The Kingfs Tree Vision (Part 2)
Dan. 4:19 – 37
Introduction
This is the second part of Nebuchadnezzar’s tree vision. Progressively king Nebuchadnezzar came to learn about the God of Israel. Slowly he began and to acknowledge Yahweh’s superiority over the gods of Babylon.
Here in chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar comes to grips with Israel’s God in a very personal way. Somewhere in the events of this chapter, the king is radically changed. We would say he was saved. The God whom Nebuchadnezzar once knew only intellectually, he now comes to trust and worship in a very personal way. Chapter 4 is the high point of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, a point he reached by being brought to an all-time low.
I. Daniel’s Astonishment (Dan. 4:19)
A. His astonishment was not through ignorance of the dream’s meaning but because he had a full understanding of exactly what it meant.
B. When the king saw Daniel’s reluctance, he encouraged Daniel not to be alarmed but to share its meaning with him. Daniel respectfully stated that he wished the dream would happen to the king’s enemies.
C. Daniel was reluctant to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream because of the negative implications to the king. He did not want to tell bad news; however, He must honestly reveal the truth.
II. Daniel’s Interpretation
A. The great tree (vs. 20-22) . This was Nebuchadnezzar himself. In Daniel 2, he was the head of gold symbolizing dominion and power. His kingdom was the greatest of his time. Nebuchadnezzar was a world ruler who governed most of the civilized world. He brought great nations under his leadership.
B. The felled tree: He is the felled tree symbolizing the loss of these things. God will remove Nebuchadnezzar from his authority in the Babylonian kingdom. The king would lose his sanity, power and glory but God would preserve his life. However, God provided for Nebuchadnezzar in grace, He left a stump. He can repent, he can change. Through this illness Nebuchadnezzar would come to acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone He wishes.
C. Daniel’s plea (v. 27)- Daniel sets before us another example of a soul winner.
1. He was genuinely concerned (v.19). Romans 9:1-3; 10:1.
2. He made God’s ways plain.
3. He pointed the sin problem (v. 27).
4. He urged repentance and faith (vs. 25, 27).
D. The Great Watcher (v. 23)
1. The Great Destruction (v. 23) . the king was to be cut down to size, and fall from his lofty position.
2. The Great Decree (v. 24-26) Nebuchadnezzar was to become as a beast of the field for seven years.
E. In chapter 2, after Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar his dream and its interpretation, the king honored and promoted Daniel. Here we find no expression of appreciation from the king, nor a promotion or advancement of Daniel.
From the silence of the text, the king only politely thanked Daniel at best, choosing not to take his interpretation seriously. The dream itself seems to have had no great impact on the king’s attitude or actions.
Illustration/Application:
As Daniel was not afraid to say, You are the man, neither should we be afraid. We must tell the truth to all people about Christ
No honest preachers or teachers tell people just what they want to hear. They tell what they need to hear. They tell the truth. They will do it with discretion but they will do it.
Tellers of truth represent light in darkness. If they do not tell the truth, few will trust their word.
III. The Dream’s Fulfilment
A. God’s certain word (v. 28)- everything happened exactly as God said it would. Many may scoff about hell fire but it will not lower the temperature of hell by one degree . all will come to pass exactly as God has said in His word.
B. Nebuchadnezzar’s failure (v.29)- Despite of the warning and judgment to come and a plea for repentance and faith, (not to mention the accuracy of Daniel’s previous interpretations), the king failed to humble himself.
C. God’s longsuffering (v. 29)- God still waited one full year before bringing the judgment upon the king (1 Pet. 3:9, 20, Jonah 3:4-10).
D. Nebuchadnezzar’s Pride (v.30) . by ascribing glory to himself, the king directly challenged God (Dan. 5:20, Lk. 12:16-21, Acts 12:20-23, Matt. 23:12, Jas. 4:6).
E. Nebuchadnezzar’s Affliction (vs. 31-33)
1. It was sudden (v. 31)
2. It was sure . the wheel of God’s judgment grind slowly, but they grind surely!
3. The King’s illness was LYCANTHROPY (literally wolf man) . Some says its zoanthropy – a mental disorder which a patient imagines himself to be an animal and seeks the company of beasts. There was no mental institution in Babylon and the insane were allowed to wander wherever and as they wished- the common belief being that they had been touched by the gods.
