41. Daniels' utter humility - Not Because...But In Order

Time:  604 BC
Place: King Nebuchadnezzar Palace
Scripture:  Daniel 2:24-30


Read Daniel 2:24-30

24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 

27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 

28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 

29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 

30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Let's learn from Daniel's humility:

• Remember Daniel stood out from the crowd and in Daniel 1:19-20, there were none equal to him and his friends and that they were 10 times better than all the others.

• Daniel had every reason to be proud of the great gifts God had given him.

• I see how men of God are put on human pedestal because of their brilliance, gifts and charisma.  With all the human praise and appreciation lavishing on them, many men of God fell.  Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

• Daniel was tempted in all fronts along this line. You can see throughout the book of Daniel how Daniel faces each crisis of temptation with utter humility.

What is the key to humility?  3 Points:

1.  Always acknowledge God - There is a God who reveals knowledge and mystery. Turn people's attention to this one God who acts. This is how we give glory to God.

2.  "Not because" of any wisdom we have more than others.... how many can truly say these words.  "I am not better than anyone else."  "I can't take any credit."  "I am not anyone special."  But today, I hear men of God always raving at 'look at how much wisdom and gifts God have given me .... more than others... I get to be in the elite class"  Do you feel this way as you compare yourself to others?  You have fallen into Satan's trap. This is why God cannot use you anymore.  You carry a name of being God's servant but a pitiful servant without inner power.

3. "But in order" - all that we do and say are to fulfill God's purpose.  God wants the king to know the dream and its interpretation.  So when we do God's will, we have nothing to brag about. We are just executing God's order for us and we must humbly do our task, not because of what we have but of 'in order' for God's will to be fulfilled.

Daniel would not take any credit for knowing Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation.  God is the revealer of mystery. Daniel is the instrument God uses to make the mystery known to the king.


Let us also: "Not Because" .... "But in order"!

:)