Rachel Workman: 19 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! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and
strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with
beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to
the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22 Your
Majesty, you 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.
23 “Your
Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, 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 with the wild animals, until
seven times pass by for him.’
24 “This
is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has
issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away
from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox
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 all kingdoms on earth and
gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 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. 27 Therefore, Your
Majesty, 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.” The king is struggling to believe. Even
after God has shown him he was mighty. I find it interesting how people like to
believe that God is punishing people when bad things happen. He doesn't punish
people. Their choices and decisions do. If we make a bad decision like the king
continues to then you can expect bad consequences.
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Krista Cook: 19 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! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and
strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with
beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to
the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22 Your
Majesty, you 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.
23 “Your
Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, 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 with the wild animals, until
seven times pass by for him.’
24 “This
is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has
issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away
from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox
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 all kingdoms on earth and
gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 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. 27 Therefore, Your
Majesty, 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.”
-
Can you imagine how nervous Daniel had to have been to give the king this
interpretation? Bad times were coming...but thankfully there was a way out.
Will this be the wake-up call the king needs?
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Allen Michaels: 19 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! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and
strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with
beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to
the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22 Your
Majesty, you 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.
23 “Your Majesty saw
a holy one, a messenger, 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 with the wild animals, until seven times pass
by for him.’ Daniel told the king that he,
Nebuchadnezzar, was like the tree. He was a very powerful king. He had power
over the whole earth. 24 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the
Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be
driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass
like the ox 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 all kingdoms
on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 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. 27 Therefore,
Your Majesty, 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.” Daniel knew that God does not like to punish people.
So he advised the king to stop doing evil things. He advised him to do good
things. The dream would still come true. But maybe Nebuchadnezzar would be
happy for a longer time.
Although
much of the world thought that Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty (even divine) king,
God demonstrated that Nebuchadnezzar was an ordinary man, just like everybody
else. He just had had more nice stuff and authority. The king would go insane
and become like an animal for a set period of time (“seven times”). God
humiliated Nebuchadnezzar to show that almighty God, not Nebuchadnezzar, was
Lord of all nations. No matter how powerful a person we may become,
self-centered pride will push God from our life. Pride may be one of the most
dangerous temptations we will face. We can’t let our accomplishments cause us
to forget God.
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Monday's reading for Daniel 4:28-37
28 All
this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later,
as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 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?”
31 Even
as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is
decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from
you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with
the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for
you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on
earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
33 Immediately
what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from
people and ate grass like the ox. 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.
34 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.
35 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?”
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 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?”
36 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. 37 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.
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