Jer 43:10 and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread his royal pavilion over them.
King Nebuchadnezzar had been a faithful servant of God so far. Being God's instrument of judging Jerusalem and the Israelites for their abominable practices. God also helped him to annihilate the Assyrian and Egyptian armies. He had been fair to Daniel by promoting him to the highest position possible as promised for those who could reveal and explain his dream, which led him to acknowledge Yahweh the God of the Jews as the Almighty God.
Dan 3:4-6 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
Surprisingly, King Nebuchadnezzar who had once acknowledged Yahweh as the Almighty God dared to force everyone including Jews to worship his image, thereby making himself equal to the Almighty God.
PRIDE - the greatest abomination and failure of Satan and man.
Similarly, man unknowingly out of pride, wants to be God one way or another:-
1. In business -
they want to be the most successful or richest,
2. In politics -
they want to be ministers or President,
3. In education -
they want to be the most intelligent,
4. In sport -
they want to be champions,
5. In any profession -
they want to be the best,
6. In entertainment -
they want to be the favorite,
7. In singing -
they want to be Elvis Priestly.
Brethren, beware, lest out of pride you may land up like King Nebuchadnezzar to demand appreciations (worship) as the great or greatest in your line or profession.
Dan 3:12-13 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
Even though the 3 Daniel's friends, (proven to be godly and God fearing), refused to bow down to his image, his pride had blinded him and he was in rage.
Similarly, today, we find many successful pastors, leaders and televangelists who were once His faithful servants but now with big congregations going into rage when their present distorted doctrines or heresies are not accepted. Because of pride, they have become stiff-necked (just like the Jews led by Moses in the wilderness) and refuse to accept truth. These are the ones who will persecute godly and Bible believing Christians for they have already fallen into the snares of the Devil.
2The 2:9-10 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
