Daniel 4:36–“More”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

³⁶In that time my understanding returned upon me, and to me my advisors and my nobles called, and upon my kingdom was established, and greatness was exceedingly added to me.

Here we have it, just as Jesus said, “He who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Here we have a classic illustration of the Lord’s words, “God resists the proud; He gives His grace to the humble.” This simple truth is the infinite chasm between the wise man and the fool. The wise man realizes the Most High rules, humbly accepts that truth, and enjoys blessings because of it. The fool is always “right in his own eyes,” “delights in airing his own opinion,” “despises wisdom and instruction,” and will only find that “Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.”

And what did Nebuchadnezzar find? He found that not only does God give grace to the humble, but as Jesus said, “He who humbles himself will be exalted” – not just blessed but exalted. That is particularly what I want to note in the passage before us. Not only did the Lord bless the king and restore his kingdom (as He had said He would), but Nebuchadnezzar says, “and greatness was exceedingly added to me.” The NIV translates it, “and I became even greater than before!” When we come humbly to our Lord, let us remember He is the God of the “full measure pressed down and running over.” He is the God who does “exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think.” He does “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”

Our evil hearts naturally fear to come to God, afraid that somehow in the coming we will lose. Lose?  Jesus says, “Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, …and you shall find rest for your souls.” Note, to the weary, He gives not only the “rest” we desire, but “rest for your souls.” We come to Him seeking simply forgiveness and we find He gave not only that but love and joy and peace as well. And not only peace, but a “peace that passes understanding;” not only joy, but “joy unspeakable. He not only shows us love; we find He is love.

This is the God Nebuchadnezzar met that day—not just the God who restored his kingdom, as He promised, but “even greater than before!”  Oh, may we all see the God who assured Abraham, “I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward”—not just  your reward but your “exceeding great” reward!

I essentially started my life and my marriage claiming His promise, “Delight thyself in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Now here I am almost 38 years later realizing I didn’t even know what were “the desires of my heart!” What I mean is He not only in fact has given me what I thought I desired then – a beautiful wife, three children, friends, family, a career, and so on, but all of that “exceedingly abundantly above all I could have asked or imagined.” He gave me a wife who has done me “good and not evil all the days of my life,” and not only wonderful children but grandchildren too who are an immeasurable joy. He really has poured into my life “a full measure pressed down and running over.”

May we all be ever encouraged to humble ourselves before the Lord not only because He resists the proud, but because we believe He will not only bless us but bless us “immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.” May we let Him give us what Nebuchadnezzar found: “even greater than before!”