Daniel 5:1 King Belshazzar held a large feast for a thousand of his nobles – drinking wine in their presence. Daniel 5:2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver receptacles that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. Daniel 5:3 Then they brought in the gold receptacles taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. Daniel 5:4 They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
party first — pay later
Disaster is about to strike. What are king Belshazzar and his entourage doing? They are partying like there’s no tomorrow. There is no tomorrow. Don’t live like that.
Daniel 4:34 But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to the sky, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Highest and honored and glorified him who lives permanently: You see, his dominion is a permanent dominion, and his kingdom lasts from generation to generation. Daniel 4:35 All the inhabitants of the land are counted as nothing, and he does what he wants with the army of the sky and the inhabitants of the land. There is no one who can block his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” Daniel 4:36 At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me. Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and glorify the King of the sky, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
my sanity returned
Morey comments on verse 36: “The various Hebrew and Greek words that are translated as “reason” in our English versions always refer either to sanity or to common sense (Daniel 4:36; Acts 6:2 KJV). Since the abstract concept of “Reason” was not developed until the Renaissance, this is to be expected. Instead of seeking to justify Divine revelation before human reason, the authors of Scripture always demanded that human reason justify itself before revelation! Human reason was correct to the degree it agreed with revelation and not the other way around” (7-8).
Our attitude toward God’s revelation can serve as a sort of barometer to test our pride. Do we believe the Bible only when we find its statement reasonable? What if our reason or sanity is the problem? Only when Nebuchadnezzar stopped living in the arrogance of his own thoughts did his sanity return.
Morey, Robert A. Here Is Your God: A Study in the Nature and Attributes of God. Crowne Publications 1989.
Daniel 4:28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, Daniel 4:30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic honor?” Daniel 4:31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you. Daniel 4:32 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle. Seven times will pass over you until you acknowledge that the Highest is ruler over mortal human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.” Daniel 4:33 At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mortal humans. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
lesson from the field hay
Unless we learn the message from the field hay, we are in danger of being reduced to eating grass. Jesus taught us to notice how God takes care of the grass. He said:
Matthew 6:30 But if God so clothes the field hay, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
We need to repent and turn back to God — to stop living under the illusion that we are in control.
Daniel 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies! Daniel 4:20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky and was visible to the whole land, Daniel 4:21 and whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant – and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches, the birds of the sky lived – Daniel 4:22 that tree is you, king – who have become great and strong: your greatness has grown and even reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the land. Daniel 4:23 “The king saw an observer, a holy one, coming down from the sky and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’ Daniel 4:24 This is the interpretation, king, and this is the decree of the Highest that has been issued against my lord the king: Daniel 4:25 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattle and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time until you acknowledge that the Highest is ruler over mortal human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants. Daniel 4:26 As for the command to leave the tree’s stump with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that the sky rules. Daniel 4:27 Therefore, may my advice seem good to you my king. Separate yourself from your sins by doing what is right, and from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy. Perhaps there will be a prolongation of your prosperity.”
separating ourselves
Daniel’s advice is good advice for everyone and every leader. We need to stop identifying with our sins and separate from them, including the injustices they bring to others. The word for leaders today is REPENT!
Daniel 4:13 “As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind an observer, a holy one, coming down from the sky. Daniel 4:14 He called out loudly: Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. Daniel 4:15 But leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the plants of the land with the animals. Daniel 4:16 Let his mind be changed from that of a mortal human and let him be given the mind of an animal for seven periods of time. Daniel 4:17 This word is by decree of the observers, and the decision is by command from the holy ones. This is so that the living will know that the Highest is ruler over mortal human kingdoms. He gives them to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of people over them. Daniel 4:18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can make the interpretation known to me. But you can, because you have a breath from the holy gods.”
the illusion of control
Nebuchadnezzar was under the illusion that he was the one who gained control over the kingdoms of mortal men. His dream redirected him to the reality that God is in control.
For more information about Daniel and his message: See:
Roller John H. God Is in Control: A Study of the Book of Daniel. Advent Christian General Conference 2002.
