Handwriting on the Wall: Daniel Chapter 5

From the violence in America and the division between races, is it possible that the handwriting is on the wall for America, too. Has the Almighty written somewhere in relationship to America, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

I believe it is past time for believers everywhere but especially in America to stand together to fight the divisive force in America. It isn't a virus against out health. It is a virus against our freedom. Communism is trying hard to turn this nation into a socialistic nation. Look at what Biblical says about another country taking over a nation. Believers, please read this and act NOW! PRAY!

Vv 1—12        Belshazzar's Feast

V 1 Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was

            drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.

A. Until recently, nothing was known about Belshazzar.

  1. Records have been discovered that add to this mystery and confirm our Bible.

  2. Nabonidus (556-539 B. C.), the last king of Babylon entrusted the kingship to his son,

            Bel-shar-usus, when he decided to move to Arabia.

  3. Nebuchadnezzar reigned, 606-562 B.C. so obviously he wasn’t Belshazzar father.

  4. Refer to the kings of Babylon—handout.

  5. Cyrus (Kings of Persia—handout—539-530 B.C.) was the general who defeated

            Babylon in 539 B.C.

  6. That’s where our text begins for Chapter 5 of Daniel.

V 2 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels

            which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in

            Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might

            drink from them.

B. Probably, Belshazzar was drunk by tasting a lot of wine, so he ordered the sacred

            vessels from the Temple brought in.

  1. He wanted to show everyone present how powerful Babylon is.

  2. Although he had done nothing to deserve any of the glory, he was going to take

            credit for being king of Babylon.

V 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of

            God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his

            concubines drank from them.

C. They used these sacred vessels to continue there drunken revelry.

V 4 They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood

            and stone.

D. Not so much that they drank from the vessels, but they taunted the True God by

            telling Him how great their gods homemade gods were.

V 5 Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the

            lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the

            back of the hand that did the writing.

E. Talk about a sobering experience.

  1. A hand appears and begins to write on the wall.

  2. Why the reference to opposite the lampstand?

    a. It would cast a shadow on the wall.

    b. The hand couldn’t be seen as clearly.

    c. The shadowy appearance would add impetus to the message of superstitious men.

V 6 Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went

            slack and his knees began knocking together.

F. Whatever his thoughts were at the time, the king knew something bad was going to

            happen.

  1. His face lost all color—he was extremely afraid.

  2. His knees shook.

  3. His hip joints went slack—he couldn’t walk or run.

V 7 The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The

            king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Any man who can read this

            inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and

            have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the

            kingdom.

G. The king calls for the wise men of Babylon.

  1. Has this king forgotten Daniel?

    a. Does Daniel no longer hold the office of esteem he once held?

    b. We don’t know, but it sure appears as though this king does not know Daniel.

  2. Then the king tells what good things will happen to the one who can interpret this.

    a. He’ll be dressed in purple clothing, clothes for royalty or a king.

    b. Be given a necklace of gold.

    c. Made third in command in the kingdom.

V 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make

            known its interpretation to the king.

H. The phrase was illegible to the wise men as too was the dream unintelligible.

V 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles

            were perplexed.

I. The king grew even more scared and paler as did his nobles.

V 10 The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles;

            the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm

            you or your face be pale.

J. The queen comes in, sees the situation and tells the king not to be alarmed.

V 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days

            of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were

            found in him And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king,

            appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners.

L. You don’t have to worry because there is one in your kingdom who has the spirit of

            the holy gods.

  1. Your forefather, Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the wise men.

  2. He has illumination, insight and wisdom even the wisdom of the gods.

V 12This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of

            dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in

            this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned

            and he will declare the interpretation.

M. He was an extraordinary man whom the king named Belteshazzar.

  1. Call him now.

  2. He’ll tell you the interpretation of this mystery.

Vv 13 – 31      Daniel Interprets Handwriting on the Wall

V 13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel,

            Are you that Daniel who is one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the

            king brought from Judah? V 14 Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the

            gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been

            found in you.

A. Are you Daniel?

  1. I’ve heard of you—however, he didn’t add that he only heard of him tonight.

  2. Does the spirit of the living gods abide in you?

  3. Can you tell me what the message written on my wall, destroying my party, is?

V 15 Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might

            read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not

            declare the interpretation of the message.

