The Book of Daniel, O Nebuchadnezzar, Why Are You King? Daniel 4:13-27 - Lesson 18

 

Daniel chapter four is the epistle of Nebuchadnezzar to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth.

It is prefaced by the salutation that "Peace be multiplied unto you."

It is a testimony of God’s working in the life of the king and his desire for an account of that working to be broadcast throughout the world.

We have seen in previous lessons in chapter four that he was at rest in his house where he experienced a disturbing dream.

The dream could not be interpreted as to its meaning by his magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans and his soothsayers.

But as before, the king calls upon the one in whom he says, the holy gods indwell, and that person is Daniel the exile who has already told and interpreted the first dream of the king concerning the great golden headed statue.

But at this time, as was in the first dream, there is no withholding of the contents of the dream.

Nebuchadnezzar freely tells Daniel of his visions which included a great tree in the midst of the earth filled with fruit and the fowls of the air, with beasts of the field using its spread as a dwelling place.

The beginning of the vision warms his heart for it is the scene of a place where all the fowls and the beasts of the field who enjoy the tree are fed and sheltered. It is an idyllic scene!

But this scene is marred by a watcher and an holy one who were sent from heaven with the mission of cutting down this tree which gives sustenance to many.

This is what troubles the king and he relates this troubled part of his vision to Daniel.

Daniel 4:13-18,  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;  He 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:  Nevertheless 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:  Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.  This 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.  This 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.

This part of the dream describes a judgment, for the tree is judged unworthy to continue its function and is taken away by the watcher who is a holy being according to the king’s vision.

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:

A metal band was installed around the stump of the tree for the stump was not removed completely, indicating that there is hope for the tree to reform from the remnants of the original tree.

The band of iron and brass would prevent the stump from splitting and rotting and once removed would again sprout.

The band could also indicate bondage of that which remained of the tree which certainly happened to the king as he spent seven years of insanity as a beast of the field.

Nebuchadnezzar’s description of the tree when in the stump configuration changes from a tree to a creature, living among the beasts in the open field and having the mind of a beast.

For later in this chapter Daniel declares that the tree is the king.

This is the troublesome part for the king and it seems he knew an interpretation that was not all positive and glowing was to come from the lips of Daniel.

Perhaps that is why he would have rather had an interpretation from his own Babylonian countrymen.

Don’t you suppose that the words of verse 17 hit the ears of the king hard for they gave the sense of what was to come in Nebuchadnezzar’s life.

Daniel 4:17,  This 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.

These words no doubt brought alarm and dismay to the heart of this proud and arrogant ruler and also alluded to the possibility that he may be among the basest of men.

Remember this verse when you wonder why God gives us the leaders that we get.

God is sovereign and as we learned in Daniel 2:21,  And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

So the vision is communicated to Daniel and the king’s command goes out for him to tell the interpretation, because the king knows that Daniel is able to do so for he declares the spirit of the holy gods is in Daniel.

Daniel 4:19-27,  Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, (protect the king’s life) 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. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;  Whose 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:  It 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. And 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;  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:  That 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.  And 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.  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

Nebuchadnezzar, after telling the dream to Daniel, describes his reaction as astonied.

I means just what it says, that Daniel was as a stone for one hour.

He was numb with astonishment for he knew the dream did not have a good outcome for the king, although the overall purpose of that which the king would experience was to be good, for the king’s salvation was to come.

The king tried to be a comfort and lessen Daniel’s concern by encouraging him to let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble him.

But, no doubt the king certainly was expecting the worst by Daniel’s astonishment and distress.

Coming out of his despondency Daniel declares a wish that the outcome of the dream apply to the king’s enemies instead of the king himself.

There seems to be a real love and devotion on the part of both these men as they share concern for one another.

Daniel knows God’s will for him to be submissive to the authority placed over him and he practices it on every occasion we are given to witness.

It is now time to practice that submissiveness by giving the interpretation of the dream no matter the king’s feelings.

One thing we can learn about the dream is that it declares the things that were in place at that time, but also that which were to come about in the near future.

The tree is the king, Daniel declares.

By its expanding height and increasing beauty it shows the increasing majesty and splendor of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.

But the one thing that is missing in this kingdom is an understanding of why it enjoys majesty and splendor.

Why has God brought such a kingdom into existence?

Why does God bring any government, any nation into existence?

I think we can get somewhat of an answer by the last verse of this dream interpretation where Daniel encourages Nebuchadnezzar to repent of his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.

Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.

This is a revealing statement as to why God was about to humble this great king and to take his kingdom from him for a time.

The picture of the king in the dream as this great tree providing shelter and food to the fowls and beasts is the standard which God expects of any king or government.

The tree was not there just to show how great it was but to function for the benefit of others.

Trees are made to provide benefit not to show them themselves mighty and beautiful.

This is the inference as to how Nebuchadnezzar saw himself, as a ruler.

He saw himself as the great king created solely to enjoy greatness and glory by the work of the fowls and the beasts.

He did not see himself as a king responsible to provide shelter and food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field, providing for and protecting the earthly animals as did the tree.

Nebuchadnezzar by being told to show mercy on the poor was being told that he failed to understand the purpose of his kingdom in God’s plan.

He measured his kingdom in terms of how it made him look, how it showed his glory and his power not in terms of what God intended for the kingdom.

He did not see himself as a steward of God’s wealth and power to be used to benefit the poor and the downtrodden.

By inference of the instruction in verse 27 relative to the poor, it seems his actions revealed that he used his position to oppress the poor.

What is God’s principal concerning this? Exalt yourself and you shall be humbled!

Nebuchadnezzar is not excluded and he will be brought low for his life is a life of self exaltation.

He, like the tree, will be cut down and he, like the stump, will be in bondage for a period of seven years.

The tree no longer has power to provide comfort and food for now the king is pictured as a beast of the field.

As we will see in later verses he himself becomes bird-like, his hair becoming like eagles feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

He will share the food of the field with the other beasts, and live without shelter, drenched with the dew of heaven, for the tree is gone.

But the banded stump tells us that there is hope for the king for all that happens to him is not punitive but corrective.

God does not put him though this to destroy him but to deliver him for the principal "Humble yourself and you will be exalted" also applies to Nebuchadnezzar.

This period of seven years of correction is to result in the king’s acknowledgement of the sovereignty of Almighty God, the God who rules in heaven, the God who both raises up kings and puts them down.

He will be restored to his kingdom when he acknowledges that he is simply an unworthy servant, who has been given stewardship of God’s wealth and power in order to benefit and bless others rather than exalt and glorify himself.

This is a lesson for all rulers, whether they be kings or presidents, or supervisors, principals, or pastors.

They are put in place by God to serve!