Daniel 4:4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. Daniel 4:5 I had a dream, and it scared me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me. Daniel 4:6 So I issued a decree to bring all the wise men of Babylon to me in order that they might make the dream’s interpretation known to me. Daniel 4:7 When the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not make its interpretation known to me. Daniel 4:8 Finally Daniel, named Belteshazzar after the name of my god– and a breath from the holy gods is in him– came before me. I told him about the dream: Daniel 4:9 “Belteshazzar, head of the magicians, because I know that you have a breath from the holy gods and that no mystery puzzles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation. Daniel 4:10 In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this: There was a tree in the middle of the land, and it was very tall. Daniel 4:11 The tree grew large and strong; its top reached to the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the land. Daniel 4:12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant, and on it was food for all. Wild animals found shelter under it, the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and every mortal was fed from it.
scary dreams
I had a dream last night, but it was nothing like Nebuchadnezzar’s. I dreamed about what I suppose was going to be the subject matter of a book I had just started reading. When I woke up, I decided to read a little more of the book and found that it was nothing like the dream.
But Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, although symbolic, did come true, and he discovered that he had a reason to be scared because God was judging him for his pride. A dream can be significant if God is behind it. Seek out someone like Daniel, if you are disturbed by a dream.
Daniel 4:1 King Nebuchadnezzar, To those of every people, nation, and language, who live on the whole land: May your prosperity become great. Daniel 4:2 I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the Highest God has done for me. Daniel 4:3 How great are his signs, and how mighty his miracles! His kingdom is a permanent kingdom, and his dominion lasts from generation to generation.
introducing your conclusion
Campbell writes about these three verses:
“The introduction is actually a conclusion! Chronologically, these opening words belong at the end of the chapter because they grow out of Nebuchadnezzar’s experiences which are recorded in the following paragraphs. But the king was so overwhelmed by God’s dealings with him that, humiliating though it was, he wanted the world to know about it. Perhaps he reasoned that there were many others who needed the same truth he had learned. He, therefore, issued a universal proclamation telling his story, the story no doubt of his own conversion to the worship of the true God of Israel. The first three verses of Daniel 4 contain the superscription of this edict or decree” (44).
We are all heading to a point in our lives where we can introduce our story. What is the message you want the world to know?
Campbell Donald K. Daniel Decoder of Dreams. Victor Books 1977.
Daniel 3:26 Nebuchadnezzar then stepped up to the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Highest God – come out!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. Daniel 3:27 When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them. Daniel 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his agent and rescued his servants who trusted in him. They changed the king’s word and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Daniel 3:29 Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.” Daniel 3:30 Then the king rewarded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
able to deliver
For three stories in a row, a pattern is developing. God’s people are put in danger because of their commitment to him, and he rescues them out of that danger. One moral that can be deduced from this pattern is that times of testing will come to us. But it is important to realize that we are not really the ones who are being tested. The conclusion of the matter, as Nebuchadnezzar found, is “there is no other god who is able to deliver.” Babylon was filled with deported peoples from numerous “peoples, nations and languages.” They had served many gods. Yet only the LORD proved faithful to his people.
LORD, when the fiery furnace comes, we will trust in you. Only you are able to deliver.
Daniel 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up amazed. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, tied up, into the fire?” “Yes, of course, King,” they replied to the king. Daniel 3:25 He answered, “Notice! I see four men, untied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of gods.”
son of the gods
Nebuchadnezzar’s description of the rescuer that he saw in the fire is not informed by our biblical understanding of who Jesus is. But you have to admit, his description of what he saw fits quite well into our Christology.
Barnes said, “The word does not refer to anything special or peculiar in his form or figure, but it may be supposed to denote something that was noble or majestic in his mien; something in countenance and demeanor that declared him to be of heavenly origin” (191-192).
He said the language “is in the plural number, and in the mouth of a heathen would properly be used to denote the gods that he worshipped” (192).
The Hebrew readers throughout the age and Christian readers after them would recognize the significance of what Nebuchadnezzar saw. In a similar way, things are happening to your neighbors that they will find hard to understand. Only those who know Jesus can trace his face in the peculiar happenings of life. Speak to your neighbors about the “son of the gods” they do not know.
Barnes Albert. Notes Critical Illustrative and Practical on the Book of Daniel with an Introductory Dissertation. Leavitt & Allen 1861.
Daniel 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than was customary, Daniel 3:20 and he commanded some of the best soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. Daniel 3:21 Then these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. Daniel 3:22 Since the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flames killed those men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up. Daniel 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, tied up, into the furnace of blazing fire.
not prepared
These three protesters were not prepared for the wrath of the king. That momentous day of testing had arrived, and they were dressed usually. There was nothing they could do to prepare for it. The time came, and only God could make a difference.
I am comforted by that fact. On those days when I feel most prepared for what is coming next, I experience a humbling. But when I choose to trust God in spite of being overwhelmed, I am blessed with an awareness of his presence.
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