DANIEL CHPT 4 STUDY GUIDE

 Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. I Nebuchadnezzar was a res in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

After having received the revelation of the Son of God who appeared standing in the midst of the fire, Nebuchadnezzar gave acknowledgment of the true and living God and even elevated His chosen. However, his heart did not change after having received such a revelation. The pride, arrogance, and the god complex was ever so present. He knows the Lord's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. However, he still refuses to remove the false counselors, diviners, magicians, and soothsayers though they have been proven time and again to be worthless.

While the king Nebuchadnezzar was in the palace at leisure seemingly enjoying His conquer and having the children of the Most High in captivity, the Lord gives him yet another dream to take him down a notch into reality to recognize he is not a god, but merely man. This dream puts the fear of God in him.

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make know unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make know unto me the interpretation thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, O' Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that that spirit of the holy gods is in thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

Concerning dreams and visions we must understand that Jesus will often speak by His spirit in repetition in order for us to recognize that the dream is true and for us to get a complete understanding so that there is no confusion. So He will say the same thing multiple times in different ways for us to get the memo!

Thus were the visions of my head in my bed; I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all the flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven; 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:

The Lord is yet again attempting to humble the heart of this prideful king who has refused to surrender to the true and living God. This head of gold has also been addressed as a tree who had flourished to heavenly heights. The harvest is plenteous and the living are being nourished to the full by this king. Because the needs are being met by this earthly king there is no need to call upon the living God. They seem like they are not in need of a Savior. This king has stepped into the place of God in attempting to provide the needs of his people.

Jeremiah 50: 31-35

Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of hosts: For thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: the children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is His name: He shall thoroughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the Lord, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princess, and upon her wise men.

After being in a dream in previous chapters, King Nebuchadnezzar gave only a temporary acknowledgment of the Most High. The Lord surrounded him with sound counsel and revealed himself through various signs and wonders. The Lord revealed himself to the kings of the world in the last days, but he still set out to build his own kingdom. Therefore, another dream is given to the king to communicate His judgment for not heeding to the prophetic warning. The hewn down tree is symbolic of the Lord taking down the pride of a nation. He will scatter those who are dependent on this tree rather than trusting in the Most High.

Revelation 3: 19-22

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come to in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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: 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. This matter is by 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.

The Lord commanded that the stump of the roots be left in the earth, which is symbolic that though He may allow for destruction, He will not allow the foundation to be destroyed. The Word of God states that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. He is the one who establishes and gives the increase. With Him being the founder, he will not destroy himself.

1 Corinthians 3:6/10-14

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every men take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire: and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

These scriptures confirm the need for the destruction of flesh and the lust thereof. He wants to be glorified through His work. His ultimate plan was for chastening, rebuke, and restoration for His children.