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Scripture Reading: Dan. 4
Daniel is a book of the divine revelation concerning God's economy. In chapters one through six, this book does not present God's economy in theology or in teaching but in a series of cases. There are at least six cases recorded in Daniel 1—6 which show us what God's economy is and how God's economy can be carried out. These six cases are illustrations.
Apparently the cases in chapters one through six stand alone and have nothing to do with each other. Actually these cases are all connected. For example, to find the crucial point of the second case, the great human image in chapter two, we must go back to chapter one. The secret of understanding chapter two is in chapter one. Likewise, the secret of understanding chapter three is in chapter two, and so forth. The case in chapter six is a conclusion to the five foregoing cases.
In order to describe the first case, in chapter one, we must paint a portrait. First, we must portray the figure of a fighting, overcoming general, Nebuchadnezzar, who has just returned from Jerusalem to Babylon with many captives following behind him. Second, we see four brilliant young men among the captives. Third, these young men are specially chosen from among the captives and then presented with the king's choice food. Fourth, they set their hearts to keep themselves for God, and they reject the royal food and eat vegetables only. Nevertheless, the four become very pleasant, happy, and healthy. Then as a result, God's presence, wisdom, and insight are with them, and they can understand things ten times better than all the others in Nebuchadnezzar's realm.
The second case is in chapter two. That great, victorious general dreamed a dream that he could not understand. Because he was blinded by worldly glory and power, he could not understand the dream and eventually forgot it. However, there was a person named Daniel who did not care for worldly glory and power, who had a heart for God, and who had the ability and the capacity to understand this dream. He had not only the right position and the right angle to understand but also an intrinsic capacity in his being to understand. Thus, when such an unknown matter was brought to him, he had the insight. He saw through the worldly glory and majesty related to human government. Then he gave the king a vision to open his eyes. But Nebuchadnezzar was void of the capacity to know God inwardly. Although outwardly he was helped by Daniel to see that God is the Most High God, nothing within him was touched. Regarding Daniel as a hero, this great, overcoming general worshipped him and offered him an oblation with incense. This is the scene at the end of chapter two.
In his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel said, "You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of the heavens has given kingship, power, and strength and glory....You are the head of gold" (2:37-38). As Nebuchadnezzar thought about Daniel's interpretation, he might have considered himself to be someone great. Thus, in chapter three he erected a large golden image, possibly signifying himself, for people to worship. It not only had a head of gold, but the entire image was of gold.
Daniel was a prefect ruling over the largest province of Babylon. He realized that the great image was being set up for people to worship, and he anticipated its dedication. Since he is not mentioned in chapter three, it is likely that he went away and prayed for God's victory. God had received much worship in the temple in Jerusalem, but that was destroyed, and the utensils for worshipping God were brought to Babylon. God's interests on this earth were lost. Nevertheless, there were some overcomers in Babylon, and Daniel was one of them. I believe that Daniel stayed away from the dedication of the image in order to pray for his three companions. In his prayer he might have said, "God, You must preserve us and keep Your worship on earth. Your worship should not be cut off, frustrated, violated, or changed by anyone."
Daniel's three companions answered Nebuchadnezzar boldly, saying, "There is no need for us to give you an answer in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace of fire, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods nor worship the golden image that you have set up" (3:16-18). They were thrown into the furnace of fire, but the fire had no effect on them. Therefore, at the end of chapter three, the king admitted in a good spirit that these three young men had changed his word and were not afraid to yield their bodies to be killed. "Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him and changed the king's word and yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God" (v. 28).
At the beginning of chapter four, Nebuchadnezzar again offered praise concerning God. As we will see, in this chapter Nebuchadnezzar, who continued to walk in pride, was abased by God. God exposed him and showed him that he was not a gentleman but a beast.
In 4:1-3 we have Nebuchadnezzar's praise concerning God in His greatness, might, eternal kingdom, and everlasting dominion. In verses 2 and 3 he said, "It pleases me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs, / And how mighty are His wonders! / His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, / And His dominion is from generation to generation."
