The Humbleness of God Meeting the Wickedness of Humanity

 

During advent season so much of my devotional reading was directed to Revelation and Daniel. One chapter in Daniel caught my attention. The story of Nebuchadnezzar being turned out of his kingdom into the fields with the beasts. It begins with the king speaking of the greatness of God and His kingdom, “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.” (4:3b) After this Nebuchadnezzar goes on to explain how he came to acknowledge the greatness of God. That event came after he was warned by God in a dream. He was warned of his arrogance and encouraged by Daniel to break away from his sins and show mercy to the poor.

A year later, walking on the roof of his palace these are Nebuchadnezzar’s words. “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and by the glory of my majesty.” (4:30). Immediately the king became like an animal in the field and under God’s judgement would remain that way until he acknowledged God’s sovereignty.

I, also noted in my Christmas reading, that while we are to praise God for His greatness the Psalms reveals that God is humble. But how can the One who created all things and rules all be humble? When we think of humanity as humble, we think of those who, unlike Nebuchadnezzar, do not boast but acknowledges their weaknesses, their inabilities, even their sinfulness. They are like the man who praying in the Temple will not even look up but asks for mercy. So, the contrast between the words of Nebuchadnezzar, his bragging self-admiration, and the biblical humbleness attributed to the Lord are undoubtedly vast.

So, what is the attitude and acts that make our God humble:

The Lord is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God. Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? And lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman to abide in the house as a joyful mother of children (Psalm 113: 4-9a).

The Lord looks on all he has made, unlike the religious deist’s views of God, the Lord of Scripture is concerned about His creation. And what follows is not His praise of His own self because of His Glory but His tender care for His creation. What could be more empathic than caring for the one reduced to such poverty or caring for the woman longing for children. It is the reaching down to the weak, the needy, the stranger, the broken and sinful that is really the opposite of human arrogance, the seeking of power, the willingness to hurt others, the dark need to avenge. And the greatest image of God’s humbleness is the Father’s willingness to send His beloved Son to redeem humanity.

There is much to be frightened about in all ages, and yes in this age. The desire to cover walls with gold and with insults—the desire to send people away into prisons that might as well be new gulags and concentration camps. The desire to overpower the true image of God, that is, the image of God in humanity—all of humanity, broken and redeemed humanity. The need to be honored for peace while pushing war in everyplace—around dinner tables, on high seas, amidst friends. The need to honor foes—for power—and threaten friends—for power.

But there is a power and grace and yes humbleness that is above every earthly power. While God reaches down, humbles Himself to touch the lives of the broken; still He is the one who warned Nebuchadnezzar and then humbled him causing him to live among the beasts until he acknowledged that the Lord was the one who raises up rulers and puts down rulers. Repeatedly, reading the Hebrew Bible, the history of Israel and the warnings of the Prophets, ones sees the constant rise of wicked kings and God’s judgments on them.

The most degenerate king of Judah, Manasseh, who Scriptures says filled Jerusalem with innocent blood met both that judgement and that redemption. Manasseh’s list of evil actions can be found in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33. Manasseh was captured by the ruler of Assyria and, interestingly, taken in chains to prison in Babylon. (2 Chronicles 33) In prison Manasseh repented and God brought him back to Jerusalem where he tore down all the altars he had built to false gods and removed an idol he had placed in the temple.  But still his people were tainted because he had seduced them too evil.

And we must acknowledge the evil about us, in us, and even in the leadership over us as a means of not participating in evil. This isn’t rebellion, this is being truthful. We must grieve as the Lord does both for those who are hurt and those who hurt. This isn’t rebellion its knowing, feeling and carrying the grace of God to brokenness. We must be willing to be slandered for telling the truth this is also God’s grace.