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Daniel 4:1–37 (Nebuchadnezzar)

INTRODUCTION: We are working our way through the book of Daniel together, and the name of our series is Stories and Visions. Chapters 1–6 contain six stories, one per chapter, and so today we come to our fourth story in the book. And this particular story is another story about a vision. God gives the king a vision in the form of a dream while he is sleeping. (Read Daniel 4:4–6 and pray.)

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Nebuchadnezzar was quite the character. He had a long and prosperous reign, and God communicated with him at key moments through dreams and miracles. He would seem to turn to God and give him praise, but then before long he was back to his old ways, worshiping the gods of Babylon instead of the one true God of Israel. And so God had to teach him the same lesson all over again.

How many of you can relate to that? How many times has God had to teach you the same lesson over and over? There’s an easy way to live life and a hard way. The easy way is to follow God’s way from the start. The hard way is to keep going back to your way and resisting the changes God is trying to bring into your life.

Unfortunately for Nebuchadnezzar, he chose the hard way. He had to learn the hard way that God is sovereign. God rules over all the kingdoms of men. He is able to humble the proud who do not acknowledge him and give him glory. And oh, how God had to humble Nebuchadnezzar in this story.

But Nebuchadnezzar also learned this precious truth: yes, God humbles the proud, but he restores the humble. So again, easy way or hard way. You can be proud and resist God and learn the hard way. Or you can humble yourself before God, and he will lift you up.

Let’s get started with Nebuchadnezzar’s story for today.

I. The king’s dream (1–18)

The story begins with the king’s dream. This is now the second dream Nebuchadnezzar has had that requires interpretation.

   A. A letter to the nations (1–3)

One of the interesting things about this particular story is it is communicated to us in the form of a letter (see note at end.) Nebuchadnezzar writes a letter to the nations telling them about the amazing things God has done for him. Look at verses 1–3 with me now:

King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. (Dan. 4:1–3)

This all takes place about twenty years after the events of chapter three. At this point the king’s reign is firmly established. The surrounding nations have been conquered and their wealth brought back to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar has completed multiple building projects, including fifty three temples, the massive walls around the city, and the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon — one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, which he built for his wife.

You will notice right away that this is a very God centered letter. Nebuchadnezzar addresses God as the Most High six times in this chapter. He speaks of the God who works miraculous signs and wonders. Most importantly, he tells the nations, “God’s kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.” Remember, this is exactly what Nebuchadnezzar rebelled against when he built the huge gold image on the plains of Babylon. When he built the image, he was making the statement that he would rule forever. Now the theme of his letter is the opposite: “God rules forever.”

You start reading this letter and you wonder, “What happened? Why is Nebuchadnezzar talking like a believer? Did the earlier dream or the fiery furnace finally change his heart?” Not yet. Once again, you can come to God the easy way or the hard way — and as we’ll see, Nebuchadnezzar chose the hard way.

   B. A terrifying dream (4–8)

After addressing the nations and introducing his theme, Nebuchadnezzar goes on to tell them about a terrifying dream. Look at verses 4–8 next:

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) (Dan. 4:4–8)

Just as in chapter two, the king has a dream and calls for interpreters. Here he was at home in the palace, feeling pretty good about himself and his reign, until he had this dream that made him very afraid. At least this time he actually told the advisors his dream, but still none of them could interpret it. Or perhaps none of them would interpret it. As it turns out, it’s a fairly easy dream to understand, but it’s bad news for the king, and who wants to be the one to tell the king bad news?

Finally, Daniel is brought in. The king calls him by his Hebrew name here, which may reflect his newfound respect for Daniel’s God. He also identifies him as Belteshazzar, the Babylonian name Daniel was given back in chapter one, but that is just so those reading the letter can track the following conversation.

   C. A tree and a messenger (9–18)

There are two parts to the king’s dream: a tree and a messenger. Let’s look at the part about the tree first.

