PART 6 GETTING A WAKE-UP CALL FROM GOD

TEXT- DANIEL 4:1-37

INTRODUCTION

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO EXAMINE CHAPTER 4 AND CONSIDER GOD’S WAKE-UP CALL. HERE IN THIS CHAPTER WE FIND NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S SECOND DREAM.

WE ARE NOT TOLD WITHIN THIS CHAPTER WHEN HE MIGHT HAVE HAD THIS DREAM LIKE WE ARE TOLD IN CHAPTER TWO WHEN HE HAD HIS FIRST ONE.

YET MANY PEOPLE PLACE THE DATE OF THIS DREAM NEAR THE END OF THE KING'S REIGN BECAUSE IN CHAPTER FIVE WE FIND ANOTHER KING REIGNING OVER BABYLON.

MANY SAY THAT THIS DREAM OCCURRED IN THE 34TH YEAR OF THE KING'S REIGN.

KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR REIGNED OVER BABYLON FROM 605-562 BC.

THE 34TH YEAR OF HIS REIGN WOULD PLACE THE DATE OF THIS DREAM AROUND THE YEAR 571 BC.

IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN 32 YEARS HAVE GONE BY SINCE THE KING'S FIRST DREAM/ AND DANIEL WOULD NOW BE ABOUT 49 YEARS OLD.

WE SHOULD ALSO NOTICE WHO WROTE THIS CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

FROM THE LANGUAGE OF THIS CHAPTER IT SEEMS AS THOUGH NEBUCHADNEZZAR WROTE IT HIMSELF AFTER THE DREAM HAD BEEN FULFILLED.

HAVE TYOU EVER HAD A WAKE-UP CALL? IF YOU HAVE EVER STAYED IN A HOTEL YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS. IT’S WHEN THE FRONT DESK CALLS YOUR ROOM TO GET YOU UP IN THE MORNING.

WHEN YOU’RE ON THE ROAD A LOT IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE. YOU CAN GET DISORIENTED VERY EASILY. YOU CAN SOMETIMES EVEN FORGET TO WAKE UP. THAT CAN ALSO CAUSE YOU A LOT OF TROUBLE. SO, SOMETIMES YOU NEED A WAKE-UP CALL.

NOT ONLY DO WE SOMETIMES NEED A PHYSICAL WAKE-UP CALL, BUT SOMETIMES WE ALSO NEED A SPIRITUAL WAKE-UP CALL. THAT’S WHEN GOD DOES SOMETHING SPECTACULAR IN YOUR LIFE TO HELP YOU TO SPIRITUALLY WAKE-UP.

THAT’S WHAT GOD DID HERE WITH NEBUCHADNEZZAR.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN. LET’S LOOK AT THEM.