Daniel 4
One night, many years after the king of Babylon dreamed of the big image, he dreamed of a big tree. When he awoke, he remembered the dream, and was much troubled. He sent for the wise men to tell him what the dream meant, but they could not tell him. Then he sent for Daniel and told his dream to him.
The king said that he dreamed he saw a tree, so tall that it reached to the sky, and so wide it could be seen over all the world; it had many leaves and so much fruit, it gave food for all; animals rested under its shade and birds lived in its branches. So this seemed a very useful tree; but in the dream, an angel came from heaven and called aloud,
“Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.”
Only the stump of the great tree would be left, and the angel said,
“Let his portion be with the beasts of the field.”
When Daniel heard the dream, he understood its meaning, by the wisdom God had given him; he too was astonished and troubled, and could not answer for awhile, because of sorrow for the king. But later he explained the dream. He said the king had become strong like the tree, and his power reached over the earth, all people depended on him to protect them.
But a dreadful thing was to come to the king: his power would be cut off, as the big tree was cut down; and the king would be sent away from people and live as tut animal, with grass for food, until he learned that God ruled over all kings, and gave the rule to whoever He willed.
This king’s riches and power had made him proud and cruel, doing just as he wished, with no mercy to the poor, Daniel advised him to change his cruel ways, and do the right for the people; and the trouble might not come.
But the king was careless of this warning, and did not change his wicked ways. One day he was walking in his grand palace, and said,
“Is not this great Babylon that I have built ... by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”
The king did not boast more, for a voice from heaven called, saying the same as the angel had warned of in the dream: he should be driven to the fields to live, and eat grass like oxen, for “seven times”, or years; “until he should know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.”
That same hour the king’s reason left him; his servants seem to have been afraid of him, and drove him from the city to the fields, where he lived day and night with grass for food, until the time told was passed. Then his reason returned to him, and he was given his throne and power again.
Afterward he told this story himself, and must have had it written in Daniel’s book. He spoke humbly and gave all honor to God. He said,
“At the end of the days, I, Nebuchaezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever ... . He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, ‘What doest Thou?’”
ML 07/12/1942