Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men could not interpret his dream (4:4-7), so Nebuchadnezzar turned to Daniel and told him his dream (4:8-17). Now Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel to interpret it.
Whereas the king’s cabinet was unable to interpret the dream (Dan. 4:6-7), once again Daniel, because he serves the true God, is able to correctly interpret it for him. However, this is not a good dream for Nebuchadnezzar’s sake.
Daniel, out of his concern for the king, knowing it was about him, was “greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him” (Dan. 4:19). The word “perplexed” has the idea of being struck mute. Being overwhelmed, you just don’t know what to say. This lasted “for a time.”
Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, especially bad news about the supreme ruler. Like Daniel, we all shrink back from telling someone something negative about themselves. It is a highly uncomfortable situation and requires courage. But like we saw earlier, the king depended upon Daniel because Daniel was a truth teller. I truly believe that Daniel was less concerned about the consequences for himself as the bearer of bad news, than he was truly concerned about what was going to happen to Nebuchadnezzar.
Oh that we could have that kind of love for unbelievers. It’s reminiscent of Paul, isn’t it? I could wish myself a curse if my own kinsmen according to the flesh would but come to Christ and confess.
Seeing Daniel’s consternation, Nebuchadnezzar, out of his concern for Daniel, said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.”
Ironside comments: “Nebuchadnezzar must have discerned the anxiety and sorrow in the face of his minister, for he speaks in a way to give him confidence to proceed with the interpretation. He did not want smooth words made up for the occasion. Little though he (the king) realized what was coming, he still desired to know the truth. It is a blessed thing for any soul to get to the place where he can say: ‘Give me God’s Word, and let me know it is His Word, and I will receive it, no matter how it cuts, and interferes with my most cherished thoughts.’”
Joseph Parker notes: “Only the Divine Spirit could make him equal to the responsibilities of that critical hour. Many words we can utter easily, but to pronounce doom upon a life, any life, old man’s or little child’s, is a task which drives our words back again down the throat.” He goes on to point out how we must not shirk back from declaring, when necessary, judgment upon those to whom it is justly due, to warn people of the horrors coming to the wicked man.
I learned a new word a few years ago when I read Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. It is the German word schadenfreude, which means “rejoicing over someone else’s misfortune.”
That is what makes Daniel’s response to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream so interesting. This was the man who had kidnapped him from his home, emasculated him, and forced him to serve in his own court, encouraging him to follow foreign gods. This was the man who was responsible for the destruction for the temple in Jerusalem and the slaughter of many of Daniel’s fellow countrymen. However, here we see no gloating on Daniel’s part, no silent glee that this terrible judgment was about to happen to Nebuchadnezzar. Instead, he didn’t want this to be true about his king. I find this amazing, because I know my own heart. In my worst moments, I’m likely to seek a little schadenfreude.
“Daniel gives us a superb pattern of how to preach the judgment of God to people. It needs to be done with a broken heart, with a true concern, pointing out the consequences with mercy” (David Jeremiah, The Handwriting on the Wall, pp. 91-92). The message of judgment must always be delivered with a broken heart.
Dwight L. Moody once said, “I cannot preach on hell unless I preach with tears.”We cannot preach on God’s judgment without some deep sense of grief. Well, we can, but we shouldn’t. This is why hellfire and brimstone preaching developed a bad reputation—lack of tears. If we lack a deep sense of heartbreak when speaking about hell, we will sound callous.
David Jeremiah then goes on to give this illustration:
It was in London when a great preacher by the name of Caesar Milan was invited one evening to a very large and prominent home where a choice musical was to be presented.
The musician was Charlotte Elliott born in Clapham, England, on March 18, 1789. As a young person she had lived a carefree life, gaining popularity as a portrait artist, musician and writer of humorous verse.
Now at thirty, her health began to fail rapidly, and soon she would become a bedridden invalid for the remaining years of her life. With her failing health came great feelings of despondency. The visit that night by the noted Swiss evangelist, Dr. Caesar Malan, proved to be a turning point in Charlotte’s life. Charlotte thrilled the audience with her singing and playing. When she finished, the evangelist threaded his way through the crowd which was gathered around her.
When he finally came to her and had her attention, he said, “Young lady, when you were singing, I sat there and thought how tremendously the cause of Christ would be benefited if you would dedicate yourself and your talents to the Lord.
But,” he added, “you are just as much a sinner as the worst drunkard in the street, or any harlot on Scarlet Street. But I am glad to tell you that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will cleanse you from all sin if you will come to Him.” In a very haughty manner, she turned her head aside and said to him, “You are very insulting, sir.” And she started to walk away. He said, “Lady, I did not mean any offense, but I pray that the Spirit of God will convict you.”
Well, they all went home, and that night this young woman could not sleep. At two o’clock in the morning she knelt at the side of her bed and took Christ as her Savior. And then she, Charlotte Elliott, sat down and, while sitting there, wrote the words of a favorite hymn “Just As I Am”:
Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come!
Just as I am, tho’ tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind— Sight, riches, healing of the mind, Yea, all I need in Thee to find— O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
And then the final stanza: Just as I am—Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come!
My friend, may I say to you, that this is the basis on which all of us must come to Christ.
So “It seems that genuine affection had grown between king and wise man. Daniel had accepted that the Lord had placed him in this position, and he was striving to do his job to the best of his abilities” (Amir Tsarfati, Discovering Daniel, p. 87).