B. None of my wise men could tell me what the message means.

V 16 But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and

            solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its

            interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace

            of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the

            kingdom.

C. Once again the king says, “I have heard of you.”

  1. He didn’t know Daniel before tonight.

    a. It is possible that the history of Daniel has been told him before.

    b. He could have read about Daniel and the three children of Israel.

    c. However, he never thought about Daniel until his wife told him.

  2. Make known to me the interpretation, and I’ll give you purple clothing and a necklace

  3. Then I’ll make you the third in command in my kingdom.

    a. Could it be that Daniel really doesn’t care about the kings gifts?

    b. Could it be that Daniel knows something that the others in the room don’t know?

    c. It has been 70 years since Daniel came to Babylon.

    d. He knows Jeremiah’s prophesy that they would be there only 70 years.

    e. He told Nebuchadnezzar that the Persians would take over his kingdom.

    f. Do you think Daniel has put all this together by now?

    g. More than likely, yes.

    h. Notice that there has been 68 years elapse since the beginning of Daniel until now.

V 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Keep your gifts for yourself or give

            your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and

            make the interpretation known to him.

D. King, you can keep your gifts or give them to someone who cares (here’s a quarter).

  1. I don’t want you gifts.

  2. They won’t do me any good.

  3. Give them to someone who cares about these things.

  4. However, I will tell you what the inscription says.

V 18 O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to

            Nebuchadnezzar your father. V 19 Because of the grandeur which He bestowed

            on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled

            before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared

            alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled.

E. God gave your father, Nebuchadnezzar, grandeur, glory and power.

  1. If he wanted to kill someone, he killed him.

  2. If he wanted to keep someone alive, he kept him alive.

  3. If he wanted to honor or abase one, he did as he pleased.

V 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved

            arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away

            from him.

F. Because of his pride, his kingdom was taken from him along with his glory.

V 21 He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts,

            and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys He was given grass to eat like

            cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that

            the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it

            whomever He wishes.

G. He was given the mind of a beast so that he ate with the wild donkeys.

  1. He lived out in the open spaces.

  2. He stayed there until he recognized God as the ruler of all.

  3. It took him seven years to realize that it is God who appoints men to kingdoms.

V 22 Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew

            all this,

H. And you, his son, knew about all this.

  1. You knew about his pride and his fall.

  2. You knew that you should humble your heart.

  3. But you refused to do it.

V 23 but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the

            vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your

            concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of

            silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or

            understand But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways,

            you have not glorified.

I. Instead, you exalted yourself rather than becoming humble.

  1. You lifted yourself up as greater than the Lord of heaven.

  2. Why you even went so far as to drink from the holy vessels from God’s temple.

  3. You praised the gods made by hands above him.

  4. You didn’t recognize the God in whose hand your very life rests.

  5. You failed to give this God the glory.

V 24 Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

J. You need to know that the hand was sent from the God whom you have not recognized

            and humbled yourself before.

V 25 Now this is the inscription that was written out: MENE, MENE, TEKEL,

            UPHARSIN.

K. The inscription was in Aramaic, and even though they knew Aramaic, they could

            not read this.

V 26 This is the interpretation of the message: MENE--God has numbered your kingdom

            and put an end to it.

L. I’m going to give you the interpretation.

  1. MENE, sounds like the Aramaic word, for number and meant the days of the kingdom

            of Babylon is numbered and an end to it is in sight.

Pg. 5    Chapter 5        Daniel                                                                                      39

V 27 TEKEL--you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

M. TEKEL—sounds like the Aramaic word for weighed, and the king has been weighed

            in the scales of God’s life and found to be deficient.

V 28 PERES--your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.

N. UPHARSIN or PERES—sounds like the Aramaic word for divide, the U in Aramaic

             means “and” therefore Babylon has been divided “and” given to the Medes and

            Persians.

V 29 Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a

            necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that

            he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.

O. Once again, Daniel is placed in authority in Babylon, but his placement is short lived.

V 30 That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

P. That was the last night for the kingdom of Babylon.

  1. The Babylonians had been under siege for sometime.

  2. They weren’t worried because they had a 20 year supply of food laid up.

  3. The Euphrates River flowed through the city, so they had water.

  4. The Persians diverted the river by a canal, and their soldiers went under the

            gates and they took the city that night.