I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed. (Dan. 4:9–12)

This was no ordinary tree. It was a huge tree that reached to the heavens. It was bigger than the gold image from chapter three. Its top touched the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth. It was strong and healthy, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit. It provided food, shade, and shelter for all the animals.

So that’s the tree. Next the king tells Daniel about the messenger.

“In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.’” (Dan. 4:13–17)

This messenger came from heaven, and his message was loud and clear. Cut down the tree, trim the branches, strip the leaves, and scatter the fruit. This is a picture of total destruction affecting the tree’s height, breadth, glory, and productivity. But the messenger adds one important detail: let the stump remain, bound with iron and bronze. The tree will fall, but it will not be uprooted.

Did you notice in verse 15 how the message got personal? The messenger changes from talking about an “it” to a “him.” Let him be cast out. Let him live with the animals. Let his mind be changed from that of a man to that of an animal until seven times pass by. The “seven times” can refer either to seven years or, more likely, a complete period of time determined by God.

In verse 17, the messenger announces both the certainty and the purpose of the vision: “that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” This is the key verse of the whole chapter, as it is repeated three times (4:17, 25, 32).

Finally, the king asks Daniel for the interpretation.

“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” (Dan. 4:18)

Notice he still addresses him as Belteshazzar, because the letter is relaying the conversation as it happened at the time. Daniel is his Hebrew name, Belteshazzar his Babylonian name, and Nebuchadnezzar uses both so his readers can follow the story.

II. Daniel’s interpretation (19–27)

So, we’ve looked at the king’s dream. Now it’s time to look at Daniel’s interpretation.

   A. “You are the tree” (19–22)

First, Daniel interprets the tree, and it’s not good news: “You, O king, are the tree.” Look at verses 19–22:

Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air—you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.” (Dan. 4:19–22)

Daniel is greatly distressed over the dream, not because he doesn’t know the interpretation, but because he does. After a pause and some encouragement from the king, he finally speaks. He wisely affirms his loyalty to the king while also preparing the king for bad news: “If only the dream and its meaning applied to your enemies!”

Then he gives the interpretation plainly: “You are the tree.” This is exactly what the king feared and exactly what the other advisers were afraid to tell him. A tree was a fairly common symbol for kings in ancient times, and this particular tree represented the king at the height of his powers.

   B. “You will be cut down” (23–26)

Next, Daniel interprets the messenger’s part of the dream. Look at verses 23–26:

“You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’ This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.” (Dan. 4:23–26)

The basic interpretation of the message is this: the king will lose his position and his mind. Verse 25 is the key to this section. This will continue until the king acknowledges that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. The stump in the dream is actually a piece of good news. The tree is not completely uprooted, but the stump remains. It is a sign of hope, a promise that the king will be restored when he finally acknowledges that Heaven rules.

   C. “Repent now!” (27)

Daniel is one of the king’s advisors, so after interpreting the dream, he offers the king counsel. Look at verse 27:

“Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” (Dan. 4:27)

Daniel’s counsel is simple and urgent: “Repent now. Why go through all this pain and hardship? Perhaps God will have mercy and allow your prosperity to continue.” God is giving Nebuchadnezzar a chance to repent, and Daniel singles out the king’s cruelty in particular. He can renounce his wickedness and his sins by being kind to the oppressed.

Once again, you can choose the easy way or the hard way. Daniel is essentially saying, “Why wait? Do it now.”

III. God’s sovereignty (28–37)

We’ve looked at the king’s dream and Daniel’s interpretation. Now we come to God’s sovereignty. This final part of the king’s letter shows God’s sovereignty in action. Everything happened to Nebuchadnezzar exactly as God warned him. And so, the king goes through a sequence of pride, fall and restoration.

   A. Pride (28–30)

First comes the pride. Look at verses 28–30:

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:28–30)

The king makes two errors here. First, he does not take advantage of the opportunity to repent. God gave him twelve months of grace before executing judgment. When we are given time to repent of our sin and fail to do so, we commit the further sin of presumption.

