19/12/21 – Daniel 4:28-37
Daniel 4:28 – All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
All – The whole lot (as predicted in the dream). That is, the dream was 100% accurate (as God’s prophecies always will be). The test of a true prophet of God was that all that he spoke (as from God) had to come to pass. If what he spoke (that was claimed to be from the Lord) did not come to pass, then he was a false prophet to be sentenced to death.
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 – 20But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? 22When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Thus Daniel demonstrated that he was a true prophet of the Lord. The whole lot (everything) that was spoken by Daniel came upon Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:29 – At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
twelve – 2 words: tᵉreyn
(Aramaic) (two) + ‘asar
(Aramaic) (ten)
he walked in – literally “he was walking upon” This suggests that he was up high, probably on the palace roof where he could observe his great kingdom of Babylon.
Why after 12 months? Was it to give him time to repent as some commentaries suggest? But then, wouldn’t God’s prophecy be wrong if he repented, even making Daniel a false prophet? Yet God would have known this according to His foreknowledge, so it could be assumed that Nebuchadnezzar was being given time to consider the dream.
Note that a lot of prophecy often relies upon making known certain decisions that people make, such as will happen in the coming seven-year tribulation period. The question could be asked: Why will satan persist in his attempted conquest of the world in that time if he knows that God has already foretold his defeat and consequent condemnation? The answer has to be that God knows that His prophecy will happen, taking into account His foreknowledge of all events that will happen, of all choices that all beings (such as satan) will make, even when they are assured they will happen as foretold. Note also that at times God will enforce His will upon certain events to ensure that they will indeed occur, as will happen one day when God draws countries to war against Israel.
Ezekiel 38:2-4 – 2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts [of armour, even] a great company [with] bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
After 12 months, Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace, living life as he had always done, seemingly oblivious to the prophecies of that dream. He was still king, and the world around him was as it had been: his empire. All was well with his world!
Daniel 4:30 – The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
the house of the kingdom – I am assuming this to mean that the city of Babylon was itself the royal palace of this mighty empire. Babylon represented the seat of royal power of the kingdom. Possibly similar in use to our “houses of parliament?
While he was walking, overlooking Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar was contemplating his power and might (note the first part of that dream). He was that great strong tree that overshadowed all his world, and provided for all in it. This was the mighty Babylon that he himself had built as the house of the kingdom (the dwelling place of the kingdom, the seat of royal authority). According to him, Nebuchadnezzar had built this great city, the seat of his majesty, by the might of his power and for the honour (esteem) of his majesty. Babylon was his glory.
His boast is empty, though, for according to that dream, those who rule are there by God’s will and permission alone. No-one may boast of his own might and power when it comes to kingly authority.
Daniel 4:17, 25 – 17This matter [is] by the decree of the watchers,
and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may
know that the most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
25That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling
shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as
oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall
pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever
he will.
Also see Vs 32 below (“until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”)
Daniel 4:31 – While the word [was] in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
Nebuchadnezzar should have known that the moment he boasted of his own honour, majesty and glory etc, God would prove him a liar. “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). He should have known that what God says He will do, he will indeed do! Numbers 23:19 – God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
While Nebuchadnezzar was in the act of boasting, a voice came down from heaven, telling the king that what was spoken was about to come to pass.
“King Nebuchadnezzar, To you (and clearly no-one else) this is spoken (this is being said to you!). (That is, you cannot pass this responsibility onto someone else; you cannot blame anyone else.) The kingdom (this great Babylon, that you have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of your power, and for the honour of your majesty), this kingdom is now departed from (passed away from) you. (And where is that majesty now?)”
Daniel 4:32 – And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling [shall be] with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
“And (as the dream so accurately foretold), you shall be driven away from the presence of men (people; society; mankind collectively) and you shall live with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times (years?) shall come and go until the time when you shall know (for a certainty) that the most High God (not you!) is the one who rules over the kingdoms of mankind (mankind collectively; more specifically Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom), and that he gives these kingdoms (yours in particular) to whoever He wants to.”
That is, even after 12 months (since the dream), Nebuchadnezzar was still boasting of what he had built by the might of his power. The question has to be asked: Did he really take note of that dream? (Noting that he apparently hadn’t done anything about it in that 12 months.)
His punishment therefore would be until he had learned that his kingdom had been given to him by God and that God had the sovereign right to remove that kingdom at any time He chose.
Psalm 2:1-5 – 1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, [saying], 3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Daniel 4:33 – The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ [feathers], and his nails like birds’ [claws].
God’s word is sure; that same hour (brief time; moment –
thus could be read as “straightaway”) this (the prophecy of the dream) was
fulfilled (come to fulfillment) in Nebuchadnezzar. (It appears to have come upon
him without warning!) As prophesied, he was driven from the society of mankind,
ate grass like oxen, his body became wet with the dew of heaven (morning dew?)
(Daniel 4:23; 25),
until his hair was grown long like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’
claws (that is, untrimmed for a long time). This does suggest a long and actual
period of time, thus denying an allegorical
interpretation.
Daniel 5:21 says that “they fed him with grass like oxen” which can assume that people fed him as if he were a beast of burden like the oxen, rather than being like a wild beast seeking out food in the wilds.
Daniel 4:34 – And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:
Was Nebuchadnezzar aware of this change in his life? Did his understanding return to him before or after he lifted up his eyes to heaven (a figure of speech about seeking God)? Vs 36 below says that “At the same time my reason returned unto me” which suggests that he may have had little or no ability to reason out what was happening to him.
Nebuchadnezzar finally acknowledges God’s authority and sovereignty as stated in that dream. He lifts up his eyes to heaven, just as written (possibly by David) in Psalm 123.
