Daniel 4:1-3: Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto the people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward 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.
A heathen king gets to write part of the Bible! He makes known to the whole world of his day the knowledge of the mighty acts of the God of heaven!
That was something that Israel should have done long before, but failed to do. This straightforward, honest account of Nebuchadnezzar's experience must have led many to the Lord. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men" (Psalm 107:8).
There can be no doubt that what this chapter tells us really took place. The ancient people believed that each nation or tribe had its own god; it was not uncommon for a person to be converted to the worship of another god. Nebuchadnezzar finally gets settled in his faith. He confesses that the God of the Hebrews is above all the gods. He is the "most high God."
Daniel 4:4-7: I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
In chapter two the wise men and astrologers had said that if only the king would reveal to them his dream, they would contrive some interpretation. Now the king makes the dream known, and still they are at a loss to reveal the secrets of heaven!
The fact that they are called before Daniel is called indicates that the king had by this time allowed himself to forget what he had been taught about the true God in chapters two and three. Granted, the man was under intense pressure as head of the greatest empire on earth. Although he had an honest heart, the powerful pull of riches, worldly power, and honor drew him back into apostasy. God was merciful and patient in seeking again and again to bring Nebuchadnezzar back to an understanding of the truth. So He works with men and women today. The better you understand yourself, the closer you will feel you are to Nebuchadnezzar in weaknesses. You'll have no "holier than thou" spirit.
Daniel 4:8-12: But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: the leaves thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
The symbolic meaning of such a tree must have been known to Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, he probably had some little idea of the real meaning of the dream, as is indicated by his attitude in verse 19. The story of the Tree of Life had been handed down by legend in old Babylon, as had also the story of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Ezekiel had foretold the great fall of the king of Egypt, and now Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would be the instrument used by the Lord for cutting him down, "to the end that none of all the trees [including Nebuchadnezzar] ... exalt themselves for their height" (Ezekiel 31:14). Nebuchadnezzar should have learned a lesson from this humbling experience of another "tree" before him—the Pharaoh of Egypt. But so like you and me, the king has been slow to learn his kindergarten lessons in the school of faith. But you've never had a teacher in school more patient with you than the Lord is in His "school."
Daniel 4:13-18: I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; he cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches. Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: let his heart be changed from man's and let the beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
Nebuchadnezzar should have remembered that his kingdom was not to stand forever. In spite of the revelation in chapter two, he had continued to beautify Babylon, building for himself an enormous palace to satisfy his vain pride. His wars were finished, and now the entire world lay at his feet. Every pleasure he might desire was his. He sensed no restraint imposed upon his ambitions. But "pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a great fall" (Proverbs 16:18). You may not be building palaces like Nebuchadnezzar, but you have your own ambitions that you imagine you can pursue without the Lord's help.
The "watchers," or "holy ones" mentioned here are the angels who are "all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (that's you! Hebrews 1:13, 14). They take a strong interest in the affairs on this earth. Your newspaper or Fox News has nothing on them. They are continually ministering to the spiritual needs of those who choose to follow Christ. The angels had noted Nebuchadnezzar's growing pride and hardness of heart, and it must have worried them. Unless something was done, he would be lost entirely. They knew that he had gotten to the place where only trouble and humiliation could help him come to his senses. "It is good for me that I have been afflicted," said a very good person (see Psalm 119:71). Therefore, God permitted this sad experience to come to our king.
Daniel 4:19-27: Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down and destroy it; yet leave the stump of roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.
When the king told his dream, Daniel understood the meaning immediately. For years, the prophet had been praying for the king, ever since the events of chapter two. Daniel realized that he had many good traits of character, and that within his heart he was honest and wanted to respond to God's love. Daniel and the king were very likely good friends.
He now saw that God was answering his prayers. But to tell the king the news of this terrible judgment was very difficult for Daniel. The king seemed to sense a foreboding that something was wrong, and sympathized with Daniel's hesitant attitude. The Holy Spirit was already speaking to him. He urged Daniel to tell everything, fearing nothing.
Daniel therefore made a personal appeal to the king. He assured him of God's willingness to forgive, if he would repent of his sins of pride and all the relevant sins of a Middle Eastern tyrant.
