Daniel 4:1-27 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream about a Tree
King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!
“I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.
“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed. So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant. When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
“I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.
“‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth. The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.
‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches.
But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze
and surrounded by tender grass.
Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field. For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—even to the lowliest of people.”
“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
Daniel Explains the Dream
“Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’
“Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.
“‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”
“‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.
“‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”
Despite all the miracles Nebuchadnezzar has witnessed, he remains unrepentant and refuses to worship the One True Living God. But God loves Nebuchadnezzar and wants to break that royal pride so that he will realize there is only one God and King and that he is not it. God sends Nebuchadnezzar a frightening dream and the king immediately sends for Daniel to interpret it.
God portrays Nebuchadnezzar as a huge tree whose protection and fruits supplied all the creatures in the world. But a holy messenger commanded the tree to be cut down and the stump to be bound with bands of iron and brass to hold it together. Then God decrees, “Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”
What can Daniel say? The interpretation is frightening; yet, he must give it accurately. “‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.”
All Daniel can do is to beg Nebuchadnezzar:” ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”
We don’t know what Nebuchadnezzar has been doing, but obviously, he has been wicked and has been merciless to the poor. Now God is giving the king a final warning, one that eventually comes true.
This story illustrates Daniel’s courage, for who wants to advise the most powerful ruler of the world that he’s a miserable sinner who is about to suffer for his sins? Why should God warn Nebuchadnezzar in this fashion?
It’s tempting to divide Biblical characters into good guys and bad guys; however, God views people differently than we do. God loves Nebuchadnezzar and wants him to repent and worship Him rather than himself. But God has already demonstrated His power by saving the three young men from a fiery furnace and Nebuchadnezzar has settled for giving a weak warning for people to respect God but not necessarily to worship Him alone. Now it’s time for God to deal directly with Nebuchadnezzar.
The question for us is simple: How much work does it take for God to get OUR attention? How many of us are actually worshiping ourselves, rather than God? Even when we attend worship services, are we actually worshiping God or are we admiring ourselves, our dedication, our performance? May God help us so that we worship Him and Him alone!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to truly worship You and You alone. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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