Second, he gives in to the sin of pride. A year later, he is pacing the flat roof of his palace, surveying his kingdom, when he utters three fatal I’s: “I built this kingdom… by my mighty power… for the glory of my majesty.” He takes all the credit for himself and pushes God completely out of the picture.

   B. Fall (31–33)

So first comes pride, then comes the fall. Look at verses 31–33:

The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. (Dan. 4:31–33)

God’s judgment was immediate, swift, and exactly as foretold. Nebuchadnezzar was driven away from people and lived like an animal. He ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

There’s even a name for this kind of condition. It’s called lycanthropy, which means “wolf man.” It is a documented mental disorder in which a person believes they are an animal and begins acting like one. (Some of you wives have reliably told me that something similar happens to your husbands around football season.)

   C. Restoration (34–37)

So first comes pride, then comes the fall, and then comes restoration. Look at verses 34–35:

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Dan. 4:34–35)

The sequence is important. First he lifted his eyes toward heaven, and then his sanity was restored. Yes, he was restored, but not until he first acknowledged God. And once restored, he immediately gave stirring praise to the Most High. He glorified the One who lives forever. He acknowledged God’s rule over all things.

God restored his sanity, and then he restored him to the throne. Look at verses 36–37 in closing:

At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (Dan. 4:36–37)

Nebuchadnezzar’s advisers sought him out, and he was restored to his throne. He even became greater than he was before. But here was the big difference. Now he praised and exalted and glorified the King of heaven. He acknowledged that everything God does is right and all His ways are just. And he had learned that those who walk in pride, God is able to humble.

By the way, this is the only place in the Old Testament where you find this phrase, “the King of heaven.” The phrase “kingdom of heaven” appears frequently in the Gospel of Matthew, but this is the only place in the Bible where God himself is called the King of heaven.

CONCLUSION: Daniel 4 reinforces the main message of the whole book: God is sovereign. He rules over all the kingdoms of men. God is able to humble the proud who refuse to acknowledge him and give him the glory. If you want to be a big tree, you better be ready for a big fall. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov. 16:18). God is the one who humbles the proud and restores the humble.

Let me share three brief applications in closing.

1) God rules – He is the King of Heaven.
Therefore, we do not need to fear earthly rulers. The Jewish exiles needed to hear this, and so do we, especially when we see persecution and instability around the world.

2) God is just – He is the Judge.
That’s what King Nebuchadnezzar learned. He acknowledged that everything God does is right and all His ways are just. We will all stand before God someday and receive either justice or mercy, but no one will ever be treated unjustly. God announces his punishments beforehand and gives us time to repent, but he always follows through, even as he did with Nebuchadnezzar.

3) Jesus is exalted – He is Lord!
Jesus is the King of the kingdom that endures forever. God gives kingdoms to whomever he pleases and sets over them the lowliest of men (v. 17). Jesus humbled himself and became lower than any man in history, and God has given him the eternal kingdom of heaven.

King Nebuchadnezzar refused to submit to the Lord, and he became insane. When you think about it, it really is insane not to acknowledge God and submit to him. Every good thing you have comes from God, and when you fail to acknowledge that, when you fail to acknowledge him, you too are guilty of pride and headed for a fall.

Once again, there’s an easy way and a hard way to deal with God in life. Nebuchadnezzar chose the hard way. Which way will you choose?

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Note: There are 21 books in the New Testament written in the form of letters/epistles. There are no entire books in the Old Testament that are letters, but there are 19 individual letters found in the various books of the Old Testament. These include:

• 2 Kings 5:5–7; 19:8–14
• 2 Chronicles 21:12–15
• Ezra 1:1–4; 4:6; 4:7–16; 4:17–22; 5:6–17; 6:3–12
• Nehemiah 2:7–9; 6:5–7; 6:17–19
• Esther 3:12–15; 8:8–14
• Jeremiah 29:1–23; 29:24–29; 29:30–32
• Daniel 4:1–37

© Ray Fowler

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