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Then
the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners
came in, and I related the dream to them; but they could not
make its interpretation known to me. But finally Daniel came
in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name
of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related
the dream to him, saying, O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,
since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no
mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I
have seen, along with its interpretation. Now these were the
visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold,
there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was
great. The tree grew large and became strong, and its height
reached to the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole
earth. Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and
in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade
under it, And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and
all living creatures fed themselves from it. I was looking in
the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic
watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. He shouted out and
spoke as follows: “Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; Let the beasts
flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. Yet leave
the stump with its roots in the ground, But with a band of iron
and bronze around it in the new grass of the field . . . (NASB)
Dan. 4:7-15a |
The king called in the local false prophets and demon empowered magicians,
the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners but they were not successful
again. The demonic world was not able to interpret this divine dream.
The king’s heart rejoiced when Daniel arrived. Daniel was called
the chief of the magicians, a title given to him by the king. Just
imagine how these men must have felt. Here is an Old Testament saint
in the demonic pit of Babylon and he is more highly recognized than
Satan’s men. What a contrast! This is the power of God - the
work of the Holy Spirit.
The king then described the dream of
a tree which provides protection and security. It is chopped down
and stripped but the stump and roots of the tree are left in place.
Then comes our first clue that the tree is a person.
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. . and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let
him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his
mind be changed from that of a man, and let a beast’s mind
be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him.
This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, and
the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the
living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of
mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets over it
the lowliest of men.” ‘This is the dream which I,
King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell
me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my
kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but
you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’
(NASB) Dan. 4:15b-18 |
This person will become like a beast of the field and will remain
that way until he understands and admits that the Most High God makes
people to be either successes or failures. Do you think you are responsible
for your own success at work, at church, or any other place? Nebuchadnezzar
did! This is a message for all of us.
The
Interpretation.
Daniel respected the king and cared for the man. When he heard the
dream, he immediately knew the message and he was grieved. |
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