Daniel 4:1-37


Introduction:

Story of Ebenezer Scrooge

  • Oppressive
  • Given special opportunity by God to repent
  • Becomes gracious and merciful

Text: Daniel 4:1-37

Verses 1-3

This is, like the rest of Daniel 2-7, written in Aramaic. It appears as though it was a letter written to be read out in towns and villages throughout his kingdom.

What is read out to the people in the letter is a truly humbling and embarrassing event. This is not at all like the Nebuchadnezzar we have come to know. It appears God has changed his heart.

In his introduction, Nebuchadnezzar confesses a dependence upon God. Whereas in the last chapter he said “and what god is there who can deliver you from my hand,” he now says “the Most High God has done for me.”

And whereas in the last chapter Nebuchadnezzar was exalting himself above every god in an apparent attempt to prolong himself and his kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar now extols a different kingdom. He praises God’s kingdom and says that it is everlasting, enduring from generation to generation.

Given Nebuchadnezzar’s previous behavior, it is easy to doubt his sincerity here. But, these words were written after the rest of the events in this chapter. By the time we finish the account, his sincerity will be apparent. Nebuchadnezzar’s sincerity was doubtful in previous statements, but now he is sincere. We’ll find out as we go through the account what has happened in his life to bring about this dramatic change in his character.

Verses 4-18

The first few verses are very similar to the last dream that Nebuchadnezzar had, though it appears his head has cooled a bit and he didn’t threaten everyone with death when the dream wasn’t first interpreted. Gone are the death threats and the frantic behavior. Probably the events of the last chapter have had some effect on him to make him a bit more circumspect with his death threats.

One wonders why Nebuchadnezzar didn’t immediately go to Daniel for the interpretation of this dream. But, he at least appears to have a high opinion of Daniel now.

So, he tells Daniel the dream.

The dream was of a massive tree, one that grew in the midst of the earth. He uses earth here in the sense of planet earth, not as in simply dirt. It was so large that all the animals under creation were finding shelter and provision from it.

But then a watcher, which was an Aramaic term for “angel,” comes down from heaven and gives a decree that the tree should be cut down and only the stump of it left. And that stump should be bound by iron and bronze.

It’s apparent that the tree represents a person when the watcher speaks to say “let his mind be changed and let a beast’s mind be given to him.”

The sentence comes at the decree of the watchers to show that the Most High God reigns. And this is actually a fairly interesting statement for our understanding of angels. Elsewhere in the Bible, angels are shown simply as servants. They might serve in the role of messenger – that’s their primary role. Some serve as protectors, and they are called cherubim. We see them carry out God’s decrees, bring judgment upon nations and people’s by God’s decree. And they serve as worshippers. But we don’t find anywhere else in Scripture that they make decrees.

But here it states that they are giving this decree.

The NIV tries to get around this difficulty by saying “the decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict,” but the KJV, NASB, ESV and most other translations say what the ESV does – that the decree is by the watchers.

Probably the best way to understand this is that they have been granted authority to do this by God. God wanted the “tree” to be judged, He told the angels to do it, and they decided it would be in this manner. These watchers might also be a special class of angel, like cherubim and seraphim are special classes of angel. If so, it would appear that watchers are angels that are given some authority by God to make decrees.

Regardless, it’s clear from the second half of the verse that God is ultimately the one in control, and this decision has been made to glorify God. And verse 24 gives God as the ultimate source. “it is a decree of the Most High”

Verses 19-27

*summarize the interpretation of the decree – cut if short on time*

This judgement has come about because Nebuchadnezzar has a prideful attitude and imagines that he rules Babylon by his own power and owes God nothing. And it will stand until such time as he repents and acknowledges God’s sovereign rule.

Daniel gives some sobering advice. It’s a testament to how Nebuchadnezzar has come to trust Daniel that he is able to get away with these words. He tells Nebuchadnezzar to stop sinning, start being righteous, stop oppressing people, and show mercy. “Nebuchadnezzar, you sin too much.”

It’s kind of interesting that this is Daniel’s advice. The judgement is actually coming until such time as Nebuchadnezzar recognizes the sovereignty of God over the nations. But Daniel’s advice has to do with repenting from oppression and showing mercy, not with recognizing God’s sovereignty. At first Daniel’s advice looks unrelated, but it isn’t unrelated.

The reason that Nebuchadnezzar has not been practicing righteousness and has not been showing mercy, the reason Nebuchadnezzar has been such an oppressive guy, is because Nebuchadnezzar does not believe himself accountable to God. Nebuchadnezzar thinks that he is the highest authority in the world, so he can choose to be just as oppressive and merciless as he wishes.

Essentially, Nebuchadnezzar needs to recognize that God is the highest authority and that He rules. What that will look like is for Nebuchadnezzar to behave as if he is accountable to God. This means living by God’s standards of breaking off from sins, practicing righteousness, and showing mercy to the oppressed.

