Nebuchadnezzar Praises God. His second dream. Daniel 4:1-18
“The Lord’s Messenger”
HISTORICAL SECTION, Daniel 1-6
4. Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream, Dan_4:1-37
NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISES GOD
Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and speakers of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound!
It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
“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. [Dan_7:13-14; Luk_1:31-33]
NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S SECOND DREAM
“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house and prospering in my palace.
I saw a dream and it made me afraid; and the fantasies and thoughts and the visions [that appeared] in my mind as I lay on my bed kept alarming me.
So I gave orders to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, so that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
Then the magicians, the enchanters (Magi), the Chaldeans [who were the master astrologers] and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it and make known its meaning to me.
But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I told the dream to him, saying,
‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles or troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.
‘The visions that passed through my mind as I lay on my bed were these: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was great.
‘The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to heaven, And it was visible to the end of the earth.
‘Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, And the birds of the sky nested in its branches, And all living creatures fed themselves from it.
‘And behold, I saw in the visions of my mind as I lay on my bed, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.
‘He shouted aloud and said this: “Cut down the tree and cut off its branches; Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit; Let the living creatures run from under it And the birds fly from its branches.
“Nevertheless leave the stump with its roots in the ground, Bound with a band of iron and bronze In the new grass of the field; And let him be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him feed with the animals in the grass of the earth.
“Let his mind and nature be changed from a man’s And let an animal’s mind and nature be given to him, And let seven periods of time pass over him.
“This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, So that the living may know [without any doubt] That the Most High [God] rules over the kingdom of mankind And He bestows it on whomever He desires And sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men.” [Dan_2:21; Dan_5:21]
This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, explain its meaning, since none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to reveal its interpretation to me; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
“THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS”
Nebuchadnezzar was in the zenith of his fame and power. His wars were over; his prosperity was assured. But he attributed all to his own wisdom and prowess. There was no thought of God, who had raised him up and given him everything. He must be humbled, if his soul was to be saved; and the whole living world must know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He pleases, Dan_4:17. How gladly worldly men turn in hours of crisis to religious men, who draw upon unseen resources, and bear themselves with calm and unruffled peace, Dan_4:9. The greatness of the King is set forth under the figure of a mighty tree, filling the earth and sheltering the nations. There was only one Being who came down, combining in Himself watchfulness and holiness. In Dan_4:17 we learn that no destiny is decided apart from the careful sifting of the celestial council-chamber. How august is this conception of the matured judgment of heaven. Where should we stand apart from the pleading of the great High Priest?
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