September 14 — The Most High Rules
SCRIPTURE READING:
Daniel 4-6
SCRIPTURE:
Daniel 4
¹Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
²I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
³How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
⁴I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
⁵I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
⁶Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
⁷Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
⁸But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
⁹O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
¹⁰Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
¹¹The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
¹²The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
¹³I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
¹⁴He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
¹⁵Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
¹⁶Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
¹⁷This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
¹⁸This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
²⁰The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
²¹Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
²²It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
²³And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
²⁴This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
²⁵That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
²⁶And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
²⁷Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
²⁸All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
²⁹At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
³⁰The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
³¹While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
³²And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
³³The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
³⁴And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
³⁵And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
³⁶At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
³⁷Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Daniel 5
¹Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
²Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
³Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
⁴They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
⁵In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
⁶Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
⁷The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
⁸Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
⁹Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
¹⁰Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
¹¹There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
¹²Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
¹³Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
¹⁴I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
¹⁵And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
¹⁶And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
¹⁷Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
¹⁸O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
¹⁹And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
²⁰But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
²¹And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
²²And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
²³But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
²⁴Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
²⁵And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
²⁶This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
²⁷TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
²⁸PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
²⁹Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
³⁰In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
³¹And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Daniel 6
¹It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
²And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
³Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
⁴Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
⁵Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
⁶Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
⁷All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
⁸Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
⁹Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
¹⁰Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
¹¹Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
¹²Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
¹³Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
¹⁴Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
¹⁵Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
¹⁶Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
¹⁷And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
¹⁸Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
¹⁹Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
²⁰And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
²¹Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
²²My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
²³Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
²⁴And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
²⁵Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
²⁶I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
²⁷He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
²⁸So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
DEVOTIONAL:
Daniel 4 allows Nebuchadnezzar to narrate his own humiliation. The king has become the great tree of his dream: expansive, prosperous, visible, and convinced that Babylon's glory is the product of his own majesty. Daniel's interpretation includes a moral appeal. He urges the king to break with sin, practice righteousness, and show mercy to the poor. A year passes, the warning goes unheeded, and the boast is still in Nebuchadnezzar's mouth when judgment falls. Whatever questions remain about the precise nature of his condition, the theological interpretation is explicit: the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wills. The king's restoration begins when he lifts his eyes toward heaven. Sanity and worship return together because pride had been a profound distortion of reality.
Belshazzar learns the same lesson without Nebuchadnezzar's recovery. Chapter 5 places sacred temple vessels inside a royal feast where the king and his guests praise lifeless gods. The handwriting on the wall announces that his kingdom has been numbered, weighed, and divided. Daniel's accusation is especially sharp because Belshazzar knew what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar and still did not humble his heart. Knowledge of another person's judgment creates responsibility rather than immunity. The contrast also warns against using holy things as props for self-exaltation. Belshazzar turns vessels associated with the LORD's worship into entertainment, but the God whose hand holds the king's breath cannot be reduced to a ceremonial object. That same night, imperial confidence gives way to regime change.
Chapter 6 shows Daniel under a new administration, still serving with such reliability that opponents cannot find corruption in his work. They therefore weaponize his known devotion to God. Daniel's response is notable for its lack of performance. When the decree is signed, he prays as he had done before. He does not create a new spectacle, nor does he conceal the ordinary discipline that defined his life. Faithfulness already had a rhythm before the crisis. God shuts the lions' mouths, and Darius confesses the enduring dominion of Daniel's God. We should not turn this deliverance into a promise that every faithful believer will escape physical harm. Daniel's own book will later describe saints who suffer. The point is that no ruler can finally control the servant whose life belongs to God.
Jesus embodies the truth these kings eventually confront. All authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him, yet His kingship is revealed through humility rather than self-magnification. He warns that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and He teaches His disciples to receive greatness as service. The resurrection also means that even death cannot establish a rival sovereignty. Christians can therefore respect public office without flattering rulers, work conscientiously without making career an idol, and accept lawful consequences when obedience to God creates conflict. The Most High still rules. That conviction should make believers less panicked by elections, administrations, corporate hierarchies, or cultural change. It should also make us less arrogant when people we prefer hold power. Providence is not partisan ownership of God; it is the sobering truth that every ruler remains accountable to Him.
In daily life, cultivate humility before success makes humility difficult. When you receive praise, trace the gift back to God and the people who helped you. Managers can ask whether their authority is making it safer or harder for employees to tell the truth. Families can build habits of thanksgiving that name dependence rather than self-sufficiency. Establish prayer rhythms now, not only when a crisis threatens them. Daniel's open window mattered because prayer was already his practice. At work, make your reliability difficult to attack: meet commitments, avoid gossip, document honestly, and do not use faith as an excuse for poor performance. If opposition comes because of genuine Christian obedience, face it without inventing additional offense.
In U.S. civic life, the virtue is humility under constitutional authority and divine accountability. Pray for presidents, governors, judges, legislators, mayors, agency leaders, military officers, and other officials to remember that office does not make them morally ultimate. Pray for transitions of power to be lawful, for public servants to resist corruption, and for citizens to avoid both ruler-worship and reflexive contempt. Ask God to make religious exercise peaceful and secure while preserving the rule of law for all. Christians should show up in public life as steady citizens who pray for leaders, tell the truth about abuses, honor legitimate authority, and reserve ultimate allegiance for the Most High.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What did Nebuchadnezzar's pride cause him to misunderstand about the source and purpose of his power?
Why does Daniel emphasize that Belshazzar knew the earlier warning and nevertheless refused to humble himself?
What does Daniel's unchanged prayer rhythm teach about preparing spiritually before a crisis arrives?
How can belief in God's sovereignty make Christians both more respectful and less idolatrous toward political leaders?
PRAYER:
ADORATION: Most High God, You rule over every kingdom and hold every human breath in Your hand. Your dominion does not depend on elections, armies, wealth, or applause.
CONFESSION: Forgive us for self-congratulation, leader-worship, contempt for authority, and prayerlessness. We confess how quickly success persuades us that we are self-made and how quickly fear persuades us that human rulers are ultimate.
THANKSGIVING: Thank You for Christ the King, whose humility reveals true greatness and whose resurrection proves that even death cannot overthrow Your reign. Thank You for preserving Your servants in ways that serve Your wisdom.
SUPPLICATION – GENERAL: Give us disciplined prayer, excellent work, teachable hearts, and courage that does not seek unnecessary conflict. Humble successful leaders in our homes, churches, and workplaces before pride hardens into blindness.
SUPPLICATION – U.S. / CIVIC: Keep public officials mindful of their accountability before You and the law. Preserve peaceful transfers of authority, expose corruption, protect faithful religious practice, and free citizens from both political idolatry and corrosive contempt.
SCRIPTURE: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.