah 40:22-23 NLT

The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
    he guides it wherever he pleases. – Proverbs 21:1 NLT

Nebuchadnezzar was surrounded by wealth, power, prestige, and a team of worldly wisemen who offered to provide him with insights into the future. But all the pomp and prophetic promises of this world are no match for God Most High.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Pride Comes Before the Fall

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. – Daniel 3:1-7 ESV

It is impossible to know when the events of this chapter took place. The author’s inclusion of them immediately after the events of chapter two leaves the impression that they happened in quick succession. However, some biblical scholars believe Nebuchadnezzar’s construction of the golden image occurred years later. There is speculation that the statue was erected in the later part of 595 B.C. to celebrate a failed coup attempt. Others have suggested that the statue was erected in 585 B.C. to commemorate the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. But whatever the timing or the occasion, the golden image was intended to symbolize Babylonian supremacy over all the other nations of the earth. This image was a PR stunt designed to rally public opinion in the king’s favor and elevate his status as the king of all kings.

Whether Nebuchadnezzar ordered the image to be built immediately after hearing the interpretation of his dream or did so later in his reign, his motive seems clear. The term “image” is translated from the Aramaic word tselem and refers to an idolatrous figure. It is found nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible except chapter 3 of Daniel. The Hebrew equivalent is ṣelem, which is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to idols. The text does not provide a description of the image but the reader is led to believe that it was a physical representation of the “great image” (Daniel 2:31) Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. Despite the disturbing nature of that dream and the less-than-optimistic meaning Daniel assigned to it, the king found ample inspiration to order the statue’s construction. His primary takeaway from the interpretation appears to have been Daniel’s opening words

“You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.” – Daniel 2:37-38 ESV

He enjoyed hearing himself described as “the king of kings.” Discovering that Daniel’s God had given him power, might, and glory, Nebuchadnezzar’s overactive ego became more inflated than ever. But he was not satisfied with being “the head of gold.” He wanted more. While the dream portrayed an image comprised of different metals mixed with clay, Nebuchadnezzar commissioned a statue made of pure gold. When completed, it towered over the plain of Dura standing at a staggering height of nearly 100 feet. It only seems logical to assume that this statue bore the image of Nebuchadnezzar himself. This wasn’t an idol meant to represent Marduk, the primary god of the Babylonians; it was a tribute to one man’s obsession with his own self-importance.

There is little doubt that Nebuchadnezzar suffered from an overinflated ego and an overactive sense of self-worth. In the very next chapter, he will have yet another dream that symbolizes his struggle with pride and arrogance. Despite repeated warnings from God about his unjustified sense of self-importance, Nebuchadnezzar will stand on the balcony of his palace and proclaim, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30 ESV).

This man had every right to gloat over his own success because he ruled over the most powerful nation on earth. His might was unequalled and his kingdom was unmatched in size, wealth, and dominion. So, having erected this monument to his own success, he assembled all “the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials” (Daniel 3:2 NLT) for its dedication. These men were there in an official capacity to demonstrate their allegiance to the king and to serve as representatives of the people.

As the leaders of the nation gathered in the shadow of this massive statue, a herald declared the king’s edict.

“People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.” – Daniel 3:4-5 NLT

This image was not simply a monument to Nebuchadnezzar’s success and Babylonian supremacy, it was an idol to be worshiped. The king seems to have conveniently forgotten the statement he made when Daniel interpreted his dream.

“Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings.” – Daniel 2:47 ESV

The golden statue towering over the plain of Dura was not a monument to Yahweh’s glory and might; it was a blatant tribute to Nebuchadnezzar’s accomplishments. Whether the image was made in his own likeness is irrelevant because its very presence robbed Yahweh of glory. The king’s command that all his citizens bow down and worship the image he made was an affront to the God of the universe. The same God who had graciously interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was being treated with contempt and displaced by an image made by human hands. Not only that, the worship Nebuchadnezzar demanded was coerced by the threat of death.

“Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” – Daniel 3:6 NLT

As will become clear, the king expected all people, regardless of nationality or religious affiliation, to worship his statue. Due to Nebuchadnezzar’s recent conquests and his penchant for taking captives, the population of Babylon would have been a diverse mixture of disparate people groups with their own deities and religious expressions. But they were each expected to show their unadulterated allegiance to the king and his kingdom by bowing down to his statue. This included Daniel and his companions. Despite Nebuchadnezzar’s glowing tribute to their God and their unexpected promotions, they would not escape the king’s edict and its penalty.

