it fitting that a testimony should come directly from his own lips. Testimony for God is good — when it brings glory to Him. Nebuchadnezzar speaks of the “wonders” God had wrought toward him — the reference being to the dream, the interpretation, and the resulting fulfillment. As a result of this experience he came to realize in a wholesome way the shortness of his own dominion and the eternity of God’s. At the time this episode in his life began, the king was in an apparently secure position — all enemies con quered and not a cloud on the horizon. No human hand dared to rise against him. But remember God can deal with ungodly men, even when human re sistance cannot, and that when all seems well with them. The wicked may sometimes possess a false secu rity and imagine all to be well even on the very brink of their doom. At this point in his career another miraculous dream was granted to Nebuchadnezzar, many years after the one of chapter 2. This time he did not forget the dream. Indeed he vivid ly remembered it with terrifying thoughts, and he certainly was not a man to be easily frightened. Although he knew Daniel and his ability, yet he turned first to the Chaldeans, and again found them powerless. Even to day it is sometimes true that those who know the Lord and have received blessed answers to prayer in the past, yet when a new problem arises will turn to various human expedients be fore seeking the Lord’s face! The Chaldeans, false prophets that they were, though they had previously claimed ability to interpret a dream once they were told it, failed even in this boast. When the others had failed, Daniel was finally summoned. Men whose hearts are not right with God usually dislike to face His messengers. So Daniel was called only as a last re sort. Nebuchadnezzar still spoke to him as a heathen polytheist, talking A . NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM OF THE GREAT TREE (4:4-18)
S tevens , “This passage is unique in the Bible in that the entire chapter consists of a proclamation or edict written by King Nebuchadnez zar, and incorporated for obvious rea sons into Daniel’s book. The incident is a graphic illustration of Job 33: 14-17. God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar once in the dream recorded in chapter 2. Again He spoke in the miracle of the fiery furnace. But Nebuchadnez zar, in his pride and arrogance, con tinued in his willful way until God spoke this third time. Even then he did not heed the Lord’s voice until he was utterly humbled. God made this man the great king of all the earth, but that did not satisfy him. He sought after divine honors and placed his will against that of God. Then the same God who gave him his great ness took it away, and brought him as low as the beasts of the field.” The words with which the chapter opens are revealing. They are from the heart of the king after God had dealt with him. His former arrogance is missing and a new spirit of hu mility is manifested. Doubtless all of his subjects had known something of his unusual experience, but he thought 31
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