Daniel, Chaper 4

Review

Chapter 1 - Daniel and friends have made up their minds to serve the true and living God in an ungodly country; refuse to eat foods that God forbid Jews to eat - (God elevates them)

God reveals the king’s dream to Daniel and the interpretation of it - God saves and protects Daniel and his friends.

Three Hebrew boys refuse to bow down and worship a statue; thrown in furnace; but God saves them and protects them

Are you insane?

the Bible gives one test

Daniel 4:1–3 NLT

1 King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you! 2 “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. 3 How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.

Chapter 4 Starts off with a message from the king to all of his subjects. It is a testimony about God and God’s kingdom

Verses 4-8

King had a dream that frightened him (different one)

this time he was willing to share it . . . but none of his magicians, fortune-tellers, or astrologer type people could interpret it

Finally they brought Daniel in to see if he could interpret the dream

Daniel 4:9 NLT

9 “I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.

the king, just like people in the world today are “spiritual thinking”, but are spiritually confused.

chief of the magicians - thinks Daniel is like the others, just a little better than they are

spirit of the holy gods - king thinks there are multiple gods

ask someone today, “Do you believe in God?”

I believe there is a god, but . . . I feel, I think . . .

then they just totally make up think God should be like . . . .no Bible foundation

I do and God told me

then what they heard contradicts the Bible

now tell me what my dream means - thinks Daniel is the power/controls the power

witchcraft - make you think you control power; power is very limited; snare for you

Christianity - God upfront lets you know that he controls the power, power is unlimited; power is a benefit to you

(let’s read through the dream)

Daniel 4:10–18 NLT

10 “ ‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth. 11 The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. 12 It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree. 13 “ ‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field. 16 For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. 17 For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.” 18 “ ‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Reminder that Belteshazzar is Daniel’s Babylonian name.

(let’s keep going)

Daniel 4:19 NLT

19 “Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’ “Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you!

God shows Daniel the meaning of the dream and it is bad news for the king

Daniel is scared because you could get killed if you told something to the king that he did not want to hear.

Daniel warns the king that this dream is about something bad happening to you

verses 20-26: the interpretation

The great strong tree represented the King. He was great and strong.

but the tree being cut down means that you will lose your throne and be driven from society. You will act like a wild animal and live with the wild animals

this will last seven (periods) maybe years, maybe months, and during this time you will learn that the Most High God actually rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.

The stump allowed to remain in the ground means that you will get your kingdom back, once you have learned God rules the earth.

This is a continuation of what has already happened

Dream about statue - lesson, God reigns and God is in control

King responds by building statue to himself and wants people to worship it . . . set himself up as god (so he did not learn the lesson)

So God says, I will take your kingdom away so that you can learn this lesson

Daniel 4:27 NLT

27 “ ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’

Daniel gives advice - humble yourself and repent and do right . . . be merciful to the por

how we treat the poor is a sign of what we think of our own accomplishments

bad attitude - they could have done like me and made it

good attitude - if not for the grace of God, there go I . . . it could have been me (If I had been born into that same situation)

all it takes is a little sickness, one local tragedy, personal tragedy, mistake in some computer, falsely accused, job plays out, some executive scam your company, some occurence that breaks you mentally . . . and you will be poor

So Daniel warns him to turn it around, and maybe God will have mercy

God is a God who gives warnings . . . chances to repent . . . we often mistake it as “God is not watching” or “I got away with it”

Daniel 4:28–30 NLT

28 “But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 30 As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

12 months later - king has had opportunity to change his ways;

King gives all the credit for his accomplishments to himself

Daniel 4:31–33 NLT

31 “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32 You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’ 33 “That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.

The King became insane and they had to put him outside like an animal (hair super long, nails uncut, eating grass)

Daniel 4:34 NLT

34 “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal.

What does sanity look like?

praise and worship God

honor God

recognize that God rules and his reign is everlasting and eternal

Daniel 4:35 NLT

35 All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

you are crazy if you don’t realize that no one compares to him

you are crazy if you don’t understand that God does as he pleases

that no one can stand against God or legitimately question his decisions

you are crazy if you don’t realize that God is in control

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom

your thinking ain’t right if you don’t fear and respect God

and watch out for those who don’t fear and respect God

by what they say, and by their actions

crazy to think that you have some control

Daniel 4:36 NASB95

36 “At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me.

after he recognized God, the King got his sanity back, and God gave him his kingdom back.

the leaders sought him out (probably was all kinds of chaos in the court and court intrigue as various groups sought to take control)

Daniel 4:37 NASB95

37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

So the king completes his message

giving praises to God

exalt and honor him, and not me

he will humble those who are prideful

James 4:6 NASB95

6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

humble doesn’t mean you have to be quiet

it means you recognize that it’s not about you, you recognize who deserves the credit (God)

and sometimes that will make you talk less

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