Your behavior is intimately tied with your beliefs.

We have a complex web of beliefs that our behavior is drawn from. Some people believe themselves accountable to the government, some to their jobs, some to their parents, some to God. Depending upon how much they need, or respect, or love, or fear those things, it can change how they behave. If you don’t want to get a speeding ticket, you will slow down when you see a police officer. But if you have a strong respect for the government and your conscience tells you that you should not speed, then you won’t speed at all, even when a police officer is around. And if you have little to no respect or fear, or enjoy races, or think you are in a video game, or something, then you’ll just speed right on by that officer.

If you believe in gravity and value your life, you aren’t going to jump off of a cliff. But, if, like Buzz Lightyear, you believe you can fly, you just might jump.

Now, take a person like Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was an absolute monarch. He was not accountable to police, or the government, or a job. There was no supreme court to rule his decisions as unconstitutional. It was just Nebuchadnezzar. And Nebuchadnezzar did not think any god truly capable of holding him accountable.

Thus, you get the man who is so easily offended and enraged and pursues his own glorification while mercilessly oppressing those who oppose. He believed himself of a higher authority than even God, and unfortunately for his subjects, He was not merciful like God. He was a sinner.

If a person believes that they are not accountable to anyone but themselves, then they will do what pleases them, regardless of how it might affect other people.

So, yes, the two are related. Nebuchadnezzar needs to recognize that God is the highest authority and that He rules. What that will look like is for Nebuchadnezzar to behave as if he is accountable to God. This means living by God’s standards of breaking off from sins, practicing righteousness, and showing mercy to the oppressed.

Link: Unfortunately, the words did not sink in and so God must take stronger measures to bring Nebuchadnezzar into repentance and submission to Him.

Verses 28-33

Well, that went badly for Nebuchadnezzar. In a way he was lucky. There have been plenty of other people who behave just like Nebuchadnezzar who have not had such a dramatic intervention by God. God could have instead taken him out and judged him in the highest court, but he is instead punished on the earth.

The punishment is quite fitting considering the crime. Nebuchadnezzar believes himself to be some kind of god. So, in order to prove that is not the case, he is transformed into some kind of animal. The man who thought himself higher than any man or god is transformed into something lower than man. The comparison of his hair to eagle feathers probably means they became like dreadlocks. Long and matted together with dirt and oil. His nails weren’t clipped and became like claws. Madness overtook him and all reason left him, so that he functioned purely on a base and instinctual level and ate like an animal. And this occurred for seven years.

There has been some skepticism about this account, in particular about the severity of this insanity and whether or not it actually occurred. This is a very strong case of insanity, but not at all unprecedented. Throughout human history and in all countries there have been people with similarly extreme cases. So, its severity should not be a source of skepticism.

The other criticism is that people don’t believe this occurred. Well, countless times the Bible has had its accuracy vindicated by outside accounts, other sources, and archaeology. In this case, we do not yet have an outside account to say that this occurred.

But that is not unexpected. Kings do not typically keep accounts of their mental failings. This is not the sort of thing that Nebuchadnezzar would have carved on a monument somewhere for archaeologists to dig up later. Can you imagine that he would have had a statue of himself with matted hair, eating like an animal, with extra-long fingernails built somewhere as a monument to this event? I can’t. It’s apparent that this was written down to be read out in towns, but undoubtedly that material has aged and vanished to dust at this point.

What we do have, is that there is a significant period of silence during the last years of Nebuchadnezzar’s life. The last 30 years he was alive, we don’t know much about what went on. This insanity would be a good explanation for at least a part of that time period.

But in the end, we just have to trust the Word of God on this.

Link: as a result of this event, Nebuchadnezzar has a dramatic change of heart.

Verses 34-37

This might, at first, seem not quite so different from things Nebuchadnezzar has said about God in the past, but it really is different this time.

First, it was declared to Nebuchadnezzar that he would be in a state of insanity until he repents and recognizes the sovereignty of God. Nebuchadnezzar is no longer insane, so we must conclude that he is honestly saying what is on his heart now.

Furthermore, his words are very personal. Nebuchadnezzar says “none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘what have you done?’” – Nebuchadnezzar did that in the past and he has learned the hard way that it is true. Nebuchadnezzar says “those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” – Nebuchadnezzar has learned that the hard way as well.

The portrait Nebuchadnezzar paints of God is a supremely powerful one. God lives forever and God rules forever. Compared to God, everything on earth is as small as nothing. Whatever God wants done on heaven or on earth is done and no creature is able to hinder him or oppose him.

Considering the total omnipotence and sovereignty of God, we should praise and extol and honor Him, because everything He does is right. How blessed we are, that the only being in the universe that is unable to be opposed, is a force for good.

Application:

  1. Properly recognize your place and God’s place. Humbly submit to His rule.
  1. If your behaviors are unjust, there is likely some issue of believing the wrong thing at the root of those behaviors.
  1. Praise the unstoppable and good God.