Psalm 123:1-2 – 1Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. 2Behold, as the eyes of servants [look] unto the hand of their masters, [and] as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes [wait] upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
As we would say, the penny has finally dropped, Nebuchadnezzar has finally seen the light of God’s word in that dream; that is, his understanding (the same word is translated “reason” in Vs 36 below) returned (was restored, it seems, by God) to him. As Newton wrote in “Amazing Grace”, “I was blind but now I see.” As Charles Wesley wrote: “He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin, He sets the pris’ner free;”. Nebuchadnezzar can now see where he was previously blind, clearly a work of God in his life. But was he saved with eternal life? That is not clear. Some claim that he was indeed saved, and maybe he was, but there is nothing definitive that demonstrates this. What Nebuchadnezzar prays does seem to be genuine worship of the one true God, but did he give up all the other gods in his life as well? Or did he just put the most High God at the top of the list?
Nebuchadnezzar now blesses (or bows down before in order to worship) the most High (God). He praised and honoured (or glorified) Him that lives forever (the eternal God), whose dominion (sovereignty) is forever (eternal) and whose kingdom extends throughout all generations of mankind (that is, forever).
Daniel 4:35 – And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and 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?
Psalm 8:4-6 – 4What is man, that
thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest
him? 5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and
hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6Thou madest
him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things]
under his feet:
are reputed as – or “are accounted as”
the army – or “the strength”, “the power”
can stay – or “can hinder”
hand – or “power”
And all those who live on this earth (all mankind) are reputed as nothing (are of no account). God does all according to His will (alone) in the army (or might; power) of heaven and the inhabitants of earth; that is, He is sovereign over heaven and mankind alike. There is nowhere that His sovereignty does not extend to. No-one is able to stay (hinder) His hand (or power); literally, no-one can grab His hand in order to hold His sovereignty back.
God is the potter and man is the clay. God may manipulate any man or nation, ruler or kingdom, to do according to His will if He so desire.
Jeremiah 18:5-10 – 5Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter’s hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. 7[At what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy [it]; 8If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9And [at what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant [it]; 10If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
No-one may ever question God’s sovereignty over them. None may ask, “What doest thou?”.
Romans 9:20b – Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?
Of course, this does not deny the limited free will that God has given to man along with dominion over all the earth that was given to mankind through Adam in Genesis 1:26. But it does say that God can overrule at any time (if He so chooses) and if He does, then there is nothing man can do to oppose His sovereignty. Just because God has given mankind dominion (and free will to go with that dominion) does not mean that man can ignore God’s sovereignty, for if he does, he does so at his own peril.
Daniel 4:36 – At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
At the same time – zᵉman (Aramaic) (a
set time; appointed time; season)
It is translated twice in Ch.3 as “at that time” (Daniel 3:7, 8). In Daniel 3:7 it would mean “at
the appointed time” but may not mean the same in Daniel 3:8. The word could refer to a set time when something
is planned to occur, or it could mean a particular season or time of the year,
or it could mean as in Vs 36 above: “At the same time”.
This phrase would refer to “at the end of the days” (Vs 34 above), but even then could mean either “at the appointed time (according to the prophecy)” or “at the same time (that is, the end of the days)”.
my reason returned unto me – This is the same phrase as in Vs 34 above: “mine understanding returned unto me”, where “understanding” is the same word as “reason”.
the glory of my kingdom – This is similar to “the honour of my majesty” (Vs 30 above), where “glory” is the same word as “honour”.
my honour – Translated “my majesty” in Vs 30 above.
Likewise, his counsellors and lords (nobles) once again sought his favour (made petitions of him), and he was once more established in his kingdom and excellent majesty (exceeding or surpassing greatness) was added to him (he was increased in these attributes).
Effectively Nebuchadnezzar is acknowledging that what he had (that he claimed by his own by the might of his power – Vs 30 above) has now been restored to him, but with one huge change: it is no longer by the might of his power but by the sovereign authority of the most high God.
Daniel 4:37 – Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise (and adore) and extol (lift up) and honour (glorify; give all glory to) the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth (true) and His ways (paths; courses of life) are judgment (or just; justice). Those who walk in pride He is able to abase (bring low; humble).”
Psalm 111:7-8 – 7The works of his hands [are] verity (truth) and judgment; all his commandments [are] sure. 8They stand fast for ever and ever, [and are] done in truth and uprightness.
1 Peter 5:6 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Sometimes it takes a momentous occasion such as Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to bring us to our senses concerning God’s will. We all have a tendency to walk according to what we can see (and therefore claim to believe, noting that “I’ll believe it when I see it!” claim by many) but the Bible does make it clear that we walk by faith in what God promises rather than believing in what we can see (2 Corinthians 5:7). It is also the eternal world which we cannot see where reality exists, not the temporal world of deception in which we currently live (2 Corinthians 4:18). Our thinking can be all too easily dominated by the world around us, with its material benefits and promises of enjoyment. This was Nebuchadnezzar’s problem: all he could see was the riches and greatness he enjoyed as a ruler of this world. But what did all this mean for him in eternity?
This present world dominates our thinking, yet it is a blink of the eye in eternity. So what if Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest person alive back then? What is he now? This world is not the real world. It is merely a preparation for the eternity to come. Why worry about a few years of hardship in this world when there’s eternity to prepare for? Why trade an eternity of happiness for a few years of luxury now?
Romans 8:16-18 – 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
The choice is clear: the cross or the world! What you choose now will determine your eternity! The world brings many things, but ends in death. The cross commences with death but instead brings life. What profit is there in gaining the world for a few years, only to lose everything for eternity?
Matthew 16:24-26 – 24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
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