Nebuchadnezzar was not outlawing the worship of other gods; he was simply demanding the unwavering allegiance of his subjects – upon penalty of death. Everyone was free to worship their own gods, but they were also required to demonstrate the primacy of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian state. Their allegiance was not optional. Their submission was not a matter of choice. It was a do-or-die proposition that left the people with little choice but to comply and, according to verse seven, “all the people…bowed to the ground and worshiped.”

Or did they? As the chapter unfolds, it will become clear that there were a few conscientious objectors. Not everyone was willing to obey the king’s edict and bow the knee to his statue. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will refuse to comply and, as a result, suffer the consequences of their civil disobedience. These three Hebrew friends will stand their ground, refusing to compromise their convictions and welcoming the opportunity to trust in the faithfulness of their God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

The Futility of Fighting God’s Will

18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” 23 But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?” 27 And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore.

29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. 30 Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men. 32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. – 2 Samuel 2:18-32 ESV

As this chapter closes, we are given a glimpse into what will become a long-standing issue for the nation of Israel. With Saul’s death, each tribe was left to fend for itself and determine its own fate. Abner, Saul’s former military commander and fellow Benjaminite, took it upon himself to crown Saul’s youngest son Ish-bosheth as the king of “all Israel” (2 Samuel 2:9). David had already been appointed king by his own tribe, the tribe of Judah, but Abner refused to give his endorsement and support.

Suddenly, the nation was divided into factions and their differences quickly escalated. Forces led by Abner and consisting primarily of his own kinsmen did battle with David and the people of Judah. Abner and his men were routed and pursued by the Benjaminites. Asahel, who happened to be “as swift of foot as a wild gazelle”, took it upon himself to catch Abner. Everyone, including Ashahel, knew that Abner was the driving force behind the battle. Ish-bosheth, the newly crowned king of Israel, is not even mentioned as being at the battle. But while Asahel’s zeal and fleet-footedness allowed him to catch the slower Abner, the encounter didn’t end as he had hoped. The battle-hardened and more experienced Abner thrust the butt of his spear through Asahel’s stomach with such force that it came out the other side, resulting in the young man’s death. When Joab and Abishai the body of Asahal, they took up the pursuit of Abner to avenge their brother’s death.

But the whole affair ended in an awkward truce. As the two parties faced off once again, with Abner and the Benjaminites on one side and the forces of Judah on the other, Abner called out, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?” (2 Samuel 2:26 NLT).

The battle had not been going Abner’s way; he had already lost more than 300 men, while David’s troops had lost only 20. He could see that things were not going his way, so he appealed to Joab to accept a cease-fire. “So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore” (2 Samuel 2:28 ESV).

The battle ended, but the hostilities between the northern and southern tribes of Israel were far from over. In fact, the 12 tribes of Israel would experience ongoing hostilities for generations to come. It’s interesting to recall the blessings that Jacob gave each of his 12 sons, the very men from whom the 12 tribes of Israel descended. In particular, Jacob said of Benjamin:

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
    devouring his enemies in the morning
    and dividing his plunder in the evening.” – Genesis 49:27 NLT

And here were Abner and the men of Benjamin, attempting to devour David and the men of Judah, refusing to accept David as their king.

Of Judah, Jacob said:

“Judah, your brothers will praise you.
    You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
    All your relatives will bow before you.
Judah, my son, is a young lion
    that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
    like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
    the one whom all nations will honor.” – Genesis 49:8-10 NLT

“All your relatives will bow before you.” Well, that’s not exactly how things turned out at this point in the story. Abner and the Benjaminites were having a difficult time giving up what they believed to be their right to be the ruling tribe. King Saul had been one of theirs and it only made sense to them that one of his sons should be the next king. But the only problem was that Ish-bosheth was not God’s choice.

Jacob, under divine inspiration, had clearly communicated that all the tribes would bow down to Judah. But that fact was unacceptable to Abner and his fellow Benjaminites. They had what they believed to be a better plan. But their agenda was driven by selfishness and self-centeredness. Abner enjoyed the power and prominence that came with his role as the commander of the king’s armies, and he knew there was little chance that David would retain his services. He could care less for Ish-bosheth. He was simply using Saul’s son as a means to maintain his own power and prestige. Abner was accustomed to being a man of influence and importance and the thought of having that taken away from him was unacceptable.

