Walking On Rooftops

“At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever...And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Daniel 4:34 & 37b

The Book of Daniel hosts two very familiar childhood stories for me, Daniel and the Lions Den and Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the fiery furnace. Another story not as widely known is a very strange story of how God reduced pride to humility. It is a story of King Nebuchadnezzar as he surveyed his kingdom with the ultimate pride, giving himself credit for the royal empire that he built and ruled. He stated that his kingdom was built by his mighty power and for the glory of his majesty. As the words flowed from his lips God removed him from service, banished him to the wild to live as animals did for 7 years, the number that represents completion in the Bible. This verse states that finally our stubborn king “raised his eyes toward heaven” meaning he finally acknowledged that God was sovereign over everything. Raising his eyes toward heaven was the moment when humility overtook pride and grace was restored through surrender.

Living in a world where accomplishments are made through dishonesty, disloyalty and disobedience we too might find ourselves banished to the wild in an effort to humble us. Today’s translation may be losing our financial standing as we flash our money and worth around to others or losing our status in a job as we brag about the authority we possess over others. Everything we have comes from God and we should never “walk around on our rooftops, stating that what we built was by our own power and for the glory of our majesty”…and yet we do. We remind people daily of what we have done for them and we brag to others of our accomplishments through our daily conversations.

When the king finally submitted himself to God it was only after he had suffered many years of defeat, disillusionment and disgrace. Knowing our wonderful God, He had given our King Neb many chances to come around to the acknowledgment and reverence of God’s sovereignty. The Bible states that “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.” (Prov. 3:34)

We all possess pride about something in our lives that will be exposed and removed at a time God determines. Let’s just pray we are not “thrown in the wild” due to our stubbornness but realize what God desires to remove from our lives. He is a loving God and will always work towards growing us into His image.

I would much rather live like royalty in God’s Kingdom than rule over my own lonely kingdom.