Daniel Part 5

Louie Verdin

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Nebuchadnezzar Humiliation

Humility comes in many forms and fashions. But often, it comes when we least expect it and the process is certainly not something we anticipate.

The Kings Dream

Dan. 4.4-

Daniel 4:4–12 ESV

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 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 heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

Dan. 4.13-

Daniel 4:13–16 ESV

13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him.

Daniel Interprets the Dream

A. The Tree - Symbolic of the king

Dan.

Daniel 4:22 ESV

22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

Figures of Speech are very common in scripture. They are used to make emphasis. In this case it emphasized the true greatness of the Babylonia and Nebuchadnezzar both in size and magnitude in every aspect.

a. militarily

b. culturally

c. religiously

d. technologically

e. politically

It influenced the known world and was feared by all its neighbors.

B. The Watcher

Daniel 4:23–25 ESV

Daniel 4:23–27 ESV

23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Daniel 4:20–27 ESV

20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Dan. 4.23-

a. Watcher - angel, messenger. It was an angel sent from God to deliver a message from God.

Dan. 4.20-

Note: The king was receiving messages from a foreign God. A God he did not know. His gods are silent. His gods would not challenge him the way the God of Daniel was doing.

b. Driven from men and made to dwell with the beasts.

Why do you suppose God made him dwell among beasts?

Because he himself was acting like a beast. Terrorizing people, intimidating and was a savage. He wanted to act like a beast, so God made him be act like one. Even his mind was made to think like one. God drove him insane.

c. Seven periods of time - years.

Note: God’s work of humility in the king was work of mercy. God would rather keep the king alive through humiliation rather than destroy him because of his pride.

Speak on Bridget Mansir comment on elite controlling the world. I told her God was in control not the elite, Illuminati, etc.

Dan. 4.

Daniel 4:26 ESV

26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.

The tree was to be chopped off from the top but not uprooted. The stump would remain. Instead being a lofty tree the king would now be a mere stump…humbled by the power of God.

God graciously also secured the kings throne and rule till he came to his senses. God is in absolute control of every throne, position of power, president, king, etc. God raises them up, keeps them in power till He decides to bring them down.

Heaven Rules - That is that the Kingdom of Heaven rules over the kingdom of men.

Daniel 4:27 ESV

27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

Daniel finally preaches to him the gospel -

Break off your sins - tear away, to discontinue.

Practicing righteousness - “thy sins by righteousness break off.”

This passage, therefore, cannot be adduced to defend the doctrine that the soul may be redeemed, or that sins may be expiated by acts of charity and almsgiving. It means that the king was to break off his sins by acts of righteousness; or, in other words, he was to show by a righteous life that he had abandoned his evil course. The exhortation is, that he would practice those great duties of justice and charity toward mankind in which he had been so deficient, if, perhaps, God might show mercy, and avert the impending calamity.

Albert Barnes

Iniquities by showing mercy -

What is the difference between sins and iniquities?

Sins are not necessarily an action. Like a proud heart a perverse mind or heart. Iniquity are the actions. Notice...

Nebuchadnezzar was a bully tyrant. He oppressed the poor. He was ruthless and brutal. He was a brute beast!

Dan. 4.28-

Daniel 4:28–33 ESV

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar was so proud that not even the interpretation of the dream and the advice Daniel gave him were not enough to make him change his ways. Even after Daniel told him the meaning of the dream he goes off bragging about his accomplishment and greatness. He had to be taught a lesson.

That is the human condition - we have a hard time heeding advice, listening to the wisdom of God’s word. We have to go through experiences in order for God to get our attention and we change our ways. The human heart and will are the most difficult things to deal with on earth. There are no greater challenges than this!

Daniel 4:34–37 ESV

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Nebuchadnezzar’s pride not only deceived him…it turned into a madman. Insensitive, arrogant, intolerant, violent, abusive and insane.

God drove him insane and treated him as he had treated others. God oppressed him till he bowed his knee and heart to the one true God.

We might just see Nebuchadnezzar in heaven. It appears from these verses had a spiritual conversion.

Every bit of that dream came to pass.

Dream after dream…deliverance of the Hebrews were not enough for the kings heart to turn from his sin and worship of false gods. It took God literally driving him insane for his heart to change. How bad was this king??

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