God is Able to Humble Those Who Walk in Pride
God, in His gracious providence, afforded me the probable one-time experience of attending the University of Michigan Law School graduation on the day before I wrote this article. Sitting through an arrogant speech from the Dean, I was then subject to a “victim is me” speech from a student, only to be outdone by a self-absorbed narcissistic presentation by a financially successful alumnus. Pride is the natural state of the godless. It is the self-serving spirit of those who refuse to acknowledge the Most High, Creator, and Sovereign Savior of sinners (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Titus 1:4; 2:13).
God gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6); and it is imperative that one walks humbly with the one true and living God (Mic 6:8; Jn 17:3), who is fully revealed in the Person and work of the God-man, Jesus Christ. The whole Bible points us to Him who is eternally God; yet Him who set aside His glory in order to redeem the people God the Father had given to Him before the foundation of the world (Jn 17:2, 6, 9, 24; 18:9; Phil 2:5–11). In this, we must acknowledge the sovereignty of God (Ps 115:3; 135:6) and the total depravity of humanity (Gen 6:5; Is 64:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10–12; Eph 2:1–3, 12).
In Daniel 4:1–37, King Nebuchadnezzar gives us a narration to a vision of his own downfall and restoration. It is a view to a man who thought more highly of himself than he ought to think (Rom 12:3). The Most High God warned him in a vision, interpreted by Daniel, a Hebrew counselor in the king’s court.
The vision was that of a tree that prospered, only to be chopped down. Daniel revealed to the pagan king that the vision was about the king, himself, who would be humbled in this way, “in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind (Dan 4:17).” It is Heaven that rules (4:26); and it is the King of heaven who bestows on men their place (4:17, 25). It is God who raises up kings and rulers; and it is God who puts them down (Jer 18:7). Therefore, it is given to everyone to acknowledge that it is God who gives; and it is God who takes away (Job 1:21).
What do we have that we have not received from the hand of God (1 Cor 4:7)? There is no place for self-boasting in our human experience (Jas 4:16). King Nebuchadnezzar, in the span of twelve months, forgot about the vision of his eventual humbling when he reflected and said, “Is this not Babylon the great which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (4:30).
God’s judgment was declared while these words were still in the mouth of the arrogant king, who only thought of himself, while putting down others who resisted him. He had not heeded the encouragement of Daniel, who preached for the king to repent from his sins and iniquities (4:27).
The natural man is not seeking after God because he is void of the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God (Jn 14:17; Rom 3:11; 8:9, 11). Instead of acknowledging God in all his ways (Prv 3:5–6), the godless acknowledges himself. In this, Jesus insisted you will know them by their fruit (Mt 7:16–20; 12:33), that is, the results of their labor will either give glory to themselves or to God.
All glory, honor, praise, and dominion belong to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to His Christ. There is none beside Him (Is 44:8; 45:21); and He does not share His glory with another (Is 42:8; 48:11). These aspects of both God the Father and God the Son help us to see the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is, today and forever, at the right hand of the Father (Mk 16:19; Acts 2:33), the right hand of Majesty (Heb 1:3; 8:1), at the center of the throne of God in heaven (Rev 7:17).
In this last encounter with King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 1–4), giving way to subsequent kings and their encounter with Daniel, we see the redemption plot. Nebuchadnezzar was prospering on his own. God interrupted his success with truth. The Most High brought the puny king down to the status of beast-of-the-field. It was when Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes to heaven that restoration occurred.
The words of his confession became words of praise to the King of heaven, whose works are true and whose ways are just (4:37). The sovereign omnipotent hand of God, who always only does His will (Eph 1:11), is conjoined with eternal dominion. From everlasting to everlasting, He alone is God, who reigns over all as Lord of all (Rom 10:12). Kings of the earth must bow down and confess Him before men. It is their downfall to do anything else.
It is for us, my dear reader, to learn the way of Christ Jesus, which is the way of humility before God and men. The word of recognition is in your mouth (Rom 10:8). You will either proclaim the excellencies of Christ the King (Col 1:28; 1 Pet 2:9); or you will feign humility in declaring yourself to be something special. You will surely be a fool for Christ (1 Cor 4:10), when you declare the foolishness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:18), before a world that has and still does reject Him (Jn 1:10, 11), declaring, “We will not have this man to rule over us.”
It requires the grace of God, in order to believe in your heart and to confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord” (Rom 10:9–10). He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36; Rom 10:12), regardless of any man’s confession. Thus, a professor of Christ is merely the manifestation of the indwelling presence and work of the Holy Spirit, who testifies to the truth (Jn 15:26), as it is in Jesus (Eph 4:21), the Son of God and Son of man.
Examine yourself, my dear reader. Are you a professor of self or a professor of Christ Jesus? Your confession reveals what is truly in your heart. It is either all about Him or all about you. Even when you promote another and not yourself, who is not the Lord Jesus Christ, it is simply idolatry. This is obvious in political elections, sports arenas, and in the entertainment industry.
Nebuchadnezzar experienced divine visions, illuminating interpretations, miracle deliverances, and even spoke praiseworthy things regarding the God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Still, in the pantheon of gods in Babylon, we are not entirely sure of this man’s heart for the one true God. Repeatedly, we are privy to his divided allegiance among the gods. There must be no question about our sole allegiance and devotion, if we truly are Christians. So, let your boast be in Christ, alone (1 Cor 1:31; Gal 6:14).
May God grant you every grace to humble your pride, your self-righteousness, and your self-promotion. There are only two kingdoms ruled by two kings in this world (Rev 11:15). You belong to one or the other. Your life is the manifestation of whether you are ruled by sin or by God’s grace.
Law school will never help you argue your way into heaven from a position of self-sufficiency. It should teach you that we are all criminals before God, desperately in need of a Savior and advocate with God (1 Jn 2:1), the Judge of the whole earth (Gen 18:25). The Christian has an advocate whose name is Jesus Christ, the King of heaven, King of glory, and ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev 1:5). Him we proclaim.
David Norczyk
Howell, Michigan
May 13, 2025
Daniel 4:1–37
