Nebuchadnezzar Confesses God’s Kingdom
King Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 6:251Pe 1:2Dan 3:41Ch 12:18Dan 3:29Eph 1:2Ezr 4:171Ti 1:2
To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth:
May your prosperity be multiplied. I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. Dan 3:26Psa 66:16Act 22:3-16Act 26:9-16Jos 7:19Psa 51:14Psa 71:18Psa 92:1-2
How great are His signs, Psa 145:13Dan 2:44Isa 25:1Dan 7:14Rev 11:151Ti 1:17Dan 4:34-35Dan 6:26-27
how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
His dominion endures from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Tree
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. Isa 47:7-81Th 5:2-3Ezk 28:17Ezk 28:2-5Ezk 29:3Isa 56:12Jer 48:11Luk 12:19-20 I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me. Dan 2:1Dan 2:28-29Dan 5:10Dan 5:5-6Dan 7:28Gen 41:1Job 7:13-14 So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. Dan 2:2Gen 41:7-8Isa 47:12-14Isa 8:19 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, 1 and diviners came in, I told them the dream, and they could not interpret it for me. Isa 44:25Dan 2:72Ti 3:8-9Dan 2:1-2Dan 2:10Dan 2:27Gen 41:8Jer 27:9-10
But at last, into my presence came Daniel (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods). And I told him the dream: Dan 1:7Dan 4:18Dan 5:14Dan 2:11Dan 4:9Dan 5:11-12Isa 46:1Isa 63:11 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery baffles you. So explain to me the visions I saw in my dream, and their interpretation. Dan 2:48Dan 5:11Dan 4:8Dan 1:20Dan 4:5Ezk 28:3Gen 41:38Jdg 7:13-15 In these visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this come to pass: Dan 4:5Jer 12:2Ezk 31:3-18Isa 10:33-34Psa 37:35-36Dan 4:20-26
There was a tree in the midst of the land,
and its height was great.
The tree grew large and strong; Dan 4:21-22Deu 9:1Mat 11:23Gen 11:4
its top reached the sky,
and it was visible
to the ends of the earth.
Its leaves were beautiful, Luk 13:19Ezk 17:23Ezk 31:6-7Lam 4:20Jer 27:6-7Mat 13:32Mrk 13:32
its fruit was abundant,
and upon it was food for all.
Under it the beasts of the field found shelter,
in its branches the birds of the air nested,
and from it every creature was fed.
As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, 2 a holy one, coming down from heaven. Deu 33:2Dan 7:1Dan 8:13Dan 4:23Dan 4:5Jud 1:14Psa 89:7Zec 14:5 He called out in a loud voice: Mat 3:10Dan 4:23Ezk 31:12-13Dan 3:4Dan 4:12Luk 13:7-9Luk 3:9Mat 7:19
‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches;
strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts flee from under it,
and the birds from its branches.
But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, Job 14:7-9Dan 4:25-27Ezk 29:14-15
and a band of iron and bronze around it,
in the tender grass of the field.
Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven
and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.
Let his mind be changed from that of a man, Dan 4:23Dan 4:25Isa 6:10Rev 12:14Dan 11:13Dan 12:7Dan 4:31-33Dan 7:25
and let him be given the mind of a beast
till seven times pass him by.
This decision is the decree of the watchers, Dan 2:21Dan 4:251Sa 2:8Psa 75:6-7Dan 5:18-21Jer 27:5-7Psa 113:7-81Co 1:28
the verdict declared by the holy ones,
so that the living will know
that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind
and gives it to whom He wishes,
setting over it the lowliest of men.’
This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” Dan 5:15Gen 41:8Dan 4:7-9Dan 5:8Gen 41:151Ki 14:2-3Amo 3:7Dan 2:26-28
Daniel Interprets the Second Dream
For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him. Dan 7:28Dan 8:271Sa 3:172Sa 18:31-32Dan 10:16-17Dan 4:24Dan 4:4-5Jer 4:19
So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”
“My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth, Dan 4:10-12Ezk 31:3Ezk 31:16 whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested— you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth. 2Sa 12:7Dan 2:37-38Jer 27:6-8Dan 5:18-23Gen 11:4Gen 28:12Mat 14:4Psa 108:4
And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: Dan 5:21Dan 4:13-16
‘Cut down the tree and destroy it,
but leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
and a band of iron and bronze around it,
in the tender grass of the field.
Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
and graze with the beasts of the field
till seven times pass him by.’
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king: Psa 107:40Isa 46:10-11Job 40:11-12Dan 4:17Isa 14:24-27Isa 23:9Job 1:12-19Job 20:29
You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes. Dan 4:17Jer 27:5Psa 83:18Dan 2:21Psa 106:20Job 30:3-8Psa 75:7Dan 5:21-31
As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Dan 4:15Dan 2:37Dan 4:23Luk 15:18Luk 15:21Mat 21:20Mat 5:34 Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.” Isa 55:6-7Jon 3:9Act 8:22Ezk 18:27-32Jas 4:8-10Luk 11:41Pro 16:6Eph 4:28
The Second Dream Fulfilled
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Num 23:19Zec 1:6Mat 24:35Pro 10:24 Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, Rev 2:211Pe 3:202Pe 3:152Pe 3:9-10Ecc 8:11Gen 6:3 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” Pro 16:18Ezk 29:3Isa 10:8-15Luk 14:11Rev 17:5Rev 18:101Ch 29:12-141Pe 5:5
While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you. Act 9:3-5Luk 12:20Rev 16:71Sa 13:141Sa 15:23Dan 4:24Dan 4:34Dan 5:28 You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.” Dan 5:21Jer 27:5Job 12:18-21Pro 8:15-16Exo 8:10Exo 9:29Jos 4:24Dan 4:14-17
At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and 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. Dan 4:25Dan 4:32Dan 5:21Dan 5:5Isa 30:14Job 20:51Th 5:2
Nebuchadnezzar Restored
But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: Rev 4:10Psa 145:13Dan 12:7Dan 2:44Jer 10:10Dan 4:32Dan 6:26Dan 4:26
“For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth Job 42:2Psa 135:6Psa 115:3Rom 11:33-36Isa 40:15-17Eph 1:11Isa 43:13Mat 11:25-26
are counted as nothing,
and He does as He pleases
with the army of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
There is no one who can restrain His hand
or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Dan 4:34Pro 22:42Ch 33:12-13Dan 4:15-16Dan 4:32Mat 6:331Sa 2:302Co 4:17 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride. Jas 4:6-7Psa 33:4-51Pe 5:5-61Sa 2:3Deu 32:41Pe 2:9-10Exo 18:11Ezk 16:63