Verses 4 through 18 are a record of Nebuchadnezzar's testimony.
Verse 5 says, "I saw a dream and it frightened me, and the imaginings upon my bed and the visions of my head alarmed me." He decreed that the wise men of Babylon make the interpretation known to him. However, the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans, and diviners could not interpret the dream to Nebuchadnezzar (vv. 6-7).
Eventually Daniel came in to interpret the dream. Nebuchadnezzar told him about the dream and then asked him to make the interpretation known to him (vv. 8-18).
Having heard of the dream, Daniel was appalled for a while and his thoughts alarmed him. When Nebuchadnezzar told him not to be alarmed, Daniel said, "My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies!" (v. 19).
In his dream Nebuchadnezzar saw a great, strong, tall tree, beautiful in foliage, rich in fruit, and good for food. This tree signified Nebuchadnezzar himself (vv. 20-22).
In his dream Nebuchadnezzar saw "a watcher, indeed, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, Cut down the tree and destroy it; yet leave its stump of roots in the earth, but with an iron and bronze band around it, 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 until seven periods of time pass over him" (v. 23). In his interpretation Daniel explained that this signifies that the Most High God had decreed that Nebuchadnezzar would be driven out from among mankind, dwell with the beasts of the field, be made to eat grass as bulls, and lose his reasoning for a period of seven times, until he came to know that the Most High is the Ruler over the kingdom of men (vv. 24-25). Verse 26 goes on to say, "In that it was commanded that the stump of roots of the tree be left, your kingdom will be assured to you after you have come to know that the heavens do rule."
After interpreting the dream, Daniel offered counsel to Nebuchadnezzar. He advised him, saying, "Break off your sins by doing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if there is a prolonging of your prosperity" (v. 27).
Verses 28 through 33 show how the fulfillment of the dream came upon Nebuchadnezzar.
After Daniel exhorted Nebuchadnezzar, God gave him twelve months to repent. However, there was no repentance and no change. One day while the king was walking upon the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, he looked at the great city and was filled with pride, saying, "Is this not Babylon the great, which I have built up as a royal house by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (v. 30).
While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, "To you it is spoken, King Nebuchadnezzar: The kingdom has passed on from you" (v. 31). God would teach him to know that he was nothing and the mighty God, the Ruler over the kingdom of men, the One who gives the kingdom of men to whomever He wills, is everything.
According to his nature and his being, Nebuchadnezzar was not a man but a beast. For this reason, his heart was changed from that of a man's, and a beast's heart was given to him (v. 16). God also took away his human reasoning. In that very hour he began to eat grass as bulls, his body became wet with the dew, his hair grew like eagles' feathers, and his nails became like birds' claws (v. 33).
Nebuchadnezzar remained in this condition for "seven periods of time." I believe that this expression refers to seven weeks, to forty-nine days. At the end of these days, Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his eyes to heaven, and his reason returned to him (v. 34a). Because beasts walk on four legs, they look down, but humans walk on two feet and look up. Nebuchadnezzar's reasoning came back as soon as he looked upward toward the heavens. Because he had changed, his reasoning returned.
Nebuchadnezzar blessed the Most High and praised and honored the ever-living One, saying, "His dominion is an eternal dominion, / And His kingdom is from generation to generation; / And all the inhabitants of earth are considered as nothing, / But He does according to His will in the army of heaven / And among the inhabitants of the earth; / And there is no one who can resist His hand / Or say to Him, What are You doing?" (vv. 34b-35). Further, in verse 37 Nebuchadnezzar praised, exalted, and honored the King of the heavens, because His works are truth and His ways justice and because He is able to abase those who walk in pride.
As indicated by his praise at the end of chapter four, Nebuchadnezzar surely had learned the lesson to be abased and know God. In chapter three he set up a golden image because he was very proud. Chapter four follows to teach him a great lesson. Although he acted like a gentleman, he was a beast. After this chapter the record of Nebuchadnezzar comes to an end.
