Daniel 4:13-18

Daniel 4:13

I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

 

Then in the visions the king had he saw a watcher come down from Heaven.  The word “watcher” carries with it the meaning of “angel or messenger.”  Then he reveals he saw a “holy one” come down from Heaven.  This would be another reference to an angel and it is probable that it is one angel with two descriptions.  Remember, we saw back a few verses that even the pagans had believed in messengers from their gods.  Now this verse is in no way stating that Nebuchadnezzar went up to the third Heaven like the Apostle Paul did but this is the king’s limited understanding of his dream up to this point.

 

Daniel 4:14

He cried aloud, and said thus, 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 his branches:

 

Then the angel begins to proclaim very strongly that the tree is to be destroyed.  Not only cut down but the branches are to be removed.  Then the leaves are to be removed right down to the fruit.  What is happening here is a complete destruction of this tree as it is being disassembled right down to the fruit which is the last thing to appear on a tree (except for the fig tree where the fruit comes first and then the leaves).  Then since this tree is being demolished, then those beasts and birds which received their shade, sustenance, and living quarters were to flee because the tree was now coming down.

 

Daniel 4:15

Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

 

With the stump of the tree remaining, it means there will not be utter and total destruction. The stump still provides the ability to the tree to grow once again.  The band of iron and brass is symbolic of what is going to happen to him.  They were used to bind those who became crazy or demonically possessed and were unable to function in normal society and were thus made outcasts.  The Gadarene Demoniac was probably the best example of this.  Mark 5:4 (KJV) Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.  Nebuchadnezzar was about to become a person like that where he will be sentenced to live outdoors as the dew of Heaven will settle on him, like the morning dew.  This is also confirmed by the fact that he will have a place among the beasts in the grass of the earth, that is, his dwelling will be outdoors.  He does not know at this point that it is speaking about a future episode in his life.

 

Daniel 4:16

Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

 

Then in addition to being banished to the outdoors, he will have a change of heart from the normal living that a man does indoors to a beast’s heart, that is, he will have a mindset that is adapted to the outdoors and as an animal finds its place outdoors, so will he.  Along with that beast’s heart will come the ways of an animal in the outdoors.   He will become vicious at times, have the sense of an animal, he will be bold and frightened and he will have the appetite of an animal.  He will go from acting like a human to acting like an animal.  This will take place over a period of seven years.

 

Daniel 4:17

This 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.

 

What Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream was established in two ways.  First by decree which was an authoritative judgment or an order from one who has authority.   Then by demand which carries with it the meaning of a legal or judicial decision or order.  The one who gave this decree and demand was God Himself and was given to the angel or angels to bring it to pass.  The reason is that all those on planet earth may know that it is not Nebuchadnezzar who is the ultimate ruler but God Himself who is the true ruler in the kingdom of this world.  God has the authority to set up any ruler He sees fit which would accomplish His will, even if we do not understand why certain people have been set up over countries.  For example, Mao Tse-Tung became head of China in 1948 and we wonder why such a cruel ruler would be allowed to rule when he murdered so many of his countrymen.  He did something which aided evangelism that he was not aware of.  He took the Chinese language and solidified it under the Mandarin dialect and did away with the Cantonese dialect.  It allowed the publication of Christian materials in only one language which aided missions tremendously.  Today there are hundreds of millions of Christians in China as a result.  God reserves the right to set up those who are the most lowly or even those in a bad condition of life.  God will set up those who will fulfill His will, even if they do not acknowledge God as Savior, just as hundreds of rulers in all countries down through the ages have not done.

 

Daniel 4:18

This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

 

Once again Nebuchadnezzar turns to Daniel and seeks his counsel to know what this second dream was.  He tells Daniel that the wise men in the kingdom were once again unequal to the task simply because they were unbelievers.  The king knew that Daniel was able to make the interpretation known to him because he believed that Daniel had the spirit of the holy gods within him.  He did not know that Daniel had the Holy Spirit living within him and was able to bring true interpretation for him but he did know that there was something different about Daniel in comparison to the other wise men.  It might have been Daniel’s humble spirit versus those who held positions in the court of the king and were arrogant.  That would be a great indicator that Daniel was really different.

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