Daniel
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,
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
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
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
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
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?
Howard
No comments:
Post a Comment