For a time the impression of the warning was strong upon Nebuchadnezzar; but the heart that is not transformed by the grace of God soon loses the impressions of the Holy Spirit. Self-indulgence and ambition were still cherished. In spite of instruction so graciously given him and the warnings of past experience, Nebuchadnezzar again let himself be filled with jealousy against the kingdoms that were to follow. He began to rule harshly and oppressively. Hardening his heart, he used his God-given talents for self-glorification, exalting himself above the God who had given him life and power. There may be someone reading this book who has been just as persistent in resisting the grace of the Savior.
For months the judgment of God waited. The sun shone as brightly, his people flattered him as usual, all seemed well. But instead of being led to repentance by this kindness of God, the king became more proud, until he lost confidence in the interpretation of the dream, and laughed at his former fears.
Daniel 4:28-33: All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he walked in the royal palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
Archaeologists have recovered Nebuchadnezzar's own written boastings from the ruins of Babylon: "Then built I the palace the seat of my royalty, the bond of the race of men, the dwelling of joy and rejoicing" (Grotefend Cylinder). Even the bricks of old Babylon, dug out of the sand, are inscribed with Nebuchadnezzar's name.
David said, "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found." (Psalm 37:35, 36). God is merciful to send adversity when we need it, just as much as when he sends us prosperity. It is often adversity that turns our hearts away from earthly vanities that will soon pass away, to the appreciation of the enduring heavenly things.
The "seven times" can be identified as seven years (compare Daniel 7:25 with Revelation 12:14 and 13:5). During this time Nebuchadnezzar was afflicted with a strange disease which medical science knows as Lycanthrophy. One of the earliest to observe this disease was a Greek medical writer of the 4th century A.D. The sufferer imagines himself to be changed into an animal and acts like one. Yet this extreme form of insanity does not seem to interfere with the inner human consciousness. E. B. Pusey (Daniel the Prophet, New York, 1891) tells of the case of Pere Surin, a modern example of this disease.
All reasoning power, honor, and strength we have are given us of God. When God removed those gifts, the king was left entirely to his own wisdom and honor, which proved to be nothing (see Galatians 6:3)! "Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish," said king David (Psalm 49:20). David freely and humbly confessed that without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, he was indeed foolish and ignorant. "I was as a beast before Thee" (Psalm 73:22). What a contrast between his humble attitude and the pride and self-sufficiency of Nebuchadnezzar!
During these seven years, Nebuchadnezzar's family or counselors ruled in his stead. Daniel's interpretation of the dream must have been known throughout the palace, for it was expected that Nebuchadnezzar would recover his reason, and would return to the throne. His throne was left sure unto him, as the stump of the tree is left in the earth that it might shoot forth again.
Daniel 4:34-37: And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me: and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
"I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven." Had the king done so before he lost his reason, his severe chastening would not have been necessary. Only when he learned to obey in spirit the counsel of the apostle Paul in Romans 12:3, did he receive true understanding: "I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." So with us. We are of the earth, earthly, as Paul says (1 Corinthians 15:47). Our eyes are turned downward, absorbed in the things of this world, its honor, wealth, power, and pleasures. Only when we lift our spiritual eyes upward, toward heaven, do we really begin to live. Then we pass "from death unto life" (John 5:24). "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
The huge tree which Nebuchadnezzar saw represented not only the king himself personally, but also his Babylonian empire. When it fell, as we shall see in the next chapter, the root was allowed to remain in the earth. (But what can this mean?)
Today, the great political empire of Babylon is no more; not a brick remains. Yet great spiritual Babylon, prominently displayed in the prophecies of Revelation, remains as an offshoot of that root left in the earth. All nations of the earth have been made "drunk" with the wine of her false doctrines (Revelation 14:8). The mysteries of ancient Babylon's heathen worship are perpetuated in some modern Christian churches today. Thousands of worshippers, in every land, are ignorantly doing honor to ancient Babylonian gods when they observe religious rites and ceremonies which are not founded upon a "Thus saith the Lord" in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible. "In vain they do worship Me," says Jesus, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9). These evil and deceptive doctrines are an outgrowth of that stump left in the earth so long ago. We need to search carefully to make sure that our faith is rooted only in the Bible, and not in the mere commandments of men.