Getting to Know God – Elyon – The Most High
I don’t know how many of you watched any of the Queen’s Jubilee concerts in the last couple of weeks. The whole nation of England has been a-buzz with celebrations of the 50 year reign of our Queen. And although the English monarchy is now little more than a symbolic head of state with little real power, there is something still majestic and mighty about it.
Deanna and I have just returned from Europe and England and as we toured through the many castles and palaces, it was clear that in days gone past, kings and queens did hold significant power. What they said, went. They were the rulers and their everyone looked up to them as the powerful monarchs that they were.
Sometimes the power of their positions went to their heads and they became so convinced of their power and importance that they pushed the boundaries too far only to end up fighting for their own survival. Too often the kings and queens of human history came to believe sincerely that they were in control of their destiny. They lost sight of the fact that God is sovereign over all that happens. And as we continue to look at the names of God and the characteristics that they show us I want to focus this evening on the name Elyon which means the Most High. It is a name which indicates that God is a sovereign God and above all else.
The book of Daniel recounts the story of King Nebuchadnezzar – a monarch who was full of himself. Tonight as we look at God as Elyon, I want to spend some time looking at a lesson Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way. The lesson that “The Most High Rules in the Kingdoms of Men.”
So turn your bibles to Daniel Chapter 4 and follow with me as we dissect this story of God dealing with King Nebuchadnezzar.
DA 4:1 King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly!
This first verse sets the context for us. This is an interesting chapter because it the only chapter in the Bible which is composed under the authority of a pagan. It is a proclamation by King Nebuchadnezzar and is addressed to the people everywhere which again was fitting - for the Babylonian empire was the greatest of the day and Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest ruler of his day – ruling over most of the known world.
DA 4:2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.
Written with hindsight, Nebuchadnezzar recognizes that he is not all powerful. There is one that is higher than he is – There is a Most High God – Elyon who he was dependant upon for his reason, power and very life. The word that is used in Daniel is actually Illhee which is a chaldean word. It comes from the same root as the Hebrew word Elyon. They both mean the same thing. They are both titles given to the Supreme one. The One that is most high, that is higher than any other.
Now Nebuchadnezzar had had several dealings with this Most high leading upto the events in this chapter. In ch 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a statue. Only Daniel was able to tell him what the dream was and what it meant. Nebuchadnezzar learnt that the God of the Hebrews was all powerful and all wise and could reveal mysteries no other god could make known. In chapter 3, the deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace showed him that the God of the Hebrews was not just one who could reveal the mysteries of the future, but was also powerful beyond comprehension. After these events he confesses that Yahweh is the Most High God. But this is quickly forgotten by Nebuchadnezzar for in 4:4 he writes
DA 4:4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
Act 1 opens with Nebuchadnezzar in his palace – comfortable, content and without a care in the world. He had no need for anything – he was the all powerful king with everything at his beck and call. He was proud of all he had and had no need for the Most High God or anything else for that matter. Or so he thought.
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. 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. 8 Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
Nebuchadnezzar was a man who had dreams and for this reason he employed a council of wise men or diviners. Similar to the events of chapter 2 they were summoned to interpret one of his dreams, but this time they were told what the dream was. However, like the earlier occasion, they could not interpret it. Daniel is finally summoned – I mean – why not, his God had been able to reveal the meaning of dreams in the past so why not now.
DA 4:9 I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. 10 These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
At this point it seems Nebuchadnezzar didn’t confess Yahweh as his own God. His understanding is that Daniel has access to the gods – note the plural. Nebuchadnezzar has a distorted view of Daniel’s alliegence. He honestly believes at this point, that Daniel has contact with all manner of gods – not just to Yahweh. He still is not convinced that Yahweh is the only God that you need – Elyon – the Most High. The first part of the dream was a picture of majesty and greatness. A beautiful tree which would dominate the land and sky. It was a prominent landmark that could be seen from every part of the world. It provided for the whole world shelter and food but it was not eternal.
DA 4:13 "In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He called in a loud voice: `Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.
" `Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
DA 4:17 " `The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.’
DA 4:18 "This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."
The tree was cut down and all who benefited from it were scattered. What was the interpretation? Daniel stood for a time silent, grasping the meaning of the dream. His face must have given away his thoughts though for we read.
DA 4:19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you."
What was so alarming – why would Daniel have feared giving the interpretation?
Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air-- 22 you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
Nebuchadnezzar the king of the empire was the tree. His was truly an impressive empire which stretched to the ends of Mesopotamia. But the tree was not just created for its own greatness and glory. It was to provide shelter for the creatures of the world. Nebuchadnezzar looked at his kingdom in terms of how well it promoted his own power and glory, not in terms of how it fulfilled God’s purposes.
DA 4:23 "You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, `Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’ - That’s 7 years.
DA 4:24 "This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
There is an old fable able the lion who was so proud of his mastery of the animal kingdom that one day he decided to make sure all the other animals knew he was the king of the jungle. He was so confident that he bypassed the smaller animals and went straight to the bear. “Who is the king of the jungle?” the lion demanded. The bear replied, “Why you are, of course.” The lion gave a mighty roar of approval. Next he asked the tiger, “Who is the king of the jungle?” The tiger quickly responded, “Everyone knows that you are, mighty lion.” Next on the list ws the elephant. The lion faced the elephant and addressed his question : “Who is the king of the jungle?” The elephant immediately grabbed the lion with his trunk, whirled him around in the air five or six times and slammed him into a tree. Then he pounded him onto the ground several times, dunken him under water in a nearby lake and finally dumped him on the shore in the middle of a thorn bush. The lion – beaten, bruised, and battered – struggled to his feet. He looked at the elephant through sad and bloody eyes and said, “Look, just because you don’t know the answer is no reason for you to get mean about it!”
