Daniel 4
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Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (1-18)
Chapter 4 is very unusual because it seems that Nebuchadnezzar now takes the pen and writes down the events that took place in the first person. The king of Babylon is going to describe for us the things that personally took place to him. In verse 4 the story begins that Nebuchadnezzar has another terrifying dream. Once again, none of the magicians and enchanters could make known the interpretation of the dream. In his dream, he sees a large tree that is visible to the end of the earth. All the birds of heaven lived in the branches, all the beasts of the field sat under it for shade, and all men were fed from it. Then a watcher from heaven comes down from heaven and shouts that the tree must be chopped down and the branches cut off. All that is left are the stump and its roots in the earth. Further it is decreed in verse 15, “let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from that of a man, let him be given the heart of an animal, and let seven times pass over him.” This is the dream and the king asks Daniel for the interpretation.
Interpretation of the dream (19-27)
In verse 19 Daniel is astonished at the dream he has heard and his thoughts are troubled. This dream of Nebuchadnezzar is not a good dream and Nebuchadnezzar can see that Daniel is upset by the dream. In verse 22 we are told that the tree which was visible to the ends of the earth was King Nebuchadnezzar. The tree symbolized his greatness and power in Babylon . The rest of the dream was rather literal. The interpretation of the rest of the dream is given in verses 24-27. Nebuchadnezzar was going to be chopped down from his greatness, he would dwell with the beasts of the field, and made to eat grass like an ox. The stump symbolized that there would be a kingdom remaining for Nebuchadnezzar when he returned to his normal state. This condition would remain until “you come to know that Heaven rules.” Daniel then gives counsel to King Nebuchadnezzar in verse 27. Daniel says to “break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.” Daniel hopes that by doing these things there will be prolonged prosperity for Nebuchadnezzar.
Prophecy fulfilled (28-37)
In verse 29 we read that Nebuchadnezzar was walking around the royal palace in Babylon . Notice what Nebuchadnezzar says to himself in verse 30, “Is not this great Babylon , that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” While the king was saying these words, a voice comes from heaven saying that the kingdom has departed from him and he is being driven from men into the dwelling of beasts of the field. Verse 33 tells us that at that very hour the word of the Lord was fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an ox and became like the beasts of the field. What a powerful lesson God was giving Nebuchadnezzar to learn humility and that God was the all-powerful one alone. In verses 34-37 we read that Nebuchadnezzar is restored to his normal self once he “lifted his eyes toward heaven…and blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever.” The story is so amazing that I believe this is the reason why Nebuchadnezzar himself records the event for us to believe. This was God’s way of teaching the king an important lesson.
Lessons from Daniel 3-4
Developing our faith
First, God can deliver us from any circumstance. We must develop our faith to know that it does not matter what may arise in life and what Satan may throw at us, God can deliver us from the circumstance. There is nothing too great or difficult that God cannot save us from.
Second, God is not required to deliver us. But the three friends do not have a conditional relationship with God. They do not act like the deal with God is off if He does not deliver them from the fiery furnace. They understood that God did not have to save them. But even still, they were going to do what they knew God’s will to be: to not worship that golden image. We must develop our faith that we will obey the Lord at all costs. Too many times people lose their faith in God because it does not seem that God has delivered them from the tribulation they have been enduring. But we are called to continue to have faith in God. God is not a genie in the lamp that is required to do everything we say. These men knew even if they were not delivered, they would be with the Lord.
Pride will pay a price
Speaking of cost, we learn some important lessons from Nebuchadnezzar. Pride is not going to stand before the Lord. The selfish statement of Nebuchadnezzar is the trigger for the prophecy to come to pass. Nebuchadnezzar says in verse 30, “Is not this great Babylon , which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty.” It reminds me of the selfishness of the rich fool who said he would build bigger barns because he had done so well.
We must remember that all that we have is not ours. While the Lord has told us to enjoy the fruit of our labors, we must always remember that these things are not ours. Every good and perfect blessing comes from our father above. Many times the Lord has told us that the proud will be brought low. While the Lord is not going to make us like a wild beast and eat grass, we must learn the lesson that when we are proud, we will be brought to our knees in an unpleasant way. When we are proud of our families, when we are proud of our jobs, when we are proud of our possessions and wealth, when we are proud of our circumstance in life and we neglect to thank the Lord for all of these things, we have erred and have exalted ourselves. Only when Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes toward heaven and blessed and praised the Lord did his reason return to him.
The Lord disciplines whom he loves
Which leads us to our final point: true greatness can only from God. God can give all of these to us, and how quickly he can take these things away from us. It would have been foolish for Nebuchadnezzar not to realize that the tragedy that struck was because God was trying to teach him a lesson. In the book of Job, this was a point that Elihu was trying to make with Job. God uses the things of this world to try to make us learn to turn back to God and save our souls from death. Read Job 33:12-30. In verse 29 Elihu says that these tribulations may happen two or three times in one’s life to save a soul and put one back in the right direction. This principle is found in the New Testament as well. Hebrews 12:5-6 tells us “for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” We must use the trials that come in life to improve ourselves. We do not always know what is going on in the trial or the purpose of our difficulty. But it can always be used to strengthen ourselves in the Lord and make corrections in our service to God.