V 31 So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.

Q. The year, 539 B.C.

  1. Darius may have been a governor under Cyrus.

  2. He could have been Cyrus’ son.

  3. He may have been one of Cyrus’ generals.

  4. Cyrus may have appointed Darius as king of Babylon.

 

Daniel

Chapter 5

Study Questions

 

  1. Who is Belshazzar?

 

  2. Can you tell from history what year it is?

 

  3. What was his big sin?

 

  4. What suddenly appeared in the room above the lampstand?

 

  5. Why the mention of the “lampstand?”

 

  6. What would the king give to any man who could read the inscription?

 

  7. Why did the king only offer this position?

 

  8. Who told Belshazzar about Daniel?

 

  9. What attribute did she tell the king that Daniel had that made him special?

 

10. About how old would Daniel be at this time?

 

11. Why does Daniel relate the story about Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar?

 

12. Where does the hand come from?

 

13. What does “MENE” mean?

 

14. What does “TEKEL” mean?

 

15. What does “PERES” mean?

 

16. Who was “Darius the Mede?”

 

  Blessings,

Howard

PS: Our first novel, The Red-Haired Master Shepherd, has been published. The novel is fiction about a little known Biblical character who meets Jesus. Check it out here. Or you can email us for your copy.

Who You Are Isn't Based on Performance with God. Who You Are Should Have A Direct Bearing on How You Perform.

 

 

The Babylonian King Acknowledges God: Daniel Chapter 4

Daniel

 Chapter 4

 A most unusual chapter from your Bible because: 1 Daniel is reluctant to give the king his prophesy; 2 the actions of King Nebuchadnezzar following the prophesy. Apparently, the king and Daniel have become close. When the dream is told to Daniel, he becomes extremely disturbed. His hesitation in bringing forth the prophesy causes the king to ask him if something is wrong.

When the prophesy comes true, King Nebuchadnezzar really acts like a wild beast. Most likely he spent his time in one of the royal parks near the palace. His disease had been identified as boanthropy or imagining himself to be an animal and acting accordingly; a condition that has been observed in modern times.

Let's get started with this chapter!

Vv. 1 – 3         The King Acknowledges God: A State Paper or Public Decree

V 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that

            live in all the earth: May your peace abound!

A. Notice how King Nebuchadnezzar addresses his letters—to all nations, men of every

            language that live on the earth.

  1. Quite arrogant, don’t you think?

  2. Yet for all his pomp and arrogance, Babylon ruled all the known world at the time.

V 2 It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God

            has done for me.
B. Now he gets on the right track! The following has already taken place as king

            Nebuchadnezzar writes this missive.

  1. We do not know if he is a believer in God, but it sure appears that he is.

  2. But we do know that after his experience with the “fiery furnace,” and his time spent

            in the wild as a beast (7 years) Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges and praises God.

V 3 How great are His signs
         And how mighty are His wonders!
         His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
         And His dominion is from generation to generation.

C. The king recognizes the Almighty God and declares his eternal reign.

Vv 4 – 18        The Vision of a Great Tree

V 4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.

A. The king begins to relate his story.

  1. He was at ease in his palace.

  2. His kingdom was flourishing.

V 5 I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the

            visions in my mind kept alarming me.

B. The vision that I saw made me fearful and they alarmed me greatly.

V 6 So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they

            might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

C. He calls on his magicians to no avail.

V 7 Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I

            related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.

D. Even when he told them his dream, they could not interpret it.

V 8 But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the

            name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream

            to him, saying,

E. Then he calls on a man of God and told him his dream.

V 9 O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is

            in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have

            seen, along with its interpretation.

F. Nebuchadnezzar recognizes the spirit of the Almighty God in Daniel.

V 10 Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and

            behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great.
G. Nebuchadnezzar sees a great tree in the middle of the earth, a big, tall tree.

V 11 The tree grew large and became strong
         And its height reached to the sky,
         And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.
H. This tree continued to grow and become strong and tall until it could be seen

            to the end of the earth.

V 12 Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant,
         And in it was food for all
         The beasts of the field found shade under it,
         And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches,
         And all living creatures fed themselves from it.

I. Indicates how completely Babylon controlled the whole known world.

V 13 I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.
J. His vision included a “holy one” an angelic being from heaven.