F. God’s discipline upon Nebuchadnezzar was because of his pride. This is a sin that God hates. Jeremiah 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: Jeremiah 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
G. It is here that the king’s sins are more specifically exposed and the nature and manifestation of true repentance is made known to the king. His pride and arrogance are exposed as the root of his sin. The fruit of his sin seems to be self-promotion and the oppression of the poor.
Illustration/Application: Pride
It is imperative that we see Daniel linking pride and oppression in this text. The king ‘s pride has resulted in the oppression of the poor. The king’s humiliation is to be the cure, resulting in justice and mercy. What is the connection between pride and oppression?
Nebuchadnezzar took all the glory for the greatness of his kingdom; he did not give glory to God. In effect, he began to set himself in the seat of God, reminiscent of other glory-seeking creatures, including Satan himself (see Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28).
Taking glory which does not belong to us causes us to see ourselves as better than others. Pride ignores and denies the truth that prosperity comes from God, as a gift of His grace, and not the reward for our greatness.
Pride also interprets others poverty as proof of inferiority and the penalty for inferiority. Sooner or later, pride justifies the use of power as rightly taking advantage of the poor to gain from their weakness.
The Christian’s perception of wealth and poverty is the opposite, the strong are to help the weak.
The pagan perception of wealth and poverty assumes the strong have the right to gain at the expense of the weak. Pride then has led to oppression
Jonah’s life is an example of this. As a Jew, Jonah believed he was better than the Gentiles. He neither wanted nor needed grace; indeed, he despised it. Nor did he want the Ninevites to experience the grace of God.
Jonah did all he could to hinder the salvation of these heathens and even desired to watch them perish.
The pride of the self-righteous always reject grace and charity
The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day were proud and self-righteous.
Like Nebuchadnezzar, they regarded their position, power, and prestige as a reward for their superiority.
The poverty and affliction of others was regarded as divine punishment for their sins.
The pride of those in positions of power led to oppression, and later our Lord accused the scribes and Pharisees of stealing (devour) widow’s houses (Matthew 23:14).
H. If Nebuchadnezzar was to be saved from divine chastening, he must recognize that his position and power were not a reward for his merits, but a gift of divine grace.
I. He must cease using his power to further his personal kingdom. and begin using his position and power to benefit the weak and the oppressed.
J. This would be true repentance, and it might prolong his prosperity.
IV. The King’s Restoration
A. Judgment over (v. 34) . at the end of days . God’s allotted time
B. I lifted my eyes unto heaven (v. 34), finally he looked unto God.
C. Mine understanding returned to me . he came to his senses . he was healed
D. And excellent majesty was added unto me.- blessings follows judgments. God takes no delight in punishments
Illustration/Application:
God has a purpose for our lives as long as we live.
The principle of the stump is that God has a purpose for us as long as we are alive. As long as we live, God always puts a band of His grace provision around our lives. This opens greater opportunities to serve him even after a serious fall. 3 Things God does to the Kingdoms of this world:
1. Nations rise and fall to show that God is still in control. He overrules the kingdoms of this world. God rules in the kingdom of men (v.17).
2. God also gives kingdoms to whosoever He will (v.17). God puts people in power. Every political leader is there by the will of God.
3. God sets over it the lowest of men (v.17). That should humble some of our proud leaders.
This chapter does not simply teach that pride is wrong, but that God humbles the proud.
V. Conclusion:
Of the remainder of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, we know nothing. He died a short time afterwards. Surely his last days were lived as a great testimony of the power and grace of God.
The king had finally learned it was GOD who is in the throne, not man!
The problem with Nebuchadnezzar was that he tended to measure himself by himself (rather than by God’s standards). He added up his monumental accomplishments and the extensiveness of his empire and concluded that he was worthy of glory. What a folly.
Pride is basically a failure to see ourselves in proper perspective before God. Pride is self applause attributing one’s success to his own efforts, and leaving God out of the picture (thereby robbing Him of His glory).
Towards the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity, he said, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven. That acknowledges God’s authority in his life.
He repented and came to Jehovah as his Savior.
God always responds to repentance.
God will extend His mercy to you, if you are willing to receive it.
Suggestion: Take a look at yourself and write down the areas in your life where pride is either manifesting itself or where you are being tempted to have pride. Pray for humility and always remember that God opposes the proud.
A Lesson from 1 Pet. 5:5-6 We can make a choice between grace and Gods opposition. Humility keeps grace coming down the pipeline. Pride not only cuts off the flow of grace, but causes God to stand opposed to us.
