37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour 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.
‘His works are right’ - we may not understand the workings of God’s plans, they way situations unfold or resolve, but that doesn’t mean that God has got it wrong. What it does mean is that we have not seen things the way God does.
It is good for us to remember that we do not see the whole creation view that God does, that we do not have His mind, or the ability to appreciate the time frame He is working with. We only see, and are only really concerned with, the little part we have to play. We do not like it when things do not go how we expect or how want them to go, what we think is the best outcome. It is then that we can question God, question whether He is good, or if He even exists. That is because we lose sight of who He is and who we are. We become overwhelmed with circumstances and begin to mistakenly believe that we, in fact, know best, and are in control. We forget that He is the Most High, He is the King of heaven, He is right.
It does us good to remind ourselves that we are not whom the world revolves around. We are not the most important, nor the know-it-alls that we think we are. We are created creatures of grace. God is looking, He is in control and ‘His works are right’ even when it seems to us the worst.
‘His ways are just’ - This means that God is fair to all, and is morally right. Whatever God is doing, it is just. It may not seem so to us at the time, but it will come to pass that justice will be done. Not according to our standards, but according to His.
There are many historical events that may seem unjust, and horrific, yet this statement tells us that God’s ways are just - so who has had influence at those times? Sometimes we can attribute some of the tragic circumstances to God, forgetting that there is an enemy that is working and moving around us just as God is. Yet, even at those times, you can see and hear stories of hope, of goodness, of the miraculous, of righteousness and justice. One thing to remember is that our time frame and expectations for justice are wildly different to God’s. We see and know in part (1 Corinthians 13), so we cannot rightly judge as we do not see the innermost being, nor the eternal consequences of each action or decision. God can. One day every person will give an account of himself before God - do you trust God to be just then? If you believe in Him and accept Jesus as your saviour, then justice has already been served over your own life. God is so concerned with being just that all our wrongs deserve death as they separate us from our holy God. So Jesus died, cruelly, in agony. It may not seems just to you, right or fait, but don’t you rely on it for your salvation?
‘Those who walk in pride he is able to humble’ - I think that there is a fine line between confidence and pride. Particularly in the society where we are trained from our young years that we can do anything. This builds confidence, but can also build pride, so it is important that we can distinguish between them, as clearly, pride is something to avoid if you do not want to be humiliated.
Confidence is an assurance we have in our capability. Pride is also a confidence in yourself, and having a deep satisfaction in who you are that leads to feeling dignified, arrogant and superior. That is why it is dangerous. Pride results in thoughts of being better than others. Confidence accepts abilities, doesn’t brag about them and is not afraid to give credit where it is due. The confident will admit that things took time, are gifts from God, are taught well by others, that they have limits. Pride displays that everything they can do is because of them, because of how great they are and all that they have done.
Be warned - ‘those who walk in pride he is able to humble’.
That is the worst punishment for someone who is proud, consider Nebuchadnezzar. He once was full of pride, boastful of ‘great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power’. A confident, but pride-filled man until everything was stripped from him; power, majesty, his role, his sanity. Nebuchadnezzar had the attitude that he had all he did because of his character and works; his kingdom, his riches, his authority. Then he was humbled. Once he acknowledged that he can just as easily have; riches or poverty, weakness or strength, reason or insanity and that none of it was according to his will, effort or influence, but all according to the will of God, his reason returned and he honoured God.
Are you in a position where, like Nebuchadnezzar, you are waiting to be humbled? If so, ask God and trust Him to help you out now.
Nebuchadnezzar learnt about God's righteousness, justice and power through different experiences, but predominantly through the last recorded event. It was a journey that took many years, but he eventually had this revelation that there is a Most Hight God with these qualities. Which of these do you need to hold onto today?
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