V 14 He shouted out and spoke as follows:
         Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
         Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit;
         Let the beasts flee from under it
         And the birds from its branches.
K. The angelic being shouted destroy the tree.

  1. No more fruit.

  2. No more protection for the peoples.

V 15 Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
         But with a band of iron and bronze around it
         In the new grass of the field;
         And let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
         And let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
L. There will be life in the stump.

  1. When you cut down a tree, sprouts come from the stump and makes another living

            tree.

  2. Isaiah 6:13, Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, and it will again be subject to

            burning, like a terebinth or oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The

            holy seed is it’s stump.

  3. “The stump will remain with its roots in the ground,” the angelic being tells

            Nebuchadnezzar.

  4. The iron band serves to keep the stump from being dug or for preservation.

V 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man
         And let a beast's mind be given to him,
         And let seven periods of time pass over him.
M. The person represented by the tree will lose his mind and think he is a beast of

            the field for seven years “seven periods of time.”

V 17 This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers
         And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
         In order that the living may know
         That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
         And bestows it on whom He wishes
         And sets over it the lowliest of men.

N. A decree is a royal decision from which there is no turning back.

  1. This decree is made by the one who rules everything.

  2. Men (living ones) will know that God rules all.

  3. It is God who puts men in power and rules over them.

V 18 This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you,

            Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my

            kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a

            spirit of the holy gods is in you.'

O. None of my wise men could interpret it.

  1. Notice the difference in the king’s attitude from this to the first dream.

    a. He was arrogant and refused to tell his wise men the dream.

    b. Here he is humble, willing to tell them his dream, and confident that Daniel

            can give him the interpretation.

  2. Even after he told his wise men the dream, they couldn’t tell it to him.

  3. I know you can tell me my dream because you have God’s spirit no you.

Vv 19 – 27      Daniel Interprets the Vision

V 19 Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts

            alarmed him The king responded and said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or

            its interpretation alarm you ' Belteshazzar replied, My lord, if only the dream

            applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!

A. Why is Daniel appalled? He is going to give the king news that he will not like.

  1. So the king assured Daniel, “Go ahead, you can tell me no matter what it is.

  2. Daniel tells the king that he wished this dream applied to someone who hated the

            king rather than the king.

    a. It could be that Daniel liked the king very much and hated to tell him the dream.

    b. It also could be that Daniel was afraid of making the king mad and the king having

            him killed or thrown in prison.

V 20 The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached

            to the sky and was visible to all the earth V 21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged—V 22 it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth.

B First of all, King, the beautiful, life giving tree that you saw was you.

V 23 In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and

            saying, Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the

            ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field,

            and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts

            of the field until seven periods of time pass over him, V 24 this is the

            interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come

            upon my lord the king:

C. Daniel rehashes what the king saw and says, here’s the interpretation.

V 25 that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts

            of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew

            of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that

            the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He

            wishes.

D. You are going to be driven away from mankind and live with the beasts in the field.

  1. You’ll eat grass like cattle.

  2. You’ll be there in this condition for 7 years.

  3. After which you’ll recognize God as the Most High ruler over the realm of mankind.

  4. You’ll also know that God gives leadership to whomever he chooses.

  5. Think about our leaders today.

    a. Did God put them there?

    b. Or did God allow us to make the mistakes of selecting them until his purpose is

            fulfilled?

    c. Either way, God puts them there.

V 26 And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your

            kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.

E. After this time, however, your kingdom will be restored.

V 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your

             sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the

            poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.

F. You do have a choice to avoid this, quit doing what you’re doing.

  1. Start doing righteousness.

  2. Quit your intentional sins (iniquities) and show mercy to the poor.

  3. This will prolong your prosperity.

  4. Do you think God actually talks to us like this today?

    a. Is there a chance he has allowed someone to roam with the beasts?

    b. What about Madoff?

      1. He is definitely roaming with the beasts in prison, today.

      2) Wonder if he ever thought, “I should have listened to the voice in my

            Head when it said, ‘You’ll never get away with this!’

  5. I know from personal experience that he does!

Vv 28 – 37      The Vision Fulfilled

V 28 All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. V 29 Twelve months later he was

            walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.

