We live in a world of gross inequality, discrimination and prejudice. Stop in your tracks! No, I am not going to talk about these three important matters in the context of so called color (nationality, language and ethnicity). There are enough people doing that and they will never stop. They will ceaselessly search for new ideas to bring up the past and keep holding the past before others. They say they forgive when one confesses, repents and even make restitution … only to revive the same things again and again. The atrocities of certain countries such as what is called racism have become “fearfully quiet” because of likely retaliation, yet in the “free world” it is game on. No, I am not speaking about that when I say … “We live in a world of gross inequality, discrimination and prejudice.” You see, within every “nationality, language and ethnicity”, gross inequality, discrimination and prejudice exists … and often with the permission of those who are discriminated against. Mostly it is quiet and unseen, but it exists. Now, I am not against a person being paid a proper wage, and more, within the field they function in. A cleaner, security guard, shop assistant, petrol attendant, domestic worker (within the house or in the garden) ought to earn a reasonable salary by which they may live a reasonable life, together with their family. At the same time I agree that someone with a diploma or degree ought to earn a reasonable salary within that bracket … and I would be the first to fight for their right … but my problem arises where the salary inequality within the “qualification” bracket discriminates to the point of extreme prejudice. I watched a video clip today where the famous soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo boasted with the fifteen top cars he owns. How many cars does a man need? Each car he owns costs millions. He is a great player … but does he and those like him need to earn so much money? But what about presidents and kings and queens? In our continent they plead with the world to help their budget … yet our leaders live in luxury whilst most of their subject live below the bread line. The unemployment rate in our country has its eye fixed on 40%. But then luxury is not something new.
1) Nebuchadnezzar had no need … by his own confession
Da 4:4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
Maybe without knowing it, the conditions he enjoys will be a stark contrast to what will follow. He is free from all cares, living at ease with all security protocol accounted for. Within the word prosperous we find “flourishing” like a well-watered green tree. But the phrase “at home in my palace” is most telling. He was saying he is secure upon his throne. No one will rock his reign. Maybe now you understand my opening argument. Where God requires us to submit to our leaders and to prayer for them, His requirement of Solomon as king ought to be the standard for all leaders today …. But then Solomon failed as our leaders often do. The three things Solomon was to avoid by divine decree, he sought after … wealth, military power and women. These were his downfall. The economic disparity between leaders and people ought not to exist the way it does. Just as an aside, we have this within the family too. Often wives and children do not enjoy what the husband and father enjoys.
2) Suddenly, from nowhere the kings speaks of another dream he had.
Da 4:5 I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.
The suddenness of the dream’s content terrified the king. This supreme earthly leader is agitated in his head. The word “terrified” is weak. He was disturbed. His head (mind) could not handle the information (images and fantasies) flowing through his mind. Literally he was “beside himself”. Remember the previous dream … that bothered him too … yet this one is far more aggressive in its agitating the mind. The king of all the world was a very worried man. Be it a dream (fantasy) or information received from others, there are times when your mind cannot contain itself. The information agitates you … and often depresses you. My understanding of depression is that mostly it is driven by sin, yet there are times when it is emotional (the mind) and requires medical assistance. When it is sin, the spiritual doctor’s name is Jesus … and His script is confession, repentance and living into the future by faith in His shed blood.
3) The king seems very slow to learn lessons. Often this is true with men in powerful positions.
Da 4:6 So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. 7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
These wise men could not tell the dream or its interpretation before, yet he tells them the new dream and commands them to provide the interpretation. They cannot. How could they? This dream was not the normal dreams we have. It was from God and only God’s man could interpret the dream God implants.
4) Finally he calls for Daniel.
Da 4:8 Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream.
This ought to have been the king’s first stop … yet we read “finally”. He exhausted all other avenues before calling Daniel. Once Daniel arrives he tells him the dream. We ought to be careful that we don’t look for answers to questions or seek help from everyone other than the Lord’s and His servants. If you are intentionally God’s own, you need to flee to God with all your worries, concerns, questions and fears. Why go to your friends or a psychologist? Why search the internet for help? Your first stop without question ought to be God and the spiritual leader or leaders He has given you. In your case, think of all the additional trauma, panic and fear you have to endure whilst you wait for “finally” to arrive. God must not be the last you seek help from. He must be the first. If we believe we are saved and if we believe God hears our prayers and answers them, then as we pray based upon Scripture and God will arrives to help. Consider
1 Jn 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
(a) All praying based upon God’s Will (His Word, The Bible), is heard.
(b) When Biblical prayers are prayed, God not only hears, He answers. He provides. Let’s not wait till “finally”. Let us be first in the queue. He loves to hear from us.
Lord You hear and answer prayer. Amen.