Upon closer examination, Abner and the men of Benjamin were not doing battle with David and the forces of Judah; they were fighting God. They were opposing God’s will and attempting to use force to achieve their own preferred agenda.

But the actions of Abner and his fellow Benjaminites should not surprise us. Each of us can end up doing battle with God when we find His will for our lives to be less than enjoyable and in opposition to our desires. Far too often, we make the fateful decision to reject God’s will because we find it distasteful and unacceptable, and rationalize a way to replace it with a plan of our own. Even if it results in conflict with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we stubbornly stick to our guns, justifying our actions as right and just. But in the end, our battle is with God and that is a fight we will never win.

Accepting the idea that God’s will is always best is difficult; especially when it stands in conflict with the plans we have made for our life. Abner couldn’t imagine a kingdom without him in its leadership. The thought of losing his prestigious position was unacceptable and he was willing to oppose anybody, including God, to preserve the status quo. Abner couldn’t accept the idea that he would not be a part of this phase of God’s plan.

Self-importance and an inflated sense of self-worth can cause any of us to react to God’s will in self-destructive ways. Rather than accept David as king, Abner was willing to risk it all for one last chance at glory. His actions left 381 men dead and a nation divided. Demanding his way and asserting his will resulted in unnecessary destruction. Abner preserved his life, but his stubborn refusal to accept God’s will produced pain, suffering, division, jealousy, and broken relationships.

In Galatians 5, Paul writes, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear” (Galatians 5:19 NLT). Then he includes the following:

…hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division… – Galatians 5:20 NLT

Divisiveness is destructive because it is a byproduct of our sinful nature that causes us to place our own priorities over the needs of others. Unity is essential for God’s people. It was God’s desire to unite the 12 tribes under a single banner and led by one man. Even today, God desires the unity of His people. On the night that He was betrayed by His own people, Jesus prayed the following prayer for His followers.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” – John 17:20-21 NLT

Unity requires humility. Self-importance and pride are antithetical to God’s will for His people. Living for God requires dying to self. To experience His blessing both personally and corporately we must submit to His will, whether we like it or not and whether He chooses to use us or not. Abner had a choice to make and he opted to prioritize his will over that of God’s; a decision that would have long-lasting implications. As the following chapter states, “There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker” (2 Samuel 3:1 ESV). Abner could choose to oppose God’s will but he would never prevent it from happening.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Folly of Foolishness

9 When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 12 So David’s young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13 And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.” – 1 Samuel 25:9-17  ESV

We discover in these verses that Nabal was a man who lived up to his unfortunate name: “Fool.” In fact, he demonstrates all the classic characteristics of a biblical fool.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice. – Proverbs 12:15 ESV

The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge,
    but fools broadcast their foolishness. – Proverbs 12:23 NLT

Short-tempered people do foolish things… – Proverbs 14:17 NLT

Nabal was arrogant, full of himself, quick-tempered, resistant to counsel, and ignorant of the consequences of his behavior. He treated a mighty warrior like David as if he were a nobody, showing him no honor or respect. He looked down his nose at him, foolishly saying, “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters. Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?” (1 Samuel 25:10-11 NLT).

Nabal knew exactly who David was. Even the Philistines had heard about David’s reputation as a mighty warrior. But knowing that David was a man on the run, Nabal made the very foolish decision to treat David with disrespect and disdain. This arrogant and self-obsessed man had no fear of David the giant killer.

One of Nabal’s shepherds who had witnessed what his foolish master had done, ran and told Abigail, Nabal’s wife. Even his words reveal the depth of Nabal’s problem: “he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him” (1 Samuel 25:17 ESV). Nabal’s foolishness ran so deep that he was unable to recognize the folly and danger of his own actions. He even resisted the wise counsel of those around him. Had he listened, he might have saved himself a multitude of grief.

What would have possessed Nabal to act so foolishly and risk the wrath of someone as powerful as David? We have to remember that, according to the Bible, foolishness is not a mental or psychological problem, it is a spiritual one. At the heart of Nabal’s folly was a lack of respect for and fear of God. He had placed himself at the center of his own universe, making himself his own god and the arbiter of his own fate. Ultimately, foolishness is the lack of wisdom. Psalm 111 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Psalm 111:19 ESV).

Scripture repeatedly warns that a person who denies, ignores, or neglects God lacks wisdom and inevitably displays the characteristics of a fool.