A. God takes his time so man can repent.

  1. Why does God wait 1 year before bringing down the sentence?

Pg. 5    Chapter 4        Daniel                                                                                      31

    a. God gives Nebuchadnezzar a year to change his ways.

    b. 2 Peter 3:8, 9, God doesn’t think about time as you and I do.

      1) Read the above.

      2) Time is irrelevant except where it pertains to man.

  2. Probably by now, Nebuchadnezzar was thinking, “O.K. Daniel probably was wrong.”

V 30 The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built

            as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?

B. Look at all I have done.

  1. I build this great city.

  2. It is because of me that I live in this fine house.

  3. My power and glory and majesty extends to the whole earth.

V 31 While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King

            Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you,

C. As the king was proclaiming all his great attributes and reviewing all the glorious

            things he had done, God cuts him down.

  1. Sometimes we have a tendency to get the big I in front of the little we, don’t we?

  2. You see, God is sovereign.

    a. It is God who controls everything.

    b. It is he who gives you the ability to get wealth.

    c. Nothing catches him off guard.

    d. He is never surprised by anything.

    e. He puts in power and he removes people from power.

V 32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.

D. You think you are so great and that it was you who accomplished all this, well, tonight

            your dream is fulfilled.

  1. You will lose your mind and think you are a beast.

  2. You’ll remain until you understand who is the real ruler.

V 33 Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven

            away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was

            drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers

            and his nails like birds' claws.

E. Immediately the king was given a senseless mind, and the things in his dream became

            true.

  1. The King’s illness was boanthropy.

  2. Where one imagines oneself to be an animal and then acts accordingly.

  3. Probably, he was kept in one of the royal parks during his illness.

V 34 But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and

            my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored

            Him who lives forever;
         For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
         And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
F. After seven years had passed, Nebuchadnezzar recognizes and blesses the Most High.

Pg. 6    Chapter 4        Daniel                                                                                      32

  1. Remember Jonah?

    a. He said, My soul cried out from the depths of Sheol.

    b. As soon as Noah recognized who was in charge, the Lord had the fish spit him out

            on dry land.

  2. The same think happens here.

    a. The king recognizes God as Supreme.

    b. He accepts him.

    c. The things that bind him fall off, and he is restored.

  3. How many times have we seen this happen in history?

  4. How many times has this played out in yours and my life?

 V 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

            But He does according to His will in the host of heaven

            And among the inhabitants of earth;

            And no one can ward off His hand

            Or say to Him, What have You done?

G. When he recognizes and gives God credit, he realizes how powerless his truly is.

  1. God doesn’t ask permission from man to do something, does he?

  2. He has an eternal purpose, and He will carry it out.

  3. No man is able to withstand God.

  4. No man can ask God, “Why did you do that?”

V 36 At that time my reason returned to me And my majesty and splendor were restored

            to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began

            seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing

            greatness was added to me.

H. After he recognized the Almighty God, all his kingdom and splendor were returned.

V 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His

            works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in

            pride."

I. He gives praise and honor to The King of Heaven.

  1. All his ways are true.

  2. He can indeed humble those who walk in pride.

  3. Notice that all the events in this chapter are told by King Nebuchadnezzar.

  4. And they are told after they happen—a flashback technique—the king tells

            in a letter he sends to his subjects after the events take place.

 

Daniel

Chapter 4

Study Questions

 

  1. At the beginning of this chapter, who is telling the story?

 

  2. What is the teller’s purpose in telling it?

 

  3. What lesson is there to be learned from this chapter?

 

  4. What does the King see in the field?

 

  5. What does, “The animals take shelter and the birds build their homes?”

 

  6. Did the King tell his wise men this dream?

 

  7. Could they give him an interpretation?

 

  8. What does it mean, “It had fruit abundant. . .it was big and strong?” regarding the tree?

 

  9. In the king’s vision, what did the angelic watcher shout?

 

10. The fact that the stump was left meant what?

 

11. How long would this vision last once it begins?

 

12. What does it mean, “Daniel was appalled?”

 

13. Who did the tree represent?

 

14. How long from the dream did the events actually take place?

 

15. What happened to the king at the end of the period of time?

 

16. What does the king do afterwards?

 

 Blessings,

Howard

PS: Our first novel, The Red-Haired Master Shepherd, has been published. The novel is fiction about a little known Biblical character who meets Jesus. Check it out here. Or you can email us for your copy.

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