It reminds us once again of what Jeremiah had written to the exiles in Babylon. Jeremiah had told them:
5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:5-7)
Daniel knew that as the king went, so went the kingdom. And as the kingdom went, so went the living conditions of his fellow exiles. So he served his king wholeheartedly and gladly. It is difficult to serve anyone with your whole heart if your heart is against them, whether it is despot on the throne, your boss at work or your husband at home. Did Daniel agree with all that his sovereign did? (Remember the last chapter, requiring everyone to bow to his image?) Even so, he truly desired what was best for the man. Like Daniel, we live in this world to love and to show the truth of God’s salvation to all sinners, great or small, evil or kind, friend or enemy.
So Daniel provided the key for the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Initially it was good news, for the majestic tree represented Nebuchadnezzar in his glory as the center and pivotal point of the entire universe. “As with the king’s dream of a statue in Daniel 2, where Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold, this dream acknowledged Nebuchadnezzar’s power and might” (Iain Duguid, Daniel in Reformed Expositor’s Commentary, p. 66).
This was the good news.
20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
This is you, O king, you are this mighty tree!
Renald Showers comments:
Showers comments that…
God’s representation of Nebuchadnezzar as a large tree that provided food and lodging for all was very fitting for at least two reasons. First, in several of his inscriptions Nebuchadnezzar had boasted about the peaceful shelter and abundance of food that he had provided for his subjects through Babylon. Indeed, in these boasts he used language descriptive of a tree when referring to his rule through Babylon. In one inscription he said, “The produce of the lands, the product of the mountains, the bountiful wealth of the sea within her I received. Under her everlasting shadow I gathered all men in peace. Vast heaps of grain beyond measure I stored up within her.” In another inscription he declared, “Under her everlasting shadow I gathered all men in peace. A reign of abundance, years of plenty I caused to be in my land.”
Second, as a result of military campaigns that took him several times through the forests of Lebanon, Nebuchadnezzar became greatly captivated by the huge cedar trees of that land. This attitude was reflected in one of his inscriptions where he described the trees as follows: “mighty cedars, tall and strong, of costly value, whose dark forms towered aloft, the massive growth of Lebanon.” Indeed, in his inscriptions Nebuchadnezzar boasted that he personally had cut down some of these huge trees with his own hands. He even had a picture of himself cutting a cedar inscribed on stone. One gets the impression that the king exalted in the fact that he could cut down such a towering giant of strength (The Most High God: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel).
Well, so far, so good! Nebuchadnezzar had built an empire that spanned the world of his day. Other empires would be grander than his, taking in more territory and lasting much longer. But in some ways his empire truly was greater than those others (Dan. 3). Again, his reign began that important biblical time period called “the times of the Gentiles.” Here, at the zenith of his power, he was the great tree that overshadowed the earth.
But the bad news was (and you can almost hear Daniel pause, gulp, and take a deep breath)…
23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’
Which is why Daniel had said to his king in v. 19, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!” The implication, of course, is that this dream does apply to Nebuchadnezzar, sadly.
Daniel drew his breath. He was in a situation much like that of Esther would and might have qujietly said to himself, “If I perish, I perish.”
The description of the tree reaching to the heavens (4:11) reminds us once again of the ancient attempt of the buildings of the Tower of Babel to construct an structure whose top would enter the heavens (Gen. 11:4). Such acts of hubris inevitably lead to disaster. In this case, a divine lumberjack will bring the mighty tree crashing down to the ground, removing it from is place of influence and glory (cf. Ezekiel 31).
Not only would Nebuchadnezzar be brought low, losing his power and authority and glory, but also his very humanity would be removed from him for a time.
Warren Wiersbe notes: When men and women refuse to submit themselves to God as creatures made in His image, they are in grave danger of descending to the level of animals. It’s worth noting that God used animals when He wanted to describe the great empires of history (Dan. 7) and that the last great world dictator is called “the beast” (Rev. 11:7; 13:ff.; 14:9, 11). Men and women are made in the image of God, but when they leave God out of their lives and resist His will, they can descend to the level of animals. “Do not be like the horse or like the mule,” warned King David, who was guilty of acting like both (Psalm 32:9, NKJV). Like the impulsive horse, he rushed into sin when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then like the stubborn mule, he delayed confessing his sins and repenting (2 Sam. 11-12). When the Lord arrested Saul on the road to Damascus, He compared the pious rabbi to a stubborn ox when He said, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 9:5, NKJV). (The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: OT Ediction, pp. 1357-1358).
Daniel interprets the dream to the king. Realize sometimes that truth hurts. We have a tendency to avoid telling the ones we love about the sin in their lives, knowing we live in glass houses ourselves, but the most loving thing to do is to tell them the truth.
So this is the bad news. The tree, Nebuchadnezzar, would be cut down.
The Gospel is good news, literally, that is what the word means. But the good news is only good news to us if we first realize the bad news. The bad news is that we are all sinners; we all are guilty before a holy God. Even our righteousness has no value to God. We cannot earn our way into His favor.
The good news is that God has provided a Savior, a substitute who came to earth, lived a perfect life, obeying every command of God without ever sinning, so that He could die in our place for our sake on the cross.
That death is accepted by God as payment for our sins. We don’t have to die for our sins, but we can live eternally IF we accept the payment Christ made for our sins. If you’ve never done that, I hope you will contact me at Grace Bible Church so we can talk.
Grace Still Amazes 
