Daniel Study – Chapter 4

Chapter 4: God?s Sovereign Power over the realm of mankind?He punishes and He can restore if He so wishes it

What: Public Degradation Story

Historical narrative told in the first person, written by Nebuchadnezzar (4). If you will, it can even be his testimony (2-3). Then starting at verse 28 it is told in the 3 rd Person omniscient (presumably Daniel?s notes on the matter) but the first person view starts up again at verse 34.

When and Where:

We know that Nebuchadnezzar reigned (4), lost his power for 7 years (32) 1 year after his dream (29) and then was restored to full power (36).

Who:

  • Nebuchadnezzar the teller of the story (1) and could be dictating it to Daniel but we don?t know only that it is in Daniel?s book. He dreamed a dream (5)
  • The wise men (7) weren?t able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar?s dream
  • Daniel or Belteshezzar (9) comes in as the interpreter of the dream (8)
  • The King of Heaven (37)

Why Written:

Confrontation:

Proud Nebuchadnezzar the Man versus God

Nebuchadnezzar decides to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God showed him (1-3)

  • The king was at ease flourishing in his house (4) and had a dream that made him afraid (5) so he gave orders for all the wise men to tell him what it meant (6) but they couldn?t do it (7) so Daniel at last came (8) and the king asked for an interpretation (9, 18) of the dream which he had (10-18)
  • A huge tree in the middle of the world (10)
  • It grew large and became strong, it?s head touching the sky (11)
  • It had beautiful leaves and fruit and food for all (12) and the beasts of the field got shade under it and the birds dwelt in the branches
  • A holy watcher came down from heaven (13) and shouted that the tree was to be chopped down (14) and denuded and its fruit scattered. His mind should be changed from that of a man to a beast for 7 periods of time (16)
  • This decision is made so that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind (17)

Daniel was appalled at the dream (19) and wished that it applied to the King?s enemies (19) but gives an interpretation nevertheless (20-26)

  • The tree (20) with the beautiful foliage and fruit and lodging (21) is Nebuchadnezzar who is great and has a large dominion (22)
  • The angelic watcher?s decree (23) is a decree from the most High God (24) that Nebuchadnezzar be driven away from man and his dwelling is with the beasts for seven years as he eats of the grass of the field like cattle (25)
  • The stump with roots is that the kingdom is assured to Nebuchadnezzar after he recognizes that Heaven or God rules (26)

Daniel begs that Nebuchadnezzar breaks away from his sin so as to prolong his prosperity (27)

12 months later Nebuchadnezzar is in the palace of Babylon (29) and reflected over the greatness of his kingdom and what he had done (30)

Result: Positional punishment (Man as a beast) and Praise

While the words are still in his mouth he hears a voice from heaven (31) removing his rule and that he would be driven from mankind as a beast (32)

Immediately it was fulfilled (33)

At the end of that period he raised his eyes (34) then his reason returned to him (34) and he blessed the most high God (34-35) which is the time his reason returned (36)

  • God?s dominion is everlasting
  • His kingdom endures
  • All the inhabitants of the earth are like nothing
  • He does according to His will
  • No one can ward off His hand
  • Or say ?What have You done??

Nebuchadnezzar?s kingdom is restored to him and his wise men began seeking him out (36) and even more greatness was added to him (36) and now he exalts and praises and honors the King of Heaven for all His works are true and His ways just for He is able to humble those who walk in pride (37)

Application:

Firstly, we see the pride of a man who does not recognize the God who has graced Him by allowing him to become a king in such high stature among men and the world. This pride overflows looking at those beautiful hanging gardens (with plants and shrubberies created by God) and those wonderful buildings (made of stone created by the hands of God) and preens thinking what a good job he has done. Such audacity in the eyes of a sovereign God are simply horrendous and the man stands worthy of receiving full punishment from God

Secondly we see the mercy of God that He would punish the man but with the purpose to build him up and restore him so that he may look to Him and believe that He is the Most High God, over, above and beyond all, able to build up kings and tear them down again. God showed mercy of His own accord and punished the man but didn?t destroy him.

Thirdly we see the man reacting to the punishment and the mercy by raising his eyes to Heaven. Even in his unreason the man could look up to God and upon doing this after his seven years his reason returned to him in the very midst of offering up praise to God. Almost as if he opened his unreasoning mouth to offer praise and the words and mind of a man came back to him. God punishes and shows mercy but man is still required to respond of his own volition.

Fourthly we see how God saw Nebuchadnezzar?s kingdom. It was something that had much beauty to offer, giving shade and much fruit and foliage to the small and weak of the world. This kingdom had an aspect which was gorgeous and it was a Gentile kingdom of unbelievers. The arts and culture are immensely beautiful but when they are elevated over God?s position they become chaff-worthy.

Fifthly, we may see that when Man acts like he is on his own without God, he becomes like an animal saying it needs no master. With that in mind, God is willing to fulfill the desire of the man. We are then illuminated with a lesson on pride that God can take a man who stands before him in his pride and make the object lesson obvious. Man without God is like a beast roaming in the field, wet in the dew and eating grass.

-r-

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