Lessons to Learn from the Fall and Rise of a Once Proud Man – Daniel 4:1-37
4 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language who live in all the world: May you have an abundance of peace. (2) It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. (3) How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
(4) I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house and flourishing in my palace. (5) I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying on my bed, the thoughts and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. (6) So I gave the order that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me, so that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. (7) Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldean astrologers, and the soothsayers came in and I told them the dream. But they could not make known to me its interpretation. (8) Finally, Daniel came into my presence—he is called Belteshazzar, named after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him—and I related the dream to him. I said, (9) O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, I ask you to tell me the meaning of the visions I saw in my dream and the interpretation of the dream. (10) These are the visions that passed through my mind as I lay upon my bed: I looked and there was a tree in the center of the earth; its height was enormous. (11) The tree grew and became strong, and its height reached unto heaven; and it could be seen from the ends of the whole earth. (12) Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and it provided food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches. Every creature was fed from it. (13) As I observed the visions that passed through my mind as I lay upon my bed I saw a watchman, a holy one, come down from heaven. (14) He called out in a loud voice, Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and let the birds depart from its branches. (15) Nevertheless, let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. Let it be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the beasts in the grass of the earth. (16) Let his mind be changed from being that of a man and let him be given the mind of a beast, and let seven years pass over him. (17) This sentence is by the decree of the watchmen and this verdict is a command of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he desires and sets up over it the lowliest of men. (18) This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, since none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
(19) Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was dumbfounded for a time and his thoughts terrified him. The king responded and said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you. Belteshazzar replied, My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and may its interpretation be for your adversaries. (20) The tree that you saw—which grew and became strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and that could be seen by all the earth; (21) whose leaves were beautiful, and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens made their dwelling place—(22) it is you, O king. It is you who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches unto heaven, and your dominion extends to the end of the earth. (23) The king saw a watchman and a holy one coming down from heaven and saying, Chop down the tree and destroy it; nevertheless, leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let it be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the beasts of the field, until seven years pass over him.
(24) This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High that has been issued against my lord the king. (25) You shall be driven away from men and you shall live with the beasts of the field; you will be forced to eat grass like the cattle and will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven years shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he desires. (26) Since they commanded to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you, after you have come to acknowledge that the heavens rule. (27) Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my counsel. Renounce your sins by doing what is right; and your iniquities, by showing mercy to the poor. By so doing, you may possibly continue in your honorable state.
(28) All this happened to the king, Nebuchadnezzar. (29) Twelve months later, he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. (30) The king said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty? (31) While the word was still on the king’s lips, there came a voice from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has been taken away from you. (32) Furthermore, you shall be driven away from men and you shall live with the beasts of the field; you shall be forced to eat grass like the cattle. Seven years shall pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he desires. (33) In that very hour what had been declared to Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from men and he ate grass like the cattle; and 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.
(34) At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom continues from generation to generation. (35) All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can push away his hand, or demand of him, What are you doing? (36) At the same time that my sanity was restored to me, my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and I became even greater than before. (37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
