DANIEL — LESSON 5

Scriptures used in this lesson are from Daniel 4.

In Lesson 4, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s 90 feet tall golden statue, so they were thrown into the brick kiln to be burned up. But God protected them and they came out untouched by the fire and smoke in the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar accepted the power of Israel’s God and promoted the Hebrew young men. In Lesson 5, Daniel chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar is going to have a very person experience with the Israelite God. Chapter 4 begins with King Nebuchadnezzar calling all the people in his kingdom and all the world to hear about the miraculous experience that the Most High God as done for him.

[Daniel 4:1-3] (1) King Nebuchadnezzar, to the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! (2) It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. (3) How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.

This appears to be a proclamation that is to be sent out to all the provinces of the Babylonian empire. From the beginning of the Book of Daniel, it is apparent that God is dealing with Nebuchadnezzar. He keeps having these dreams that are coming from God. The king is slowly beginning to realize that the God of the Israelites is much more powerful than any god that he has ever known about. In these verses he calls Him, the Most High God. He performs great signs or miracles, His kingdom is eternal. This is an interesting statement. God’s kingdom will last forever and His dominion or His power and territory that He controls continues from generation to generation. It goes on and on regardless who is the king of a nation. This God is still in control. This is amazing insight by the Babylonian king. Beginning in verse 4, Nebuchadnezzar is relating his own experience and he wants all the people to know about it.

[Daniel 4:4-12] (4) I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. (5) I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. (6) So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. (7) When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. (8) Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) (9) I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. (10) These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. (11) The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. (12) Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.

Nebuchadnezzar has another dream. This time he tells his wise men, called magicians, what the dream is and asks them to interpret it. They, however, are unable to tell the meaning of the dream, so Nebuchadnezzar calls for Daniel. Notice that he calls Daniel the chief of the magicians. The head magician. He tells Daniel about his dream about a giant tree that reaches into the sky. All the animals live below it and the birds live in its branches. The great has an abundance of fruit on it.

[Daniel 4:13-18] (13) “In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven. (14) He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. (15) But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. “‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. (16) Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. (17) “‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’ (18) “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” (19) Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! (20) The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, (21) with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds — (22) Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. (23) “Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’

Daniel was reluctant to tell the king the meaning of his dream, so the king encouraged him to go on and tell him whatever the meaning. So Daniel explains that the great tree is Nebuchadnezzar. His power is great and it covers a large part of the earth. Then Daniel gives the king the bad news.

[Daniel 4:24-27] (24) “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: (25) You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. (26) The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. (27) Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

Remember the ninety foot golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar had built after Daniel interpreted his first dream about the statue with a gold head and silver arms and chest, etc., meaning that Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was going to end and another king would rule over his kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar is a proud man who believes that all he has and the great things he has accomplished are all his doing. He believes that he can control the future. His kingdom will go on. By what Daniel says, Nebuchadnezzar was a cruel king in some ways, and Daniel encourages him to do what is right for the kingdom and his people and maybe God will not cause these terrible things to happen to him.

[Daniel 4:28-33] (28) All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. (29) Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, (30) he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (31) Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. (32) You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (33) Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. 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.

One year had passed since Nebuchadnezzar had praised himself for all his power and possessions. Verse 28 explains it all: “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Look at all that I have done! The magnificent things I have built! I have done it all with my power and my glory! The man was filled pride and his own importance. Earthly positions and positions are temporary and can disappear in a day. God blessed Nebuchadnezzar but because of his pride and attitude of self-importance, God took it all away. His lost his position as king, the shelter of his palace and was forced to live out in the open like a cow. He had to live like that for seven years and he was willing to acknowledge that God controls the kingdoms of men places kings over them according to His will. The king so filled with pride has been humbled. This condition that Nebuchadnezzar had is now known as a psychological disease called Boanthropy where to person believes they are a bovine or cow.

[Daniel 4:34-37] (34) At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. (35) All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (36) At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. (37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

After living outside as an animal, this most powerful king finally gets it. He is just a man. God is the eternal all powerful God who controls all the kingdoms and people on the earth. God is pleased with men who are filled with pride. When Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven praising God his sanity was restored along with his kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar continued to praise God. He seems to have learned his lesson.

What did we learn from Daniel chapter 4?
1: All of our earthly possessions belong to God and are temporary.
2: We can be well off today and poor tomorrow.
3: Our health can change overnight.
4: Pride is a sin the God does not tolerate.
5: We should thank God and praise Him every day for all His blessings.
6: God can control the nations of the earth and their leaders.

Most of Israel’s seventy years of captivity have passed. Nabonidas was the last king over Babylon and Belshazzar was his oldest son who ruled in Babylon when his father was absent and is on the throne at the beginning of Daniel 5.

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