• He acts thoughtlessly: He gives little or no thought to God; refusing to consider the truth about God. His treatment of others is simply a byproduct of his lack of thought regarding God’s holiness and judgment.

• He becomes dull-minded:  When a man fails to consider God, his mind becomes dulled by the things of this world. He begins to lose the ability to see clearly, having his spiritual vision clouded by materialism, success, comfort, and pleasure. not being sharp in his thoughts about God. His mind becomes intoxicated with the things of this world and sluggish toward God.

• He becomes senseless: A man who neglects God finds himself lacking in wisdom and acting contrary to good common sense. Because he is deficient in his thoughts about God, his ability to think clearly and sensibly is greatly diminished. He may be smart and highly successful, but he will be plagued by senseless decision-making and the harmful outcomes it brings.

• He will be without understanding: Because he fails to grasp or comprehend God; he will end up drawing wrong conclusions or making poor decisions. He will wrongly question God’s existence or assume that God is disinterested in his actions. He will make godless decisions because he is essentially living a Godless life – a life in which God is absent and apathetic.

• He will exhibit an ignorance of God: He won’t truly know God. Because he has left God out of his thought processes, he will display behavior that reveals his faulty understanding of God. He won’t fear God’s holiness or won’t worry about God’s judgment. He won’t seek God’s wisdom or see a need for God’s forgiveness.

• He will be unwise: Without God in his life, he will lack wisdom. In fact, regardless of what he tries to do, he will act contrary to wisdom. His behavior will make sense to him, but it will actually result in dangerous and foolish outcomes.

These characteristics, while true of all unbelievers, can also be present and even prevalent in the life of a Christ-follower. Any Christian is capable of exhibiting these same qualities at any time. Doubt of His presence, failure to fear Him, or refusal to treat Him with the honor, respect, and worship He is due are all characteristics of foolish behavior. To leave God out of one’s life is to open the door to foolishness. Foolishness is nothing more than a lack of wisdom and, as the psalmist said, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Nabal was a fool because Nabal was ungodly. If he refused to fear God, why in the world would he fear David? If he was willing to treat God with disrespect, what would prevent him from treating David the same way?

It’s interesting to note that, in the Proverbs, there are five different types of fools mentioned. They seem to run on a continuum, moving from bad to worse. There is the simple fool, the silly fool, the sensual fool, the scornful fool, and the stubborn fool. Each is characterized by a different Hebrew word. The last one, the stubborn fool, is the word, “nâbâl”, which just happens to be the name of the character in this story.

According to the Proverbs, this is the most dangerous type of fool. A stubborn fool (nâbâl) rejects God and His ways. He is self-confident and close-minded. He is his own god, freely gratifying his own sinful nature. His goal in life is to entice others to follow his foolish ways. His actions tend to negatively influence all those around him because a fool doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Foolish behavior can take a toll on a marriage, family, and relationships. It can damage a career or a reputation, destroy a home, end a friendship, and even shorten a life.

By dismissing and disrespecting David, Nabal was making a foolish decision that could have deadly consequences. In fact, David will respond to Nabal’s slight with anger and a determination to seek revenge.

“A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!” – 1 Samuel 25:21-22 NLT

Only the wise words of Abigail will prevent David from making his own foolish mistake. She will intervene and forestall any attempt on David’s part to do something he would later regret. Abigail would give David the same advice that Solomon later recorded in the Proverbs.

Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself. – Proverbs 26:4 ESV 

The Proverbs make it clear that only God can reprove a stubborn fool. Yet, in this story, while David was a man after God’s own heart, he ran the risk of acting foolishly by taking matters into his own hands. He would be tempted to let the foolish actions of Nabal cause him to respond in a godless, foolish way. But wiser heads would prevail, and David would learn a profound and life-altering lesson from this encounter with Nabal; something he would later record in one of his psalms.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

There they are, in great terror,
    where there is no terror!
For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them. – Psalm 53:1-5 ESV

Nabal and Saul had a lot in common, and David had the unfortunate pleasure of having to deal with both of them. But fools would always be a part of David’s life; it comes with the territory. As the future king of Israel, David would experience the unpleasant and unavoidable reality of having to deal with fools and their folly. He would even father his fair share of fools. But for now, David would benefit from the wise counsel of a godly woman whose forethought and quick action averted a disaster and protected the Lord’s anointed.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.