Misdirected Glory

Daniel 4

Lessons from Nebuchadnezzar:

Lesson 1: God is in charge and you are not!

“that the Most High rules the kingdom of men” v. 17

Lesson 2: God gives what you cannot earn.

“and gives it to whom he will” v. 17

Lesson 3: God raises up the humble.

“and sets over it the lowliest of men” v. 17

Lesson 4: God can change the hardest of hearts. v. 34

Take Home Idea: God is in control and can soften the hardest of hearts.

“Misdirected Glory” Discussion Questions

Daniel 4

Opening:

How do you feel about being around proud or boastful people?

Look at the Take Home idea. Explain it in your own words.

Dig:

Before we open chapter 4, what do we know about King Nebuchadnezzar?

Read 4:1-3. What is King Nebuchadnezzar doing here? Who is the letter (chapter 4) addressed to? Why is he writing this?

Read 4:4-18. How does the tree seems to fit the king? In size? Appearance? Visibility? Ability to prosper others? What hope is conveyed by letting the stump remain?

How does the king’s being “given the mind of an animal” relate to God’s message in v. 17 about authority? Pride? Power? Humility?

Read 4:19-27. How does Daniel deal with King Nebuchadnezzar?

Read 4:28-37. Why do you think it take 12 months later for the dream to be fulfilled? While Nebuchadnezzar had been astonished by God TWICE (Chapters 2 & 3) and warned by God (4:27), what problem did he still have?

With the king’s sanity restored, what does he conclude about the “Most High”?

Note the three times the same words repeated, v. 17, v. 25, v. 32. Why is this repeated so often?

Reflect:

At this time Babylon was a great nation. Why does such success make change and repentance so difficult?

How does the message that God is in charge change the way we see the world and live in it?

Who will you commit to pray for, that they will receive God’s gift of grace and salvation?

Close by sharing together those names and praying together for those individuals.