Nebuchadnezzar was consumed by his own importance and instead of using his exalted position to bring blessing to all people, he was oppressing people – even threatening the very existence of the people of Israel who he had brought into captivity by forcing them to bow down to his image or else face death. Nebuchadnezzar was truly full of himself.
Like the lion, the punishment for Nebuchadnezzar’s self exaltation and pride was that he was to be brought low in humiliation. He was to lose all his ability not just to rule, but also to reason. In so doing would become like an animal for 7 years. Rather than being the great tree, he would join the creatures which he was supposed to bless. The humiliation would continue until he came to that point where he acknowledged that Yahweh was the Most High – even Higher than himself. He had to learn about God’s sovereignty.
Just as this had been prophesied, it came to pass just 1 year later.
DA 4:28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
Nebuchadnezzar had chosen not to listen to the divine warning. He was yet to learn that he was not the Most High, but there was another who is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. Archeological inscriptions testify to Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and self exaltation. In one inscription, Nebuchadnezzar boasted “the fortifications of Esagila and Babylon I strengthened, and established the name of my reign forever.” Esagila was the temple to Bel – the Babylonian God after who Daniel was named – Belteshazzar. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride took for himself and his gods, the glory which belonged to Yahweh. It was Yahweh who gave him all that he had. It was Yahweh who set him up as King. But Nebuchadnezzar failed to acknowledge this and so his lesson began.
DA 4:31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."
DA 4:33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
DA 4:34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored.
By the end of 7 years exposed to the extremes of temperature in Iraq, his skin would be tough and weathered, His heair would be long and matted. His fingernails and toenails would have been like claws. He resembled a wild beast – something lower than a human. It is interesting here to note that at the end of the appointed time, Nebuchadnezzar did the only thing that a beast could do to acknowledge that God is the Most High – he merely lifted his eyes toward heaven. In this act of subservience he acknowledged God’s sovereignty – that the God of the Hebrews was Elyon – the Most High God. It was an acknowlegement that God is sovereign over all that happens – even to a king. He testified to this .
Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
DA 4:35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
DA 4:36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
The response of Nebuchadnezzar to his restoration was praise and honour to the one deserving of praise. He finally acknowledged who is the sovereign one. It is the Most High – Elyon who sets up kings and brings them down.
The fact that God is Elyon and that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men was a hard lesson for Nebuchadnezzar to learn and it is an important lesson for us to learn also. And although hopefully it not as hard for us as for Nebuchadnezzar.
Our Pride
Like Nebuchadnezzar, we often are self sufficient and proud in what we have. We are by the world’s standards incredibly wealthy our lives are generally comfortable and without hardship. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we often fail to acknowledge God as the one who gives us all of these things. We rather take the credit ourselves.
- It is due to our own efforts at getting job and keeping it that we enjoy our current lifestyle.
- It is our dedication in living frugally and saving money which has allowed us to buy a house.
- It is our healthy lifestyle complete with an apple a day which has resulted in our good health.
Instead of giving glory to God, we take the credit ourselves for our current prosperity – we our proud of who we are and in so doing there is no difference between us and Nebuchadnezzar.
Our Need
Just like Nebuchadnezzar we need to come to a place where we see God as Elyon – the Most High who rules in the kingdom of men. God is sovereign over the nations, over political structures, over rulers and over each of us. He raises people up and brings them down and all that we are and all that we have is because he has allowed it. God is sovereign over our lives and we all need to come to the point where we confess this. Recognising this can be a great comfort to us for several reasons.
Firstly, No matter what you are going through, God is sovereign and is in control. Many of the psalms for example were written in times of desperation and despair. But the writers in these psalms knew Elyon – they knew that despite the difficulties they were facing, God was there and was in control … Listen to some of them
PS 57:1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; Selah God sends his love and his faithfulness.
PS 77:1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. …. 7 "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" Selah 10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
Just like the psalmists, the fact that God is Elyon – the Most High God provides some comfort for it is not our strength that we trust in, but the strength of the God Most High. I know that it’s one thing to stand up here and read these verses, it’s another to believe that God is really in control when the bottom is falling out of your world. Here’s the key though: when you’re in the midst of some apparently random and purposeless suffering don’t try to understand how this is going to work out for good. People always try to do that, but God does not promise us complete understanding. You need to trust in God, even though you can’t see how it’s all going to work out. That’s the essence of faith.
The second benefit in knowing God is Elyon is that if God is in control, it makes sense to pray because we are talking to the one who has the power to make changes. So if you are going through some tough times – trust and pray.
Our Response
And lastly, when we have identified our need, we need to respond just as Nebuchadnezzar did - we need to see God as Elyon. This means humbling ourselves and giving glory to God and this naturally leads us to worship him.
Whose power and strength are you trusting in this morning? Your own? A lot of people are trusting in themselves and their abilities. Maybe you’ve been burned by trusting others. You’ve decided that you’ll be strong, not depend on anyone else. But you can’t be strong enough. Sooner or later, something will come along that is too much even for you.
Maybe you’re trusting in someone else’s strength and power. A husband or wife. A parent. A boss. A mentor or personal guru. All of those may work for a time, but ultimately they all fail. Only God is worthy of our ultimate trust and confidence.
Do you know God as Elyon? Do you want to know him as Elyon – the one who Is in control of all circumstances? If you do, I’d like to encourage you to talk to someone after the service.- find out more about this amazing God who isn’t just interested in kings. Elyon – The Most High is interested in you too.
